Page:Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2002.djvu/55

 Deputy Sheriff Sergeant, with 13 years of police experience, attempted to negotiate with him while the accompanying officer, with a little more than a year on the job, and the subject's parents observed the conversation. After the man's parents left the immediate scene, he became uncooperative. He apparently pulled a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol from behind the closet door by which he was partially concealed, and shot the sergeant in the throat and fatally in the chest. As the suspect fired his second shot, the 30-year-old Deputy Sheriff First Class, who was wearing a protective vest, stepped back and drew her weapon. Before the deputy could fire, the 23-year-old suspect shot six rounds at her, one of which mortally wounded her in the side of the head. The alleged shooter then stood over the sergeant and shot him 4 more times. The suspect and his 19-year-old male associate then fled the scene, and the suspect's father called 911. The suspect, who was on probation at the time of the shooting, was arrested on August 31 and charged with Murder First Degree. His associate was arrested the same day and charged with Murder First Degree, Accessory After Fact.

An off-duty detective with the Baltimore Police Department was fatally wounded in an ambush just before 2 a.m. on November 23. The 37-year-old detective along with four acquaintances had just left an establishment where he was working security. As the veteran detective with 12 years of law enforcement experience approached his car, two men walked across the parking lot, produced handguns, and shot multiple rounds at the detective from less than 5 feet away. The detective, who was attempting to draw his weapon, was hit in the arms and hands, back, stomach, and fatally in the chest, and fell to the ground with his gun next to him. One of the detective's acquaintances, who also worked at the establishment, picked up the gun and chased the two men on foot. The detective's acquaintances got into a car, called 911, and then proceeded to chase the suspects' vehicle. After a short car chase, the suspects stopped the vehicle, exited, and fled on foot. The detective's acquaintances also stopped, exited their vehicle, and exchanged gunfire with the suspects as they chased them on foot. When police officers arrived at the scene of the footchase, they canvassed the area. A woman told the officers she saw someone go into a nearby building. The investigating officers heard a noise coming from inside the building and ordered the person to come out. The man complied, and officers took the 21-year-old male into custody. The officers located a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun in the building. A responding officer found the victim detective's body and called a medical unit. The victim detective was transported to a local hospital and died less than an hour after the incident. Later that morning the two suspects, a 34-year-old male and a 22-year-old male, were arrested at the home of one of their friends. In interviews with investigators, the suspects revealed that they conspired to kill the detective because they believed the detective was responsible for arresting one of the men's brothers. Through further investigation, authorities determined that the 9 mm pistol used in the murder of the detective was among items that had been stolen during a burglary of the home of a police officer earlier that month. A revolver was also recovered during the investigation, but laboratory technicians were unable to verify that it was used in this incident. The 21-year-old and 22-year-old suspects, both with prior drug possession arrests, were each charged with First-Degree Murder, Handgun on Person, Handgun Violation-Use/Felonious-Violent Crime, Conspiracy to Commit Murder-First Degree, and Illegal Possession of a Firearm. The 34-year-old, who is a known drug dealer on probation, was charged with First-Degree Murder and Handgun Violations.

 MASSACHUSETTS 

A 34-year-old patrol officer with the Westminster Police Department died on November 30 as a result of line-of-duty injuries sustained on May 10, 1999. Around 12:15 a.m. on the night of the incident, an officer on patrol duty stopped a car on the highway and, at the same time, observed a male walking along side of the road. Just then, an assisting patrol officer, who had nearly 12 years' law enforcement experience, arrived at the scene; the two officers identified the pedestrian and attempted to investigate this suspicious person. However, the man ran into the woods, so the officers ran after him. From a distance of 11-20 feet, the suspect allegedly fired at the assisting officer six times with a .357-caliber revolver, striking him in the face, the hand, and the leg. The victim officer returned fire and hit the suspect once. Responding emergency personnel administered medical aid to the victim officer and transported him to a medical center in Worcester where he was treated for his wounds. The 26-year-old suspect, who was on probation and had a previous criminal history, was taken into custody and charged with Assault with Intent to Murder, Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, and Larceny of a Firearm. As a result of the injuries he sustained to his head, the victim officer remained unconscious for 3 ½ years until his death on November 30, 2002.

Following the officer's death, a grand jury charged his assailant with Murder.

 MICHIGAN 

Just after 9:30 p.m. on February 12, an officer with the Detroit Police Department was fatally stabbed after initiating a traffic stop. The 35-year-old police officer with 6 years of law enforcement experience parked his patrol car behind the suspect's vehicle after the suspect had turned into the driveway of a local residence. The officer exited his patrol car and approached the driver. As he was attempting to question the driver, the driver fled on foot with the officer in pursuit. When the officer caught up with the man, a struggle ensued. The man allegedly stabbed the veteran officer, who was wearing body armor, in the back, arms/hands, and fatally in the neck. During the altercation the victim officer fired a shot inflicting a wound to the suspect's stomach. The suspect fled in the officer's patrol car and drove to a nearby hospital where he was treated and taken into police custody. Responding officers found the victim officer on the porch where the altercation occurred; he was taken to a local hospital where he died in the emergency room. The 22-year-old male was charged with First-Degree Murder and Murder First Degree Felony. Rh