FBI fired as victim unbuckled, lawyer says

Baltimore Sun ^ | March 5,2002 | Gail Gibson and Laura Barnhardt

[Donald Stone]

Joseph Charles Schultz, the Anne Arundel County man shot Friday after being mistaken for a bank robbery suspect, was reaching to unfasten his seat belt to comply with an FBI agent's order when the agent opened fire, an attorney for Schultz's family said yesterday.

"They told him to get out of the car, and he was trying to comply with that," attorney Joseph C. Asensio said.

A single bullet from an M-14 assault rifle struck Schultz, 20, in the face, shattering his right cheek and jaw.

[Donald Stone]

I wonder what rock Lynne A. Hunt, head of the FBI for Maryland is hiding under while all of this goes down on her watch.

Maybe Lynne A Hunt just doesn't want her name in print.

I also noticed that Gulotta is not the spokesman for this matter now.

FBI officials have acknowledged that Schultz had no connection to the crime or to the suspect.

[marktwain]

I know someone who a "task force" arrested. They surrounded the car, guns drawan and pointed at him. They ordered him to keep his hands on the wheel, which he did. The car was still in gear. Then they ordered him out of the car. When he tried, slowly to put the car in park, they ordered him to STOP. When he started to get out of the car, as ordered, the car started to move forward, and they ordered him to STOP. He tried to explain the problem, but they wouldn't listen and told him to SHUT UP. It took several minutes for them to realize the problem. It was a very tight situation.

[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

Joseph Charles Schultz, the Anne Arundel County man shot Friday after being mistaken for a bank robbery suspect, was reaching to unfasten his seat belt to comply with an FBI agent's order when the agent opened fire, an attorney for Schultz's family said yesterday.

Of course, the FBI is going to say that they thought that he was reaching for a gun.

The agent should be flogged.

[Dane]

No law emforcement agency will ever be perfect, but that won't stop people pushing their own political points and do a clinton like blood dance over this unfortunate situation.

[Dane]

For the first time, however, the FBI indicated that the agent who fired the weapon Friday has been temporarily reassigned. "The agent involved in the shooting has been assigned to duties that will likely not involve armed confrontation," Maddox said.

A team of FBI investigators was dispatched from bureau headquarters in Washington over the weekend to investigate the shooting. The FBI's findings will be reviewed by the Justice Department's civil rights division, which could bring charges in the case.

Anne Arundel County police are conducting their own investigation; its results will be forwarded to county prosecutors. Two Anne Arundel County detectives were helping the FBI search for Blottenberger on Friday, but were not at the scene of the shooting, said Officer Charles Ravenell, a county police spokesman.

FYI

[Khepera]

Seatbelts are dangerous

[eno_]

The agent SHOULD spend ten years in prison. At least. And then he should be locked in a room with the kid's father.

[steve-b]

that won't stop people pushing their own political points and do a clinton like blood dance over this unfortunate situation

You need look no further than a mirror for evidence.

[WyldKard]

B.S. Dane. I'm not surprised this is coming from you.

This situation was screwed up six ways from Sunday. As far as I'm concerned, someone (perhaps many someones) need to have their careers ended at this point, so that this will be less likly to happen in the future. There were so many other ways this could have been happened. As someone else recently pointed out, what the hell happend to observation behind safe cover? There's a reason cops hide behind the doors of their cruisers. This was sheer incompetance, plain and simple, and it's unjustifiable.

[RJCogburn]

No law emforcement agency will ever be perfect, but that won't stop people pushing their own political points and do a clinton like blood dance over this unfortunate situation.

I think I pretty much agree with you....frightening- I'd better light up!

[eno_]

The FBI are acting like arrogant weasels: There is NO mafia or drug trafficer threat to the agent. His name and picture should be released. The law abiding citizenry should be allowed to treat him and his family as they see fit. Without community pressure on LEOs, there will be no justice.

[Wolfie]

I wonder if the guy who killed a cop during a raid because he thought it was a home-invasion will be arraigned on murder charges or "temporarily reassigned".

[steve-b]

Schultz and Harkum, both of Pasadena, were returning home in her red Pontiac Grand Am after a shopping trip about 6 p.m. Friday when FBI agents in plain clothes and an unmarked car pulled the couple over on Fort Smallwood Road in Pasadena.

The agents were looking for Blottenberger, who was wanted in connection with the Feb. 20 robbery of an Allfirst Bank branch and who was believed to be driving in a red sedan Friday.

Asensio, a Glen Burnie attorney, said yesterday that two agents carrying assault-style rifles approached the car that Harkum was driving and ordered her and Schultz to put their hands in the air.

After the couple complied, Asensio said, the agents ordered them to get out of the car.

Schultz was shot when he reached over to unbuckle his seat belt, said Asensio, who met with Schultz, Harkum and their families at the shock trauma center Sunday.

No indication that the agents identified themselves (much less that they identified themselves in a credible manner -- anyone can say "FBI"). Extremely bad business....

[eno_]

I agree: cowboy attitude and lack of tactical keeping their heads together will someday get a bunch of agents killed. Even if they don't value this kid, they should realize what they did indicates the agents invovled are too incompetent to be allowed near guns.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

FBI indicated that the agent who fired the weapon Friday has been temporarily reassigned.

He should be reassigned to a jail cell.

[Protagoras]

No law emforcement agency will ever be perfect, but that won't stop people pushing their own political points and do a clinton like blood dance over this unfortunate situation.

It might have been better if this "unfortunate situation" had happened to a drug dealer and user, particularly one who had not been arrested yet fot his past offences. Know anyone like that?

[yarddog]

I think you totally misunderstand people's reaction.

Most people aren't happy this happened we are furious over the militancy of Federal, (and local) police forces. The sad fact is this agent was probably trained to do just what he did. In other words (for their own safety) to point his gun at everybody and his brother that might be a danger to him.

I have a friend who is a retired Colonel and extraordinary pilot. He was driving with his wife, (he is in his 70,s) when he was stopped by duputies with guns drawn and pointed at him. They ordered them out of the vehicle and treated them roughly until they determined the elderly couple were not who they were after.

Pointing a gun at someone is a far more serious offense than cops seem to realize. It could rightfully cause people to think they were about to be murdered and respond appropriately. Especially when the cops are in plain clothes.

The fact that cops are routinely not even given a slap on the wrist after murdering a civilian naturally causes anger.

[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

The agent SHOULD spend ten years in prison.

Yeah, right after the flogging. They will pull the Ruby Ridge thing and say that he can't be prosecuted, because it was "in the line of duty".