Gunman in cop shooting faced sex charges

11-1-2012 California:

Philip Martin Hernandez was supposed to be in Riverside County Monday being arraigned on charges of having sex with a minor. Instead, he set off on a violent rampage across San Diego County that came to a deadly end Wednesday night when he was killed in a shootout with police.

By all indications, the crime spree was the final act of a desperate man whose life had unraveled over the past year. The 40-year-old divorced former firefighter had lured a teenage girl into a sexual relationship, filed for bankruptcy, lost his National City condo to foreclosure, quit his job at Cal Fire, and recently moved into an Escondido apartment with his mother and sister.

During a 17-hour span Monday, police say Hernandez shot a man in Hillcrest and an off-duty San Diego police officer at an ATM in Escondido, set three vehicles on fire in San Diego and Chula Vista, and robbed pedestrians.

“It’s difficult to address at this point what set him off,” said San Diego police Capt. Terry McManus. “We don’t know definitively what was going on in his mind.”

A multiagency task force of officers, arson investigators and forensic technicians quickly assembled and worked around the clock to pinpoint the gunman.

San Diego Police Chief Bill Lansdowne praised their tireless efforts and collaboration that solved the case within 72 hours.

“None of this could have happened by itself. ... It was each person in each agency who all put a piece of this together,” Lansdowne said at a news conference Thursday, while flanked by brass from Escondido and Chula Vista police and the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

An 18-year-old woman, Cindy Altamirano Garcia, was taken into custody during Wednesday night’s shootout between police and Hernandez. She faces one count of carjacking in connection with the crime spree and is expected to be arraigned Monday.

In a jailhouse interview with 10News Thursday, Garcia said her relationship with Hernandez began when she was 16, and that she was the victim in his sex abuse case.

Court records show Hernandez had filed for divorce from his wife in 2010, although they’d been separated since 2001. His ex-wife and their 17-year-old daughter have been living in Greece.

According to Riverside County prosecutors, Hernandez befriended an unnamed teenage girl at a National City park, then manipulated her into a sexual relationship. Hernandez paid her $600 a month.

He made it clear to the girl that he would not give her money or help her “poor” family unless she complied, said John Hall, spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

She agreed to move to an apartment in Blythe with him in April. A month later, she reported the relationship to Blythe police, saying Hernandez had become overly possessive of her, and she didn’t want to live there any longer, Hall said.

Then, in July, he ended his 10-year career at Cal Fire in Blythe. No details were released about his resignation.

Riverside County prosecutors filed a complaint against him Aug. 14 on four felony counts of sex with a minor. A $10,000 warrant was issued for his arrest.

Jail records show Hernandez was arrested Oct. 19 in Mission Valley by San Diego police on the sex charges. He posted bail and was ordered to appear in Blythe for his arraignment Monday, but he failed to show.

A Riverside County judge issued a $20,000 warrant for his arrest.

Instead of going to court, police said, Hernandez set his pickup on fire about 2 a.m. in Mission Bay. The windshield was riddled with bullet holes.

About 45 minutes later, he shot a man on Upas Street on the edge of Balboa Park in Hillcrest, leaving the victim critically wounded.

Then at 9 a.m., Hernandez robbed a man at gunpoint in a Mission Valley parking lot. He was wearing a jacket labeled “police.”

About 12:15 p.m., he held up off-duty San Diego police Officer Les Stewart, who was using an ATM in Escondido. After the thief took the officer’s wallet and saw his police identification, he shot Stewart in the back of the head.

The round grazed the officer’s head. Stewart, 57, has been released from the hospital and is in good condition. He is a 27-year veteran of the San Diego force.

About an hour after the shooting, Hernandez and a female accomplice, both wearing vests labeled “police,” are suspected of then carjacking a man at the College Grove Center in Oak Park, a neighborhood in east San Diego. The getaway car used earlier in the day — a Ford Crown Victoria — was found burned there.

The Suzuki Aerio hatchback he carjacked was found burned up in Chula Vista later Monday night.

Investigators quickly linked all the crimes together, and by Tuesday had zeroed in on Hernandez as their prime suspect.

On Tuesday afternoon, police raided his mother’s Escondido apartment on Broadway near El Norte Parkway, where he had been living, but the officers didn’t stay long, neighbors said.

Investigators conducted surveillance on numerous possible locations where Hernandez may be hiding and learned he may be driving a white van. The description was given to patrol officers everywhere to be on the lookout.

The van had been posted for sale on Craigslist on Oct. 27. The Spring Valley owner was asking $2,700 for the cargo vehicle with no rear seats and a three-section roof rack.

About 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, a patrol officer spotted the van on National Avenue, Capt. McManus said.

The officer began to follow the van south to Cesar E. Chavez Parkway, then they turned left onto Harbor Drive. Several other officers also began to follow, and the van driver pulled over on his own, McManus said.

“Immediately when that van stopped, he exited with what is believed to be a high-powered rifle, directed the rifle at officers and began firing upon them,” McManus said.

As the three officers fired back, Garcia got out of the van. She was ordered to walk backward toward the officers, and she was taken into custody.

Meanwhile, Hernandez started walking forward slowly, out of the officers’ line of sight. He collapsed about 20 feet in front of the van.

Officers yelled at him, but got no response. A police dog was brought in but also failed to get a response from the driver, and finally tactical officers approached him and found that he was dead, McManus said.

Both Hernandez and Garcia were wearing police-type vests.

“No officers were injured — that’s great news for us,” McManus said.

Police recovered a small arsenal in the van, including handguns, rifles and ammunition.

Investigators remained at the scene Thursday morning, directly across the street from the Harbor Drive trolley station, collecting evidence and measuring the trajectory of the bullets, which had riddled the van.

A patrol car was also hit by gunfire. One bullet struck the car’s windshield in the top center, and both tires on the driver’s side were flattened.

“In the end, it came to three police officers who were assaulted and attacked by the suspect who had larger weapons than they did,” Chief Lansdowne said. “They didn’t run from danger. They stood tall, and they ran to danger because their purpose was to bring these people to justice.” ..Source.. by Debbi Baker, Kristina Davis, Pauline Repard

Kidnapping suspect dies after chase

11-6-2012 Michigan:

A suspect in a kidnapping and sexual assault died after crashing during a police chase Tuesday, according to Michigan State Police at the Mt. Pleasant Post.

The dead man is identified as Robert Lee Mongar of Cadillac.

According to a statement from troopers, Mongar reportedly physically and sexually assaulted a female acquaintance in Wexford County, then tied her up, put her in her vehicle and drove south.

She managed to escape and run into a gas station near Stanwood when Mongar stopped for fuel. The victim was still restrained, but store employees helped her.

Mongar sped off, but a state trooper spotted the vehicle, which did not stop. Instead, he fled into deeply forested Newaygo County.

The chase led down a dirt road, and troopers said Mongar drove the car off the road where the road curved, and hit a large stand of mature trees. There was no indication the driver tried to brake or make the turn, troopers said.

Mongar was pronounced dead at the scene. There was no immediate word on the condition of the victim. ..Source.. by Morning Sun

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

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

Sheriff says 19-year-old shot by Redding police had criminal past

6-26-2012 California:

Officers remain on paid leave as details emerge

The 19-year-old man who was shot and killed by Redding police last week had an extensive criminal background, Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said Monday.

Scott Joseph Deen's record included resisting arrest, burglary, drug charges and a sexual assault warrant in Montana.

But Deen was not on parole or probation when he was shot, Bosenko said at an afternoon news conference called to release the man's identity.

Preliminary autopsy results show Deen died from a gunshot wound to the chest after a "life-and-death" struggle with four police officers in the area of Canyon and Valley View roads in south Redding early Friday, Bosenko said.

Bosenko also revealed that two shots were fired during the struggle, and only one hit Deen.

"According to witnesses, Deen's struggle with the officers was extremely violent, placing the officers' lives in harm's way," Bosenko said.

Investigators believe Deen and two other men were siphoning gasoline from cars parked in the neighborhood off Highway 273 near Win-River Casino.

Officers used a stun gun at least twice on Deen after he came at them with a knife, Bosenko said.

Not fazed by the stun gun, Deen tried to stab an officer with a knife that was attached to his hand with an elastic bandage before a police supervisor fired two rounds, striking Deen once, Bosenko said.

Deen then ran away. Officers found him about 700 feet from where he was shot. He collapsed when he was caught and died after CPR was unsuccessful, Bosenko said.

Although the sheriff's office on Friday reported three Redding officers were at the shooting scene, Bosenko said Monday there actually were four.

Redding Police Chief Robert Paoletti said he will wait until next week after the investigation and interviews are expected to be completed to release the names of the officers involved. He did say they had a combined 35 years of experience on the force.

"So we are talking about very tenured officers that were involved in a very difficult situation," Paoletti said.

The officers are doing well and are handling "the gravity of the situation like true professionals," Paoletti said.

All the officers are on routine paid administrative leave during the investigation.

Bosenko declined to release the names of the other two suspects because of the ongoing investigation. Both men live in Shasta County and one had a warrant for failure to complete a sheriff's work program, authorities said.

Deen had moved to Montana from Shasta County but recently had returned to the area for unknown reasons, Bosenko said. He also alleged Deen was a member of a local gang, but would not identify the gang.

Bosenko also would not elaborate on Deen's criminal background, including the Montana arrest warrant, saying he didn't want to compromise the investigation.

Police were called at 3:16 a.m. Friday to the area of Canyon and Valley View after a newspaper delivery driver called emergency dispatchers to report suspicious men in the neighborhood.

When officers arrived, they found a man who had a warrant for his arrest. Officers, however, believed that the man may not have been the one they had received the call about, Bosenko said.

They then located two other men in the area who police said were trying to siphon gas. One of the men cooperated with police and was handcuffed, but Deen did not obey police commands, Bosenko said.

"The officers also suspected the two suspects may have been under the influence of unknown drugs," Bosenko said.

Officers found a methamphetamine pipe on Deen after he was shot, Bosenko said.

The sheriff's office is investigating the shooting under a local agreement that outside law enforcement agencies will investigate each other's fatal encounters. Had a deputy pulled the trigger, for example, Redding police would investigate the shooting.

This is the seventh officer-involved shooting in Shasta County since 2011. The first six were ruled justified or accidental.

Only the cases involving James Thomas Jobe, Kenneth Ray Wilson and Jose Venavides were fatal.

Jobe was shot in late October on the shoulder of Interstate 5 in Redding after grappling with a sheriff's deputy.

Wilson was shot at least 16 times on South Market Street in early August after firing at officers who were chasing him.

Venavides was shot in the head in March 2011 by Redding police after he shot an officer during a traffic stop on South Market Street. ..Source.. by David Benda

Grandfather says death an accident

6-12-2012 Texas:

The grandfather of the 4-year-old girl whose father beat a man to death said Monday that his son was sorry the man died.

"My son. Sorry," the grandfather said in broken English Monday afternoon, yards from where the incident took place Saturday off Lavaca County Road 302. "It was an accident."

The father told law enforcement that he caught the man molesting his daughter and tried to physically stop him.

Lavaca County Sheriff Micah Harmon said the father expressed regret after the beating occurred.

"He was very remorseful. I don't think it was his intent for the man to die," Harmon said.

The incident took place through a metal gate, down a rut-filled - almost gully-filled drive in a pasture behind a barn where the father was tending to horses, Harmon said.

No charges have been filed in the case and neither the father nor the 47-year-old man who died has been identified by law enforcement.

"We are still having trouble locating the deceased's next of kin," the sheriff said. "The chief deputy has been in Gonzales running down some leads, but his family may end up being from out of the country."

Across the county road from where the beating took place, a neighbor said the family who owns the property are "good people."

"They have horses and chickens over there and come out every day to feed and water them," said the neighbor. "They are good people. Good, hard-working people."

District Attorney Heather McMinn said that once the investigation is complete and turned over to her office, she will present it to a grand jury. ..Source.. by SONNY LONG

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Grand jury: No indictment against father who killed daughter's alleged abuser

6-20-2012:

A Lavaca County, Texas, grand jury did not return an indictment against a father who killed a man he found allegedly sexually abusing his daughter, officials said Tuesday at a press conference in Hallettsville, Texas.

"The substantial amount of evidence showed that the witness statements and the father's statement and what the father had observed was in fact what had happened that day," Lavaca County District Attorney Heather McMinn told reporters.

The father, who will not be charged, is not being named by CNN to protect the identity of his daughter.

The father called 911, and he and his family tried to "save the life" of alleged attacker Jesus Mora Flores "despite what they had just witnessed," McMinn added.

McMinn told CNN that Flores, 47, was not an acquaintance of the family.

According to the Lavaca County Sheriff's Office, the father and his family had gathered for a horse shoeing last Saturday at their ranch where they keep horses and chickens.

There were seven people in attendance in total, including four members of the family, two acquaintances and a stranger to the family, who was the alleged molester. According to McMinn, the alleged abuser was a legal worker from Mexico.

His 5-year-old daughter had gone off toward the barn, to feed the chickens, the child's grandfather told CNN affiliates KSAT and KPRC.

Then her father heard screaming and ran. He found a man sexually abusing his daughter, according to Sheriff Micah Harmon.

The father stopped the alleged abuser, and then pounded him repeatedly in the head, killing him, authorities said.

On the recorded 911 call, the father can be heard crying, and telling the operator, "I need an ambulance. This guy was raping my daughter and I beat him up. And I don't know ... I don't know what to do."

Later in the call, when the operator tells the caller, "I'm working on it if you can hold on," the emotional father says, "The guy's dying on me!"

McMinn also told CNN the child's grandfather and aunt both administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Neither officials nor the family's attorney, V'Anne Huser, took questions from reporters Tuesday but Huser said in light of the grand jury's decision, "in our opinion, today, the story is over."

McMinn told CNN she had "never seen a case this clear" in her career.

The incident occurred outside the town of Shiner, a community between Houston and San Antonio that has about 2,000 people within its city limits and another 1,500 or so on its outskirts, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. ..Source.. by CNN Wire Staff

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Father Killed Jesus Mora Flores, Who Molested His Daughter, Texas Cops Say

The man who police in Texas say was killed after sexually assaulting a rancher's daughter was identified over the weekend.

Jesus Mora Flores was reportedly beaten to death on June 9 after a 23-year-old father found his 4-year-old daughter half naked with Flores at their ranch on the outskirts of Shiner, officers told CNN.

Lavaca County sheriff's deputies told the station that the unnamed father had sent his daughter and her brother off to feed the family's chickens. A little while later, the boy returned and told his dad that someone had taken his sister.

The father then found 47-year-old Flores -- who came to the ranch with a family friend -- sexually abusing his daughter and allegedly beat him to death with his fists.

Sheriff Micah Harmon has said that he will not charge the father, but the case will be presented to a grand jury to consider charges.

The father called 911 after the incident, reporting that Flores was on the ground and unresponsive. Harmon told reporters that the man appeared "very remorseful" and didn't know he had killed the abuser.

"You have a right to defend your daughter," Harmon told CNN at the time. "[The girl's father] acted in defense of his third person. Once the investigation is completed we will submit it to the district attorney who then submits it to the grand jury, who will decide if they will indict him."

The 4-year-old girl went to the hospital after the attack, and "besides the obvious mental trauma," is going to be OK, Harmon said. ..Source.. by Andy Campbell

Sheriff: Dead motel robber was going to rape clerk

7-25-2011 South Carolina:

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - A man is dead after the motel clerk he tried to sexually assault and rob early Monday morning fought back and killed him, deputies said.

Investigators say 43-year-old Vincent Carson of Orangeburg entered Days Inn motel at 133 Plumbers Rd. near I-20 and North Main St. sometime before 6:00 a.m.

As the female clerk went into the breakfast room to prepare breakfast, she found Carson waiting inside. The victim said Carson held a knife to her throat and said "this is a robbery."

Investigators said when her attacker slipped the knife into his pants pocket to begin tying her up with plastic ties, the woman pulled a handgun from under her shirt, turned and fired into the man's chest at point blank range.

The victim was about 100 pounds lighter than Carson and stood at least a foot shorter than him, investigators said.

When deputies got to the scene just after 6:00 a.m., they found the suspect unresponsive on the floor. Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said Carson died from a single gunshot to the chest.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said Carson's intent was not only to rob the motel, but also to rape the clerk. "There's no doubt that was his intent," said Lott. "Not only was he going to rob her, but he was going to sexually assault her. Now what was he going to do after that assault was over with, we don't know."

The clerk was not injured, but was taken to Palmetto Baptist Hospital as a precaution.

The suspect was wanted in at least one other motel robbery in the Midlands. The Orangeburg County Sheriff's Department was looking for Carson in connection with a July 14 robbery at the Hampton Inn on US Highway 601.

In that incident, deputies said Carson broke into the room of two elderly tourists and took their money, their cell phone and their vehicle.

Lott said that this was an unfortunate situation in which the victim feared for her life and defended herself.

Lott said the clerk had been victimized in one of two recent robberies at the same Days Inn and had gotten permission from her employer to carry a .22 caliber gun. The suspect in both of those incidents was identified as 22-year-old David Wesley Watson.

Watson is also believed to be the man who shot and killed Papa John's Pizza store manager Steven Fowler in June.

"Citizens need to be aware of their surroundings," the sheriff said. "If you see or hear anything that may be out of place or suspicious in nature, it's always best to use your better judgment and call law enforcement."

No charges have been filed. ..Source.. by Jack Kuenzie

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Man sought, woman arrested in hotel robbery

7-20-2011:

A woman has been arrested and a man is being sought in connection with the armed robbery of two tourists at Orangeburg's Hampton Inn.

Jessica Dawn Brown, 22, of 322 Ferncliffe Road, Elgin, has been arrested on charges of armed robbery, first-degree burglary and kidnapping.

Officials are still seeking 43-year-old Vincent Lee Carson of 1324 Saint Ann St., Orangeburg. He is also wanted on charges of armed robbery, kidnapping and first-degree burglary.

"It is important that the public provide any information to locate Carson as soon as possible. He is to be considered armed and dangerous," Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said.

Deputies say an 82-year-old man and his 74-year-old wife were at the St. Matthews Road hotel last week when a gunman forced his way into their first-floor room.

The man demanded their cash and vehicle at gunpoint, the couple said. Warrants allege Carson held them against their will before taking about $750 in cash, a cell phone and a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox.

Deputies called OnStar, which informed them the vehicle was stationary at a Foxberry Court residence less than two miles away. After deputies located the unoccupied Chevrolet, a witness told them the driver got into a Kia with a female.

Warrants allege deputies found a cell phone and car keys at a Seif Road residence that Brown and Carson share. ..Source.. by T&D Staff

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

San Jose police: Kidnapper assaulted 11-year-old girl before cop killed him

1-23-2012 California:

San Jose police say the 42-year-old man who abducted an 11-year-old girl at gunpoint sexually assaulted her during the nearly 11-hour ordeal before an officer killed him in a narrow stairwell.

Police also confirmed Tri Truong Le was firing blanks from a replica 9 mm Beretta-lookalike pistol during the fatal confrontation at his Pistachio Road townhome on Friday afternoon.

Police Chief Chris Moore, in a Monday news conference, lauded the "extraordinary" efforts of more than 100 police officers who rescued the girl, and lamented the "disturbing trend of violent domestic violence in our city and county."

The Mercury News is no longer identifying the girl because she was a victim of assault.

Acting Deputy Chief Edgardo Garcia said before Le was shot, he had an EKOL Firat pistol in his right hand and a large kitchen knife in his left. Le had the girl, the daughter of his ex-girlfriend, wrapped in a cross hold. And as he stood with the girl as a human shield near his back window, police said Le fired his gun.

When officers heard the shots, they raced into hostage-rescue mode and rushed through the front door, Garcia said. Officer Mauricio Jimenez, a SWAT officer, fired two rounds at Le, the first hitting Le in the left arm. Le then tried to use the girl as a shield. Jimenez fired a second time, hitting Le in the head, killing him.

"It's great that we saved her life, but the bad part is she was assaulted right before we rescued her," police spokesman Sgt. Jason Dwyer said after the news conference. "It's almost impossible to make a precision shot on a suspect without harming the hostage and under heavy fire at point blank range. The officer is a hero. She owes her life to that team and Officer Jimenez."

Police said they could not answer why Le would shoot blanks in the face of heavily armed officers.

The sexual assault was discovered at a hospital after the girl was rescued and taken there. Because she was traumatized, police did not thoroughly interview her about the kidnapping. They planned to do that later Monday. The girl's uncle asked Monday morning that the family's privacy be respected.

Court records show that Le has a criminal history in Santa Clara County dating back to at least 1998. He's been convicted at least three times for DUI; the last time was in 2008, when he was so drunk, police noted, that he slurred and stumbled and stated out loud that he had also taken the drug ecstasy.

Three years before that, Le was charged with violating a domestic violence protective order. In February 2005, an ex-girlfriend called police to say that Le had threatened to kill her and her new boyfriend after she broke up with him. "How could you do this to me?" she recounted what Le said to her, according to the police report. Then he scratched and choked her, records state, and threatened he'd go get his gun and come for her.

Le also made threats about weapons before Friday's kidnapping and shooting, police said.

About 1:20 a.m. Friday, Le barged into the girl's home on Taffy Court, fired the replica pistol several times, and took off with the 11-year-old, prompting a statewide Amber Alert.

Texts on Friday between Le and the girl's mother, whom he had been dating for four years and sometimes lived with, showed that he threatened to use his gun and "he would be ready" for police, Garcia said.

Police at the time did not know for sure that Le's pistol was shooting blanks.

"Had he been shooting a real gun, a lot more officers would have been injured," Garcia said.

The girl's mother told police that Le physically abused her. But she never reported the abuse. She broke up with him a short while ago.

Patricia Bennett, a coordinator at Next Door Solutions anti-domestic violence program, told reporters at the news conference that she never wants to blame women for the violent behavior of their abusers. But she continually tries to educate those who want to leave, to do so quietly, without announcing a breakup until you can talk to a domestic violence expert to draw up a safety plan.

All of last year's domestic violence homicides in Santa Clara County resulted during some stage of breakup. But Bennett said that "90 to 99 percent" of the time, victims who get expert advice on leaving an abuser, before going public with that plan, don't end up dying. She said domestic violence advocates often will help a victim get a restraining order, help them find circles of support and sometimes move them into hiding, to try to wrest power away from an abuser.

"We just try to help them be as safe as they can when they make that move at such a high-risk time," Bennett said. ..Source.. by Lisa Fernandez

Sexual assault suspect killed by police

11-6-2011 Virginia:

Suspect accused of sexual assault, abduction

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - Two investigations are underway following a pursuit and standoff that ended with police killing an armed suspect.

The man was wanted for an abduction in York County, where police say he took a woman hostage at gunpoint at the Belmont At York Apartments on Saint Clair Circle. Police were first alerted to the situation at around 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

About 20 minutes later, a deputy spotted the suspect's car at a church in Newport News. "When he saw the vehicle, the windows were fogged, he shined a light on the vehicle, gave explicit orders to shut the vehicle down," said Lt. Dennis Ivey, Jr. with the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office.

The suspect refused to stop.

Newport News police officers and York-Poquoson Sheriff deputies chased the suspect into a cul-de-sac at the end of Spring Trace Lane off Saunders Road.

When the Newport News tactical team arrived, neighbors who had gathered outside quickly took cover. "We were down there and one of the neighbors said we should probably get behind this wall and not even a minute after we got behind the wall we heard the gunshots," Caitlin Roberts told WAVY.com

During the standoff, one member of the Tactical Team opened fire and shot the suspect, who died at the scene. Police have identified the suspect as 40-year-old Robert Burchfield of Hampton. The female passenger was wounded and taken to the hospital, where she was treated and released. She was alert and talking to officers as she went into the ambulance. Police determined she was hit by flying debris and not gunfire.

The female victim is a 34-year-old York County woman. She told investigators that she was sexually assaulted by Burchfield in the 1000 block of Harpersville Road in Newport News, moments before deputies spotted their vehicle.

Investigators say the victim was Burchfield's ex-girlfriend.

A criminal investigation is being conducted by the Newport News Police Department's Homicide Unit. The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office will determine whether or not the shooting was justified. Meanwhile, an administrative internal investigation is underway. The officer who fired his weapon and a second officer have been placed on administrative leave with pay. ..Source.. by Jane AlvarezWertz

Woman shoots, kills suspect in sexual assault in Denton County

6-8-2011 Texas:

PONDER — Authorities were investigating the death of a suspect in a sexual assault case Wednesday who was apparently shot by the victim.

Denton County dispatchers got a call from a 29-year-old woman about 10 a.m. who said she shot a man who sexually assaulted her after she arrived at her parents' residence in the 1500 block of Seaborn Road, said Tom Reedy, sheriff's department spokesman.

The woman said that she had just dropped off her children and that the man, later identified as Wendell Dean McDonald, 28, was lying in wait for her and grabbed her, Reedy said.

The woman said McDonald took her inside her parents' residence, threatened her with her parents' gun and then sexually assaulted her, Reedy said. McDonald then told the woman to take the gun and shoot him or else he would shoot her, according to Reedy.

The woman initially refused to shoot him, but when authorities arrived, McDonald was dead from what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the chest, Reedy said. ..Source.. by Mitch Mitchell

Police: Woman Shot Intruder 9 Times In Self Defense

5-13-2011 Georgia:

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — An intruder who was shot and killed after a confrontation with a Duluth woman in her shower was likely stalking her for days and may have other victims, Gwinnett police said.

Police: Woman Shot Intruder 9 Times In Self Defense School Counselor Shoots, Kills Home Intruder

The 53-year-old woman, who is also a veteran private school counselor, was alone at the time of the Wednesday morning attack. She lives on East Mount Tabor Circle in Duluth.

The woman was getting out of the shower when she was met by a strange man with a kitchen knife, police said. They said there was a struggle in the bathroom, and she fell in the tub. Police later identified the man as Israel Perez Puentes, a Cuban national who lived in Alpharetta.

"The male was armed with a kitchen knife, a struggle ensued between the two of them. She fell in the bathtub injuring herself," Gwinnett police spokesman Edwin Ritter said.

The woman tried to fight the man off with a shower a rod, and he forced her into her bedroom, police said. They said she told her attacker she had money in the room. But she grabbed a .22-caliber handgun and shot the man nine times, police said.

Police said the man ran out of a back door and collapsed in the yard. He later died at the Gwinnett Medical Center. The victim, who was injured in the scuffle, was also taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Police have not released her name.

Police told Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh they don't know why the woman was targeted.

"He may have seen her somewhere and he identified her as being a potential victim and he basically stalked her until he found the right moment to act on it," said Ritter.

"Our department is looking into any other cases around metro Atlanta area as well as our jurisdiction to see if he may be involved with any other sexual assaults that may have occurred."

Dan Tucker, a friend and neighbor, said he was amazed at how the victim defended herself against the armed intruder.

"She's smart, she's witty and obviously well prepared," Tucker said.

Ritter said the shooting investigation was ongoing but defended the victim, saying the shooting appeared to be justified, and that she acted in self-defense. He said there are no plans to charge her.

Police said Thursday that neighbors had spotted Puentes' car in the neighborhood several days before the attack but did not report it. Puentes' estranged wife told Kavanaugh he had been arrested for burglary in Johns Creek in December. ..Source.. by WSBTV.com

Man Shot in the Back by Police had Extensive Record

11-23-2011 Nevada:

LAS VEGAS -- Las Vegas police have released the mugshot and criminal history of a man shot and killed by officers on Monday night.

Police say 37-year-old Bernard Pate was shot and killed by Gang Crime detectives on Monday evening near Karen Avenue and Lamb Boulevard. Police say they tried to talk to Pate and he took off on foot. Shots were fired and Pate struck in the upper-left back area of his body. He died at the scene. Police say they found a gun laying near his body.

Pate has an extensive police record, including arrests for attempted lewdness with a minor, attempted robbery, attempted burglary, open and gross lewdness, annoyance of a mentally challenged minor, lewdness with a minor under the age of 14 years, unlawful contact with the mentally ill, and battery, domestic violence. He is also a registered sex offender.

This is the 17th officer-involved shooting of the year for Metro and the 11th fatal shooting. The officer involved in the shooting is on paid administration leave. ..Source.. by Stephen Jackson, Online News Editor

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Man fatally shot by Metro police Monday identified

The man shot and killed by a Metro Police officer Monday night has been identified as 37-year-old Bernard Pate, according to the Clark County Coroner’s Office.

Pate, of Las Vegas, died from a gunshot wound to the upper, left back, the coroner said. His death was ruled a homicide.

Metro spokesman Jay Rivera said the officer-involved shooting happened about 11 p.m. Monday at 4550 E. Karen Ave., near Sahara Avenue and Lamb Boulevard.

Police said gang detectives were patrolling the area when they tried to stop a man acting suspiciously in a courtyard. He started running, prompting a chase, Rivera said.

During the foot pursuit, Rivera said an officer shot the suspect, who was believed to be carrying a gun. The weapon was found next to his body, police said.

Police have not released what prompted the officer to fire. Pate died at the scene.

Police said Pate, who was classified as a “Tier O” sex offender, was a registered felon for the following crimes: attempted lewdness with a minor, open and gross lewdness, attempted first-degree robbery and attempted third-degree burglary.

Police said the investigation is ongoing. The officer who fired has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings. ..Source.. by Jackie Valley

Marion County identifies young man killed in officer-involved shooting

10-19-2011 Oregon:

A man shot and killed early Monday by a Salem police officer was identified today as 22-year-old Dru Garret Larson.

Criminal records show that Larson had convictions for theft in Marion and Tillamook counties and identity theft, forgery, sex abuse and failure to register as a sex offender in Polk County.

An autopsy confirmed the cause of Larson's death to be gunshot wounds sustained during his confrontation with police, according to the Marion County District Attorney's Office.

Oregon State Police are investigating the shooting. ..Source.. by Alison Barnwell, The Oregonian

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Family: man shot by Salem police was "sweet, kind, loving"

10-18-2011 Oregon:

Jane Larson stood at northeast Salem intersection tonight with tears in her eyes and her hand over her mouth, trying not to be physically sick.

Piles of glass and a muddy tire treadmark in the grass showed the spot where her son, Dru Garret Larson, was fatally shot by police early Monday.

“I’m going to miss him so much,” Jane Larson said. “If I had my way, I wish it was me not him. I would change places in a heartbeat.”

Dru Larson, 22, was fatally shot by Salem police early Monday, Marion County Deputy District Attorney Matt Kemmy said. An autopsy performed by the Oregon State Medical Examiner determined Larson died of gunshot wounds, Kemmy said.

Larson was allegedly driving a stolen car about 1 a.m. Monday when he was spotted by police. A three-minute chase ensued through downtown Salem at speeds of 30 to 50 mph.

The stolen 1989 Honda Civic eventually crashed into a stop sign at the corner of Liberty and Grove streets NE. But the crash didn’t stop Larson, who kept driving and hit at least one other car, officials said.

Police said the driver’s “subsequent actions placed officers at the scene in imminent danger,” resulting in officers Rogers Smith and Laura Seefeldt firing their duty weapons. No new information about what happened immediately before the shooting was released Tuesday.

Witnesses said the driver put the car in reverse and apparently was headed toward police officers.

Photos of the suspect vehicle show bullet holes in the windshield. Officers provided emergency medical aid, but Larson died at the scene.

His family is trying to piece together what happened leading up the shooting. They went to the scene Tuesday night, seeking closure.

They called Dru Larson sweet, kind and loving. He liked football, video games and fixing up cars.

Dru Larson had two sisters and a brother. He grew up in Tillamook and graduated from Tillamook High School in 2007, said his sister, Brandi Larson, of Dallas.

“We’ve gotten more than 100 text messages from (people in) Tillamook,” Jane Larson said. “He will be missed.”

He moved to Salem in 2009 to be closer to family and to get out of the small-town lifestyle.

Dru Larson was homeless, but stayed with Brandi Larson and his mom at times. He spent the last five days of his life with his sister, Brandi Larson.

“He always told me, chin up,” she said.

Dru Larson struggled with a methamphetamine addiction, but had been clean for three weeks before the shooting, according to Jane and Brandi Larson.

“That’s why we can’t imagine this,” Jane Larson said. “It doesn’t make sense.”

Dru Larson never carried weapons, they said, questioning why officers used deadly force.

“My son, I feel, was a victim,” Jane Larson said. “And until I find out the whole truth, I won’t rest.”

Larson has about 10 prior misdemeanor convictions in Marion, Polk and Tillamook counties. In April 2011 he was convicted of identity theft, a felony, in Polk County and sentenced to probation and community service.

The officers involved in the Monday shooting have been put on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure after an officer involved shooting.

Senate Bill 111 establishes a procedure after officer-involved shootings. The Monday incident is being investigated by Oregon State Police and the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.

Kemmy said information on the incident will go before a grand jury, which will determine if charges are necessary and whether the officers were justified in using deadly force.

Smith has been a Salem police officer since 2006. Seefeldt was hired with the department in 2000, after working as an Independence police officer for about six years.

Smith previously was cleared in an officer-involved shooting that wounded Salem man Rockne Mack Nickell in March 2007. Nickell allegedly threatened neighbors with a knife and confronted police with what turned out to be a pellet gun.

According to a state police investigation, Smith thought he was shooting Nickell with his Taser, and instead fired his gun. ..Source.. by Stacey Barchenger, Statesman Journal

Alleged armed robber killed by Okauchee homeowner

8-28-2011 Wisconsin:

OKAUCHEE - Police say an Okauchee homeowner shot and killed a man he claims broke into his house.

It happened around 2:00 a.m. Saturday on Wisconsin Ave.

The crime scene tape around his Okauchee home is gone but the memories of early Saturday morning are fresh and hard for Mike Fitzsimmons.

"I’m happy that I'm alive today,” Fitzsimmons told TMJ4 reporter Keller Russell.

He says he was asleep inside his home when he heard someone breaking in. He grabbed his flashlight and a gun.

"I confronted the guy and he told me he had a gun. He came at me with a gun,” said Fitzsimmons.

The homeowner told police he confronted the man in the garage and it moved to the back of the house. He says the man cornered him, threatening his life with a gun. Within minutes, Fitzsimmons says it was all over.

"I told him to drop it, backed up shot him, killed him."

The Town of Oconomowoc police say the man Fitzsimmons killed is James Babe IV, 39, of Waukesha. According to state court records, Babe is a life registered sex offender with a lengthy criminal history, including burglary.

Police are still trying to figure out why Babe was in Okauchee.

"It’s not normal out here -- people breaking into houses and somebody getting shot. It’s never happened in my career here,” said Lt. Russel Paar.

Neighbors said officers roped off the house in crime scene tape and worked through the early morning hours Saturday, into the evening. Police won’t say whether they found a gun near the alleged intruder, as Fitzsimmons described.

Mike Fitzsimmons says he acted in self defense, actions he’s still coming to grips with.

"I did not want this to happen. The last thing I want to do is something like that."

Police didn’t arrest Fitzsimmons. The department plans to hand the case over to the District Attorney’s office.

Babe's fiance tells TMJ4 he was in the area for a night out with friends at the bar. He also had family that lives in Oconomowoc. She said James Babe would never break into someones house or hurt anyone. She also claims he doesn't own a gun. She acknowledges Babe had a past but said he had committed himself to staying out of trouble and that would never do anything to take himself away from her and her two children. ..Source.. by Keller Russell

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No criminal charges coming in Okauchee fatal shooting

11-4-2011 Wisconsin:

An Okauchee man will not face criminal charges for fatally shooting an unarmed man who broke into his garage in August, Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel announced Friday.

James P. Babe IV, 39, was killed outside Michael Fitzsimmons' home about 2 a.m. Aug. 27. Schimel determined that Fitzsimmons, 47, fired two shots in self-defense.

Schimel laid out the details of the case and his analysis in a four-page letter to Town of Oconomowoc Police Chief James Wallis. According to the letter:

There was no evidence Fitzsimmons, 47, and Babe knew each other or had any kind of dispute. Nor is there any indication why Babe, who had a blood-alcohol level of 0.22, had entered Fitzsimmons' garage.

Phone records showed Babe made a call on his cell phone at 1:59 a.m., and that Fitzsimmons called 911 at 2:01 a.m. The letter doesn't indicate whom Babe called.

Police arrived within minutes.

"It seems unlikely that Mr. Fitzsimmons would have had enough time to calm down from the traumatic incident and attempt to prepare a false version of events," Schimel wrote. Fitzsimmons story didn't change as the day went on, and physical evidence corroborated it.

Fitzsimmons said he awoke when he heard noise in his garage, that he approached it from his deck and yelled out asking who was there and stated that he had a gun. He said Babe yelled back that he had a gun, then emerged from the garage onto the deck and lunged at him with what Fitzsimmons believed was a gun. Fitzsimmons fired once, and when Babe did not immediately go down or back away, fired a second shot.

There was evidence someone had broken into the garage, and Babe's cell phone case and keys were found there. There was no evidence Fitzsimmons had touched Babe's cell phone in an effort to stage the scene, Schimel wrote. The letter does not specify where Babe's cell phone was recovered.

The letter also revealed that Fitzsimmons had smoked marijuana earlier that night, a fact learned after he voluntarily submitted to a blood test. But he showed no signs of impairment when officers arrived, Schimel said, and so couldn't be charged with being armed while intoxicated.

He said a lesser charge of being armed with detectable amount of restricted substance wasn't appropriate given Fitzsimmons lack of a criminal history and lack of evidence at his home of any "substantial drug activity."

Fitzsimmons' attorney, Paul Bucher, said Friday his client is extremely sorry the shooting happened, but was scared to death and felt he had no choice but to shoot.

"He feels terrible. He's been on pins and needles" awaiting Schimel's decision, Bucher said.

Schimel has said for weeks that he was waiting on DNA test results from the State Crime Lab to make his final decision about whether the shooting was justified. He said Friday he had finally gotten those results late Tuesday but wasn't able to meet with Babe's family until Thursday.

He said the fact the Legislature adopted a castle doctrine Friday, which provides even more legal protection for people who shoot intruders in their home, business or vehicles, was merely a coincidence. He said the law is unlikely to affect most prosecutors' decisions in similar cases.

"If I believe that the evidence demonstrates that the use of force was justified, I will not issue charges," he said. "I do not know how this will impact civil cases." ..Source.. by Bruce Vielmetti of the Journal Sentinel

Birmingham fugitive killed in Florida shoot-out with lawmen was charged with 2010 Hoover sex offense

5-27-2011 Alabama:

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A federal fugitive shot to death in Florida Thursday night by U.S. Marshals had lived in Hoover until he was charged in December with enticing a minor for sex.

William Jimmy Page Jr., 39, was pronounced dead on the scene inside his garage apartment in St. Petersburg.

Authorities said U.S. Marshals and Tampa police entered the apartment to take Page into custody for violating conditions of his bond release. Instead, Page came down the hallway firing at them, said Marty Keely, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Alabama. Lawmen returned fired, killing Page.

Page, who was living on Shades Crest Road at the time, was arrested on federal charges in December 2010 after authorities say he used the internet and telephone to solicit sex from what he believed was a 13-year-old boy, according to federal court records. A criminal complaint filed against Page said he was in conversation with an undercover officer pretending to be the teen boy from July 2010 through December 2010, when he made arrangements to meet the teen at a Hoover drug store.

He offered marijuana and beer in exchange for sex.

Page was charged federally, and later released on $100,000 bond with special conditions: He was to live with his family in Georgia and wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.

On March 25, Page was discovered missing from the Metter, Georgia, home where he was supposed to be staying. His bedroom window was open, and a suicide note was left behind, Keely said. Authorities found the monitoring bracelet in the roadway about two blocks away.

A federal fugitive warrant was issued that day in Birmingham, and U.S. Marshals began their search for the man.

"A number of people had told us in all probability he would be somewhere close to the coast," Keely said. Marshals developed information that he was in the Clearwater area.

Marshals in Birmingham enlisted the help of the task force marshals in Florida. They were able to track him down to the St. Petersburg where the arrest attempt was made on Thursday. ..Source.. by Carol Robinson -- The Birmingham News

Man killed by police grabbed cop's Taser

6-29-2011 Arizona:

The man shot and killed by Tucson police Monday evening reportedly wrestled a Taser away from an officer and attacked another one, police said Tuesday.

Anthony Salcido, 30, was shot by police officers just moments after he was suspected of shooting a fellow employee at the Overboard Seafood & Grill, 4105 N. Oracle Road, said Sgt. Diana Lopez, a Tucson Police Department spokeswoman.

After the first shooting, Salcido ran to a nearby apartment complex, where police say he fought with two officers, grabbed one of their Tasers and attacked them, Lopez said.

Officer Christopher Duenas was taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries sustained in the fight, she said.

Police were still investigating whether Salcido used the Taser on the officers, she said.

Investigators were waiting to interview Duenas, who was still in the hospital Tuesday afternoon, she said.

Officers initially were called to the restaurant after receiving reports of a person who had been shot, she said.

Officers found a 37-year-old man, an employee, lying on the sidewalk outside of the restaurant. He was expected to survive.

Two officers - Duenas, a 10-year-veteran, and Officer Nancy Fatura, a 12-year-veteran - soon confronted Salcido, who got into a fighting posture and made statements about not being captured alive.

One officer tried to subdue him with a Taser, but Salcido appeared unaffected by the stun gun and later grabbed the Taser before at least one of the officers shot him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives were still investigating a motive, but they said they found evidence suggesting drugs were being sold at the time and may have played a role in the shooting.

They found methamphetamines on Salcido and recovered the gun believed to have been used in the shooting.

According to Arizona Department of Public Safety records, Salcido was a Level 3 sex offender who was convicted of a sexual assault in Phoenix. Level 3 is considered the most at risk of re-offending.

However, his employer, restaurant owner John Willingham, said he met Salcido numerous times and remembered him as a "likable guy" and a "hard worker."

"He was a good, friendly guy. It's a shocker," Willingham said.

Salcido worked at the restaurant for more than a year, while the 37-year-old man had worked there for about three months, he said.

Willingham met that man once, he said.

Salcido was either working or had just gotten off work before the shooting, while the other man was not working at the time, Willingham said.

Police said the shooting took place inside the restaurant, but Willingham said the two men were outside when the shooting took place.

Salcido then dragged the wounded man into the restaurant and barricaded himself in a bathroom when he saw police arriving, he said. He then ran out.

Another employee also ran from the restaurant, Willingham said. But he said that employee was not involved in the shooting.

"He feared for his life, so he fled," he said.

Police didn't identify him as a suspect, but investigators want to talk to him, Lopez said. Willingham and his family run five Overboard restaurants, which were recently Long John Silver's before he converted them.

He said he was not aware of Salcido's sexual assault conviction or any drug activity at the restaurant.

The restaurants last week implemented a program to conduct extensive background checks on prospective employees, he said.

Before that, the restaurants didn't have the capability to conduct criminal background checks for hourly employees, he said.

A Police Department board of inquiry and the Pima County Attorney's Office will review the incident.

Officers Duenas and Fatura were placed on administrative leave, a standard procedure in officer-involved shootings. ..Source.. by Jamar Younger Arizona Daily Star

Sex offender killed during burglary

6-23-2011 Florida:

A Lake Wales man stopped two men trying to break into his mother-in-law’s home and killed one of them before he could get away, deputies say.

Polk County deputies say Wednesday night the man was checking the residence, located at 950 Miami Street, and saw two men climbing out a window in his mother-in-law’s home.

The man frequently checks the home because it had been broken into before, he told deputies.

Deputies say the son-in-law, who was legally carrying his handgun at the time, fired shots at both men when they approached him, making him fear for his life.

The son-in-law hit one of the suspects, registered sex offender Kelvin Lorenzo Bagley, and killed him. The other suspect was able to get away, and deputies are not sure if he was shot.

Because deputies are still looking for one of the suspects, the son-in-law’s identity is not being released at this time.

Bagley, who has been in the Polk County Jail 12 times since 1998, has an extensive criminal history, according to records. He’s been arrested for trespassing, drug offenses, fraud, armed burglary and a count of lewd act on a child. His latest release from prison was in April 2010.

Bagley has been a registered sex offender since August 2001.

The investigation continues. ..Source.. by MyFox

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Sex offender shot, killed after burglarizing home, Polk officials say; 2nd suspect arrested

A Haines City man was shot dead by a homeowner's relative Wednesday night just after burglarizing the Lake Wales house, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Kelvin Lorenzo Bagley, 31, was found dead just after 11 p.m.

A man who was both the son-in-law and next-door neighbor of the woman who owns a home in the 900 block of Miami Street in Lake Wales was checking the house, which had been burglarized a week earlier, when he saw someone jump out of the window over his head.

The window is more than 5 feet high, according to the sheriff's office. The man's mother-in-law was not home at the time of the incident.

Seconds later, another person jumped out of the window, nearly hitting the man. The man told authorities that he was frightened that he might be attacked, so he shot at the burglars.

When Lake Wales police arrived, they found Bagley dead in the back yard of the home.

The second suspect in the burglary was arrested tonight, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Jason Maurice Ward, 29, of Lake Wales, faces charges of second-degree murder, burglary and grand theft.

According to the Sheriff's Office, Ward told investigators that he acted as a lookout while Bagley searched the home for money and jewelry.

Ward's criminal history includes arrests for sale of marijuana and cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school, .felony retail theft, grand theft and credit-card theft.

Bagley, a registered sex offender, had a lengthy criminal history that includes 12 Polk County arrests since 1998 on charges including possession of marijuana with intent to sell, giving false information to a law-enforcement officer, domestic violence battery, a probation violation and performing a lewd and lascivious act on a child under 16. ..Source.. by Anika Myers Palm and David Breen, Orlando Sentinel

Man Killed by Police Linked to 2nd Rape

4-12-2011 Nevada:

LAS VEGAS -- New evidence has connected a rapist to two brutal sexual assault cases. DNA test results show the man shot and killed by police April 4 is the same rapist who struck in northwest Las Vegas last month.

The Val D'Isere Townhouse complex is gated, but in the early hours of March 30, violence shattered the quiet, peaceful community.

Val D'Isere resident Glenroy Jones was alarmed to learn a fellow resident was raped by an attacker who had been hiding in her home.

"This is such a quiet neighborhood," Jones said. "I'd be very glad if they would start a neighborhood watch in here."

Police say the man bound the woman but untied her after he sexually assaulted her. She fought back and injured him before he ran off.

Five days later, a man broke into another woman's home across town, raping her and creating a tense 12-hour standoff with police. Police eventually shot and killed the man, 48-year-old Michael Chevalier.

Police say Chevalier committed both crimes. Police say his injury during the first crime helped connect him to the second attack.

"He was injured when the victim fought back, and we have DNA evidence, blood evidence," Duvall said. "There are actually some striking similarities between the two crimes."

Chevalier committed the first rape in a modern neighborhood near Durango Drive and Washington Avenue. The second crime happened more than 10 miles away near Charleston Boulevard and Mojave Road. He may be dead now, but police are still investigating his last whereabouts.

"We haven't discounted the likelihood that he was staying in his car, although we're not 100 percent on that," Lt. Duvall said.

Word quickly spread at Val D'Isere that the rapist who struck the community has been dead for a week.

"I'm relieved really, because it's just crazy knowing that that could have happened to someone in my neighborhood," resident Mariah Kelly said.

Police say their evidence is strong, and these sexual assault cases are officially closed. They say they are not investigating any sexual assault cases that bear similar characteristics. They have, however, released surveillance images in case other victims do exist.

"If there are other victims, I can tell you - based on the reports we are reading - we have not seen it of this magnitude or this brutality. So if they do exist, if anyone knows anything more about this individual or about the crimes he's committed, or whether or not they're victims of similar crimes, we need them to contact Metro," said Lt. Duvall.

Chevalier, meanwhile, had a criminal record. He was convicted of manslaughter in Michigan in 1983. ..Source.. by Aaron Drawhorn, Reporter

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Man killed in hostage standoff had assaulted another woman, police say

4-11-2011 Nevada:

A man killed by police this month after holding a woman hostage and sexually assaulting her had attacked another woman less than a week earlier, Las Vegas police said Monday.

Blood evidence linked Michael Dean Chevalier, 48, to both crimes, said Lt. Robert DuVall, head of the Sexual Assault Detail.

The first sexual assault occurred in the northwest valley in the early hours of March 30. Chevalier entered a townhouse near Durango Drive and Washington Avenue about 2:30 a.m. and tied up a woman inside, DuVall said.

When he untied the woman, she fought back and caused him to bleed in the home, he said.

Detectives used that blood to identify Chevalier as the attacker.

"Our evidence is so strong that we're closing that case," DuVall said.

Police were investigating the possibility that Chevalier entered the townhouse through an unlocked door, he said.

Police spokesman Marcus Martin said Chevalier might have been stalking his first victim.

"There's evidence he was watching her," he said.

Four days later, Chevalier held a woman hostage and sexually assaulted her in her apartment during a 12-hour standoff with police.

Chevalier randomly entered the woman's apartment at the Sedona Hills complex on Charleston Boulevard near Fremont Street the afternoon of April 3, police said.

Officers were negotiating with Chevalier to surrender when he fired several shots at a sedan entering a parking lot, which he might have thought was driven by an undercover officer, police said.

SWAT officers were called to the scene, and the standoff ended at 4:30 a.m. the next day.

When SWAT officers entered the woman's apartment, Chevalier fired at them. One officer responded with a single shot, killing him.

Police have not said how Chevalier entered the woman's apartment, but Rhonda Foster, a resident in the apartment complex, told the Review-Journal that Chevalier is thought to have entered through an unlocked front door.

Foster said she spoke to a maintenance man, who told her police broke through several walls in nearby apartments to enter the woman's apartment. The account was confirmed by Las Vegas police.

The second-story apartment where the standoff occurred had only one stairwell that led to its front door.

SWAT Sgt. Mike Quick, 43, and patrol officer Aaron Perez, 35, have been placed on paid administrative leave since the shooting. Perez was not involved in the SWAT raid that ended the standoff.

Chevalier was convicted of manslaughter in May 1983 in Genesee County, Mich., according to public records.

DuVall said that he couldn't elaborate on the sexual assault during the hostage situation because of the internal investigation into the officer-involved shooting but that the two cases have "striking similarities."

Not much is known about Chevalier and his time in Southern Nevada, he said. Police suspect he might have been living in his car.

DuVall said police are unsure whether Chevalier assaulted anybody else in Las Vegas, and he urged people to call police if they suspect Chevalier committed other crimes. ..Source.. by Antonio Planas