WA - Police Shoot, Kill 74 Year Old Pastor

[Kevlar]

A Southern Baptist pastor and owner of a Spokane Valley plant nursery was shot and killed by a Spokane Valley police officer late Wednesday, police said.

W. Scott Creach, 74, approached the police officer who had gone to his business before midnight after police had received a request for increased patrols there earlier in the day, police said.

The uniformed officer was parked in an unmarked car in the empty parking lot of Creach’s businesses, the Plant Farm at 14208 E. Fourth Ave. and Creach Greenhouse adjacent to the Plant Farm.

Creach, who lives next door to his nursery and has served as pastor of Greenacres Baptist Church for 40 years, approached the officer. A confrontation ensued, according to police.....

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/aug/26/officer-shoots-kills-spokane-valley-nursery-owner/

 

[radioman]

What a huge tragedy!! The old fellow who was killed was described in the comments by his family and friends as a saint. I guess he owned that business for a very long time as well as being the pastor of the local church and hosting a radio program!! All this at 74 years old! I can't comment as to the shooting but I do have a question for those in the know. I thought the police did not drive the unmarked vehicles at night? I had even heard that if an unmarked police vehicle tries to stop you at night, you are supposed to dial 911 and drive to a well lit populated area before you stop. All this because of creeps impersonating cops at night? Has anyone else heard of this about the unmarked cars?

 

[Bill Nance]

What a huge tragedy!! The old fellow who was killed was described in the comments by his family and friends as a saint. I guess he owned that business for a very long time as well as being the pastor of the local church and hosting a radio program!! All this at 74 years old! I can't comment as to the shooting but I do have a question for those in the know. I thought the police did not drive the unmarked vehicles at night? I had even heard that if an unmarked police vehicle tries to stop you at night, you are supposed to dial 911 and drive to a well lit populated area before you stop. All this because of creeps impersonating cops at night? Has anyone else heard of this about the unmarked cars?

This was in Spokane, WA. Not the PRM.
While this could have been just really bad luck that turned into tragedy, the Spokane PD and Sheriff's Dept. have a pretty bad reputation for brutality and lack of oversight/accountability. Sadly this one isn't out of character for the SPD.

 

[In God We Trust]

This is one of the reasons why some departments are scaling back the number of unmarked cars in their fleet. Too many impersonation incidents and they really have limited use as a crime deterrent.

 

[Boghog1]

What a tragedy, I wonder what really happened.

 

[MassMark]

What a tragedy, I wonder what really happened.

Wonder if we'll ever really know...

 

[RadiCS]

Seems like another innocent man gunned down by police.

 

[calsdad]

I'm sure the pastor did something wrong and deserved it.

He's lucky the officer didn't go looking for his dog and shoot him too.

 

[Jose]

Wonder if we'll ever really know...

We'll find out just as soon as LV Metro PD comes clean on their execution.

 

[atmay]

I don't even know where to begin on this one.

 

[sportycliff]

Wonder if we'll ever really know...

Well we'll probably never really know the TRUTH.

 

[blindfire]

Whats that line in Latin, "Who polices the police?"

Why is it that the PDs think that they can objectively investigate their own? Makes no sense.

 

[Jose]

Whats that line in Latin, "Who polices the police?"

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

 

[GSG]

This was in Spokane, WA. Not the PRM.
While this could have been just really bad luck that turned into tragedy, the Spokane PD and Sheriff's Dept. have a pretty bad reputation for brutality and lack of oversight/accountability. Sadly this one isn't out of character for the SPD.

Don't know much of anything about those PD's, but this sounds like bad communication on both ends.

In other "running up on a cop" late at night news.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-...-Cars-Window-to-Attack-Officer-101476334.html

 

[Bill Nance]

Don't know much of anything about those PD's, but this sounds like bad communication on both ends.

In other "running up on a cop" late at night news.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-...-Cars-Window-to-Attack-Officer-101476334.html

If it was another PD I might be a lot more geared towards accidental tragedy resulting from misunderstanding. Given that the Spokane Valley PD and S.O. have a long track record over the last decade or more of killing people without any reason at all, I'm not so inclined.

 

[Kevlar]

Preacher's Son Accuses Deputy of Murder

New information about the fatal shooting of a Spokane Valley pastor and nursery owner is leading his son to accuse a sheriff's deputy of murder.

Alan Creach said his father, Southern Baptist pastor Wayne Scott Creach, 74, had complied with a Spokane County deputy's command to back away from a patrol car when he was shot once in the chest.

"I'm not a lawyer, but it really bothered me incredibly to hear how my father was murdered," Alan Creach said after police held a news conference Tuesday to reveal details of the Aug. 25 shooting.

According to statements that Deputy Brian Hirzel gave to investigators.....

>snip<

[Chief] Kirkpatrick said Hirzel's statement "raises new questions," she said. "Now we have to go back and do more investigation. You just can't close this because he gave a statement."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012845432_pastorshot09m.html

 

[sleeplessknight]

but hey, at least that brave, selfless officer made it home at the end of his shift. That's the important thing, amirite?

</snark>

 

[GSG]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012845432_pastorshot09m.html

From that link:

"I don't believe it's written in the Constitution that when a deputy approaches you have to put your gun down."

The Constitution also doesn't tell you to wash your hands after you poop.

 

[Climbnsink]

You got it. Never know when MS 13 or alqada will start recruiting 74 year old pastors. ~ sarcasm

but hey, at least that brave, selfless officer made it home at the end of his shift. That's the important thing, amirite?

</snark>

 

[Martlet]

From that link:



The Constitution also doesn't tell you to wash your hands after you poop.

Exactly. We must be quick about bowing down to our masters.

 

[GSG]

Exactly. We must be quick about bowing down to our masters.

I guess you completely missed my point. Maybe I should write it in the Constitution...?

 

[Martlet]

I guess you completely missed my point. Maybe I should write it in the Constitution...?

If you'd like. At least then I'd know you at least glanced at it.

 

[GSG]

If you'd like. At least then I'd know you at least glanced at it.

A guy reports suspicious activity on his property and requests extra police patrols, approaches a uniformed cop with a light and a gun in his hand (in the exact area where they're told to be on the lookout for suspicious activity), stuffs the gun in his waistband, refuses commands, then reaches for the gun when force is lawfully applied, for which he is shot. It sounds like there was definitely some miscommunication between the person who requested police presence and the police who responded with their presence as requested.

If you were the one in the cruiser, how would you have responded?

 

[atmay]

A guy reports suspicious activity on his property and requests extra police patrols, approaches a suspicious looking man in an unmarked car with a light and a gun in his hand (in the exact area where there's been suspicious activity), stuffs the gun in his waistband, refuses commands, then reaches for the gun when force is applied, for which he is shot. It sounds like there was definitely some miscommunication between the person who requested police presence and the police who responded with their presence as requested.

FIFY.

If you were the one in the cruiser, how would you have responded?

By telling my superiors that going in an unmarked cruiser is a stupid idea, beforehand.

 

[Martlet]

A guy reports suspicious activity on his property and requests extra police patrols, approaches a uniformed cop with a light and a gun in his hand (in the exact area where they're told to be on the lookout for suspicious activity), stuffs the gun in his waistband, refuses commands, then reaches for the gun when force is lawfully applied, for which he is shot. It sounds like there was definitely some miscommunication between the person who requested police presence and the police who responded with their presence as requested.

If you were the one in the cruiser, how would you have responded?

Wait. Let me come up with a better guess of what went down, and I'll respond to that.

I'll probably add something about a 74 year old man in his own parking lot at night, an unmarked cruiser who didn't contact the business owner before parking there, etc etc.

 

[GSG]

FIFY.

The agency involved was a small one, so "unmarked" means a Crown Vic sans lightbar. The guy in a uniform typing on a computer that was mounted to the dashboard would have been immediately recognizable as a cop to the guy holding a gun and a light.

By telling my superiors that going in an unmarked cruiser is a stupid idea, beforehand.

The deputy took a break from traffic enforcement in the area.

 

[GSG]

Wait. Let me come up with a better guess of what went down, and I'll respond to that.

Interesting. You've already guessed that the deputy was wrong, but you can't guess what he should have done instead?

I'll probably add something about a 74 year old man in his own parking lot at night, an unmarked cruiser who didn't contact the business owner before parking there, etc etc.

No, he didn't contact the business owner, because the business owner contacted the police to request an extra presence there.

 

[Martlet]

Interesting. You've already guessed that the deputy was wrong, but you can't guess what he should have done instead?



No, he didn't contact the business owner, because the business owner contacted the police to request an extra presence there.

Really? Do you make these things up, or do you have information that isn't in the cited source? The police said they wouldn't state who asked for the increased patrol, which is in fact different than the "extra presence" you stated, unless the patrols typically sat in his parking lot.

I can guess he shouldn't have shot a business owner on his own property. That's a pretty good start.

 

[Bill Nance]

The agency involved was a small one, so "unmarked" means a Crown Vic sans lightbar. The guy in a uniform typing on a computer that was mounted to the dashboard would have been immediately recognizable as a cop to the guy holding a gun and a light.

Spokane Valley has a population of about 90,000; Hardly Podunk, BFE. It's a suburb of Spokane and is often involved with the Spokane PD as well as being in a shared jurisdiction with the Spokane Sheriff's Dept.

Do some research on all three departments. They have a VERY bad reputation for killing and beating people.

 

[GSG]

Really? Do you make these things up, or do you have information that isn't in the cited source? The police said they wouldn't state who asked for the increased patrol, which is in fact different than the "extra presence" you stated, unless the patrols typically sat in his parking lot.

http://policelink.monster.com/news/...ls-officers-account-of-pastors-shooting-death

At the briefing Tuesday, McGovern said Hirzel, a 41-year-old deputy with about 18 years of law enforcement experience, parked just after 11 p.m. on Aug. 25 at Creach’s Spokane Valley nursery business at the request of a neighbor who called for officers to check on prowling activity in the area.

Hirzel told investigators that he didn’t know the business owner lived next door to the Plant Farm, at 14208 E. Fourth Ave., and he had no prior knowledge of numerous police contacts with Creach, who — according to the family — frequently armed himself with a handgun and had apprehended several trespassers.

then later

Hirzel’s statement doesn’t fit with what Imogene Creach heard from her open bedroom window, according to her family. She and her husband had a prearranged procedure in which she would listen and call 911 if she heard her husband call for help.

Read between the lines. This guy was constantly calling the police to deal with trespassers, and the family is curiously silent on the matter of who requested his presence.

Spokane Valley has a population of about 90,000; Hardly Podunk, BFE. It's a suburb of Spokane and is often involved with the Spokane PD as well as being in a shared jurisdiction with the Spokane Sheriff's Dept.

Do some research on all three departments. They have a VERY bad reputation for killing and beating people.

http://www.spokanevalley.org/content/124/938/337/default.aspx

The Spokane Valley Police Department is a contract law enforcement agency, partnering with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department to provide a safe environment for the citizens, businesses, and visitors of the City of Spokane Valley. This unique contracting relationship allows for the sharing of many of our resources, allowing both agencies to operate at peak efficiency without duplicating services.

The Spokane Valley Police Department is located in the heart of the Spokane Valley. The Precinct itself is located at 12710 E. Sprague and houses all services provided to the public. Our Patrol division, Detectives division, Traffic units, and Administrative staff all work within this facility to provide easy access to the public. We also house our own property storage facility. The precinct also houses the Spokane County District Court.

Couple that with page 18 of 93 at the below link, which is the most recent budget figures (2007).

http://laserfiche.spokanevalley.org/WebLink8/0/doc/12543/Page1.aspx

This is not a large agency with a fleet of deep cover Geo Metros. Most of the sheriff's departments in Washington State issue take-home vehicles to officers (saves a lot of money that way, believe it or not), so at a contract department they're probably patrolling in those.