Off-duty Detroit police officer shoots would-be cell phone thief in the face

Mlive.com ^ | May 03, 2014 | Gus Burns

[cripplecreek]

DETROIT, MI -- An off-duty Detroit police officer shot a suspected robber in the face Saturday afternoon.

Detroit Police Sgt. Michael Woody says the officer was working a second job at a pharmacy located at 3611 Conant in Detroit. He is not a security officer for the store. While outside talking on his cell phone about 12:30 p.m. Woody said the suspect approached and demanded the officer's phone.

When he refused, the suspect produced a "nickel-plated revolver and the officer was able to knock the gun away, which gave him time" to run into the store, Woody said..

The suspect tried to chase the officer and was attempting to open the door and fire but the gun jammed. The officer retrieved his gun and shot the suspect once in the face.

The suspect is listed in serious condition but expected to survive, Woody said Saturday afternoon.

[Popman]

Detroit Police Sgt. Michael Woody says the officer was working a second job at a pharmacy

I was surprised a Police sergeant would be working a second job until I looked up their salary...

Median salary is 66 K a year...

You couldn't pay me enough to be a Detroit cop...

[Hot Tabasco]

I am not saying it is impossible, but it sure is rare that a revolver “jams”.

Until all the dust has settled, take everything with a grain of salt.

I once heard WXYZ's Bill Proctor report that "Detroit Police were looking for a .357 Smith and Wesson Glock pistol........"

And in another story, a Detroit school student was caught bringing an assault rifle into the school. In a followup story several days later, the "assault" rifle turned out to be a shotgun.......

[umgud]

I have a 22mag revolver that will jam if not kept clean. 22 mag is really dirty. I had a titanium, very light weight snubbie in 357 that would often bind the cylinder due to crimp jumping.

[OldPossum]

it sure is rare that a revolver “jams”.

I think you are correct, but it can happen. Some 20 years ago I was target shooting with my Taurus .357 magnum and as I pulled the trigger, nothing happened. The hammer would not drop and neither would the cylinder drop out to get the round out. I tried a number of things but to no avail. I finally had to take it to a gunsmith to get the damn thing unjammed. It was dangerous in the condition it was in, too!

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

I caught that, too. A revolver rarely jams but they can misfire, due to bad ammo?

[gaijin]

Maybe the thief had face armor made out of DOGS...?

Good shot, all the same.

[cripplecreek]

LOL

[hal ogen]

More range time, also?

[cripplecreek]

Yeah I think I’d blame the “jam” on the reporting.

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

Why this poor child! Shot in the face no less. He didn’t deserve that. That off duty cop had no business carrying a weapon and shooting him, since he wasn’t defending his own home.

[Fee]

My question is if a suspect produced a gun and you had a chance to bat it away, if you are armed, you do not turn and run after batting the gun away. Funny the officer did not go for his gun first.

[cripplecreek]

[Graybeard58]

I've used revolvers for 50 plus years and never had one to "jam".

I would imagine the weapon was damaged, very dirty, or loaded with some very old, poor quality ammo (or maybe the wrong ammo type) for that to happen.

I believe you're right.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

No I would not

[MHGinTN]

Gun may have been ‘injured’ when the officer slapped it out of the little perps hand. Also it might be a North American Arms five shot derringer which is single action only and requires cocking the hammer to fire it ... in his excitement the little twerp may have been to flustered to cock the hammer.

[Chode]

thank God...

[PowderMonkey]

"A revolver jamming? "

Yup. It can happen. I've had my revolvers fail me more often than my semi-autos. Main cause: light firing pin strikes, and cylinders out of alignment. Lack of cleaning and use of cheap ammo will most often produce a build up at the forcing cone and cylinder face, eventually stopping the cylinder from turning. Sand, pocket lint, dirt, mud, anything gets in a revolver's lock works and it's game over.

[MamaDearest]

Karma for the crook.

[MamaDearest]

Barry is quite concerned about racism in death penalty sentences. If perpetrators of violent crime were a majority of whites, would he be as concerned?

[NVDave]

You’re likely use QUALITY revolvers for 50 years and never had a jam.

There’s some real crap out there, however. S&W, Colt and Ruger are quality revolvers.

Charter Arms is a so-so quality revolver.

Then there’s some absolutely festerous crap out there. RG and Rohm - made in Germany, of all places. CDM (I seem to recall - years since I’ve seen one) out of NYC in the 50’s and 60’s.

Even Colts will jam up if you mistreat them. Use a Colt to pistol-whip someone or use the butt as a hammer, and you’ll throw it out of time so well that it will probably carry up once and be done until you open it up.