Posted on 12/01/2009 5:07:41 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
The ordeal ended when alleged gunman Maurice Clemmons approached from behind an officer who was investigating an empty car that was left in a Seattle suburb with its engine running, said Jim Pugel, assistant chief of the Seattle Police.The officer "detected some movement behind him" and "thought he recognized the person who was approaching him" as the suspected gunman in the lethal cop shootings two days earlier, Mr. Pugel said.
"He wouldn't stop. The officer fired several rounds," Mr. Pugel said. "All indications are that [the suspect] is deceased."
When I read this, I thought about the South Park hunting episode "He's coming right for us".
He was found in possession of the gun used in the killings. But I haven't found a story that says he was pointing a gun at a cop when he was shot.
On the other hand, if I was a cop and saw a guy sneaking up behind me that had just shot 4 officers dead, and I said "stop" and they didn't, I wouldn't wait to see if I could beat him in a "quick-draw".
The guy had a pretty good identifying mark from the shootings a couple days ago.. it’s called a bullet wound,and he got it from one of the cops he killed. He was killed while carrying a gun from one of the dead cops. While approaching another cop.
I’m sorry, but that trial was not going to be a long one.
amen!
If he flees? You bet. A fleeing felon of this 'caliber' is a grave danger to all in his path. Allowing him to run on foot creates a REAL thread of allowing him to break in and take hostages in the neighborhood, in a standoff that would definitely risk more lives. Innocent lives. To allow him to flee in the vehicle risks a head on crash with more innocents. This man's existence and desperation made him the most serious threat to the public.
So yes, if you're a "person of interest" in a cop killing. I suggest you don't run when told to stop. It has always been acceptable to shoot a fleeing felon to stop him from being a threat to the public.
It was NOT an execution nor was it ‘wrong’. Unbelievable that you would go there. The murderer (Maurice Clemmons) was justifiably stopped and killed by said (officer) who had the authority, right and DUTY to use lethal force in such instance. The murderer had killed/executed/slaughtered four individual police officers, just days previously, officer positively identified individual as the perp...man did not comply with officers commands, man was an immminent threat to the safety of the officer and public at large. Officer had EVERY RIGHT and the DUTY to stop this man by all possible means.
Wrong. Several are in jail right now, and more will be by the end of the day.
Exactly right, Grace. Clemmons was approaching the driver’s side of the police car when the cop recognized him and ordered him to stop. Clemons reached for his waste and the cop shot him. He was reaching for the gun he was carrying. The officer’s life was in imminent danger.
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/78211742.html
As the officer was doing his paperwork, he caught something moving behind him. He turned around and saw a man walking on the street behind his car, approaching the driver’s side. The officer got out of his car, immediately recognized the man as Clemmons and ordered him to show his hands and stop.
Clemmons refused, and while the officer was drawing his gun, the man reached into his waist and moved, police said.
“He wouldn’t stop,” Pugel said. “The officer fired several rounds.”
Clemmons was struck at least twice, police said. After Clemmons was pronounced dead, officers found a gun in Clemmons’ front pocket. Clemmons also had sustained a serious gunshot wound from one of the four officers killed in the coffee-shop shooting.
Police planned to arrest more people who helped Clemmons.
“We expect to have maybe six or seven people in custody by the day’s end,” said Ed Troyer, a spokesman for the Pierce County sheriff. “Some are friends, some are acquaintances, some are partners in crime, some are relatives. Now they’re all partners in crime.”
Oh man!! I thought the cop saw him in the car and went up and the guy ran. (Either towards him or away from him - doesn’t matter since he recognized him as this dangerous felon.)
The cop was “workin’ them Angels” to be able to catch a glimpse of movement as the scum snuck up on him from behind while he was doing some “routine paperwork”.
Thank God for watching over him, and for his skills as a cop.
On the scanner they had a nearby house with the door wide open, pople looking out the window, etc. I figured it was just folks looking at the disturbance after he had been shot.
But now I wonder if the car was having problems (the hood was open) and the scum stopped by some friend’s or family to get some help? Was in the house when he saw the cop by his car, then snuck over to try to get #5. Probably not, but you never know.
Your comments to me are all appreciated. However, please note the time of my post. I did not have the info you now have. So, you may stop using that to beat me. I was writing based on the info I had.
Gotta say, I am deeply offended that the attitude here is that a cop’s life is more valuable than John Q. Public’s. “Exigent circumstances” has been stretched so far (and believe me, I’m a pro at stretching that one!). In this case, and AFTER READING MORE ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE SHOOTING, I agree, exigent circumstances covers it. I do find it odd, tho, that the perp still had one of his victims’ guns still on him. A “throw away” would have been better.
I am pleased to hear it. I wonder how long it will be before Jackson, Sharpton, et al, show up?
You’re kidding, right? You’re “deeply offended”? And here I was going to say something nice in response to your earlier post.
I don’t see anyone here claiming that “a cop’s life is more valuable than John Q. Public’s”, or even framing the situation in those terms except for you. That said, I would be quick to state categorically that anyone who commits the sort of heinous crimes that this character did has forfeited his opportunity for this time around. My sympathies lie with the victims, their families, and the community at large. It will be a cold day in hell before I shed a tear for Clemmons.
As for the legitimacy of this shooting and your worry about “vigilante justice”, rest assured that there will be an inquest and a police review. Because this was done as an inter-agency operation in a VERY public way, if there is anything in the slightest that is counter to established public policy they will report it.
You’re welcome to remain “deeply offended” if that floats your boat...
Gonna be real embarrashing if the "cracker" cop turns out to be black. The officer, rumored to be Benjamin L. Kelly, 39, was from the Seattle PD, not the suburban PD (Lakewood) to which the slain officers belonged.
Although I must admit the name does sound Irish.
He had one of the Lakewood officer's guns, and this was known to the police. Thus he had to be presumed "armed and dangerous", he'd already proven the dangerous part. But it is reported that he also first refused to show his hands when ordered to do so, and then went for that gun. I'd have shot him too, even if he wasn't the suspect in a multiple homicide. Assuming I was armed of course, and could get to my gun quicker than he could get to his. But I'd have tried anyway.
The just lil ol me says “But wait a minute. Does this mean it's ok for cops to “know” who the perp is and just take him out?
That's not what happened, although there may have been a bit of that on the cops mind, but when the suspect went for the gun, after refusing to show his hands, it becomes self defense. IOW, a rightous shoot.
Information from Seattle Times.
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.
He had one of the Lakewood officer's guns, and this was known to the police. Thus he had to be presumed "armed and dangerous", he'd already proven the dangerous part. But it is reported that he also first refused to show his hands when ordered to do so, and then went for that gun. I'd have shot him too, even if he wasn't the suspect in a multiple homicide. Assuming I was armed of course, and could get to my gun quicker than he could get to his. But I'd have tried anyway.
The just lil ol me says “But wait a minute. Does this mean it's ok for cops to “know” who the perp is and just take him out?
That's not what happened, although there may have been a bit of that on the cops mind, but when the suspect went for the gun, after refusing to show his hands, it becomes self defense. IOW, a rightous shoot.
Information from Seattle Times.
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.
I was listening to a radio interview with Ed Troyer this afternoon, and he said that the Medical Examiner wondered how the heck Clemmons could have survived for as long as he did with the bullet wound where it was.
According to Troyer, when they looked at the body, the wound had been ‘dressed’ with gauze and duct tape. The wound was in the central area between his chest and waist. It had to have hurt like Hell, and that most people with a wound like that wouldn’t be up and about much.
It makes you wonder how he could’ve kept going for so long.
Good.
Those people helping this SOB should all receive serious jail terms.
We have more than enough RINOs already. Good riddance.
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