Candler death ruled a homicide

11-28-2012 North Carolina:

CANDLER — Buncombe County investigators have determined that a man found dead in a wooded area last week is the victim of a homicide, Lt. Randy Sorrells said Tuesday.

The Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in learning more about the death of Thomas Curtis Reese, 29, who was visiting the Asheville area from Florida.

“Sheriff’s investigators have talked with witnesses who saw Reese and companions in the West Asheville and Candler area prior to his death,” Sorrells said. “The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who had any contact with Thomas Reese or may have seen him in the Asheville area to please call investigators.”

Residents cleaning up their property on Carrion Lane in Candler found the body around 11:45 a.m. Friday near the edge of their property line and called authorities. The Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and later deemed it a “a suspicious death investigation,” but declined to discuss the condition of the body when it was found.

Family members of Reese could not be reached for comment.

An autopsy was performed Monday, but Sorrells declined to release the cause of death. He also declined to talk about other details of the investigation, including whether authorities had a suspect. He said investigators were not aware of any disturbance in the area before the call from residents.

Seeking info

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Walt Thrower at 250-4449 or Crimestoppers at 255-5050.

Reese had a criminal history. He was a registered sex offender in Florida. He was convicted of sexual battery on a girl younger than 16 in June 2001, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

He committed burglary and grand theft in November 1999, according to online records from the Florida Department of Corrections. He was also charged with resisting an officer with violence in September 2000 and attempted burglary in January 2001.

He was incarcerated twice, according to online records. He was in prison from July 2001-January 2003 and again from December 2003-May 2010. ..Source.. by Citizen-Times.com

Big Bend murder suspect says brother sexually assaulted him

11-7-2012 California:

A Big Bend man who told sheriff's investigators he shot his younger brother twice in the back of the head with a .22- caliber rifle because he had been sexually assaulting and abusing him was formally charged with murder Wednesday.

His alleged co-conspirator was arraigned on identical charges stemming from the fatal shooting early Saturday morning of Sonny Moss Potts, 27.

Noah Ryan Potts, 28, and co-defendant Colin Horn Kennedy, 25, pleaded not guilty through their attorneys to felony counts of murder and conspiracy during their arraignments in Shasta County Superior Court.

A Shasta County sheriff's summary of the case filed with the court said Noah Potts told detectives his younger brother got out of prison about a year ago and has sexually assaulted him on a few occasions since.

Potts said his brother would pin him against a wall and grab his genitals against his will, the sheriff's report said.

He told deputies that on the night of the shooting Sonny Potts gave him a hug, grabbed his genitals and told him that he would be his "b---h" for the night.

The Record Searchlight does not identify sexual assault victims under normal circumstances. The newspaper is reporting Noah Potts' allegations of abuse because they are at the heart of his case and potentially central to any defense.

According to the sheriff's summary, Noah Potts told detectives he and Kennedy had hatched a plan to kill his brother while they were out poaching deer.

"Noah told us when they went out looking for deer (and) Kennedy made comments about 'cleansing the (Native American) reservation' of rapists, child molesters and the like," the sheriff's report said. "Noah told us when they got back to the residence he and Kennedy both knew that they were going to kill Sonny Potts."

Noah Potts said he went into the house several times trying to "get the courage" to shoot his brother, but could not do so.

Kennedy, who was outside the residence, told him it was OK if he did not have the heart to shoot Potts, the sheriff's report said, adding that Kennedy told him to stay in his vehicle and that he would do it.

However, the report said, Potts later got out of the vehicle and went inside the house.

Potts said he found Kennedy sitting with his brother and all of them began to smoke methamphetamine, the report said.

At one point, the report said, Kennedy asked his friend, "Are we going to do it?" without getting a reply from him.

But shortly afterward Noah Potts shot his brother in the back of his head with a rifle that Kennedy had loaded beforehand and he then fired a second shot from only inches away as his brother was lying facedown, the sheriff's report said.

Deputies have said they went to the house about a quarter-mile north of the Pit Stop store in Big Bend in eastern Shasta County after getting reports of a gunshot victim around 4:48 a.m.

When deputies arrived, they found Sonny Potts inside the home, dead of gunshot wounds.

Both Kennedy and Noah Potts were later arrested.

Despite protests Wednesday from Redding defense attorney Elliot Burick that Potts was not arraigned within a required 48-hour time period, retired Superior Court Judge Richard McEachen declined to consider a verbal motion to dismiss the case and continued with the arraignment.

McEachen set a Nov. 21 preliminary hearing for both defendants.

An attorney from the Shasta County Public Defender's Office was appointed to represent Kennedy.

According to electronic court records, Sonny Potts has served time in prison for assault and drug offenses and was sentenced last year to three years in prison for false impersonation.

A petition to revoke his parole was filed in August.

According to electronic court records, authorities arrested Kennedy on a warrant out of Missouri in May. But the records do not specify the nature of the warrant, though he was extradited in June.

Noah Potts' criminal history includes arrests for public intoxication, interfering with emergency personnel, obstructing police officers and petty theft.

Potts is being held in Shasta County jail in lieu of $2.1 million bail, while Kennedy is in custody there in lieu of $2 million bail. ..Source.. by Jim Schultz

Citrus County Deputy, Gregory Entrekin, shoots sex offender in his home

Something isn't right here, see last story?

9-27-2012 Florida:

An investigation is under way after an off-duty Citrus County deputy allegedly shot a sex offender who broke into his home.

Investigators say 28-year-old Derrick Vaccianna broke into the home of Deputy Gregory Entrekin, 24, at around 11 p.m. Wednesday, when he was confronted by Entrekin and his girlfriend.

Vaccianna was shot during the confrontation and taken to the hospital, where he later died.

Vaccianna was a registered sex offender on probation at the time of his death.

Since Entrekin was off-duty at the time, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was called in, and both the FDLE and the Citrus County Sheriff's Office are investigating.

As is customary in cases such as these, Deputy Entrekin has been placed on paid administrative leave pending further notice. ..Source.. by Melissa Ramsey

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Off-duty Citrus County deputy shoots, kills intruder

9-27-2012:

An off-duty Citrus County Sheriff's deputy shot and killed a 28-year-old man who broke into his girlfriend's home late Tuesday, officials said.

Citrus County Sheriff's officials did not immediately identify the deputy other than to say he was familiar with the intruder, Derrick Vaccianna, 28, who broke into the house on Eden Drive about 10:45 p.m. on Tuesday.

Vaccianna, who lived in the town of Hernando, was a registered sex offender and on probation at the time of his death.

According to the Sheriff's office, the deputy was inside the residence with his girlfriend when Vaccianna broke in.

Soon after, the deputy and Vaccianna became embroiled in an argument, which quickly escalated to a physical fight, officials said.

Then the deputy got his gun.

He shot the intruder once in the chest, according to Sheriff's Office reports.

Vaccianna was taken to Citrus Memorial Health System, where he was pronounced dead.

It was not immediately clear whether the victim was armed at the time of the shooting.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and State Attorney's Office are investigating the incident. No further information was available early Thursday morning. ..Source.. by Marissa Lang, Times Staff Writer

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Off-Duty Sheriff's Deputy Shoots Man in Alleged Break-in

10-2-2012 Florida:

We love stories of self-defense because they prove just how important guns are, but every once in a while you get a story that's a real puzzler.

Florida Citrus County Sheriff's Deputy Gregory Entrekin, who was actually deputized last month, was spending some off-duty time with his girlfriend, Amanda Vance, when 28-year-old Derrick Vaccianna broke into Vance’s home. Now, before we get too far with this, we should point out that this wasn’t just some random robbery. Neighbors claim that Vaccianna and Vance had been in a relationship as recently as two weeks ago, and Entrekin personally knew Vaccianna. We're using the term "break in" because people involved in the case are calling it a break in, but it's not entirely clear if that's an accurate description.

First off, Vaccianna had a key to Vance's home, and it appears that Vance had invited Vaccianna into her home in order to talk. Chuck Hobbs, the attorney for Vaccianna’s family, stated, “I have strong confirmation that [Vance] had been trying to reach out to Derrick all that day, saying she wanted him to come over to the house because she was trying to reconcile their relationship.”

So, did Vaccianna "break in" or did he simply walk in? We suppose that depends on who's telling the story.

To complicate matters, Vaccianna is a registered sex offender who was convicted of lewd and lascivious conduct involving a 12-year-old girl. But these are all complicated details -- let's get to the facts.

According to reports, Vaccianna entered Vance’s home at about 10:45 p.m last Tuesday. Vaccianna and Entrekin became embroiled in an argument, which escalated into physical violence. The deputy got his gun and shot at Vaccianna, striking him once in the chest. Vaccianna was taken to the hospital but was later pronounced dead. Entrekin has since been placed on paid administrative leave.

We’ve come across some fuzzy, morally ambiguous self-defense shootings before, but this one might take cake. With so many complicated factors at play, how can we determine whether Entrekin was justified in pulling the trigger?

Did Vaccianna have a right to be in the home or was it a real break-in? Did the physical confrontation warrant violence? Were jealousy and relationship issues factors in this shooting?

We’d hate to be in Entrekin’s shoes right now. By the looks of things, Vaccianna’s family might be able to make a persuasive argument that Vaccianna had just as much right to be in Vance’s home as Entrekin did, and at that point it all boils down to the question of whether or not the physical confrontation warranted pulling the trigger.

We’re not saying that physical threat isn’t a sufficient reason to use a gun to defend yourself -- we’re just saying that in this case it really isn’t clear that it was the best course of action. After all, what if Vaccianna had shot Entrekin instead of the other way around? Would he also be able to claim self-defense?

This case might hinge on Vance, whose testimony could condemn or support Entrekin.

What do our readers think? When you invite somebody into your home, how (if at all) does that change your rights self-defense? Or even better yet – if you are invited to somebody else’s home and you get into a fight with another guest, who gets to claim self-defense -- whoever is left standing? ..Source.. by dabneybailey

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Citrus County Deputy involved in fatal shooting made news before

9-28-2012:

Inverness, FL - A Citrus County sheriff's deputy who authorities said fatally shot a man inside his girlfriend's house, has made headlines before.

10 News did a story on Gregory Entrekin back in 2008, when he saw his newborn daughter for the first time over a computer screen. The then-Marine reservist was serving in Iraq at the time. According to court documents, Entrekin and his wife divorced in 2010.

Officials with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office said Entrekin, now 24 years old, was with his current girlfriend when he shot a man inside her house along Eden Drive Wednesday.

Authorities said 28-year-old Derrick Vaccianna broke into the home and confronted the off-duty deputy and his girlfriend, Amanda Vance. According to detectives, a fight broke out and Deputy Entrekin shot Vaccianna once in the chest. He later died at an area hospital.

Vaccianna was a sex offender on probation. In 2005, when he was 19, Vaccianna was convicted of Lewd and Lascivious Conduct involving a 12-year-old girl.

Neighbors, however, said Vaccianna and Vance were a couple, and saw them together as recently as last week. They add, from what they could tell, Vaccianna did live at the house at some point.

"I've never had any issues with him. Upstanding guy. Always waving 'hi'. We have our little conversations here and there. But that was very shocking," said a neighbor, who didn't want to be identified.

Deputy Greg Entrekin is new to the Sheriff's Office. He joined the agency in August after serving overseas with the Marines. He has now been placed on paid administrative leave. ..Source.. by Althea Paul

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Deputy cleared in off-duty shooting

1-17-2013:

Report paints picture of love triangle gone wrong

An off-duty deputy involved in the shooting of a Hernando man early last fall has been cleared of any wrongdoing, according to a report from the State Attorney’s Office.

Trainee deputy Greg Entrekin shot and killed Derrick Vaccianna, 28, the night of Sept. 26 after a struggle in the bedroom of an Inverness woman.

According to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, Entrekin and his girlfriend at the time, Amanda Vance, were confronted by Vaccianna after he entered the residence on Eden Drive in Inverness through a bedroom window. Entrekin shot Vaccianna when he reportedly charged at him. Vaccianna died at the scene. The case was handed to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct an independent investigation.

“This was a tragic event in which there were no winners,” said Sheriff Jeff Dawsy. “We knew right away it was best to have an independent review of the case and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted a very comprehensive and detailed investigation. We are very confident in their findings.”

That investigation and just-released report points to a love-triangle rife with alleged threats and declarations of love.

Vaccianna’s family was stunned by news of the state attorney’s decision.

“That’s just wrong. Wow, I can’t believe this. How is it that they couldn’t find anything wrong with what he (Entrekin) did?” Derrick Vaccianna’s sister Verron Vaccianna said.

Ms. Vaccianna said the family is now pondering possible legal options.

Entrekin, who had been with the sheriff’s office barely a month before the incident, was initially placed on administrative leave, and then returned to the sheriff’s office in an administrative capacity. Recently, Entrekin was permitted to begin his field training officer program, which is required before he goes on the road as a patrol deputy, according to CCSO.

“I’m sure Deputy Entrekin is anxious to officially begin his career as a law enforcement officer,” Dawsy said. “We are looking forward to the contributions he will make here as a member of this team.”

According to the report released by the State Attorney’s Office, before the fateful September day, Vance was dating Entrekin, but was carrying on a relationship with Vaccianna.

The report state Entrekin knew Vance and Vaccianna had previously been romantically involved, but did not know the entire story.

Vance reportedly altered the entry for Vaccianna in her phone to read “Janice” and would delete text messages to and from Vaccianna from her phone immediately so Entrekin would not see them.

Vaccianna, conversely, also knew Vance was seeing Entrekin and on Sept. 24 called Entrekin and, according to Entrekin, threatened him if he continued to see Vance.

The report stated the phone call was followed by a series of text messages to Entrekin from Vaccianna that said, among other things, that Entrekin would “catch a bullet” if he continued to see Vance. “If I catch you you’re a dead man,” one text reported said.

FDLE was reportedly able to piece together a sequence through text records and by tracking Vaccianna’s movement on the night of the shooting. Vaccianna was on sex-offender probation and had a GPS ankle bracelet on.

Vaccianna reportedly exchanged a series of texts with Vance the day of the shooting, with Vance saying she loved Vaccianna, but she later said it was a ruse to pacify him because he was mad that she was with Entrekin.

The report stated Vaccianna eventually entered Vance’s residence through a bedroom window and confronted the couple, who were in bed.
Vaccianna reportedly grabbed Vance and started screaming at Vance and Entrekin, who had the gun by the bed and grabbed it. Vaccianna called 911 to report that Entrekin was holding a gun to his head.

Vaccianna reportedly “lunged” at Entrekin after more shouting, and Entrekin pulled the trigger. ..Source.. by

Police: We had to shoot

12-7-2010 Nebraska:

Omaha Police Chief Alex Hayes said Tuesday that a police officer and U.S. marshal had no choice but to shoot a man in the parking lot of a busy southwest Omaha strip mall.

The lawmen who fired at Joe M. Weible narrowly avoided being run over by Weible's vehicle, Hayes said.

“We don't get to pick the location where these (shootings) happen,” Hayes said. “When you're thrust into a situation where you have to use deadly force, it happens where it happens.”

Hayes said officers “try to minimize what the backdrop is when those shots are fired” and try to control where they point their weapons.

Hayes said Weible, 35, did not have a gun but did have knives in his possession. He said Weible accelerated and drove his pickup truck at a high rate of speed toward Officer Jeff Gassaway and the marshal.

Hayes said the threat was from the charging vehicle.

“It's a deadly weapon,” Hayes said of the pickup, a 1998 Chevy S-10. “It will kill you if you don't get out of the way or try to stop it.”

Four to five shots were fired. One struck Weible. Police have not said if the other bullets struck the pickup.

The shooting happened about 2 p.m. Monday at the strip mall near 120th Street and West Center Road. Weible died later at Creighton University Medical Center.

Hayes said it was not clear who fired the fatal shot.

Gassaway, 44, is a 13-year police veteran. In 2008, he shot an escapee from a state prison after he swerved his vehicle at Gassaway.

Gassaway was honored by the U.S. Attorney's Office for investigating street gangs and shared the 2004 CrimeStoppers Officer of the Year Award with another officer.

The U.S. Marshals Service refused to identify the marshal involved in the shooting.

Both Gassaway and the marshal are on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The Metro Area Fugitive Task Force is led by U.S. marshals. It has 12 full-time members — six marshals, six Omaha police officers, one Douglas County sheriff's deputy and one Council Bluffs police officer. There are also nine part-time members.

The task force operates in both Iowa and Nebraska and works to take fugitives off the streets.
U.S. marshals also are responsible for protecting federal courts, transporting prisoners and other duties.

Hayes said the task force had been working with the woman who alleged she was assaulted by Weible. She called 911 on Nov. 29.

An arrest warrant was issued, charging Weible with first-degree sexual assault and attempted strangulation of his former girlfriend.

Weible called the ex-girlfriend, 26, on Monday and asked her to meet him at the shopping center.

That place was a familiar meeting spot for the couple, Hayes said.

The woman notified police of the phone call.

Task force members arrived before the meeting time. Weible already was there, sitting in his truck. Law officers, some of them in vehicles, surrounded him and ordered him out of the pickup.

Gassaway and a marshal approached on foot.

Weible started the truck, tried to back up but was blocked in by police vehicles.

He accelerated in the direction of Gassaway and the marshal, who were about 6 feet away, Hayes said.

Both fired their weapons as they got out of the way of the truck.

After he was shot, Weible's vehicle continued forward and crashed into two parked cars near the entrance to a Baker's Supermarket, Hayes said.

He was then Tasered, Hayes said.

The Police Department's policy on use of deadly force apparently covers situations such as the Weible shooting:

“Shot(s) will not be fired at or from a moving vehicle except as the ultimate measure of self-defense, or defense of another. Firing of weapons at a moving vehicle will only be done in extreme, close-range circumstances when all other means of stopping the vehicle containing a dangerous felon have been attempted and have failed.”

The Weible shooting was the fifth officer-involved shooting in Omaha this year that resulted in a death. Omaha hadn't had a police-involved fatal shooting since 2007.

The total number of police-involved shootings for 2010 is nine when accounting for people who were injured but not killed.

Hayes said the task force had tried to find Weible before Monday's shooting.

“We had to get him off the street before he tried to hurt this woman again,” he said.

Last week, members of the task force searched Weible's father's home in Cozad, Neb.

“They looked under the beds and everything, even the building out back,” Jack Weible, 81, said. “I asked them what the deal was but they wouldn't say. They didn't believe he wasn't here.”

Weible's father said his son had an off-and-on relationship with the woman he was accused of assaulting.

The couple met at Nebraska By-Products in Lexington, Neb., where Joe Weible drove a truck. They lived together in an apartment there.

The couple split up for several years, Jack Weible said, but had gotten back together in the last few months.

“I thought he was happy,” Jack Weible said. “They went to get her stuff about three or four months ago, and I thought they were getting along good.”

The ex-girlfriend declined to comment on Tuesday.

Joe Weible moved to Omaha about six months ago and worked for a lumber company, his father said. He graduated from Cozad High School and had previously lived in Kearney. ..Source.. by Jason Kuiper and Juan Perez Jr.

Hallandale Beach identifies all involved in police shooting

9-7-2012 Florida:

HALLANDALE BEACH — Hallandale Beach police Friday identified three officers and the shoplifting suspect who was shot dead the previous night.

Hallandale Beach Police Capt. Sonia Quinones said Eduardo Prieto, 32, of Hialeah, was shot by the "highly trained" officers who have all served on the department's SWAT team.

They are: Supervising officers Sgt. Timothy Church, 40, who has served with the agency since 1996, and Sgt. Brian Hubbert, 42, who joined the agency a year later; and Officer Raymond Buckley, 43, with the department since 2000.

They were placed on administrative leave, with pay, until the investigation is completed, Quinones said.

According to Quinones, the incident began when officers received a call at 5:59 p.m. Thursday from a police dispatcher about an armed robbery in progress at a Walmart store at 2551 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd.

"We get a call that the suspect was armed with a knife, then it was updated by the dispatcher that he was armed with a knife and a gun," Quinones said Friday.

After being confronted by a Walmart security guard who suspected the theft of DVDs and clothing, Prieto showed a knife before fleeing the business in a silver Lexus SUV, Quinones said.

"Our officers locate the vehicle and follow it to where it came into 124 S. Federal Highway, at Acquo 124 Restaurant," Quinones said. "At that point is where our officers perceived a threat and were forced to fire on the suspect."

Prieto had driven about three miles west and south from the store to the restaurant before he was fatally wounded.

Comedian Pat Cooper, 83, said he was enjoying a plate of veal parmigiana at Acquo 124 when he witnessed the police shooting through the restaurant window.

"I was scared as hell," Cooper said. "I wanted to cry to see something like that happening. When you hear firing from a gun, it terrifies you. It's no joke. I'm still nervous about it."

"Five cops were telling this guy to get out of the car, repeatedly," said Cooper. "He put his hands out and he had something in his hand. And there were four shots."

Cooper called the incident "a sad thing to see."

"They killed him," he said. "But you can't blame the cops."

He called the officers "heroes."

"They put their lives on the line and walked right up to that car," Cooper said. "These police officers have families. They can't be playing games. These cops should be kissed and hugged."

Afterward, he said the shooting affected the officers as well as the civilians who witnessed it.

"The cops all felt bad," said Cooper, who still performs comedy and has ties to Fort Lauderdale and New York.

An autopsy was performed by the Broward Medical Examiner's office Friday morning, Quinones said, and fingerprints were taken to help detectives identify him. Prieto's identity was made public at 6 p.m. Friday, after his family was notified.

Court records show Prieto was a registered sex offender with convictions for fondling children, lewd and lascivious assault, drug possession and failing to notify police when he changed addresses as required of all registered sex offenders. His arrest record dates back to 1998.

The police captain said detectives were "still trying to get statements from all three officers" about exactly what happened during the shooting.

"Our officers notified radio dispatch of shots fired," she said, but investigators did not know if the suspect possessed a firearm because his vehicle was sealed and taken away for processing by Broward Sheriff's crime scene investigators.

"Our detectives have not been able to comb the vehicle to see if a gun was inside," Quinones said.

The incident tied up southbound traffic on Federal Highway for several hours between East Hallandale Beach Boulevard and Southeast 3rd Street. ..Source.. by Linda Trischitta and Wayne K. Roustan, Sun Sentinel

Sheriff: Suspect killed after false sex assault report

9-7-2012 South Carolina:

A man who was killed in an altercation with deputies was the subject of a false police report that led to the confrontation, according to a release from the Greenville County Sheriff's Office.

A woman, later identified as 21-year-old Sabrina Michelle Smith, reported on Aug. 13 that she had been sexually assaulted by Anthony Lee Lamboy. When deputies arrived at the Red Roof Inn on Laurens Road, Smith gave them a description of Lamboy, and three deputies confronted him in the parking lot.

Deputies said a background check found that Lamboy had outstanding warrants from Greenwood County for resisting arrest with a deadly weapon and two charges of malicious injury to property.

The release said after deputies told Lamboy he was being placed under arrest, he began to struggle with them.

Sheriff Steve Loftis said, "One deputy had the Taser out. The suspect was so violently resisting that he knocked the Taser out of the deputy's hand. About that time, the suspect grabbed the deputy's gun that was still in his holster."

The release said that Master Deputy Brandon Lackey and Lamboy fell to the ground during the struggle, and Lamboy was able to pull the trigger of Lackey's weapon that was still in its holster, the release said. The round hit Lackey in the upper thigh and exited through the back of his leg.

The other two deputies then fired at Lamboy, killing him. The release said one deputy fired five shots and the other fired one.

One of the deputies had a tourniquet in his pocket and was able to help stop Lackey's blood loss.

Loftis said, "According to the surgeon, (the tourniquet) saved the deputy's life because there was an extreme loss of blood."

The release said that investigators determined that Lamboy had not sexually assaulted Smith. She was arrested on Aug. 16 and charged with filing a false police report. She has since been released on a $5,000 bond. ..Source.. by WISTV.com

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SC woman charged with false report in shooting

A Greenville County woman has been charged with filing a false report about a sexual assault in an incident involving two sheriff’s deputies who shot and killed a man at a motel last month.

Sheriff Steve Loftis says two deputies shot and killed 26-year-old Anthony Lee Lamboy of Greenville during a scuffle over a deputy’s gun on Aug. 13. Lamboy died at the scene.

Twenty-one-year-old Sabrina Michelle Smith of Taylors has been charged with filing a false report.

Deputies responding to the complaint scuffled with Lamboy, who was able to fire an officer’s gun in the holster, wounding him in the leg. Two other officers then shot Lamboy, killing him.

Loftis says the officers followed proper procedure and have been returned to regular duty. ..Source.. by Post and Courier

Man killed by deputies was 26-year-old Greenville man

8-14-2012 South Carolina:

The Greenville County Coroner's Office has identified the man shot and killed by sheriff's deputies at the Red Roof Inn as 26-year-old Anthony Lee Lamboy of Greenville.

Kent Dill, a Greenville County deputy coroner, said Lamboy was pronounced dead at 1:05 p.m. Monday. Authorities said he was shot during a struggle with deputies trying to arrest him at the inn on Laurens Road.

An autopsy was being performed this morning, Dill said.

After receiving a report of a sexual assault Monday, three deputies responded to the inn shortly before 1 p.m., authorities said.

They said a woman gave officers a suspect’s description. The suspect was spotted shortly afterward, authorities said.

In talking to the suspect, the officers conducted a background check and discovered an outstanding warrant, Sheriff Steve Loftis told reporters.

A struggled ensued as deputies tried to make an arrest and the suspect grabbed one deputy’s gun, still in the holster, Loftis said. The gun discharged, striking the deputy, and the two other deputies drew their weapons and shot the suspect, Loftis said. ..Source.. by Staff report

New Bern man shot to death in Pennsylvania

6-16-2012 Pennsylvania:

YORK, Pa. — A New Bern man who was wanted by Craven County Sheriff’s Department for failing to report his change of address as a sex offender was shot to death Friday night.

The victim was identified as Kanyleron Travanti McDavid, 29. York police said he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

According to media reports in York, the shooting came after a fight between the two men, involving a woman identified as McDavid’s ex-girlfriend.

York police said McDavid was shot during an altercation with another man, who fled the scene and was still at-large Saturday evening.

An arrest warrant was filed by the Craven County Sheriff’s Office in March against McDavid for failure to report his change of address at 312 Crescent Street in New Bern, according to the New Bern Police Department.

The North Carolina Department of Justice lists Kanyleron Travanti McDavid of Crescent Street in New Bern on its Sex Offenders registry.

The North Carolina Department of Justice website notes convictions in May of 2005 on two counts of indecent liberty with a minor. A convicted offender is required to report any change of address for 10 years.

A York police spokesman said the suspect was Rashaun Bush, 20, last known address in the 400 block of Walnut Street in York. Bush is described as 5-feet, 9-inches tall, medium build with black hair and brown eyes.

Police said he is considered armed and dangerous.

The York police spokesman said detectives would not return to work until Monday.

Police said they were called in at 11:55 a.m. to a home in the 400 block of Walnut Street for a report of a shooting.

Police arrived on the scene and found the victim unresponsive from multiple gunshot wounds. He was on the third floor of a residence in that block.

An obituary notice for McDavid was posted Saturday by Oscar’s Mortuary. ..Source.. by Sun Journal Staff

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New Bern Man Dead in Pennsylvania

6-22-2012 Pennsylvania:

A New Bern sex offender was shot multiple times in York, Pa., where he died from his wounds.

Police said Kanyleron Travanti McDavid, 29, died Friday morning. Investigators said McDavid became involved in an argument with 20-year-old Rahsaun Bush of York -- a dispute that turned fatal.

According to police, Bush was with McDavid's ex-girlfriend, when McDavid went to the woman's home and found the two together. A fight broke out, and police say Bush shot the New Bern native multiple times in the head and torso. Bush fled the scene and is still at large. He is considered armed and dangerous.

Craven County deputies had a warrant out for McDavid's arrest because he failed to notify officers of his change of address. McDavid has two sex offense convictions from 2006, both indecent liberties with a minor.

McDavid spent a year and two months in prison, with his last known address registered as 312 Crescent St., New Bern. Sex offenders must notify authorities of any address changes for 10 years following release. His whereabouts were last verified in January 2012.

The McDavid family will receive friends at the home of Kanshana McDavid 720 First Avenue in New Bern. Funeral arrangements are being made by Oscar's Mortuary, also in New Bern. ..Source.. by Mike Valerio

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U.S. Marshals arrest York homicide suspect in Harrisburg

6-19-2012:

United States Marshals arrested a man in Harrisburg this morning who is a suspect in a York homicide.

Rashaun Bush, 20, of York, was arrested inside a Thornwood Road apartment in Harrisburg after the United States Marshal Service developed information on Bush's whereabouts, marshals said.

Bush is accused of murdering 29-year-old Kanyleron Travanti McDavid. The incident occurred Friday after McDavid went to the home of a former girlfriend in the 400 block of Walnut Street in York and found Bush with his former girlfriend, marshals said. As a fight began between the two men, the woman took her children to another floor of the house where she heard gunshots and saw Bush flee, marshals said.

Police pronounced McDavid dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.

After an arrest warrant was issued charging Bush with criminal homicide, the York County Police Department requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force to locate and arrest the suspect.

Marshals said that Bush tried to flee, but he was arrested without incident.

Bush was taken to York Central Booking to be arraigned. ..Source.. by SHAWN CHRIST, The Patriot-News

Few details released in homicide probe

6-8-2012 Ohio:

STEUBENVILLE - City Police aren't releasing many details about a homicide inside an apartment off Sunset Boulevard.

Police reported officers were called to Apartment 9, 2518 Sunset Blvd. Thursday morning and found the body of Travis M. McIntyre, 31, who had recently moved to the apartment. The call came in as a possible drug overdose.

Police Capt. Joel Walker said police aren't sure how long McIntyre had been dead.

"This is an ongoing homicide investigation," he said.

County Coroner Dr. Michael Scarpone was called to the scene. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation also was at the apartment checking for evidence. Jefferson County Prosecutor Jane Hanlin also was present.

The body was taken to the Cuyahoga County coroner's office for an autopsy.

McIntyre was sentenced to two years in prison in 2009 for two counts of having a weapon under disability in connection with a shots fired call on Franklin Avenue.

City Police were investigating a report of shots being fired from a moving vehicle in September 2008 on Franklin Avenue. Officers were given a description of the vehicle and stopped it on North Fourth Street and two men took off running through yards. One man was caught, but McIntyre initially escaped.

Officers found four shell casings in the area of the shooting.

The county prosecutor's office dismissed the felonious assault charge.

McIntyre wasn't allowed to have a gun because of a 1998 gross sexual imposition conviction in Athens County. As a result, McIntyre was a registered sex offender.

McIntyre registered the new address with the county sheriff's department on May 30. ..Source.. by MARK LAW - Staff writer

Two sex offenders shot dead in Washington

This is to document one (Gary Lee Blanton) of two deaths on this date by the same perpetrator, Patrick Drum (Facebook Account). The story of the other sex offender murdered (Jerry Wayne Ray) is HERE

Note 6-13: See story of this date below "He had obtained names with research he had done with a computer," sheriff's detective Sgt. Lyman Moores said." Accordingly, the registry played a part in these two deaths!

Note: 7-1: Drum, while in jail awaiting prosecution for murder, stabbed another RSO with a makshift instrument.

Note: 12-4-13: See Followup story on Patrick Drum.

6-4-2012 Washington:

PORT ANGELES, Wash. -- A man with a reported hatred of sex offenders was arrested Sunday in Port Angeles for allegedly killing two men, both registered sex offenders.

Patrick Drum, 34, was arrested after a three-and-a-half-hour manhunt in dense woods with the help of dozens of law enforcement officers and a police helicopter.

Victims Jerry Wayne Ray, 56, and Gary Lee Blanton, 28, were found dead from gunshot wounds earlier at two separate houses.

Detectives said evidence from the crime scenes indicated Drum had an animosity toward sex offenders. The Associated Press reported a note was left behind in which Drum stated he hated sex offenders and "it had to be done."

Ray and Blanton were both Level II sex offenders.

The situation began early Sunday when Clallam County Sheriff's deputies found Ray dead in a home at 31 Heuhslein Road.

At the same time, a suspicious person report on Blue Mountain Road between Sequim and Port Angeles led detectives to an abandoned car. Inside the car, detectives said a note tied Drum to Ray's death.

Further evidence pointed officers to a house in Sequim, located at 5011 Sequim Dungeness Way, where Blanton's body was found.

A suspect search was launched, which eventually uncovered Drum in an area near Gellor Road and Blue Mountain Road.

Detectives said Drum knew both Ray and Blanton. Blanton recently moved into the house on Sequim Dungeness Way rented by Drum. ..Source.. by KING 5 News

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Two sex offenders shot dead in Washington

PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Sheriff's Office arrested Patrick B. Drum, 34, of Sequim on Sunday in connection with the murder of two registered sex offenders with whom he was acquainted. Sheriff W.L. Benedict said that according to evidence, Drum had a "particular animus toward sex offenders."

Early Sunday morning, authorities responded to 31 Heuhslein Road, East of Port Angeles. They found Jerry Wayne Ray, 57, dead of gunshot wounds in the woods.

At about the same time, deputies responded to a suspicious person near a house at milepost 6 on Blue Mountain Road, south of State Route 101 between Sequim and Port Angeles. There they found an abandoned car, and in it a note that tied the car's driver, Drum, to the crime scene where Ray was found dead.

Multiple agencies were called in to set up a containment that included a helicopter and a pair of K9 units. Drum was eventually captured in a densely forested area, after a man saw him and reported him to police. He was hiding in a shed.

During the search for Drum, police gathered evidence that led them to a second crime scene. There they found Gary Blanton, 28, dead from gunshot wounds. Blanton rented a room from Drum.

He was captured without incident in a woodshed off Blue Mountain Road after a resident spotted him. Drum had been considered armed and dangerous. Local residents were instructed via a reverse 911 system to stay inside and lock doors and windows.

"Scared, this little community," said Port Angeles resident Maxine King. 'We don`t want anybody like that to invade us. Drum is being held in Clallam County Jail in Port Angeles. ..Source.. by Kirsten Joyce Q13 FOX News Online

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Man suspected in slayings of 2 sex offenders

The Clallam County sheriff says a man suspected of shooting two sex offenders to death left a note saying he hated sex offenders and "it had to be done."

Sheriff Bill Benedict says investigators believe Patrick Drum shot Gary Lee Blanton on Saturday night at a home Drum was renting near Sequim. Blanton was renting a room in the home.

Benedict says Drum then drove to the home of Jerry Wayne Ray in the nearby Agnew area where he was killed.

The sheriff says Drum abandoned a rental car and reports of a suspicious man in the area Sunday led deputies to respond. The note in the car led to the victims and identified Drum as a suspect.

He was tracked and arrested in a wooded area after a 3-hour manhunt that included officers of the Sheriff's Office, U.S. Border Patrol, State Patrol, Port Angeles and Sequim police departments, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state Fish and Wildlife plus a helicopter from the federal Customs and Border Patrol agency, the Peninsula Daily News reported. ..Source.. by DOUG ESSER

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Second body found in Sequim; suspect remains in jail

PORT ANGELES -- Clallam County sheriff's deputies are now saying that two homicides were committed Sunday at separate locations, and that the 34-year-old man they believe committed both killings remains in Clallam County jail today.

Patrick B. Drum is being held for investigation into the slayings of Jerry Wayne Ray, 56, and Gary Lee Blanton, 28, both of whom the Clallam County Sheriff's Office said were Level III registered sex offenders, according to a statement issued by the Sheriff's Office.

Ray's body was found with multiple gunshot wounds at 31 Heuhslein Road in the Agnew area east of Port Angeles, the statement said.

Not long after that discovery Sunday morning, deputies responded to a suspicious-person call on Blue Mountain Road about six miles south of U.S. Highway 101 between Sequim and Port Angeles. There, deputies found an abandoned car with a note that tied the car's driver and suspicious person, Drum, to the Heuhslein Road crime scene, according to deputies.

Following a 3.5-hour manhunt that included officers of the Sheriff's Office, U.S. Border Patrol, State Patrol, Port Angeles and Sequim police departments, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state Fish and Wildlife plus a helicopter from the federal Customs and Border Patrol agency, Drum was captured near Milepost 0.6 on Geillor Road east of Blue Mountain Road.

The area is densely forested with many ravines and wetlands.

During the search for Drum, investigators acted on a tip and Sequim police units entered a residence at 5011 Sequim-Dungeness Way and found Blanton dead of several gunshot wounds.

Investigators said Drum knew both victims and had a "particular animus" toward sex offenders. He recently moved into the Sequim-Dungeness Way house rented by Drum.

More details are expected this afternoon. ..Source.. by Peninsula Daily News

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No bail: WA man accused of killing 2 sex offenders

6-5-2012 Washington:

A Washington man accused of fatally shooting two convicted sex offenders on the Olympic Peninsula indicated he didn't plan to stop with two, a prosecutor told a judge on Monday.

A Washington man accused of fatally shooting two convicted sex offenders on the Olympic Peninsula indicated he didn't plan to stop with two, a prosecutor told a judge on Monday.

Patrick Drum, 34, of Sequim, remained jailed without bail after a Clallam County Superior Court hearing.

A signed note Drum left in a rental car said he hated sex offenders and "it had to be done," the county sheriff said Monday.

Drum was arrested Sunday for investigation of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in the weekend deaths of Gary Lee Blanton Jr., 28, and Jerry W. Ray, 56.

The arrested man "had stated his intent not to stop with two victims but to continue as long as he could until he was stopped by law enforcement," County Prosecutor Deb Kelly told Judge George Wood, according to the Peninsula Daily News.

A probable cause statement from the sheriff's office said "Drum also stated that he had intended on driving to Jefferson County where another sex offender resided, with the intent to kill him, too."

"Frankly, I'm concerned about the vigilante aspect," Kelly said.

Kelly told the judge she plans to seek charges of aggravated first-degree murder.

Drum, who yawned repeatedly during the hearing, told the judge he wanted to defend himself.

An aggravated murder conviction would carry the possibility of a death sentence. Wood appointed a lawyer to represent Drum.

A bail hearing was scheduled Wednesday.

A convicted felon, Drum is known to police in Sequim and Port Angeles as well as Clallam County deputies, Sheriff Bill Benedict said. The man served four years for drug-related offenses at the state penitentiary in Walla Walla, the newspaper reported.

At a news conference, the sheriff warned anyone considering continuing the violence.

"Anyone who is interested in taking things into their own hands and deciding to attack sex offenders in the community, we will deal with them very strongly," Benedict said.

Investigators say Drum shot Blanton on Saturday night at a home Drum was renting near Sequim. Blanton was renting a room in the home.

Drum then drove to Ray's home a few miles away where Ray was killed early Sunday morning, Benedict said.

For some reason, authorities say, Drum abandoned a rental car he had been driving and was seen on foot in the remote area of the northern Olympic Peninsula. Reports of a suspicious man in the area Sunday led deputies to respond. They found the car and the note inside that led to the victims and identified Drum as a suspect.

The note was "apologizing to police for what he had done," Benedict said, and it said, "It had to be done."

Drum was arrested after a manhunt involving about 65 law enforcement officers from multiple agencies. Dozens of officers responded to the area, and Drum was tracked down by a dog team and flushed out of a wooded area by a Customs and Border Protection helicopter Sunday.

Drum knew both men were sex offenders. Both were shot multiple times, the sheriff said, adding Drum was armed with a 9mm pistol when he was arrested.

"He took full responsibility for `taking care of some problems,'" Benedict said Monday. ..Source.. by DOUG ESSER

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Vigilante justice is anything but

6-4-2012:

For the record, it didn’t have to be done.

I refer to the fatal shooting of two sex offenders, Gary Blanton and Jerry Ray, on the Olympic Peninsula over the weekend. The Trib report details a brief killing spree allegedly planned and carried out by one Patrick Drum, who left a message inside his abandoned car stating “it had to be done.”

If “it” refers to killing, a highly likely assumption, then I strongly disagree.

This story has already generated comments praising Drum for allegedly killing two people. The reason is clear – when it comes to sex offenders the mob is quick to reach for pitchforks and torches.

It is easy to understand the scorn our society holds for those who prey on the bodies and souls of the most vulnerable among us. When I have been required to interview these sleazy degenerates, the term that would best describe this experience (at least one suitable for newsprint) would be revulsion. Extreme revulsion.

Sure, plenty of people may want to cheer when two felons, convicted of sex crimes, get what their killer considers their due. That, however, is an instinct better left for those species below us on the food chain.

Vigilante killing is a violation of every painful step our society has taken towards a fair judicial process. We are still taking those steps, because obviously our system is not the blind and objective pinnacle of justice to which all men and women can turn. We have a long way to go towards that point, but we have made much progress over the years.

Our criminal justice system views the taking of a life as the consummate expression of inhumanity. Perhaps more to the point, homicide is an act of utter hopelessness. This might be better understood by people who have actually witnessed the act or aftermath of violent death. From that perspective the lifeless form of another human being is a visceral and stark reality. In the case of a homicide scene, the killer’s presence is as palpable as the body itself. It is a shocking and abhorrent image.

Such were my thoughts when I read the article on the Olympic peninsula killings, which included reader comments such as, “the gene pool needs a little cleaning.” The only real message in this piece of misplaced bravado is the depressing sense that life has little value, a theme we typically attribute to third world countries.

Our justice system, for all its faults, is the product of our collective will, and it was created to repudiate this notion. Life is sacred and people deserve a chance to defend themselves from the presumptive judgment of one person.

Now that he has been arrested for homicide, Patrick Drum should consider that fact. ..Source.. by Brian O'Neill

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Two sex offenders shot dead in Clallam County

6-4--20012:

PORT ANGELES – Police in Clallam County say the man accused of killing two sex offenders may have been planning at least one other in a neighboring county.

Clallam County Detective Sergeant Lyman Moores said Patrick Drum, 34, shot and killed the two men at two different homes sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning.

Police said Drum, a convicted felon, was spotted around 6:30 Sunday morning, in an area around Blue Mountain Road near Port Angeles. A homeowner had called police to say Drum was on their porch and acting strange.

The call came around the same time the wife of Gary Blanton called police to say she feared for her husband’s well being. Blanton, a registered sex offender, had recently moved in with Drum.

After a massive manhunt involving dozens of deputies in the dense woods near Port Angeles, police captured Drum. They say he admitted shooting killing Blanton and another registered sex offender named Jerry Ray outside Port Angeles.

Moores said Drum admitted he killed both because of their sex offender status.

"He has made a statement to detectives that these two were sex offenders and that was the motivation," said Clallam County Sheriff Bill Benedict.

Detectives said Drum intended to kill a third sex offender in Jefferson County, but they gave few clues as to why he chose the men. Detectives were looking for a computer Drum may have recently sold to see if he was researching his victims.

Moores said a rental car, registered to Drum, was found on Blue Mountain Road. It contained an empty box of 9mm bullets and a note expressing he was “sorry for the disturbances.” Police said there were empty 9mm casings near Blanton’s body, and Drum was carrying a 9mm handgun at the time of his arrest.

Neighbors of both the murdered men in the rural part of the Olympic Peninsula were reluctant to say what they thought of the vigilante action, but the county's top cop dismissed any other notion besides cold premeditated murder.

"Anyone who is taking justice in to their own hands and attacking sex offender in this community, we'll take care of them very, very strongly," said Benedict.

Drum has a lengthy criminal history, which includes drugs and assault. He is being held on $2 million bail, pending likely murder charges later this week. ..Source.. by King5 News

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Wife of slain sex offender: 'Nobody has any compassion'

6-5-2012:

The wife of a convicted sex offender who was targeted and killed over the weekend said Tuesday she’s sickened by people who have called the man accused in the crime a hero.

Gary Blanton was one of two sex offenders shot and killed by Patrick Drum in Clallam County, investigators said.

“My husband wasn’t a predator,” Leslie Blanton said. “My husband was the victim of a horrible murder and nobody has any compassion about that. They don’t care.”

In a statement, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said evidence suggested that Drum “had a particular animus towards sex offenders.” Police said Drum wanted to kill more of them.

“My husband’s a good man,” Leslie Blanton said. “He’s been there for us, and now we don’t have him and he’ll never come home.”

She said her and her husband, who was a Level 2 sex offender, have two children who will now never know their father.

“He’s not God,” Leslie Blanton said of Drum. “He doesn’t get to decide when people get to live and die. What kind of hero makes babies victims? ‘Cause that’s what my kids are now.”

Drum remains locked up in the Clallam County Jail. ..Source.. by KIROTV.com

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Man accused of killing sex offenders due in court

6-13-2012: In the morning

The suspect accused of killing two Clallam County sex offenders purely because of their status will be in court Wednesday to answer to charges.

Patrick Drum, 34, is charged with two counts of aggravated murder, accused of shooting and killing Gary Blanton and Jerry Ray, both Level Two sex offenders.

Officers said Drum sought out Ray, 56, and Blanton, 29, at their homes. Blanton had recently just moved into a house in Sequim with Drum.

After Drum was arrested in the woods between Sequim and Port Angeles, Clallam County Sheriff's deputies said the convicted felon may have been planning to kill another sex offender in nearby Jefferson County.

Drum has a lengthy criminal history, including drugs and assault. ..Source.. by KING 5 News

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Judge refuses attempted guilty plea in killings

6-13-2012 Washington: In the PM after court:

A Washington man charged with aggravated murder in the shooting deaths of two convicted sex offenders was prevented from pleading guilty Wednesday — although he tried.

"I don't need this court," Patrick Drum, 34, of the Olympic Peninsula town of Sequim, told Clallam County Superior Court Judge Ken Williams. "I'm guilty. I want to plead guilty."

The judge told Drum that under state law, he could not yet accept that plea, the Peninsula Daily News reported (http://is.gd/blJZKl ).

Williams noted County Prosecutor Deb Kelly has said she's considering whether to seek the death penalty. She has another 30 days from Wednesday's arraignment to make that decision.

Aggravated murder is punishable in Washington by either death or life in prison without parole.

Gary Lee Blanton Jr. and Jerry W. Ray were killed in separate shootings earlier this month. The county sheriff has said a signed note Drum left in a rental car said he hated sex offenders and "it had to be done."

Drum's attempted plea surprised both Kelly and Drum's court-appointed lawyer, Karen Unger.

"I don't recall ever having a murder defendant try to plead guilty at an arraignment," said Kelly, who has worked in the county prosecutor's office for 22 years.

Drum told Williams he wanted to represent himself. He said the same thing at an earlier hearing to a different judge, but that judge appointed Unger to represent him. Unger said Drum had not told her about his plan to plead guilty.

A probable cause statement from the sheriff's office, filed earlier with the court, said Drum had stated he planned to drive to nearby Jefferson County and kill another sex offender there.

"He had obtained names with research he had done with a computer," sheriff's detective Sgt. Lyman Moores said Wednesday.

Investigators say Drum shot Blanton, 28, on the night of June 2 at a home Drum was renting. Blanton was renting a room in the home.

Drum then drove to Ray's home a few miles away where Ray, 56, was killed early on June 3, Sheriff Bill Benedict has said.

For some reason, Drum abandoned a rental car he had been driving and was seen on foot in the remote area of the northern Olympic Peninsula. Reports of a suspicious man in the area brought deputies, who found the car and the note inside that led to the victims and identified Drum as a suspect. Drum was arrested later on June 3.

State Corrections Department records show Drum has served time for convictions that include burglary and drug possession. ..Source.. by Palm Beach Post

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Patrick Drum Sentenced To Life In Prison For Murdering Sex Offenders Gary Blanton, Jerry Ray

9-19-2012:

A man who killed two registered sex offenders in Washington this summer, because he said "it had to be done," was sentenced to life without parole for the vigilante murders yesterday.

Patrick Drum, 34, first killed his roommate, 28-year-old Gary Blanton in their Sequim home on June 2. After shooting Blanton, Drum drove to Jerry Ray's house, killing him the following morning.

Witnesses called authorities to report seeing a suspicious man in a wooded area of the Olympic Peninsula. The search turned up a rental car abandoned by Drum and containing a note assuming responsibility for "taking care of some problems," the Associated Press reported.

The note also said "it had to be done," according to Fox News.

Police used dogs to track Drum down, ending a three-hour manhunt. Once captured by officers, Drum told a detective he gunned down the two men "because they were sex offenders," and would have killed more if he hadn't been stopped, NBC News said.

Blanton was found dead inside the padlocked home he shared with Drum. Blanton had been convicted of rape as a teenager. His wife claimed that he'd been falsely convicted for having consensual sex with a freshman when he was a senior in high school, the Sequim Gazette reported.

Ray pleaded guilty in 2002 to raping a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old, the Gazette said.

Drum has a previous criminal record too, including convictions for burglary and drug charges, Reuters reported.

Attention from the killing earned Drum the support of some fans who have stalked the Blantons' home and spat on them, Blanton's wife said, according to KOMO.

“It was never my intent to hurt the families involved," Drum said in court, according to the Peninsula Daily News. "That's like collateral damage."

There was extra security on hand in the courtroom Tuesday to protect Drum, Fox News reported. ..Source.. by Michael McLaughlin

Mississippi investigator killed serving warrant on pedophile

Posted in Related Deaths

5-1-2012 Mississippi:

PEARL, Miss. — A police investigator was killed Tuesday in a shootout with a suspect, officials said.

Senior Investigator Mike Walters was shot in the head as he and other detectives tried to serve warrants on a suspect wanted for sexual battery.

Upon entering an apartment in Pearl, police located a man hiding in a bathtub who began to resist arrest, according to The Officer Down Memorial Page.

Officers used a TASER against the subject, who opened fire on the officers and struck Walters in the face. Another officer returned fire and killed the man.

A helicopter airlifted Walters and two other injured officers to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, but Walters was declared dead, The Clarion Ledger reports.

Paying tribute to the fallen officer, Mayor Brad Rogers told a news conference,"It's a job most of us probably wouldn't do."

The two officers injured in the incident are reportedly in stable condition. ..Source.. by PoliceOne Staff

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Slain officer may be 1st in Pearl killed in line of duty

A slain officer is the first from Pearl Police Department to die in the line of duty since the town’s incorporation in 1973, said Chief Ben Schuler.

Investigator Mike Walter, 32, was killed by a gunman who holed up in a bathroom while police served a search warrant for sexual assault and molestation.

The suspect, Carnell Gaines, 30, did not answer the door when police knocked, so they had an apartment complex manager open his door. As they searched the apartment, they came across him in the bathroom.

When Gaines would not show his hands, an officer went for his taser, and Gaines opened fire, killing Walter, a father, husband, and former professional baseball player.

Walter is from San Diego, Calif., according to a release put out by Pearl spokesman Lt. Butch Townsend. He played professional baseball for the Houston Astros from 1993-2000.

Friends of the family said he met his wife, Jeanne, while he was playing baseball, and moved back to Mississippi so she could be closer to home.

The Walters have an 11-year old daughter, Bailey.

He was hired by Pearl in February 2009 as a patrol officer, and moved up quickly to the position of investigator, Townsend said.

“Mike was a beacon of sunshine,” said Townsend in the release. “No words can express our feelings of loss at this time.”

The other officers injured in the shooting were Investigator Dave McCarley, who was shot in the hand and the leg, and Shaun Terwilliger, who received injuries to his forearm that were not gun-related.

McCarley’s injuries are serious, but Townsend said he should make a full recovery with surgery.

“One of the bad parts about our business is the fact that it must go on,” Townsend wrote. “The thin blue line cannot be allowed to be broken. Now we face that task without our brother Mike by our side. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. A good man was lost today.” ..Source.. by The Clarion-Ledger

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2 Officers shot in Pearl; Officer, Suspect Killed

A Pearl police officer was shot and killed today at the Colony Park Apartments in Pearl. Another officer was also shot and a 3rd injured. The suspect, 30-year-old Carnell Gaines Jr., was also shot and killed.

Rankin County District Attorney Michael Guest identified the slain officer as Investigator Mike Walter. He was shot in the head.

University of Mississippi Medical Center spokesman Jack Mazurak said the slain officer died at 11:56 a.m.

Mazurak said the two other officers were in good condition.

Michael Guest confirms that Officer Dave McCarley was shot in the leg and hand and transported by ambulance to UMC. His injuries do not appear to be life threatening. Officer Shawn Terwilliger was injured at the scene but not from gunfire. He also is being treated at UMC.

According to officials, just after 11 a.m. several officers attempted to serve a search warrant and an arrest warrant on 30-year-old Carnell Gaines Jr., who lived in Building 24 at the apartment complex.

When no one answered the door, police got the apartment manager to open the unit. While searching, officers discovered Gaines hiding in the bathtub of a rear bedroom and bath.

Officers reported that Gaines was uncooperative and was about to be tazed when Gaines drew a weapon and began firing. The officers returned fire.

Two officers were shot and another injured during the shootout. Gaines was shot and killed. One of the shot officers later died at University Medical Center in Jackson. The two other officers are listed in good and fair condition.

A neighbor told Fox 40 News that Gaines lived in the apartment with his girlfriend who was pregnant.

According to police, the arrest warrant was for sexual battery and the search warrant was for child pornography. Gaines also has a drug conviction from 2002.



Lieutenant Butch Townsend released this statement for Pearl Police Department:

Today the Pearl Police Department lost an officer in the line of duty. This is a sad first for our town that was incorporated in 1973.

Our beloved friend and comrade, Investigator Michael J. Walter, known to us simply as Mike, was thirty seven years old. He is survived by his loving wife Jeanne and the absolute light of his life, his daughter Bailey age eleven.

Mike also leaves behind his parents John and Judy Walter in their native San Diego, California.

Besides his family, Mike had three passions: the San Diego Chargers, professional baseball and law enforcement.

Mike played professional baseball for the Houston Astros from 1993 – 2000. Mike was hired by the Pearl Police Department in February of 09 as a patrol officer. His knowledge, intellect and inquiring mind enabled him to move to the position of investigator in rapid time, assuming that position in October of 2010.

Also injured in the same incident today was Investigator Dave McCarley. McCarley was shot in the hand and leg. His wounds are serious with surgery and extensive rehab most likely to be needed. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Investigator Shaun Terwilliger received injuries to his forearm, not fire arm related, and was treated and released.

No words can express our feeling of loss at this time. Mike was a beacon of sunshine. Nothing but kind words for all. Seldom did a smile leave his face and his smiles were never bigger than when he would speak of his wife and daughter. We loved him as much he loved them.

One of the bad parts about our business is the fact that it must go on. The thin blue line cannot be allowed to be broken. Now we face that task without our brother Mike by our side. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. A good man was lost today. We’ll keep you posted on the arrangements, which are incomplete as of this time. Mike’s picture is attached. Note the Chargers logo. Thank you for thinking about us. ..Source.. by Fox40.com

Mentally ill man shot to death in east Bakersfield Tuesday

4-24-2012 California:

Relatives said a man who was gunned down on Irene Street Tuesday night was mentally ill and never bothered anyone as he strolled the east Bakersfield neighborhood.

Bobbie Hawkins said her son, Telon Hester, was shot shortly after they left a recycling business that was closed. Hawkins went to a relative's house on King Street and Hester went to look for more cans, Hawkins said. She was at the house with a friend when she heard three gunshots.

"When I came, I didn't see nothing but my son just laying there," Hawkins said. She said she stayed at the other end of the street because she couldn't bear to go closer to her son.

Hawkins said Hester's death comes just about three weeks after her other son, Donte Hester, died. Hawkins and her sister, Carolyn Cooper, said Donte Hester was shot about a year and a half ago in the same neighborhood where his brother was killed, resulting in health complications. Hawkins said the shootings were not connected as far as she knew.

"Ain't too much I can do, you know, but try to be strong," Hawkins said.

The Kern County Sheriff's Department was called to the 700 block of Irene Street for a report of a victim of a shooting just before 5 p.m., sheriff's department spokesman Ray Pruitt said.

Deputies found Telon Hester, 33, lying in the road with major injuries from several gunshot wounds, deputies said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives are investigating the shooting as a homicide and were looking for witnesses Tuesday night, Pruitt said.

"At this point we don't know or have a motive for the shooting," Pruitt said. Deputies did not have any suspects and did not know if the killing was gang-related, he added.

Hester lived in an apartment on Knotts Street with his mother and other family members, according to Hawkins. She asked neighbors to look out for Hester because he had a mental problem, Hawkins said. He would get out in the street and "yell and holler" and talk to himself, his mother recalled, but she said he didn't have problems with anyone.

"He just stayed at his house (and) looked for cans," Hawkins said.

Kern County Superior Court records list more than a dozen cases under Telon Hester's name and year of birth. The court records showed Hester had been convicted of charges including obstructing/resisting a public officer, peace officer or emergency medical technician, failure to register as a sex offender and possession of a controlled substance. ..Source.. by Bakersfield.com

Man Shot, Killed By State Trooper During Struggle

4-23-2012 Arkansas:

A Washington County man was shot by a state trooper near Alma Saturday night during a struggle between the trooper and the suspect, authorities said.

Christopher Wayne Snyder, 28, of Winslow was shot and killed by trooper Michael Bowman of the Arkansas State Police after Snyder attempted to overpower Bowman during a struggle, according to a news release issued by Bill Sadler, public information officer for Arkansas State Police.

Bowman, Sadler stated, was on patrol near Alma when he pulled over a speeding vehicle at around 11:30 p.m. Saturday. The speeder, later identified as Snyder, stopped in a driveway along the 7500 block of U.S. 71, according to the news release.

“The violator … exited the vehicle and fled from trooper Bowman,” Sadler stated. “A foot chase covering nearly one-quarter mile ensued before ending in the backyard of an abandoned mobile home.”

Snyder refused to comply with Bowman’s orders, and as Bowman attempted to place handcuffs on Snyder, a fight began and Snyder started to choke Bowman, the news release states.

“As Snyder moved on top of trooper Bowman, the trooper was able to reach his handgun and fire the weapon, striking Snyder, who was pronounced dead at the scene,” Sadler stated.

Bowman was examined and released from a nearby hospital. He was placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of an investigation, which will be reviewed by Crawford County Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune, according to the news release.

Sadler said at this time he had no further information to release. ..Source.. by Hicham Raache

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Slain Sex Offender History Shows Failure To Register

4-23-2012 Arkansas:

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ark. -- Christopher Wayne Snyder was shot by Arkansas State Police Trooper Michael Bowman Sunday, April 22. But Snyder's history with law enforcement reaches back to 2007.

Snyder is listed as a level 3 sex offender on Arkansas's Sex Offender online registry.

According to arrest reports from Washington County Sheriff's office, Snyder was arrested in 2007 for driving on a suspended or revoked license.

In 2008, Snyder was arrested for failure to register as a sex offender. Court documents state Snyder was convicted in Oregon for sexual assault with a minor.

Then in June 2010, he was arrested for possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Snyder's family told 40/29 News he was staying with his girlfriend in Crawford County, but the Crawford County Sheriff said they had no record of Snyder registering with his department.

Trooper Michael Bowman is on administrative leave as the investigation into Snyder's death continues. ..Source.. by 4029TV.com

Police: Man fatally shot by police was in possession of drugs, had more than 30 previous arrests

4-12-2012 Texas:

A man fatally shot by an Austin police officer one week ago today had more than 30 prior arrests and was in possession of cocaine the night of the shooting, Austin police officials said Thursday.

Ahmede Jabbar Bradley, 35, had been arrested on charges including driver’s license offenses, evading, robbery, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping, assistant chief Sean Mannix said.

Police have said Bradley fought with officer Eric Copeland for about 2 minutes after a brief foot chase about 7 p.m. near Manor Road and 51st Street.

During the fight, Bradley tried to choke Copeland with the cord of his radio, police have said. Evidence shows Bradley was reaching for Copeland’s weapon as well, Mannix said.

“Mr. Bradley was attempting to disarm him of his weapon,” Mannix said.

Copeland eventually gained control of his weapon and fired at Bradley three times, striking him in the chest area, Mannix said. All three shots were consistent with being fired in a face-to-face confrontation, he added.

Police released two 911 calls today in which witnesses said they could see the suspect struggling with the officer and were concerned the officer needed help.

Listen to the 911 calls here and here.

“Should I go help him?” a man asked a 911 dispatcher as he watched the struggle.

Mannix said the calls alone demonstrate that the officer was in a bad situation.

“It’s very unusual for someone to call 911 when a police officer is on the scene,” Mannix said. “Both callers believe the officer was being disarmed.”

Bradley was found in possession of more than 1 ounce of cocaine and $1,700 in cash, Mannix said.

Mannix said the officer pulled Bradley over about 6:40 p.m. for playing loud music. Copeland smelled marijuana, and as he tried to search the vehicle Bradley fled on foot, he said.

Austin police chief Art Acevedo has said the officer tried to use his Taser stun gun during the chase, but that “one of the prongs did not take.”

Following the shooting, officers attempted CPR, but Bradley died at the scene about 7 p.m., officials have said.

Copeland, who has been with the Police Department since September 2009 , was placed on administrative leave with pay, pending a review of the incident and a chemical and psychological evaluation, officials have said. ..Source.. by Claudia Grisales

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APD officer shoots, kills suspect

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin police officer Thursday night shot and killed a man officials said ran from a traffic stop and then began fighting with the officer in the 5200 block of Overbrook , near Manor Road in East Austin.

According to Assistant Chief David Carter, a patrol officer was trying to stop a vehicle in the 6000 block of 51st Street around 6:40 p.m. for a routine traffic stop.

When the officer approached the vehicle, the driver took off and headed north on to Overbrook Drive where he dumped his vehicle and took off on foot.

Police said the suspect, identified as Ahmede Jabbar Bradley, 37, tried to jump a fence but the officer caught up with him and a scuffle ensued. The suspect managed to get away from the officer but the officer caught up to him, attempted to use his stun gun, but it didn't work.

During a news briefing at Police Headquarters on Friday afternoon, Police Chief Art Acevedo said Police Officer Eric Copland and the suspect engaged in "a violent struggle for the officer's firearm." He said that Copland grabbed the officer's microphone cord and wrapped it around his neck. Acevedo said they have photos of the marks on Copeland's neck. He also said the officer broke a finger in the struggle.

Finally, the officer managed to fire "several shots were fired" by the officer.

Bradley died at the scene. When back-up officers arrived at the scene, they tried to do CPR but to no avail.

The officer was transported to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. He has been with the department for 1 1/2 years.

Police said the patrol vehicle's dashboard camera was on and recording.

"We've captured the entire incident in terms of the audio, in terms of the video. You can see the stop, you can see all those things and we'll look at that tape carefully to find out what's going on," said Carter.

Acevedo said that nearly all of the events were captured either on patrol car video or described in recorded phone calls to police. He also said several civilian well-position witnesses have also provided accounts to police.

No other individuals were involved.

Copland was placed on paid leave pending an investigation, which is standard procedure.

While authorities were at the scene gathering information, a large crowd of residents and onlookers started forming. While the crowd has remained relatively calm, extra officers were called in to maintain crowd control.

A witness to the events spoke out on Friday. Greg Anderson said he owns the home and yard where the suspect was shot and died.

" I was sitting up watching TV, me and my little girl," said Anderson, "and next thing I know we heard three gunshots -- come outside and look through the window, and there was cops surrounding this -- well, one cop [was] chasing this one guy. Next thing I know he was in my yard. I heard gunshots and came outside. They were trying to give him CPR and that's when he passed away."

Friday, the family of the suspect placed flowers in the yard where he died. ..Source.. by Calily Bien, Shannon Wolfson, Josh Hinkle