Posted on 11/27/2019 10:27:48 AM PST by Altura Ct.
Micheal Ann Godsey fired at her mother, police, and at least one citizen during a shooting spree in May.
Oklahoma City, OK – A Blackwell police lieutenant who stopped an active shooter during a rolling gunfight has been indicted for second-degree murder.
“It’s a sad day for law enforcement and society,” the lieutenant’s attorney, Gary James, told The Oklahoman.
The incident began at approximately 3 a.m. on May 20, when Blackwell police received reports that someone was firing a gun in the 1300-block of South Main, KFOR reported.
At least one of the rounds had struck a vehicle.
While officers responded to the scene, the dispatch center received additional calls that someone in a white pickup was firing rounds at several locations around Blackwell.
The suspect, later identified as 34-year-old Micheal Ann Godsey, ultimately opened fire on police as they pursued her through the town, The Oklahoman reported.
"She shot at the police twice. She has shot at her mother twice. She has shot at a private citizen. We know she fired other rounds around town,” James told the paper.
Blackwell Police Lieutenant John Mitchell managed to pull in behind the active shooter’s vehicle.
"He took his AR-15 and he started shooting through the front windshield at her,” James said, according to The Oklahoman.
Godsey jerked the wheel and abruptly turned at stopped near Doolin Avenue and 13th Avenue, KFOR reported.
Lt. Mitchell and another officer fired additional rounds at the suspect’s pickup.
They discovered the shooter dead in the driver’s seat a short while later.
One of the officers suffered a minor injury during the shootout, according to the Associated Press.
James said that Lt. Mitchell did what he had to do to stop a “violent, fleeing felon,” The Oklahoman reported.
He noted that the lieutenant had completed active shooter response training shortly before the fatal altercation, and that an independent internal affairs committee had cleared him of any wrongdoing.
On Nov. 21, a state grand jury determined that Lt. Mitchell engaged in “imminently dangerous conduct” towards Godsey without excusable or justifiable cause by firing approximately 60 rounds during the gun battle, The Oklahoman reported.
He faces up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted of the second-degree murder charge against him.
Lt. Mitchell was released on his own recognizance during a bond hearing on Monday, KFOR reported.
He was subsequently processed at the Kay County Detention Center before he was allowed to return home.
Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President Jason Smith said he fully supports Lt. Mitchell.
“We look forward to this working through the justice system,” Smith told WFOR. “We believe that when the facts of the case are brought out to the public, that LT. Mitchell will be put back to work where he needs to be.”
Using deadly force was the last thing the lieutenant wanted to do, the union president added.
“He didn`t wake up that day with the [intent] to take a human life,” he told KFOR. “It`s the worst thing that he could ever imagine having to do.”
Smith noted that the indictment against Lt. Mitchell marked the “first time in American history that a police officer – or anybody – was charged with the crime of murder for shooting at an active shooter,” KTUL reported.
He said that he believes Lt. Mitchell will be acquitted of the charge against him once all the facts are known, according to KFOR.
Lt. Mitchell’s supporters said they were stunned to learn about the grand jury’s indictment, KTUL reported.
"To me, you return fire until the threat is neutralized,” Sean Ingram told the news outlet. “You don't know if it's going to be one or one hundred.”
“You’re being shot at,” another resident added. “Where do you draw that line?”
Ingram said that Lt. Mitchell is the most honorable person he knows.
“I will back him all the way,” he said.
Lt. Mitchell’s preliminary hearing has been set for Dec. 18
LOL
Ricochet shots- He was an expert at ricochet shooting- every police force has one or two well trained ricochet shooters
j/k= he worked his way aroudn to hte front likely from the passenger’s side, crouched-
Some jurisdictions require manslaughter type deaths to go before the GJ. That said, they grand jury does not operate in a vacuum. They are fed info from the prosecutor. That is where the problem lays.
The police are not executioners. What if the person is identified incorrectly or someone “Swats” a person? Deadly force in direct defense of saving a life (other or your own) ONLY.
For crying out loud. How stupid are humans going to get?
If this did, in fact go down as described in the article, I’m surprised he was indicted. If he has a jury with an IQ above room temperature, he’ll walk.
Does sound like he needs some range time though.
Was it a Soros DA?
A couple of things come to mind on this one. First, it said he pulled in behind the suspect vehicle and fired through his windshield. According to the news article, he was still driving the vehicle which could explain the number of rounds fired. (both vehicles moving)
Second, I don’t believe law enforcement has access to full-auto weaponry. The AR-15’s we had on my department were the civilianized versions and had full-auto locked out.
Third, and the ball-buster, most departmental protocols dictate that if the felon/shooter/whatever is fleeing FROM the officer, there is no presumed threat. Since he was in a car and not engaging the officer, some DA decided the threat was no longer there to the officer. Even though his departmental review board declared it to be a justifiable shooting.
Unfortunately, even though it sounds like this guy (the perp) was indiscriminately firing while being pursued, the DA is looking at a very small portion of the incident. I would bet that due to the time...3am... the “threat” to others was considered low and there may have been alternative ways to stop the suspect.
It’s no wonder no one wants to do the job any longer and a few that do are just looking to gain enough time to get a nice cushy desk job for the remainder of their careers. With no disrespect to those on the street.
“Who is on that Grand Jury? A bunch of Anarchists who don’t believe in Law and Order, just want to ‘bring the system down’?”
I have two uninformed GUESSES about this that may partially answer your question:
1) the DA may be one of the Soros sponsored radicals who’s been snuck onto the ballot and somewhat clandestinely elected and
2) the decedent may well be a protected minority or otherwise connected politically connected.
Beyond those two things, and based solely on the article, there appears no logical, let alone legitimate, explanation for the indictment.
News report:
“Grand jury indicts ham sandwich! Report at 11.”
Mark
#2 seems the most likely. Even then, a good lawyer should be able to push through all that rubbish and rhetoric, unless the attorney is paid by The State, and does not really want to win his client’s freedom.
Poor shooting? It was a freaking running gun battle between the shooter and the police. He was shooting through the windshield of his cruiser while chasing. 60 rounds would not be surprising. He stopped the threat to himself and the public. That is a success.
The officer should’ve used his Jedi mind powers instead of a gun.
60 Rounds? Is that right?
Still need to neutralize the threat.
I’m waiting for the blame the cop first group of Freepers to ask if he shot her dog too.
Cynic that I am, I can’t help but wonder about the demographics of the jurors and the political affiliation of the DA and staff.
The first 20 rounds was to create a hole in the windshield.
I know someone who was trained to do that.
Shooting (accurately) while moving is hard and takes lots of practice.
Shooting from inside a confined space (like inside a squad car) is REALLY hard on your ears.
Shooting from inside the car while moving, while driving, would be really really hard.
Shattered glass would be messy.
I'm not sure I have ever heard of that being a trained technique, but even if it is, I am skeptical you could find any place in the country where you could practice it.
Oh, you could definitely pull the trigger while doing this, but beyond that it seems on the edge of irresponsible.
He hit her. Didn’t hit anyone else. Results matter. What you don’t know is what you don’t know.
He probably qualifies as world class
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