Cops shoot home owner not intruder.

festus · #1 10-09-2009, 01:22 PM

http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.h...istId=playlist
Cops shoot home owner not intruder.

YIKES

CNN

surfcc · #2 10-09-2009, 02:15 PM

Yikes is right. This has crossed my mind in the past. What to do if you have a BG at gunpoint and the police show up? They're going to focus on the guy with the gun. Most unfortunate incident. I hope the family gets justice. The police have a hard enough job as it is and a stressful situation like this doesn't make it any easier.

JJFlash · #3 10-09-2009, 02:16 PM

Oh, man...what a disaster. This issue was addressed during my tactical handgun training. What I was taught apparently wasn't done here but who knows. Basically, I was instructed that when calling 911 you should inform LE that you have a weapon and also to give them a description of yourself. Whatever. Armchair quarterbacking on my part is easy and we all know things can go bad in a hurry at a time of high stress. I don't understand the cops firing on this guy immediately, if that's what they did. I mean, no warning was given? Wasn't he told to lose the weapon? Surely, he wasn't pointing the weapon at the cops, was he? This is NOT good.

JJFlash · #4 10-09-2009, 02:21 PM

It also occurs to me to wonder what kind of training that cops are given as per these type of situations. I mean, with 90 million gun owners in this country, the cops gotta figure, particularly if a 911 caller SAYS there's a BG in the house, that the homeowner may have a weapon. Yes? No? I'd be interested in hearing from LEO who frequent this site.

AZSATT · #5 10-10-2009, 02:43 AM

Wow. I just watched vid and listened to that 9-1-1 recording. Sounds ugly for sure.

As a former LEO, I can only speculate as to the frame of mind the RO's had when they entered that home. If what the wife of the homeowner says is true, she told the RO's her husband is the one who is armed, and he's the homeowner. That should have somewhat prepared the RO's for what was about to happen next upon entry - not that they would just relax and stroll in - but entering with guns blazing is the wrong answer too.

The 9-1-1 recording captures the shots fired. I wasn't there so I do not know, but I sure didn't hear anything before the shots.

PHX PD is naturally in CYA mode, and I'm not saying definitively they were in the wrong - but by default, the homeowner has a right to be armed, especially when subduing an armed intruder. Shooting first and asking questions later is wrong - for all parties, LEO and citizens alike. If those RO's actually had info on what they were responding to, I'm thinking they'll have a tough time explaining this away as standard operating procedure.

Just guessing: the RO's rushed inside and caught the already-excited homeowner's attention, and he turns to face RO's with gun in hand. You'll get shot in a quick fast hurry in that scenario.

I'm glad the homeowner did not die, but the possibility of losing his hard is horribly unfortunate.

Lesson learned, though difficult to apply in every circumstance: do NOT be armed when LEO's arrive to whatever situation they're responding to. Amped up LEO's operating with a serious pucker factor - they're humans too.

Ropadope · #6 10-10-2009, 02:57 AM

He's going to be a one handed rich guy.

doming83 · #7 10-10-2009, 04:12 AM

I thought when you took a job as a police officer you know that it comes with responsibilities, dangers, and risks. Including the risk of losing your life. If you put your self at risk ( becoming an officer) you should man up and face that fact. You have to be willing to know what is going on before you fire your weapon. Thier should be no excuses they should just lose thier job. After all if a normal citizen tried to say the same thing he would be crucified.

Me and my familly have expierienced something like this but luckly some one stoped it before it' ended up with some rookie cop blowing my sisters head off for just steping out side the door to my house when she heard a noise.

doming83 · #8 10-10-2009, 04:19 AM

Scared people with guns shouldn't be police officers. you shouldn't have to worry about not having a weapon in your home when the cops arrive.

jamie · #9 10-10-2009, 11:10 AM

Thats why you shoot the intruder first , then sit down and pick up the phone and call the police

lukem · #10 10-10-2009, 11:37 AM

Pretty scary and upsetting. Hard to pass judgment not knowing all the details. Did he turn toward them inadvertently pointing the gun at them? And if so, 6 shots? At least he isn't dead. And do you think anything should happen to the RO that shot him?

I watched the video over here