The following story came from a friend in another part of the Country. He gave me permission to post it here, PROVIDED THAT I DID NOT ID HIM OR LINK TO ANYWHERE ELSE WHERE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN POSTED. [Therefore, as a Mod, if anyone replies with any reference to the Officer involved or other links to the event, they will be deleted without warning. It is Very risky for an officer to post info on a shooting, as it could come back to haunt them in a lawsuit or other legal action.]
Let's learn from what is posted here and leave it at that.
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[Forum limits length of posts, Part 2 is the next reply]
Let's learn from what is posted here and leave it at that.
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I was working an overtime detail aimed at suppressing crime committed by illegal aliens and was parked, speaking with another K9 handler/friend. He was dispatched to the call, which was a suspicious person inside an apartment complex. Dispatch advised the suspicious person had a felony warrant out for his arrest. Since we were in the middle of a conversation I decided to tag along so we could continue later (these calls usually end up as “gone on arrival”).
During the short ¾ mile drive we received updates from dispatch, advising that the subject had a gun in his waistband, along with a knife. This was beginning to become a strange call, most folks who call in suspicious persons would have no idea if someone was carrying in the waistband. This set off the “it’s either bullshit or this is weird” alert street patrol officers have. The apartment complex is essentially a large square series of apartments, with a square center courtyard. Two officers arrived and entered the complex from the northwest entrance. Upon my arrival I teamed up with a 20 year vet and we entered via the southeast entrance, and my other buddy I was talking to teamed up with a Sergeant and entered the northeast entrance.
Since my little weird alert went off I retrieved my 11.5 inch SBR from the trunk and made it hot (AimPoint on, chambered round, stock extended to pos 3, light check and slung). Shortly after entering we observed the interior courtyard and asked for a description of the person. I could not see the other officers, nor did I know at this time where they were at, or where they entered. I saw a male walking on the upper level (two story apartment complex) northbound. He matched the description and had a zombie-like walk. Slow, deliberate and staring ahead. He was about 75 yards away and had a tactical advantage. We were behind cover and as far as I know, had not yet been detected. I broadcast that I believe I see the person in question and put out his heading. He continued to walk along the upper sidewalk and went out of view, behind the canopy of a large ficus tree. I of the 20 year vet instantly went into a jog, using the canopy as concealment. (Note to self, secure car keys in pocket during future events).
We arrived at the lower staircase we thought he would be using and discovered he was on the way down already. Based upon the nature of the call he was instantly covered with lethal force, I brought my SBR up and put the switch to fire... I heard another Officer, Officer S giving the suspect commands to raise his hands. He gave no less than two commands, and I heard the 20 year vet give a loud command to do the same. I was behind the suspect and was unable to see his hands. I heard gunfire and saw muzzle flash come from both Officer S and the suspect. I placed the red dot square on the suspects back and fired off what I estimated to be three or four rounds. I saw the suspect fall and heard Officer S yell out that he has been hit, then yell into his radio 998! OFFICER DOWN. The suspect fell slowly onto his left side, still holding the gun. I centered the dot onto his head, advanced and yelled “drop the gun” several times. As I was squeezing the trigger I saw the gun fall from the suspect’s hands onto the grass. His eyes were open, and he was gasping. I covered the weapon and kept him covered. You can imagine the chaos at this point with Officer S being shot only feet away and the suspect being directly in front of me. I was torn, Officer S had several other officers attending to him and someone needed to make sure the gun stayed where it was at. The suspect was down, and calls for rescue units went out immediately. I can remember feeling “odd” at this point, and attribute it to shock. My buddy the K9 handler handcuffed the suspect as I covered him and the gun. For some reason my crime scene training took over and that goddamn gun was not going anywhere. I watched as the suspect was handcuffed. He continued to gasp and I told him a couple of times to “keep breathing dude”. I could hear Officer S scream out in pain occasionally and felt a bit numb.
During the shooting the suspect was halfway down the stairs, and was on an elevated concrete pad, about waist high to someone standing at ground level. I looked over the scene as medical personnel were attending to the bad guy and saw three bullet impacts at the base of the concrete platform the suspect had been standing on. I immediately became aware that I very well may have shot Officer S. I never saw him, but had heard him giving the suspect commands, and could see now that he was at the bottom of the stairs. I quickly judged the angle my rounds went at and became very convinced I just shot my friend. I was confused at how I could have hit the concrete platform; the suspect was only 10-15 yards away. Nonetheless, I could tell the rounds were mine (I was the only rifle on scene). My heart sunk as I learned that Officer S was hit in both legs and had a bone sticking out of his leg where he was hit.
I remember seeing the tenants of the apartment complex checking things out. I vividly remember some welfare mom watching the goings on with here 8 year old looking child staring directly at the now naked suspect, who was in the process of being pumped. I yelled up at her to take the kid inside and that he did not need to see this.
He was quickly whisked off to the ER. I had to unhandcuff the suspect and slung my rifle behind me. He had since stopped gasping and his eyes were open, but still. Medics said they could no treat him handcuffed, so off they came. When I turned him his shirt was wet with blood and stuck to the concrete. He was still warm.
I was soon relieved of my gun watching post and immediately told my k9 buddy I think I may have hit Officer S. I pointed out the area where bullets had impacted the platform and explained they were in Officer S’s direction. The detective Sergeant who would handle the incident arrived rather quickly and got all of the shooters together (four of us) and told us the following: Get in your cars, go get something non-caffeinated to drink, call your family and tell them you are alright, and call your lawyer if you think you will need one. Meet me at the station in one hour from now. Do NOT give your guns to anyone, I will ask for them later at the station when we have replacements available to give you.
I took my rifle, pulled the mag and extracted the round. Closed the bolt and reinserted the mag, then put the rifle in my trunk. My personal life at the time was shitty at best; I was split from my wife but called her anyway. ……I told her that the media may call and asked her not to say anything. Se wanted to go to the police station but I insisted that she not. I drove to my favorite convenience store and got a Gatorade. To my surprise the clerk knew nothing of the shooting (duh) and I left, headed to the station.
I walked upstairs to the detective area and waited. I remembered that I have a legal plan attached to my “union” dues and called the rep. I told them we had four officers involved in a shooting and we would likely need a lawyer. Three of the four officers were members of the plan, so a lawyer was sent. I was pretty convinced I had hit Officer S and upon hearing my story the lawyer agreed he needed to represent me alone and the other two covered officers would get another lawyer. It took some time but we were all covered prior to having give statements. It was a rather long wait…….
The internal affairs Sgt. arrived and took us all to his office. He read the Garrity warning and said he would be taking a sample of each officer’s blood. One of our phlebotomists was called out and stuck us... We were then escorted back to the detective’s area to wait….. The detective Sgt. called a person in for each officer involved, kind of someone to watch each person. In my case a good friend from the Border Patrol was called and arrived pretty quickly. We were then called in one by one to give the statements, with lawyers present. I told my version of events and was clear that I wanted to know ASAP if I had hit Officer S. The detective Sgt. agreed to do what he could. Our guns were seized after the firearms Sgt. arrived with replacements. I learned the suspect was dead…..We were released to go as the sun was rising.
No sleep……………………………………… My phone rang early in the morning. It was a fellow officer, not someone who I regularly talked to, but he wanted to say he was concerned about us and wanted to know if there was anything he could do. My phone rang 30 times that morning; most were similar to the above. Officers I had not seen or spoke to for months were calling, offering support. I was drained but grateful of the gesture so many made. I received periodic updates on Officer S’s status. He had been shot twice, once in each leg. Both legs were shattered and Dr.;s were estimating it would be a year until he would walk.
[Forum limits length of posts, Part 2 is the next reply]
