HPD LEO,disarmed of Taser,kills aggressive suspect.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

http://www.click2houston.com/news/20258827/detail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To sum up the above link: A Houston PD officer, working security at his own
apt complex, attempted to defuse an argument between a man and woman.

The man was also a resident of the apt complex, a tow truck driver, and a former
LEO himself.

He took the officer's Taser and threatened him. The officer drew his "service revolver"
and allegedly shot the man 7 times according to one source, unknown as to accuracy.

It seems the reporter was incorrect in describing the officer's firearm.

Read the "comments" section after the story. There are some truly ignorant people
there who believe that just since a Taser is "non-lethal" that the officer was wrong to
shoot the man.

SIA

[Rex B]

As a former LEO, the deceased should have known he left the cop no choice but to shoot him.
Fatal mistake.

[A-R]

http://www.click2houston.com/news/20258827/detail.html

The officer drew his "service revolver"and allegedly shot the man 7 times according to one source, unknown as to accuracy.

It seems the reporter was incorrect in describing the officer's firearm.

That was the firs thing I thought of ... "service revolver" ?!?!? ..... officer has only been with HPD for 7 years according to article. I could understand if he was a 20-25 year veteran who was still using the same type of firearm he used when he started. But not a 7-year vet. Does HPD even allow newer officers to carry a "service revolver" anymore? This sounds like a gun neophyte reporter who just parrotted the phrase he read in old "police beat" stories he read in J-school 101 and a sloppy copy desk that didn't catch the mistake.

Read the "comments" section after the story. There are some truly ignorant people
there who believe that just since a Taser is "non-lethal" that the officer was wrong to
shoot the man.

SIA

As for the Taser part of the equation, will be interesting to see what the anti-Taser crowd says about this. They want all police to stop using Taser because they claim they are inherently lethal even though they're treated as non-lethal (as if a Taser-less cop with only a firearm on his side would be "less lethal" than a cop with choice between Taser & gun). So now the fact that a cop reacted to the threat of a Taser with lethal force from a firearm will just add to their hysteria. Nevermind that the cop was completely justified in using deadly force because of the obvious sequence of events that he was trying to avoid ... a) bad guy shoots cop with Taser b) cop falls to ground c) bad guy now gets cop's firearm in addition to Taser d) bad guy shoots cop and woman.

[seamusTX]

I was curious enough about this to call the police spokesman, Victor Sientes. He said the police officer in this case used a pistol, and the reporter mistakenly wrote revolver in the story.

BTW, the fact that the officer has been with HPD for seven years does not mean he hasn't been a LEO for longer, but very few LEOs still carry revolvers. I can't remember the last time I saw one.

As a general observation, anyone who attacks a LEO with anything except bare hands is going to get shot, and sometimes even with bare hands. The police have exactly the same justification for use of deadly force as the rest of us. In addition, they can use deadly force "when and to the degree the peace officer reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary" to arrest or prevent escape from custody (PC 9.51(c)).

- Jim

[Excaliber]

http://www.click2houston.com/news/20258827/detail.html

To sum up the above link: A Houston PD officer, working security at his own
apt complex, attempted to defuse an argument between a man and woman.

The man was also a resident of the apt complex, a tow truck driver, and a former
LEO himself.

He took the officer's Taser and threatened him. The officer drew his "service revolver"
and allegedly shot the man 7 times according to one source, unknown as to accuracy.

It seems the reporter was incorrect in describing the officer's firearm.

Read the "comments" section after the story. There are some truly ignorant people
there who believe that just since a Taser is "non-lethal" that the officer was wrong to
shoot the man.

SIA

The facts as reported bring up the question of whether this was the result of out of control anger or suicide by cop on the part of the suspect. The second option is a pretty fair possibility, especially in view of the suspect's prior LEO employment, which would have given him a clear understanding of the position he placed the officer in (if he was in a thinking frame of mind).

Regardless of the underlying cause, once the suspect had secured the taser and threatened the officer with it, the officer had no other reasonable option to protect his own life than the one he used.

[jbirds1210]

I I can't remember the last time I saw one.
- Jim

I agree that it is a pretty rare sight these days. FWIW, Texas City has four guys that I know of carrying a 686....one of them is the firearms instructor.

I have seen him shoot it and would not want to be anywhere near the business end of it. The guy is talented.

Jason

[seamusTX]

Nobody want to be on the receiving end of any firearm, but a round of .357 Magnum really makes you slow down and sort out your priorities.



That weapon also broadcasts a lot of visual intimidation.

- Jim

[ELB]

Nobody want to be on the receiving end of any firearm, but a round of .357 Magnum really makes you slow down and sort out your priorities.

[snip]

That weapon also broadcasts a lot of visual intimidation.

- Jim

I once compared my Model 19 .357 mag with my FN Hi Power in 357 Sig, both with Hornady TAP ammo of nearly same weight (124/125 gr), by firing them into wet newspack. I also fired .40 and 9mm from the Hi Power. My dog was watching from the front porch about 30 yards away. He was not happy about the shooting, but he stayed and watched through several rounds of 9mm, .40, and 357 Sig. After I cranked off one round of .357 Mag he got up off the porch, went down the stairs, and around to the other side of the house. I had to go fetch him after I was done. I don't know what makes the .357 mag in 125 gr loadings so loud, whether it is the cylinder gap or what, but it does sound like a lightning bolt hitting nearby.

elb

[dicion]

This one is my favorite comment:

I knew the suspect personally and think it was wrong of the officer to shoot him as many times as he did when all he had to do was shoot him in the arm or leg to get him down and where he wasnt what the officer claims as a "THREAT".

Sure.. In the adrenaline rush you get when someone points a weapon at you that could cause you to possibly DIE (a taser can be lethal, and even if it was not a lethal shot, the suspect would have certainly been able to get the officer's handgun while he was incapacitated. That makes is lethal force IMO), I'm sure everyone could easily shoot someone in the arm or the leg instead....

I don't even think our resident IDPA experts could pull that one off.... and they shoot MUCH MUCH MUCH more frequently then your average LEO.

Some people need to get a clue.

IIRC, the average lethal force encounter is inside 15 feet, and the average miss rate is >60%, at that range.... and that's aiming for Center Torso.

[seamusTX]

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who hold their friends and relatives responsible for their actions, and those who don't.

- Jim

[casingpoint]

As even Harvard University Professor Gates can now unequivocally tell you, don't argue with a cop.

[LarryH]

As I was leaving for work this morning, the TV news said that the suspect's fiancee (?) had a very different story about the events. Didn't stick around to hear what it was.