Police Storm Wrong Apartment, Resident Dies of Heart Attack

WABC News NYC ^ | May 16, 2003 | Art McFarland

[Unknown Freeper]

(Harlem-WABC, May 16, 2003) — Police smashed down an apartment door and used a flash grenade in their search for a potentially dangerous suspect. But it was the wrong apartment, and the woman who lived inside is now dead after suffering a heart attack.

Police smashed down an apartment door and used a flash grenade in their search for a potentially dangerous suspect. But it was the wrong apartment, and the woman who lived inside is now dead after suffering a heart attack.

What happened at 310 W. 143rd Street was meant to be the end result of a drug investigation based on confidential information from a police informant. But it is now among the most tragic errors of the NYPD.

Lucille Ross, Building Resident: "She was such a lovely person. If something was to happen with her like this, I want to know why."

The search warrant was apparently issued for apartment 6F in the multi-unit building. It was the home of Alberta Spruill.

Today Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said it was based on what investigators thought was reliable information. But it all turned out to be a terrible mistake.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly: "Entry was made by officers from our Emergency Services Unit who used a flash grenade during that entry. Once inside the officers found the occupant, a 57-year-old woman, identified as Alberta Spruill. She was briefly handcuffed while police conducted a cursory search of the apartment. The patrol captain then entered, and saw that the apartment did not match the description given by the informant, and immediately ordered that the handcuffs be removed."

The commissioner said Ms. Spruill soon told officers she had a heart condition, and then complained of chest pains. EMS was called to the scene and administered aid. But Ms. Spruill died a short time later at Harlem Hospital.

Commissioner Ray Kelly: "On behalf of the entire New York City Police Department, I want to offer my condolences and sympathy to the family of Alberta Spruill. I also want to offer my apology. This is indeed a profound tragedy."

Calvin Alston, Building Resident: "We're all just devestated. Really devestated. Because this is a woman that got up and went to church every day ... went to work every day. And we're all just devestated that this would happen to someone like this."

Police Commissioner Kelly did say a "flash grenade" was used at apartment 6F before officers entered. It may be the use of that flash grenade broke procedure. The ESU lieutenant who used it is now on administrative leave pending the investigation. Those grenades have been used 85 times this year.

And NYPD tells us only four mistakes out of 1,900 search warrants have been made this year. The investigation of this tragedy continues.

[A CA Guy]

California, where the most conservative voters can be found in the nation and home to this website's founder doesn't deal with reality?
Specify how so, this ought to be good.

Why use an impostor Samuel Adams name then? You make no sense, you could have used "I have no idea what to call myself" as a name.

You say I am no impostor, but you take his name, and this from a guy who tells me a whole state where the most conservatives in the nation live doesn't deal with reality?
Yes we do, it is just that there are even more Democrats in the state and we are trumped at this time until the Democrats further destroy the state to the point of totally converting voters from voting Democrat for anything.

I need not add a word, keep up the posts, you are entertaining the lurkers to no end I am sure.

[Badray]

" It makes sense to me but not to the majority of voters yet."

Well, what are you waiting for? Get out there and educate them. LOL

[headsonpikes]

"...more catch phrases than a Taco Bell commercial..."

Was that a 'catch phrase'?

Please elucidate what you mean by 'catch phrases'.

Perhaps you are simply unacquainted with any form of argument not based on repeating slogans. It appears you simply do not wish to deal with any substantive points whatsoever.

IMNSHO.

[biffalobull]

This is due to selfish illegal drugs users and dealers. Not anyone slapping females!

CA Guy; With all due respect CAGuy, I can't for the life of me see how you can blame dopeheads for this womens death.

This was a 57 year old lady with a heart condition. It seems she was living alone. All of a sudden there are grenades going off in your house, and Elliott Ness and the boys, have got the cuffs on you.

You have to lay the blame for this poor soul's death right where it belongs, with the NYPD.

Regards

[biffalobull]

To be honest, if they did that in my home to my son, the man who pulled the trigger would be carved up in pieces and cast to the four winds of the earth after he was skinned alive.

sam; I'm with you brother. There would be so much guts to clean, they would need another NYPD.

[A CA Guy]

The dopers were the ones that caused the law officers to come calling, you are right though that she had a heart ready to go, but in this kind of case it is not uncommon to charge the thugs with additional manslaughter at least.

[A CA Guy]

"A taco bell commercial" is a catch phrase? Politically, or what?

[Ken H]

The cops were perhaps given less than accurate tips from several sources. They are obliged to check them out as they are tips about terrorism.

The cops didn't really check this out, did they?

If they had, they'd have known there was no drug dealing in this woman's home.

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

1 trigger happy jerk didn't know his safety from his jerky!

or his foot for that matter!!!!!!!!!

SERVE AND PROTECT OFFICER HAS GUN ACCIDENT

:)

[A CA Guy]

After the heart attack they shot her? If not, start another thread.

[A CA Guy]

I think they had bad information. What did you read since this?

[Ken H]

I think they had bad information

Everyone agrees on that point.

You said that the cops were "obliged" to check out tips.

They did not check out the tip about woman's apartment, therefore they failed in this obligation.

[A CA Guy]

They have to check out what the tip says.

If there is more information on what made them go in, feel free to share.

[Ken H]

They have to check out what the tip says.

Yes, we already agreed on that they have to "check out" a tip.

They failed to "check out" this woman or the tip about her home prior to launching an armed raid.

Agreed?

[A CA Guy]

They had the wrong information and went in on that, so they had no clue as to who was in there.

But if you are saying a look in the telephone book would have saved a life here, well not really in this case.
They wouldn't trust public information since a drug house usually operates out of a previously legitimate joint.

It was a tough call. but they should investigate how the tip was wrong.

[Ken H]

The had the wrong information and went in on that, so they had no clue as to who was in there.

Exactly my point. They reason they had no clue was because they failed to check out the tip prior to the armed raid on the innocent woman's home.

They wouldn't trust public information since a drug house usually operates out of a previously legitimate joint.

What you are saying is that even if the cops had gotten the woman's name from their data base or the phone company, they were still justified in carrying out a dynamic, armed raid on her home?

Is that correct?

[headsonpikes]

See my #543.

And read it.

[TLBSHOW]

OH LOOK ANOTHER ONE.........
........

A Broward Sheriff's deputy has been charged with drug trafficking following a sting operation in which detectives say he carted off 40 pounds of marijuana.

Edgar Barrios, 27, a five-year veteran assigned to road patrol out of the Lauderdale Lakes Sheriff's Office substation, was arrested on May 15 in the 4800 block of Northwest 44th Court in Lauderdale Lakes.


He is charged with trafficking in cannabis and tampering with evidence, a Sheriff's Office spokesman said. Barrios worked previously as a jail detention deputy and a road patrol deputy in Tamarac.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/914999/posts?page=

[samuel_adams_us]

California is the most bankrupt state in the nation as well as the most socialist. That's all I need to say. If there are so many conservatives in California then why did Al Gore win your state during the election. What are you smoking? You are entertaining me and you fit well in California where there is no need for pedigree or anything for that matter. This year I celebrate 396 years of my family living here in North America, I would imagine you are the first of your family to live free, maybe the first to go to college as well.

[MrLeRoy]

So why don't you advocate bringing back Prohibition?

Because it's a different issue.

No, it's not---alcohol is a drug. If you proclaim the principle "drugs should be banned because some of their users violate rights while under their influence" but you don't apply that principle to the drug alcohol, you prove that you really don't believe in the principle you claim.