4 Police Officers Shot in WA

[Battle Monkey of Zardoz]

Shooting a fleeing suspect is not justified, it's murder. I don't think the officer will get in any trouble for it. It's not like this guy killed regular people.

[Perd Hapley]

The word is, the cop thought he was trying to draw a gun.  That could be a lie, but given the perp's past behavior, what's not to believe? 

[AZRedhawk44]

Shooting a fleeing suspect is not justified, it's murder. I don't think the officer will get in any trouble for it. It's not like this guy killed regular people.

Wrong.

This is an armed fugitive from justice already previously convicted, sentenced, released... then arrested and charged and released on bail for another series of violations including rape of a 12 year old... then suspected and wanted in relation to the murder of four people* in a coffee shop.

Police are charged to protect themselves along with the public.

This is no different than Bill Jordan crossing into Mexico in pursuit of fugitives, then engaging them in a cantina in Mexico in a gun fight.  Well, it's a bit different... but less severe.

We revere Bill Jordan in the gun culture.

This officer tried to arrest the man peaceably, then dropped him like a sack of potatoes when it became evident he was going to flee again.

This suspect was NOT safe to be out in public with the rest of us.

* = 1*, just like me or anyone else.

[Balog]

There's fleeing, then there's running to get cover. When the runner has just murdered four people pretty coldly I think the latter is not an entirely unjustified thought.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

i am noting that folks that could never be accused of loving cops are standing pretty firmly behind this one. 

[Balog]

i am noting that folks that could never be accused of loving cops are standing pretty firmly behind this one. 

Shooting a murderer fails to rile the blood the way beating/tazing the old/young/crippled/retarded/dead does, I suppose.

[MillCreek]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010393433_webarrest01m.html

Excerpts from the article linked above:


Lakewood police shooting suspect killed by officer in South Seattle early today

By Seattle Times staff

Maurice Clemmons, the suspect wanted in the slaying of four Lakewood police officers, was shot and killed in South Seattle early this morning by a Seattle police officer making a routine check of a stolen car.

The shooting occurred about the same time as Pierce County sheriff's detectives took into custody a man believed to have acted as a getaway driver in Sunday's slayings of the Lakewood officers.

Police also booked three people into jail on suspicion of providing assistance to Clemmons, said sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer.

Several other people also will be taken into custody for helping Clemmons, Troyer said.

Clemmons, who was armed with a handgun taken from one of the officers he is accused of killing, was shot in the 4400 block of South Kenyon Street during a confrontation with a South Precinct patrol officer, police officials said. He refused commands to stop and was shot by the officer about 2:45 a.m., the officials said.

Troyer said Clemmons had an older wound to his stomach believed to be the result of a gunshot fired by one of the Lakewood officers who was killed Sunday. Troyer said he was surprised Clemmons survived that wound.

Troyer praised the Seattle officer who shot Clemmons, saying the officer was lucky he wasn't killed. The officer has been placed on routine administrative leave.

Suspect approached patrol car

The officer's name was not released, but a law-enforcement source identified him as Benjamin L. Kelly, 39, who joined the department 4 ½ years ago. He was not injured.

In a statement that didn't identify Kelly by name, the Seattle police said the officer has prior law enforcement experience and is a military veteran.

The officer was on routine patrol when he saw a car with the hood up and the engine running, police officials said.

The officer ran the license plate and determined the car had been stolen, said Seattle Assistant Chief Jim Pugel.

The car had been reported stolen from the 4800 block of South Chicago Street about 12:45 a.m., a law enforcement source said.

As the officer sat in his patrol car doing paperwork on the stolen car, he noticed a man was approaching the driver's side of the patrol car from behind.

The officer immediately recognized the man as matching the description of Clemmons and got out of his patrol car, Pugel said.

"He ordered the person to stop. He ordered the person to show his hands, that person would not show his hands, and also began to run away counterclockwise around the vehicle," Pugel said.

The officer again told him to stop and he didn't comply, Pugel said.

As the officer drew his gun, the man "reached into his waist area and moved," the department said in a written statement.

The officer then fired several shots at the man, striking him at least twice, the statement said. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man collapsed near some bushes on the north side of the street, the statement said.

The man has been tentatively identified as Clemmons based on his description and other information, Pugel said.

A check of the serial number on the handgun found on Clemmons showed that it belonged to one of the Lakewood police officers, Pugel said.

Troyer did not identify the officer whose gun was taken.

According to state law, a police officer is justified in using deadly force when it is necessary "to arrest or apprehend a person who the officer reasonably believes has committed, has attempted to commit, is committing, or is attempting to commit a felony."

In making that decision, the officer must have probable cause to believe the suspect, if not apprehended, poses a threat of serious physical harm to the officer, or to others. That might include displaying a weapon, or knowledge the person has committed or threatened violence.

An officer may use deadly force to prevent escape, "where, if feasible, some warning is given."

[AZRedhawk44]

i am noting that folks that could never be accused of loving cops are standing pretty firmly behind this one. 

True dat.   

While there's always the potential for an aberration of justice, I doubt there is an interstate conspiracy to keep this particular fella felon behind bars, especially since he had one "life" sentence commuted already and just got picked up on suspicion of raping children.

Nope.

I'll buy the so-far-nameless officer a beer if I ever meet him in real life.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

i know if i saw a guy i knew had killed 4 other cops coming my way i woulda been a might high strung. hes a better man than i   i woulda shot him with no quarter given

[Hawkmoon]

Shooting a fleeing suspect is not justified, it's murder. I don't think the officer will get in any trouble for it. It's not like this guy killed regular people.

Under Washington State statutes, the shoot was legal. The statute was quoted in a post on THR.us

[Stand_watie]

Under Washington State statutes, the shoot was legal. The statute was quoted in a post on THR.us

     A typical Texas Grand Jury would conclude that an armed fleeing murderer posed an imminent threat to police and public at large and 'no bill' even if a DA tried to sell an indictment.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

cop mighta got a parade here.  and his money'd be no good in a bar

[Stand_watie]

cop mighta got a parade here.  and his money'd be no good in a bar

     Really, when you get down to it, even a Boston, NYC, Chicago or San Francisco cop doing the same thing might actually get a parade (O.K. Maybe not San Francisco...)

[longeyes]

All true.

And yet would anyone here bet that we will not see some enterprising attorney file a lawsuit on behalf of
Clemmon's family?

[roo_ster]

All true.

And yet would anyone here bet that we will not see some enterprising belly-crawling, slime-trail-leaving attorney file a lawsuit on behalf of
Clemmon's family?

FTFY 

[erictank]

FTFY 

A difference that makes no difference, and all that... 

[Boomhauer]

The shithead's family wants the cops to put up a memorial to him where they shot him.


Thank God this murderer/rapist is dead. He had it coming.

[Matthew Carberry]

The shithead's family wants the cops to put up a memorial to him where they shot him.


Thank God this murderer/rapist is dead. He had it coming.

As a warning to others?

I'd kick in a buck or two.

[Jamisjockey]

The shithead's family wants the cops to put up a memorial to him where they shot him.


Thank God this murderer/rapist is dead. He had it coming.

Great idea.  Stick his head on a pike.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Great idea.  Stick his head on a pike.

beat me to it!

[Perd Hapley]

The family wants the cops to put up a memorial to him where they shot him.

Great idea.  Stick his head on a pike.

 

[Hawkmoon]

The shithead's family wants the cops to put up a memorial to him where they shot him.

If they want a memorial in a stolen car, they can steal a car and build their own memorial.

Personally, I think the dirtbag's family should pay to erect a memorial on the site where he assassinated the four officers.

[erictank]

If they want a memorial in a stolen car, they can steal a car and build their own memorial.

Personally, I think the dirtbag's family should pay to erect a memorial on the site where he assassinated the four officers.

Wonder if that's been suggested as a counterproposal to the family...

[RevDisk]

i am noting that folks that could never be accused of loving cops are standing pretty firmly behind this one. 

This will piss off a mod or two...  Some men just need killing.  This guy was one of 'em.  He was a danger to society in every sense.  He had multiple chances to turn his life around.  Instead he chose a life of theft, rape and murder.  Maybe he was crazy, maybe he was just evil.  Doesn't matter anymore. 

It's better this way.  The alternative would have been a couple years of media circus trials, then another decade on death row.  There is more dignity in this end.

i know if i saw a guy i knew had killed 4 other cops coming my way i woulda been a might high strung. hes a better man than i   i woulda shot him with no quarter given

Depending on the situation, that could be murder, though not intensively easy to prove.  If you could convince folks he was reaching for a gun, or otherwise posed a high risk of injury or death, you'd be in the right.  If he was half dead and had both hands above his head (and plenty of witnesses or video that uniformly backed it up), you'd be facing murder charges.

Everyone has a duty to use deadly force only if no other options are reasonably present.

[mellestad]

I would rather have seen him stand trial, for many reasons, but I don't see any problem with how this turned out.  The cop did his job.