Page:Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2002.djvu/59

 old suspect, who had a previous arrest for DUI and was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident, recovered from his wounds and was charged with First-Degree Murder, one count of Criminal Homicide, two counts of Criminal Attempt/Criminal Homicide, six counts of Aggravated Assault, eight counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and one count of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police Officers.

PUERTO RICO 

A 28-year-old agent with the Police of Puerto Rico, Toa Baja, was shot outside her apartment in Guaynabo at 3:30 a.m. on January 9 in a suspected ambush. Apparently, the agent, who had 7 years of law enforcement experience, encountered a man near her vehicle as she was leaving her residence to go to work. The agent and the man began talking, but the conversation turned into an argument. He then allegedly drew a 9 mm handgun and shot the agent six times in the chest. The victim officer was taken to a local hospital where she died at 4 p.m. on January 21. The unidentified male remains at large at time of publication.

Shortly before 1 1:30 p.m. on January 11, an agent with the Police of Puerto Rico in Puerto Nuevo was killed during a robbery. The 37-year-old agent, who had 16 years of experience in law enforcement, was off duty and at a bar in Puerto Nuevo when two men entered and said they were robbing the establishment. One of the men approached the agent and demanded money. In an attempt to subdue the individual, the agent was shot twice at close range with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun during an ensuing struggle. The victim agent was shot in the front of the head and in the rear upper right side of his back. The suspects then fled the bar with about $200 and the victim agent's service weapon, a 9 mm semiautomatic hand- gun. Both men remain at large at time of publication.

A 36-year-old police officer with the Police of Puerto Rico was ambushed at 9 a.m. January 15 in Guayama while at the courthouse securing indictments related to a car theft ring apparently involving a Guayama police officer. The officer, with more than 13 years of law enforcement experience, had gone to the Guayama courthouse to discuss the case at the State Attorney General's office. After the meeting, the officer was standing in front of that office and talking to a victim of the car theft ring when the officer suspected of involvement in the theft ring approached them. The officer suspected of involvement in the ring told the other officer that a mechanic assisting in the case was approaching from the opposite direction. When the officer turned to look for the mechanic, the suspect officer allegedly drew a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun from his fanny pack and fired one shot, hitting the victim officer in the back of the head and killing him instantly. A court deputy and a Puerto Rico police officer who were on the scene drew their weapons and told the 39-year-old suspect to drop his gun. The suspect instead fired another round at the pair, wounding the deputy. Both law enforcement officers returned fire, critically injuring the suspect. He was taken to a hospital and died there 10 days later.

On April 24, at 7:50 p.m., an officer with the Department of Veterans Affairs in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was shot to death in an ambush while he attended his post at the back gate of the Veteran's Hospital in Rio Piedras. A video from the hospital's security system showed that the 53-year-old officer, who had 23 years of law enforcement experience, was approached by two individuals while he was performing his duties in the guard station. When the officer noticed the individuals, they were already very close to the guard house. A struggle ensued, and one of the assailants shot the victim officer with a .38-caliber handgun at point blank range. One bullet struck the officer in his chest and a second shot wounded him fatally in the side of his head. Investigating officers believe that the suspects were attempting to steal the victim officer's service revolver, but they were unsuccessful. The unidentified assailants, who remain at large at time of publication, were also seen fleeing from the scene after the murder of the officer. A 29-year-old agent with the Police of Puerto Rico, San Juan, was fatally shot during an undercover drug operation in Rio Piedras at 4:30 a.m. on September 26. Shortly after arriving in civilian clothes at a housing project and exiting their unmarked vehicles, the veteran agent with 7 years' law enforcement experience and a dozen other agents overheard shouts throughout the housing project warning of the presence of law enforcement. Moments later, a series of shots rang out from the upper levels of two high-rise buildings, striking the parking lot below. Police agents took cover behind their vehicles and requested assistance. For approximately 7 minutes, snipers fired about 50 rounds from high-powered rifles. At some point in the attack, one round struck the victim agent in the back of the head, killing him instantly. Remaining agents and responding tactical units raided the upper floors of the buildings and recovered three rifles, a pistol, and large quantities of heroin and cocaine. Although seven individuals were detained immediately following the incident, all were subsequently released. The investigation is ongoing.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Two officers with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office were shot and killed on January 8 in an apparent ambush in Burton. At 4:30 p.m., the 35-year-old corporal, with nearly 12 years' law enforcement experience, and 43-year-old lance corporal, with nearly 11 years' law enforcement experience, were responding to a domestic disturbance call and radioed dispatch that they were ready to enter the mobile home for which the disturbance call was reported. Moments later, several neighbors called the dispatcher and reported shots fired. Investigators determined that the gunman, who was hiding in the closet, jumped out and fired 20 shots from his 7.62×39 mm semiautomatic rifle in a half-circle around the room, ambush-style. Responding officers found the corporal, who was wearing body armor, near the bedroom door with massive head injuries, as well as shots to his upper back, arms, and hands. The lance corporal, who was also wearing protective body armor, had been shot in the upper torso, the rear below his waist, arms, hands, and fatally to the front of his head. Rh