*IN THE LINE OF DUTY* OFFICER DOWN

[HairOfTheDog]

Sometimes I feel like the whole world has gone mad & I like leaving the farm less and less these days. I'm not so paranoid that I believe danger lurks around every corner but this isn't the world I grew up in.

I know what you mean.

If it's any comfort, US violent crime rates have been decreasing across the board in the decades since we were kids. We just have much more exposure to crime across the country and across the globe via media these days.

Still, there's too much of it and it is concerning.

[HairOfTheDog]

Two officers with the last name Moore were killed in the line of duty this week. They're unrelated.

The funeral for 25-year-old Brian Moore was held at St. James Roman Catholic Church in Seaford, Long Island today.



Family, friends, and 30,000 fellow officers attended.

By all accounts, Officer Moore was a skilled and devoted officer who loved being a member of the law enforcement commmunity. He was posthumously promoted to Detective First Grade by NYPD Commissioner Bill Braxton.

RIP Brian Moore.

[Duchess]

I thought the blonde was his wife but it's his sister with his Mom & Dad. Sad Sad Sad

[Donovan]

Don't know if he ever made it in this thread, but the trial in the murder of Officer Daryl Pierson came to a close with a guilty verdict on five counts of aggravated murder in the first degree. Pierson was shot by Thomas Johnson the third after a foot chase and struggle over Johnson's weapon, last year.

the video of the chase and subsequent shooting, here:


Basically the big argument wasn't whether the guy had shot him, that was not in question. But his defense was that the shooting was unintentional and accidentally happened while they struggled.

The jury took two days to decide they didn't believe him.

[HairOfTheDog]

Thank you for that update Donovan.

QueenBee posted a good overview of the incident last year in post 297.

I'd not seen the video before; for some reason it's surreal to me watching the chase and the reactions on the street. Very sad.

Good riddance to the killer -- the intentional murder conviction bought him life without parole.

[QueenBee]

Yay bout Officer Pierson's killer. They were interviewing people in the neighborHOOD where he was killed after the verdict. One black woman they talked with said she was displeased with the whole thing...and was sure it was all racially motivated, etc. Killer black, cop white by the way.
Killer's sister was interviewed, she seemed reasonably intelligent, and said she felt for Pierson's family, and was glad they got justice..but that being said, her brother did not intentionally kill the cop...he was a good boy. Yep...he was out on parole, and ran when he saw a cop.

[HairOfTheDog]

Another Guilty Verdict


In January 2014, Officer Cory Wride and Officer Greg Sherwood (pictured above) were shot while pursuing a suspect in Utah.

The officers were in pursuit of 27-year-old fugitive Jose Angel Garcia-Jauregui and his girlfriend and get-away driver 17-year-old Megan Grunwald (pictured below).



A shootout ensued after a 50 mile chase.

Officer Wride and suspect Garcia-Jauregui both died of gunshot wounds at the scene. Officer Sherwood survived his gunshot wound (Grunwald did not shoot anyone and was not shot herself).

Grunwald claimed that she didn't originally know that her boyfriend was a criminal and was later forced to drive the getaway car. After deliberating for a little more than 11 hours, a jury yesterday rejected her defense claims and found Meagan Grunwald guilty of aggravated murder, aggravated attempted murder and nine other charges.

She faces up to life in prison when she's sentenced on July 8^th.

Ref: http://fox13now.com/2015/05/09/jury-find...ed-murder/

[Duchess]

Stupid little girl.

I know she's not a little girl but there are females in their 20's/30's I've also called stupid little girls.

[HairOfTheDog]

Two Officers Killed in Mississippi

This is so effin' sad and maddening.

Two officers pulled over a gold Cadillac Escalade in Hattiesburg yesterday.

One of the individuals in the vehicle opened fire on the officers, killing them both.


^ 34-year-old Benjamin Deen was Hattiesburg's officer of the year in 2012. RIP.


^ 25-year-old Liquori Tate was a rookie with less than 1 year on the job. RIP.


Three suspects were arrested this morning. They are all charged with capital murder and other crimes and will appear in court tomorrow. Police are searching for the murder weapon.



^ Suspects: Curtis Banks -26, Marvin Banks - 29, Joanie Holloway - 22 (Marvin's girlfriend)

Story: http://www.wdam.com/story/29023637/break...icers-shot

(Edit 5 / 10 p.m. -- photo correction)

[Duchess]

I'd like to wipe that belligerent look off her face with a brick!

[HairOfTheDog]

TWO OFFICERS DOWN IN MISSISSIPPI -- UPDATE

The Incident
Officer Deen had pulled over the car containing the Banks brothers and Joanie Holloway on Saturday night in a routine traffic stop.

Mayor Johnny DuPree said that Deen probably saw something suspicious and then called in for back-up. He was shot and killed by Marvin Banks, as was Officer Tate when he arrived on the scene.

The suspects then allegedly stole the police cruiser and took off. Later, two passerbys came upon the fallen officers who were still clinging to life. The officers died at the hospital shortly thereafter.

Another Suspect Arrested

A fourth person was arrested yesterday for accessory after the fact, ^ 28-year-old Cornelius Clark. I don't think he was in the car on Saturday night, so he more likely assisted the trio in hiding or destroying evidence, IMO. I won't be surprised to see his charges reduced or dropped later if Clark gives up all he knows and agrees to testify against the other three suspects.

The Charges
Today the suspects will appear in court.

-Joanie Calloway is charged with two counts of capital murder.

-Marvin Banks also faces two counts of capital murder, along with counts of grand theft auto and felon in possession of a firearm.

-Curtis Banks is charged with two counts of accessory after the fact of capital murder.

- Cornelius Clark is accused of obstructing justice.

Paying Tribute


Young Officer Tate was close to his parents and had always wanted to be a policeman, his father said in a statement. Officer Benjamin Deen was married with two children.

It's been 30 years since an officer was killed on the job in Hattiesburg. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said he and his wife, Deborah, were mourning the officers' deaths.

"This should remind us to thank all law enforcement for their unwavering service to protect and serve. May God keep them all in the hollow of his hand," he said in a statement.

A memorial for the officers will be held this afternoon.

Ref: http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/10/us/mississ...shot-dead/

[Duchess]

The FBI released some stats today. It showed that there was an 89% increase in cops being killed in 2014 as compared to the year before. There were 51 officers murdered. Almost one a week :(

[HairOfTheDog]

NEW MEXICO

Rio Rancho police have identified the officer killed in a shooting on Memorial Day.


Officer Gregg "Nigel" Benner (pictured left) was shot just after 8 p.m. Monday during a traffic stop near Southern Boulevard and Pinetree Road in Rio Rancho. He later died at UNM Hospital, the department confirmed early Tuesday.

Andrew Romero (pictured right) is the POS who is suspected of murdering Officer Benner.

Benner, 49, was a four-year veteran of the department and a married father of five adult children. He was also an Air Force veteran. RIP.

"Officer Benner was a dedicated military veteran and law enforcement officer and his tragic death is deeply saddening to the tight-knit community of Rio Rancho," Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull said in a statement. "The City of Rio Rancho mourns his untimely death and I urge community members to keep Officer Benner's family in their thoughts and prayers. Our police officers hold a special place in our hearts as they lay their lives on the line every day protecting our safety and this is a stark reminder of their sacrifice."

RRPD said this is the first time an officer has been shot and killed in the line of duty in the department's 34-year history.

Suspect Romero was riding in the passenger side of the car when the exchange occurred. He fled on foot afterward and was captured today. The woman who was driving the car stayed on the scene and is cooperating with police.

A teen riding nearby on his bicycle said he heard four shots fired.

Ref: http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S3806...WTZ-kbCfeT

[HairOfTheDog]

NEBRASKA

Another tragic loss.


^ Officer Kerrie Orozco, 29, was shot to death last Wednesday by a fugitive who was fatally wounded by another officer.

Orozco lived in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and was a native of nearby Walnut, Iowa.

She had planned to celebrate her daughter leaving the hospital three months after being born prematurely, but was instead mourned today by family members, fellow officers, and city/state leaders.

Her funeral at St. John's Catholic Church at Creighton University in Omaha included traditional hymns and a remembrance of Orozco's baptism.

Orozco was killed when Marcus Wheeler, 26, opened fire on officers trying to arrest him in connection with another shooting. She was hit just above her protective vest by one bullet. Another officer returned fire and hit Wheeler. Both Orozco and Wheeler died at an Omaha hospital.

Besides 3-month-old Olivia Ruth, Orozco was stepmother to Natalia, 8, and Santiago, 6. They are the children of her husband, Hector Orozco Lopez.

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said Orozco was a remarkable person and officer.

Ref: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/omaha...l-31314741

[HairOfTheDog]

OHIO



Chief Jeffrey Blackwell said 48-year-old officer Sonny Kim and the suspect died after the shooting Friday morning in the Madisonville neighborhood.

"We lost one of our best today," Blackwell said. "Our hearts are broken."

Blackwell said multiple shots were fired between the suspect and officers responding to a 911 call. The chief says he believes the suspect was on the street when police arrived.

The suspect wasn't immediately identified.

"We're not sure which officers involved actually fired rounds," Blackwell said. "We're not sure how many rounds were fired. We just know that multiple shots were fired between the suspect and responding officers."

RIP Officer Sonny Kim.

[HairOfTheDog]

TENNESSEE

RIP Officer Sean Bolton

Memphis police took one person into custody today in connection with the shooting death of a police officer last night.

Officer Sean Bolton, 33, was shot multiple times during a traffic stop Saturday night by a person who was in the car he pulled over, police said. Bolton's killer fled, sparking an overnight manhunt, according to Memphis police spokeswoman Karen Rudolph.

Bolton, who joined the force in October 2010, was taken to hospital in critical condition. He later died. He is the third Memphis police officer killed in the past four years, Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong said.

"It doesn't get any easier. This is a very difficult time, not only for me as director, but for all the officers you see standing behind me," he told reporters early Sunday morning.

"And (it's) a difficult time for our city as well. So I ask that you give us the respect that we need ... and the space that we need to grieve, and the time that we need to prepare to lay our brother to rest."

"We say so often ... do black lives matter? And at the end of the day, we have to ask ourselves, do all lives matter -- regardless of race, creed, color, economic status, what profession that person holds? All lives matter," Armstrong said. <--He's got that right.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/02/us/memphis...ffic-stop/

[Butterfly Girl]

A Toledo Police K-9 was shot and killed Wednesday after the dog and its partner chased a pair of suspected car thieves into a vacant house in East Toledo.

http://www.officer.com/news/12102710/ohi...g-suspects

[HairOfTheDog]

LOUISIANA


RIP Officer Thomas LaValley

According to Shreveport Police Department spokesman Cpl. Marcus Hines, the department received a call at 9:14 p.m. last Wednesday about a suspicious person at the 3500 block of Del Rio Street. Hines said a man inside a home on the block was armed and making threats toward a family member. Hines said when an officer arrived on scene, the subject opened fire.

The officer was taken to University Health in Shreveport with "critical injuries." The department confirmed to The Times just after midnight that the officer died from his wounds.

"(He) was a best friend in every sense. Just a true genuine person from south Louisiana. You couldn't ask for anyone better to be in your corner," friend Casey Habich told the newspaper. "He was one of the good guys. He was a caretaker and went above and beyond to make sure his family and friends were always well looked after."


^ The gunman, identified as Grover D. Cannon, escaped the scene but was later captured and is now in custody. He was also wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred in July.

[HairOfTheDog]

A Toledo Police K-9 was shot and killed Wednesday after the dog and its partner chased a pair of suspected car thieves into a vacant house in East Toledo.

http://www.officer.com/news/12102710/ohi...g-suspects

I'm glad the suspects were stopped.


RIP Falco


One suspect died and police apprehended the other after the dog was shot.

The police officer who handled the K-9, a German shepherd named Falco, is Samantha Snowberger.

Late Wednesday night, police officers lined a path leading away from a vacant East Toledo house, hands on hearts, as Falco’s body was wheeled out and taken away with a police escort.

[Older Than Dirt]

Our entire community is mourning the death of this officer!