When I saw the headline I thought it must be Texas

[News Shooter]

Imagine my surprise


Suspect Shot Trying to Flee Courthouse

Fugitives Caught
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BARNSTABLE, Mass. (AP) -- A suspect being led into court was shot and wounded Tuesday after he attempted to escape, stealing a car and crashing into other cars in his effort to get away, authorities said.

The man was taken by helicopter to a Boston hospital after he was shot in the chest outside Barnstable District Court at about 8:30 a.m., Fire Chief Robert Crosby said.

His attorney identified the man as Anthony Roberts, 22, of Cambridge.

The attorney, J. Drew Segadelli, said Roberts ran away from officers who were leading him into court for arraignment, bolted across the street and stole a car from a store's parking lot.

Roberts was shot after he hit several parked cars and tried to get away from police who had surrounded the car, Segadelli said.

"Law enforcement was trying to apprehend him, at which time a Barnstable officer shot him," Segadelli said.

Richard Ruggiero, a driver for the Cape Cod Times newspaper, said police yelled to him, asking him to block the exit with his van. Ruggiero said Roberts backed up, hit his van, then sped across Route 6A and struck a stone wall in front of the courthouse complex.

"One shot was fired by one of the officers because he was trying to get away," Ruggiero said.

Roberts had been arrested Friday after he left the scene of an accident in which he allegedly struck a tree, Segadelli said. He said police also charged him with receiving stolen property - a plasma television - and suspected him in a series of recent break-ins of cars and homes on Cape Cod.

© 2007 The Ass

 

[Wingwiper]

I am confused, I thought Officers were only allowed to draw and fire when their lives were threaten. He may be able to steal a car but he can't out run Radio Waves. I think the shooting is unjustified, but that is my opinion. I know had I done that, I would be up river in Cross Bar Hotel for a very long time.

 

[JonJ]

Preliminary report is that the suspect tried to rundown an officer. If that were the case, the shoot would be justified. Also reported is that DA Mike O'Keefe was a witness.

 

[BigRich06]

I believe the car was surrounded and he tried to run down Police Units like Jon said. If that was me i would have done the same thing. Dont forget about the fleeing felon law as well...

 

[RKG]

"One shot was fired by one of the officers because he was trying to get away," Ruggiero said.

For the sake of the officers involved, I hope this statement turns out not to be true. I presume he was shot because he was threatening to injure one or more of the officers by means of the automobile he was operating.

 

[drgrant]

I believe the car was surrounded and he tried to run down Police Units like Jon said. If that was me i would have done the same thing. Dont forget about the fleeing felon law as well...

What fleeing felon law? I wasn't aware one still
existed. That being said... You're still right.. I think in
this case the shot was probably made because the guy was
dangerous and probably attempted to run over an officer or
a bystander... it would be pretty easy to justify shooting
the driver under those circumstances.

-Mike

 

[BigRich06]

"Under U.S. law the fleeing felon rule was limited to non-lethal force in most cases by Tennessee v. Garner, 471 U.S. 1 (1985). The justices held that deadly force "may not be used unless necessary to prevent the escape and the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others."

I should have done a little more research before i opened my mouth i guess. I had the wrong interpritation on the law. Deadly force can still be used but not without the certain criteria mentioned above.

 

[News Shooter]

I saw one report

That the moron hijacked a car with a straight shift and he didn't know how to get it in gear. If I remember back to trying to teach my ex to drive a straight it can be a pretty scary experience for anyone in the vicinity. I say it was a justified shooting

 

[BigRich06]

I would say it is def justifiable. I read the US Fleeing Felon law which i pasted above and it meets the criteria i believe. If this guy was going to hijack a car he could cuase serious injury to the hijakee or the police involved. If i was the officer i would have done the same thing. I think it was more of an issue where he tried to run down police.

 

[drgrant]

I would say it is def justifiable. I read the US Fleeing Felon law which i pasted above and it meets the criteria i believe. If this guy was going to hijack a car he could cuase serious injury to the hijakee or the police involved. If i was the officer i would have done the same thing. I think it was more of an issue where he tried to run down police.

Even though the fleeing felon thing sounds federal, there may be
overriding MA law that is worse than it is.

I'm surprised that in MA the police aren't required to give the perp a freshley
toasted muffin with warm butter, and a pat on the back before they're allowed to shoot them.

-Mike

 

[Hawgleg44]

Even though the fleeing felon thing sounds federal, there may be
overriding MA law that is worse than it is.

I'm surprised that in MA the police aren't required to give the perp a freshley
toasted muffin with warm butter, and a pat on the back before they're allowed to shoot them.

-Mike

We were taught in the police academy about the Fleeing Felon Law. If you feel that you cannot capture the felon, he has already committed a violent crime, and you feel he will commit another if you let him go, you can shoot him in the back to prevent him from escaping if necessary.

 

[ICZEOZN]

I know someone who lives about 400 yards from where this whole incident took place. I would ask him if he knows anything significant about the event, but he is away in NH.