SHOOT COP PINNED IN CRASH CAR

NY POST ^ | 5/23/2007 | MURRAY WEISS; DAN MANGAN

[wideawake]

May 23, 2007 -- Officer Raphael Lora fatally shot a Bronx driver only after the man pulled his car door shut against the off-duty cop's body and began driving away - making Lora fear he would be run over and killed, sources told The Post.

"He thought the only way to stop the vehicle was to stop the guy," said a person familiar with Lora's account of shooting Fermin Arzu, 41, Friday.

The killing of Honduran immigrant Arzu remains the subject of pending NYPD and Bronx DA investigations.

Supporters claim that the shooting was justified because Lora, 37, was in imminent fear of death. But activists have called for the Manhattan Traffic Task Force cop to be disciplined and criminally charged in Arzu's death.

Lora's lawyer, Stuart London, declined to comment.

A father of one and Marine veteran of the first Gulf War, Lora is an eight-year department veteran who has no history of complaints at the Civilian Complaint Review Board.

[wideawake]

I'm surprised that the usual contingent of FR cop-haters hasn't jumped all over this one.

Their usual allies - Al Sharpton and Co. - have gotten involved.

[Pentagon Leatherneck]

Take an overt action against an armed cop, using a deadly instrument, and get shot. End of problem.

Semper Fi, Marine.

TC

[The_Victor]

Officer Raphael Lora fatally shot a Bronx driver only after the man pulled his car door shut against the off-duty cop's body and began driving away - making Lora fear he would be run over and killed,

The officers fears seem completely founded to me. Assuming the forensics match his story, this should be an open and shut case.

[NRA1995]

Shoot Cop?

[roaddog727]

What a@@-clown came up with that title?

Sheesh.

[ErnBatavia]

But activists have called for the Manhattan Traffic Task Force cop to be disciplined and criminally charged in Arzu's death.

Somebody needs to pin down these "activists" as to their actual agenda...anarchy?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Yesterday, Michael Hardy, a lawyer for Arzu's family, said Lora "should be arrested, bail should be set, and the criminal process should begin."

Maybe driving drunk, crashing into things, and trying to drag a cop with his car was a bad idea, ya think?

[Mr. K]

"FR cop-haters"

huh? I thought we were generally supportive of Law Enforcement around here... except for the examples of misconduct.

That said, I have NO sympathy for a man who closes a door on a cop and attempts to drive away. What did he think was going to happen to the officer when he started moving his car? I think that action alone proves INTENT TO CAUSE BODILY HARM to the officer and he is justified to blast away.

Good shootin' too. I am glad a person who would injure a cop is off the streets for good.

[wideawake]

Word.

A little more background on the "victim" in this case.

Fermin Arzu's live-in girlfriend and mother of at least two of his 5 or more children had just gotten home that evening from the hospital - she had just had major surgery: a mastectomy.

So Arzu did what most good boyfriends would do - he went out drinking and gambling, leaving a woman recovering from surgery to watch small children by herself.

[B-Chan]

No one on FR hates cops. We were all brought up to admire and respect police officers.

A good may of us are afraid of cops, however — and for good reason.

Hate is a strong word. It implies an active wish to do harm. No one here wants to hurt the police. All we want is for the police to do the job we pay them for, and to leave the law-abiding in peace.

[wideawake]

huh? I thought we were generally supportive of Law Enforcement around here... except for the examples of misconduct.

There was a lot of anti-cop crowing about the completely justified shooting of Sean Bell.

Hundreds of posts about how evil the NYPD was - just disgusting stuff.

[No Blue States]

Good shooting officer.

[SmithL]

It looks like justice has already been served. Time to MoveOn.

[petro45acp]

“Take an overt action against an armed cop, using a deadly instrument, and get shot. End of problem.

Semper Fi, Marine.”

Not said better anywhere!

Top petro sends

[LIConFem]

It's interesting how the media keeps referring to Arzu as "unarmed". He clearly wasn't, and if one is to believe this article, he was using his weapon (auto) to threaten the cop's life.

Police do sometimes behave as thugs, and those who do are no better than the criminals they're supposed to bring to justice. But there's NOTHING here to make me believe -- or even suspect -- that this officer acted inappropriately.

[BlackbirdSST]

No one on FR hates cops. We were all brought up to admire and respect police officers. A good may of us are afraid of cops, however — and for good reason. Hate is a strong word. It implies an active wish to do harm. No one here wants to hurt the police. All we want is for the police to do the job we pay them for, and to leave the law-abiding in peace.

Thank you B-Chan for setting the Drama Queen right! Blackbird.

[wideawake]

You’re the only queen here, as far as I can tell.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

The killing of Honduran immigrant Arzu remains the subject of pending NYPD and Bronx DA investigations.

Don't illegal immigrants get ID's with their whole names on them?