Cops are such hereos

[Lucky... 0]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/elderly_shootout&printer=1

Woman, 92, dies in shootout with police
1 hour, 8 minutes ago
A police official said narcotics officers were justified in returning fire on a 92-year-old woman they shot to death after she shot them as they tried to serve a warrant at her house.
Neighbors and relatives said it was a case of mistaken identity. But police said the woman, identified as Kathryn Johnston, was the only resident in the house at the time and had lived there for about 17 years.
Assistant Chief Alan Dreher said the officers had a legal warrant and "knocked and announced" before they forced open the door. He said they were justified in shooting once they were fired upon.
As the plainclothes Atlanta police officers approached the house about 7 p.m., a woman inside started shooting, striking each of them, said Officer Joe Cobb, a police spokesman.
One was hit in the arm, another in a thigh and the third in a shoulder. The officers were taken to a hospital for treatment, and all three were conscious and alert, police said.
Sarah Dozier, identified as a niece of the woman, told WAGA-TV that there were never any drugs at the house.
"My aunt was in good health. I'm sure she panicked when they kicked that door down," Dozier said. "There was no reason they had to go in there and shoot her down like a dog."
Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights leader, said Johnston's family deserves an apology.
"Of the police brutality cases we've had, this is the most egregious because of the woman's age," Hutchins said.
Hutchins said he would try to meet with Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington and would also meet with lawyers.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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As the plainclothes Atlanta police officers approached the house about 7 p.m., a woman inside started shooting, striking each of them, said Officer Joe Cobb, a police spokesman.
One was hit in the arm, another in a thigh and the third in a shoulder. The officers were taken to a hospital for treatment, and all three were conscious and alert, police said.

One hell of a shot that 92 year old woman. Specially when you consider they would have moved pretty quickly once the first shot rang out....

Since it is JFK's shooting anniversary today, maybe they were all hit by the same bullet....

[Gawain 0]

I'm guessing the context of your subject line means you don't approve.

So, in your view, what should have happened, given the circumstances?

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[Skyrad 0]

Clearly the Police should have let her shoot a few more Talk about growing old disgracefully

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[masterrig 1]

(I get the same feeling you have.)

Yeah to the cops! How do they know that there is a 92-yr. old woman shooting at them... at night? Just going by the news story, the police acted in 'self defense'. The ol' gal is lucky she's alive! As for an apology to her... I don't think so. It should be the other way around. The cops acted properly.


Chuck

[Zipp0 1]

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The ol' gal is lucky she's alive!


Chuck

Uhhh... she's dead.

Sounds like there is probably more to this story. On another note, no plainclothes offiers should be serving warrants or forcing entry. What's stopping crooks from saying "open up, police!"

Some dude in plain clothes busts down my door for no good reason is going to get shot too.

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[ExAFO 0]

You shoot at a cop, you take your chances.

Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW.

[freethefly 6]

Not enough info in the story to make a judgement. What kind of gun did she use? A shotgun? What kind of neighborhood? Crime ridden? Did the plainclothes announce themselves as police? I see that they say they did but, it is their word against a dead woman. Did they find drugs? Why did they have to kick the door down? Was she hard of hearing and maybe did not hear them announce? If so, then would she had been justified in defending herself to what she may had thought was an home invasion? Something just does not sound right.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[Zipp0 1]

Is announcing yourself as police enough anymore? We have had quite a few home invasions in my area over the past year. That sounds like a great tactic for these guys to use to force their way in. Also, the law in most states requires them to give you a chance to open the door before kicking it down.

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[Lucky... 0]

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I'm guessing the context of your subject line means you don't approve.

So, in your view, what should have happened, given the circumstances?

Cops are inherent liars, so the only side we know is that of the cops. I would guess they gave a simultaneous knock-announce, so it likely startled her and she started blasting.

Kinda morphs the ole cliche, "Go give an old lady a jaywalking ticket."

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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Cops are inherent liars,

Bit of a odd statement, to put it mildly. I think all people have told a lie or two in their lives. If that makes us all inherent liars, so be it, which also means that cops are no different in that regard....

[Lucky... 0]

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(I get the same feeling you have.)




Chuck

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Yeah to the cops!

Yea, blow old lasies apart, yea!!!

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How do they know that there is a 92-yr. old woman shooting at them... at night?

The warrant probably indicated who lives there.

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Just going by the news story, the police acted in 'self defense'.

And the news story was driven by statements from whom? OH ya, the cops.

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The ol' gal is lucky she's alive!

Hello? Chivalry must be dead there, just like her....didn't ya read; she died?

Woman, 92, dies in shootout with police

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As for an apology to her... I don't think so.

Dead people aren't real receptive to apologies anyway.

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It should be the other way around. The cops acted properly.

Sure, just ask the cops, the only living ones.

[Lucky... 0]

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Not enough info in the story to make a judgement. What kind of gun did she use? A shotgun? What kind of neighborhood? Crime ridden? Did the plainclothes announce themselves as police? I see that they say they did but, it is their word against a dead woman. Did they find drugs? Was she hard of hearing and maybe did not hear them announce? If so, then would she had been justified in defending herself to what she may had thought was an home invasion? Something just does not sound right.

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Did the plainclothes announce themselves as police?

And how much time elapsed between the announce and the entry?

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Why did they have to kick the door down?

They can with the warrant, no special need. Find things or not, guess who fixes it?

Yea, and all the evidence is comming from the, er, good guys

[Lucky... 0]

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Is announcing yourself as police enough anymore? We have had quite a few home invasions in my area over the past year. That sounds like a great tactic for these guys to use to force their way in. Also, the law in most states requires them to give you a chance to open the door before kicking it down.

There was a SCOTUS case where the time factor was an issue. The rendering was 20 seconds after announce can they kick. That ruling was in place for just these reasons. I'm sure the fine, fine officers would tell you there were at least 20 seconds.

In these days of recording devices, why not have it recorded audiovisually? It is well known that cellphone cameras and vid cams are teh enemies of cops.

[Lucky... 0]

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Cops are inherent liars,

Bit of a odd statement, to put it mildly. I think all people have told a lie or two in their lives. If that makes us all inherent liars, so be it, which also means that cops are no different in that regard....

The exclusionary rule is in place to dissuade police misconduct, so the SCOTUS ackowledges their is an inherent nature to cops lying and behaving with misconduct.

[Butters 0]

It is a sad state of affairs when people believe that all cops are corrupt liars. (There are some corrupt people in every profession because every profession is filled with people and some people are corrupt. That doesn't make everyone in every profession corrupt.)

PS: Have you ever gone to serve a warrant and get shot?

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[rehmwa 2]

Since they were shot with bullets or shot, I wonder how old the ammunition was? That's the real question

I don't think the age of the shooter is pertinent when someone is shooting at you.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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The exclusionary rule is in place to dissuade police misconduct, so the SCOTUS ackowledges their is an inherent nature to cops lying and behaving with misconduct.

So, the lied about the gunshot wounds? Maybe they were self inflicted?

They approached a house, got shot and responded like every police department in North America would respond, as far as we can see from the current article. The fact that the lady is 92 does not change the fact that when you shoot at cops, you might end up getting shot yourself.

[Scoop 0]

I've served warrants where we've been held up gaining access and you can just hear the toilet repeatedly flushing and all the drugs going away.

Who came up with the 20 second bullshit? You might as well say "Hi, its the police, in a moment we're going to come in so if you'd like to destroy all evidence and arm yourself that'd be super" *BANG*

By the way over here if you do put someones door in and don't find anything, the police have to pay for the repairs.

Sounds like botched intelligence job or possibly someones moved recently. Believe it or not criminals like to make it hard to track them down and frequently move house so conducting warrants to find who your after isn't there anymore is quite common.

EDIT: Re-reading shows she lived there a long time.

[akarunway 1]

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You shoot at a cop, you take your chances.

So. How do you know they were cops? Fuckin assholes. I'd shoot em too they come kickin my door down

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[AggieDave 6]

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In these days of recording devices, why not have it recorded audiovisually? It is well known that cellphone cameras and vid cams are teh enemies of cops.

Who says it wasn't recording in some manner. Roughly 90% of what officers do now days is recorded by them. The in car cameras were initially used for demographic tracking of traffic stops to prevent profiling, but now days officers tend to use it to record whats going on to protect themselves even outside of traffic stops.

Surprisingly enough people lie to the police all the time and people file false complaints all the time as well. Without it being recorded its word against word. Officers have gotten in trouble as well as had careers ended due to false complaints in the past. Thusly, officers tend to record most of what they do now to protect themselves.

Video cameras aren't the enemy of officers, video and audio recordings are viewed as a bonus, a positive.

(the "surprisingly enough" is sarcasm, for those who may have missed it)

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[jcd11235 0]

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By the way over here if you do put someones door in and don't find anything, the police have to pay for the repairs.

I've heard rumors you are a fairly civilized bunch over on that side of the pond.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[livetofall 0]

Well there is a reason why they called the Colt "the equalizer", because it made all men and women of all ages and strength equal. So how would you respond to being hit by a bullet, that hits just as hard whether by a 25yr old 200lb male or a 100lb 85yrs old? I think your rant should be about who gave the police bad information. We dont live in a perfect society. How many successful skydives a year, but which jumps make the news??? you got it.
So I guess if your in the middle of getting mugged, the officer shouldnt step in because maybe you started it. There was a guy who got chokeholded in a store and didnt make it back in Portland years ago..they got there not knowing they were choking the hero citizen not the robber. Shit happens, welcome to utopia.

[BIGUN 1,316]

The fault wasn't in the police department's operational execution, nor her reaction. The fault was in the intel phase.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[masterrig 1]

I believe, I'd be 'prepared' to shoot till I found-out for sure whether or not they are in fact, police officers. Are you willing to take the chance that it's NOT a police officer and just shoot?


Chuck