Posted on 12/09/2006 1:50:42 PM PST by SWO
One week after the fatal shooting of Peyton Strickland, New Hanover County Sheriff's Office Deputy Christopher M. Long was dismissed from his job.
Friday's announcement came late in the afternoon in a terse release from the sheriff's office. The press release advised that it would be fruitless to ask any questions about the firing, citing ongoing investigations by the State Bureau of Investigation and the New Hanover County District Attorney's Office "regarding Long's recent actions."
Sheriff Sid Causey did not return a call seeking further information. Long, 34, was a corporal and a member of the sheriff's office Emergency Response Team that assisted University of North Carolina Wilmington police in serving warrants the night of Dec. 1 at the house on 533 Long Leaf Acres Drive occupied by Strickland.
The 18-year-old Durham native was shot in the head and right shoulder area as ERT team members entered the house. College police issued arrest warrants on Strickland and friend Ryan Mills in connection with the Nov. 17 assault and on-campus robbery of UNCW student Justin Raines of two PlayStation 3 game systems.
Role not specified
It was not clear Friday what specific role Long played in the shooting and if criminal charges would be filed. A news conference about the ongoing investigation into the incident will be held Monday.
Long and the other two ERT team deputies, Detective Larry Robinson and jail Sgt. Greg Johnson, have been staying out of town because of concerns for their safety. Causey released their names Thursday after a complaint was filed requesting an order compelling disclosure of public records. Robinson and Johnson remain on paid administrative leave.
Long was a 10-year veteran of the sheriff's office. He was involved in a shooting incident on Feb. 8, 2001 with two teenagers in the 1600 block of Queen Street. Long had made a traffic stop and approached the car to ask the occupants about the license plates, which did not match the vehicle.
Long said the driver, 17-year-old Gregory Donell Miller, attempted to run him over before pulling away. He fired at Miller and 18-year-old Terry Lamar Green, wounding both. Then-District Attorney John Carriker decided in April 2001 not to press charges against the deputy.
A representative of the local Fraternal Order of Police lodge said Friday night that "we hope the best decision has been made for the community, the officer and the agencies."
Long is not an FOP member, said Ed Gibson, a Wilmington police officer and secretary of Lower Cape Fear Lodge No. 58.
"But we emphathize with a law enforcement officer who was removed from his job. We have to trust in the system and in the judgment of the people making the decisions on the facts in front of them," Gibson said.
Use of ERT team called necessary
The sheriff's office ERT team has more than 20 members, six of them full time. Earlier on Friday before the announcement about Long, UNCW police Chief David Donaldson said he has a good working relationship with all local law enforcement agencies, but specifically requested that the sheriff's office assist with serving the warrants at the off-campus location. UNCW police do not have jurisdiction off college property.
Donaldson made the request for assistance to Chief Deputy Tom Parker, who was advised about potential dangers with serving a warrant at the Long Leaf Acres Drive address.
"It was my opinion and the opinion of my investigators that (using) the ERT team was necessary, but it was my understanding that they would conduct their own assessment as any law enforcement agency would do and that's what they did," Donaldson said.
He said UNCW police had seen Web site images of Mills and other young men brandishing guns and knew about an unrelated pending assault charge filed against Strickland by Wilmington police. The potential for violence "was a relevant factor" in requesting the ERT team, Donaldson said.
Mills, 20, was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a deadly weapon and breaking and entering a motor vehicle in connection with the PlayStation 3 robberies. He did not live at 533 Long Leaf Acres Drive but was friends with Strickland and a frequent visitor there. Police had seen his car at the house earlier on Dec. 1, Donaldson said.
Mills arrived after Strickland was shot.
"Ryan Mills had a loaded shotgun in his car and a ski mask when he arrived," Donaldson said.
The shotgun was legal and Mills did not threaten anyone at the scene, Donaldson said.
"It's not a weapon commonly used for hunting and such activities," he said. "There were clear safety concerns and it was these safety concerns that led to my request to the sheriff's department. It's just information that further speaks to the risk associated with this incident."
No 'speculative' questions
Charges were dismissed against Strickland after his death. Criminal cases are pending against Mills and 21-year-old Braden Riley, who was charged Dec. 2 with the same offenses as Mills in connection with the Nov. 17 robbery.
Donaldson was asked if there may have been a better way to take the three young robbery suspects into custody.
"I'm not going to entertain speculative questions," he said.
Wilmington lawyer Alex Hall represents Mills and also represented Strickland in the assault case brought by Wilmington police. Police made no effort to contact him to have the college students turn themselves in before the warrants were served Dec. 1, Hall said.
Hall said he was not aware of Mills having a shotgun in his car the night of Dec. 1.
Strickland, a Cape Fear Community College student, was the son of a prominent Durham lawyer. He appeared at scheduled court dates on the assault charge and would have surrendered without incident to answer the robbery allegations, Hall said.
"That (assault) charge was just about resolved. It was a fist fight, that's all it was," Hall said. "All they had to do was call me and I would have brought him in. He did it before."
UNCW police knew that Mills was a student at the college, Hall added.
"Why didn't they just go to one of his classes and say 'Sir, step outside.' He wouldn't have brought his guns to class with him."
Hall said authorities overreacted to the Web photographs of Mills and other young men with guns, and added that all the firearms displayed were legal and owned by a friend of Mills.
"I understand the police had their reasons and I don't want to be overly critical of them, but that was a joke photo, much as people would dress up in cowboy gear at a county fair. I don't think there are any indications they misused firearms in the past," Hall said.
Ken Little: 343-2389
ken.little@starnewsonline.com
""It's not a weapon commonly used for hunting and such activities," "
?? Maybe it was one of those pistol-grip Marlins, otherwise that is one dumb statement.
Oh well, it's not like his career is over-he can always join the FBI. Lon Horiuchi can write him a letter of recommendation/s
Fixed it.
L
Speaking of the door, why was it taken into evidence? Were there bullet holes in it? Would that show shots were fired from outside the door? Do we know if Peyton Strickland was shot thru the door?
Maybe it will go to the great warehouse of doors with the Branch Davidians missing front door.
bkmrk
I didn't look so closely at the photo to ID the shotgun but it had a pistol grip and MAYBE no stock and a magazine extension. My house 870 is similarly equipped, to enhance its appearance while not harming its function.
Either we are equal or we are not. Good people ought to be armed where they will, with wits and guns. NRA KMA Merry Christmas
"Good people ought to be armed where they will, with wits and guns."
I don't disagree. I'm basically a 2nd Amendment absolutist.
However, I have hunted (more than once...) with a shotgun and pistol-grip types aren't my first choice. BUT, what's the media's point? So what if you don't usually hunt with one, it's still (and should be) legal.
And the 870 Synthetic HD by my headboard is stock, but being black and with that "short" barrel and all, it looks kinda malevolent.
The person who wrote this article could have done a better job. Here is the issue I have: If a police/ law enforcement officer is informed about the below listed information.
Mills, 20, was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a deadly weapon and breaking and entering a motor vehicle in connection with the PlayStation 3 robberies. He did not live at 533 Long Leaf Acres Drive but was friends with Strickland and a frequent visitor there. Police had seen his car at the house earlier on Dec. 1, Donaldson said.
- To me, it sounds like deadly force was on the horizon, so why was this guy fired - because he was a political liability risk. Sounds like good work for a pro bono, pro law enforcement attorney.
SS
Gee, that's nice of them.
How that guy lives with himself on our payroll is beyond me.
I don't like the fact that the police officers are hiding in fear.Why would a citizen come forward with information about a crime when he knows that even the cops are afraid of the thugs?
Ever hear of Buford Pusser? If not, ask Bubba' aka Bill Clinton. He's the guy who took over from Tony "Little Ducks" Corrello (A member of the Lucchese crime family married to the Gambino/Genovese crime families) once the Lucchese crime family vacated the deep south in lieu of the "Dixie Mafia."
Somebody is on the "take," or has uncovered/involved (in) something that is at best tasteless and illegal - guns, drugs, tobacco, alcohol, prostitution to just name a few.
SS
Ping to more info on the Playstation shoot.
Not shame, but covering their a$$.
The medical examiner determined that the bullet struck the victims head sideways, indicating it had first struck another object. A closed door would qualify as as another object.
Well whatever's up with these guys, when you have a spouse and/or child and you get in a deadly force encounter, rightly or wrongly, you tend to worry whether your new friend has any angry buddies. One of the things we didn't expect when I joined the local Barney Fife fan club was that the boss-lady would have to learn new approaches to answering the door bell.
ping
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