Malden police fire on suspect after he tried to pin officers

[dagwag77]

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/malden/2009/08/malden_police_exchange_fire_wi.html

Malden police fire on suspect after he tried to pin officers

August 3, 2009 08:55 PM

By Kathy McCabe, Globe Staff

Malden police reportedly fired on the occupant of a stolen car Monday evening on Salem Street, after the driver pinned officers with his car. A search was underway after an occupant fled the scene, police said.

Malden police chief Kenneth Coye said that Malden police, on routine patrol, randomly ran the plate of a white Toyota Camry. When the plate came back as a stolen vehicle, the police officer called for backup. Two other cruisers responded, and they attempted to pull the car over.

According to eyewitnesses, police asked the vehicle driver to show his license and registration. He refused to comply. The car was backed up in reverse, pinning a Malden Police officer into his cruiser. The car then apparently went forward, pinning another police officer.

At that point, it is believed, shots were fired. The windshield of the white Toyota, which remained in the middle of Salem Street at about 9 pm Monday, had a bullet hole in it. The suspect fled on foot, potentially armed, police said.

Coye declined to comment on whether shots were fired. He said that the car was occupied by three men. One was arrested and another was taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries.

He urged the public to be careful. The chief said that 3700 homes in Malden were notified by a reverse 911 call system that the suspect possibly armed was at large. “People should be concerned about anyone crouching in their yard or looking suspicious and call 911,'' he said Monday night.

After the suspect left the scene, state police, Malden police, and area police departments started a massive search, including state police helicopters, on foot and by air, and the suspect is described as a tall white male, with a whistle- or crew-cut style hair cut, possibly in his 20s, dressed in a red Red Sox shirt, possibly dressed in khaki-colored shorts and with some sort of beads around his neck.

The suspect ran across the lawn of St. Joseph's Church. Witnesses at Club 24, a social club, reported that the officers gave every chance to the people to comply with their order. The officers approached the car with their guns drawn, the witnesses said.

An investigator with direct knowledge of the incident said police fired on the car.

After being pinned, all three police officers were standing up, apparently not incapacitated, when other police vehicles arrived on the scene. The officers were also taken to the hospital to be examined.

Tanya Ganfild, a neighbor, said “I thought it was a car accident, cops got here very fast. I have small children, and they were outside. But the Malden police came fast.”

ruh roh! Hope the boys (and girls) in blue are OK.

 

[Turbocharged]

I can't blame them. I'm sure some people will scrutinize their actions, asking if lethal force was necessary.
I think they were justified, as the suspect showed intent to harm them.

 

[CRSIII]

The car was ''backed up in reverse'' No shit?
''The suspect fled on foot, potentially armed'' Aren't we all potentialy armed?
Great writing.
On the other hand, to bad he got away.

 

[atilla]

they'll get him.

fox said that someone was taken to the hospital with "life-threatening" injuries. hopefully it's the douchebag trying to run over the officers with a nasty case of lead poisoning.

 

[Squished]

Grand theft to assault on a police officer (x2).

Brilliant morons these people are. Since two of the three were caught, I'm sure those two will rat on the driver. Give it a day or two.

 

[cmdwolf]

Good job boys!

 

[jobowker]

Time for my daily nitpicking. Why do reporters find it so difficult to write a story that makes sense? If I was going to write a story as part of my job, and I knew that many people were going to read it, I think I'd spend a little more time trying to have it make sense.
"The suspect ran across the lawn of St. Joseph's Church. Witnesses at Club 24, a social club, reported that the officers gave every chance to the people to comply with their order. The officers approached the car with their guns drawn, the witnesses said."

Does this mean ran across the lawn, then officers gave them a chance to comply, and then they approached the car? How difficult is it to write a single cohesive story?

 

[dagwag77]

How difficult is it to write a single cohesive story?

Umm, this is the Glob we're talking about... At least they got the headline correct... Beyond that, just gravy.

 

[notalib]

"At that point, it is believed, shots were fired. The windshield of the white Toyota, which remained in the middle of Salem Street at about 9 pm Monday, had a bullet hole in it. The suspect fled on foot, potentially armed, police said."

Sooo the windshield remained in the middle of the street???

No offense to PE majors, but the paper shoulda looked for some English background in this guy before giving him a pen.


Edit... my bad.. Kathy wrote this

 

[Underwhere]

Interesting. Hope they catch the guys and the officers weren't hurt.

How did they manage to pin officers both in back of the car and then in front?
And to do so without injuring either of them?

Would have been interesting to have witnessed this.

 

[Blitz1]

They caught the 3rd guy, the guy that was shot died.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/20270657/detail.html

MALDEN, Mass. -- An unidentified man has died after being wounded during a police shootout in Malden early Tuesday, authorities said.

He was not immediately identified.

Two other men remained in police custody, one of them charged with possession of a stolen car and possession of heroin.

Police said a routine traffic stop turned deadly after officers stopped a suspected stolen car and the driver allegedly rammed the vehicle into police before fleeing. Officers then fired shots before two of the three men in the car were apprehended.

Police said they pulled over a white Toyota Camry about 7 p.m.at Salem and Laurel streets after a run of the license plate indicated the car was stolen.

They said there were three men inside and witnesses said the car backed into one of the police officers, pinning him against a cruiser. The car was then shifted into drive and a second officer was allegedly hit. That's when shots rang out and one of the suspects was hit, witnesses said.

"They were pulling out their guns and yelling at him to get out of the car," witness Tanya Ganfield said.

"Sounded like cars crashing, shots fired, things like that, and then within, not even 10 seconds, there were other cruisers here," witness Chris Schramm said.

One suspect, identified as James Calo, 29, of Malden, was charged with possession of heroin and a stolen motor vehicle.

A third man, identified as Mark Dwyer, was also eventually taken into custody in connection with the incident. They said he was apprehended as he walked along Route 60 about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday. He was not immediately charged.

Three officers were also treated for injuries that were considered non-life-threatening, officers said.

 

[jobowker]

Maybe he was aiming for the driver? (Not meant to be sarcastic). Anyway, if you're in a car that is engaged in the activity of running over cops while in possession of firearms & heroin, one might argue that you put yourself in a tight spot. I would probably at that point listen to the officer who was telling me to get out of the car. By not opening his door, he's giving the impression that he's just as guilty as the driver.
I'd prefer that the cops shot the driver, but I wouldn't crucify them for hitting the passenger.

The location is right by the dance studio my daughter goes to. Nice.

 

[jobowker]

I think we're fairly close on this one. If he had his druthers, I'm sure the cop would have been better served hitting the driver, and while there is guilt by association, I've been in a car before (granted no firearms or illegal drugs) where the driver did something stupid and I couldn't wait to get out of the car.

 

[Half Cocked]

I am curious... where does it say that the guy was the passenger and not the driver?

 

[dagwag77]

I am curious... where does it say that the guy was the passenger and not the driver?

Didnt read the whole article, but heres an update:

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/malden/2009/08/man_dies_after_police_fire_at.html

Each of the Malden police officers who used their guns fired one bullet, striking the driver, Alexander S. Nesom, 20, in the leg and grazing his shoulder, Leone said. Police pulled over the white Toyota Camry at 7:20 p.m. on Salem Street after a random license plate check revealed that the car had been stolen in Brockton.

 

[Half Cocked]

Didnt read the whole article, but heres an update:

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/malden/2009/08/man_dies_after_police_fire_at.html

Exactly....... people need to read and comprehend before criticizing.

 

[atilla]

john: it's easy to armchair quarterback this but the fact of the matter is that none of us were there.

 

[Half Cocked]

I did not have to read a story I know the facts. The suspect who was shot and killed was the driver. End of story.

I will await your apologies for the criticism aimed towards the officers who acted exactly the way that they should have.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Sorry to muddle the story with facts, but from the linked news story:

- Picture shows one bullet hole centered above steering wheel. Seems clear that this one hit the driver and NOT any passengers.

- Story states that they had the front-seat passenger proned out on the sidewalk (or side of the road, don't recall which, but he was out of the vehicle when the shooting started) when the driver slammed into the cruisers. In the confusion, that passenger (Dwyer) took off and was arrested this AM, covered with blood and with his name tattooed on his arm (good ID ).

- The story further states that the rear seat passenger was arrested AFTER the shooting and arraigned today.

- They state that the officers who were struck, were "dinged up". I'll take a SWAG here . . . likely they were standing off to the side of the perp's car and he struck the cruisers but at an angle as he was trying to push his way out of the trap they had him in, thus the officers who were to the front and back sides of his car were struck. This would account for being "dinged up" but not crushed like the original story made it sound.

- That leaves the dead turkey to be the driver! Since it was a leg shot that killed him, no doubt it hit the femoral artery and he bled out. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

 

[Half Cocked]

- Picture shows one bullet hole centered above steering wheel. Seems clear that this one hit the driver and NOT any passengers.

Len.... Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story!!

 

[appraiser]

Fox25 is reporting the person that was shot has died.

Can't fault the cops on this one, IMHO

 

[type911]

Our media rarely gets the facts straight these days, yet so many people take it as gospel.

 

[appraiser]

No.... I got my information from other more credible sources.



I don't think that I have ever been without an opinion.




Umm.... how do you supposed that they take them into custody? The car had stopped.



The deadly force was not used because it was a stolen car. It was used because the operator of such car decided to use the vehicle as a deadly weapon. The deadly force would have been just as justified if the car had been stopped for littering.




Please explain the protocol of the police in this situation. I am curious as to what you think it is.




Yeah your right.... I have no idea what I am talking about.

most of you know I am very skeptical of law enforcement and their tactics, but when an officer approaches a car, especially one that they have probable cause to be looking at, and the operator doesn't shut the car off, and decides to try to flee striking an officer in the process, as far as I'm concerned the officers recourse in that situation is to stop the driver by any means possible.

The dopes in the car held the license plate on with one screw, allowing the plate to sag. If you know any cops, they will tell you that is an almost sure sign that something is suspect, be it stolen vehicle, stolen plate, attaching improper plate, you get the drift. If I were a betting man I'd sat that is why the officer ran the plate to begin with. Good police work IMHO.

When the driver refused a lawful order and turned the car into a weapon, all bets are off, respond to deadly force with deadly force. There have been too many cops killed in the line of duty in the same manner. At least we didn't end up with a cop being dragged down the street, thank God.

 

[Underwhere]

If that's the front windshield that I'm seeing, that's a pretty good shot by the officer.
If they indeed tried to run down 2 officers then good job and good riddance.

 

[jobowker]

I think I smell a lock coming.....

 

[Lynne]

Not locked yet. Half cocked is right.

JohnMac...I'll be the first to tell you that I support LEO's. THAT being said, I also know there are bad cops, just as there are bad gun owners, and pretty much bad people in general.

In this case - the police were well within their power.

What surprises the hell out of me was the shot through the windshield! I mean, I've seen LEO's shoot!

 

[Martlet]

Yeah, it sucked. I don't know if the driver or passenger were shot, and it really doesn't matter. Someone tries to run you down, you shoot them. I hope the cops are that lenient if it happens to a civilian.

Should an innocent passenger, or bystander, be shot it would be tragic. However, the blame lies with the perp, not the victim.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Well the guy that got shot died of a leg wound. Seems like there is more to the story, but its not worth getting in a whole arguement about.

He had no injuries and if you ask me, shouldnt have been approaching a running vehicle in the first place.

Again, I am not saying that the cop shouldnt shoot if hes in danger of getting run over. I am saying he shouldnt have put himself in that situation. I personally have no training . . .

Well, you certainly did NOT read the latest news story (linked above) or anything written above!!

Let me try again!!

I have NO inside info on this event, but a little knowledge about certain parts of the body that will cause death to come quickly!

- 99% certainty that the shot in the leg hit the femoral artery. That raises a "gusher" that spurts blood rapidly and one can bleed out in a few minutes! [News story said passenger who ran was picked up covered in blood . . . further evidence that the driver was "old faithful" and hit him with a gusher of blood from the leg wound. [ETA: I know a lady that almost died after cutting her femoral artery, she slid into a glass coffee table, breaking the glass. The doctor told her that had she not had the presence of mind to tie a tourniquet on it, she would have bled out in a minute or two. This happened in St. Maarten and I saw her being carried down and spoke with her later. She actually lives in Norwood, MA.]

- Officers that were hit were stated to be "dinged up". That to me isn't "no injuries. I'd hazard a guess that the driver "wheeled into them" and struck them with the side or corners of his car, thus shoving the officers aside . . . leading to non-critical injuries.

- "Shouldn't have been approaching a running vehicle" and ". . . personally have no training" go well together. POs are PAID to go in harm's way! Do you really want them to just step aside and let the guy run until he strikes some pedestrian and/or cars and kills some other people? He's already exhibited "attempted murder" of two police officers by trying to run them down . . . so do you really think that he'll respect mere civilians if they let him race away?

* Many years ago I was working a Christmas Eve shift and was told to watch for a car with right front end damage. It was a hit & run that smashed into a parked car. It passed me and I pulled it over 1/2 mile later. There were 4 or 5 teenagers in the car and the car was running. I stayed to the rear of the driver's door until backup arrived, wary of them (driver definitely had been drinking) and realizing that if they wheeled out they would probably strike me with the side of the car. There is no way to do that job and not put yourself in a situation where you COULD be injured by someone with malicious intent . . . only the brass who "ride a desk" are immune from such possibilities.

Perhaps you should try to do a ride-along and see what police work is really about and not just base it off the evening news, newspapers and "Cops" TV shows?

 

[Maj. Boom Boom]

Well the guy that got shot died of a leg wound. Seems like there is more to the story, but its not worth getting in a whole arguement about.

Like what? are you thinking the hole through the windshield is wrong? don't forget there were 2 shooters. one hit a shoulder, one a leg.

There is just no way he lost his temper and shot the kid in the car and decided to claim he was struck by the car.

I'm sure there is a way and i might even believe it if it was a lone cop with no witnesses.

He had no injuries and if you ask me, shouldnt have been approaching a running vehicle in the first place.

right, so maybe he should wait till the perp runs out of food, water or has to take a s*it then exits the car to arrest him. or wait till he's run over, on the ground with broken ribs or dead before trying to shoot.

Just because the pricks in the car were wrong, doesnt mean they needed the cops escalating the situation, does it?

the punks did the escalating by trying to run them over. or should i say trying to escape and hitting them in the process.

Consider this. A guy is holding people hostage in a bank. Does the cop go running in and get everyone killed or does he wait for backup and handle it with a little more discretion.

the people in the bank were hostages, the people in the car were friends. in a bank the bad guys are going nowhere, in the car they were trying to get away.

I am saying he shouldnt have put himself in that situation. I personally have no training and know better than to run in front or behind a running car with a paniced driver. These cops have tons of training and definatly know better.

its still not known where they were exactly but if they weren't badly hurt it would make sense that they were at the side and not right in front or behind. besides i believe it said one had to jump on top of the hood of his car.

Lastly, just imagine your kid is out at 17 drunk driving and panics when a cops throws his lights on. The cop pulls him over and draws his gun, and your kid panics (being drunk) and tries to speed off. The cop then shoots your kid dead. Seriously, is that the kind of power and outcome you want? I certainly dont want my kid getting killed for being stupid and panicing. Id like to think the cops would not put themselves in the position to be "runover" in the first place. Its very simple. Box in the suspects car with the police car.

in this hypothetical the cop would not have shot unless he either 1) saw a gun on your son or in his hand. 2) was being shot at by your son. 3) was being run over by your son. other wise he would have gotten on the radio and pursued him.

 

[Len-2A Training]

BTW, there were eyewitnesses (non-LE) that reported what happened. I saw one or two interviewed on the news. They corroborated the story as reported wrt the perp trying to run down the officers.