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EXCLUSIVE! - Preliminary Investigation Results of Lakewood PD Shooting
Preliminary Investigation Results of Lakewood PD Shooting Date: Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:43:58 -0800 (PST)
This is the latest information that I've seen on the murder a few weeks ago of the four Lakewood, WA police officers who were shot and killed in a coffee shop by a parolee. It's not real complete, but it's a very good synopsis of the sequence of events.
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Coffee shop was owned by a retired Tacoma pd officer. It was considered a "safe" hangout for cops waiting to go on duty, or to stop by for a break.
Lakewood Pd (officers that were killed) was a new department recently formed. Almost all of the deputies were hired from Peirce County Sheriff Department office. The deputies were hired from the jail. Most were sworn deputies, but had primarily worked the jail. Sounds like they had little time on road.
The four deputies were drinking coffee before shift and working on laptops with heads down. Table was approximately 15 feet from counter/check out register.
Shooter came in and smiles and acknowledges the two deputies facing the door way/entrance. They return greeting. Shooter goes up to counter like he is going to order. After stepping up to counter, he pulls semi-automatic pistol from under his coat. Shooter takes a couple of steps toward table, where the deputies are seated. Distance is now approximately 12 feet.
Shooter shoots first deputy, who is facing him across table. She is shot in head and is killed instantly. Shooter then shoots nearest deputy, that is seated away from him, in the back of the head. He is killed instantly.
Shooter then shoots across table at third deputy, who is facing him, and misses. Fourth shot is fired and strikes third deputy in face, killing him instantly.
Last deputy is a Sgt. He stands, while drawing weapon, and charges shooter. Table knocked over in attempt to stand. Sgt grabs shooter by coat and engages shooter. First round strikes shooter in mid-section and goes through and through. Second round is fired and strikes shooter in front pocket. Round hits keys, but penetrates about 1.5 inches into shooters thigh. Deputies carry 180 grain gold dot ammunition (unknown at this time what kind of pistol).
Shooter raises gun and shoots Sgt in face. Sgt falls to ground. Shooter kneels/bends over Sgt and does a CONTACT shot to the right eye. Shooter then shoots Sgt in the other eye, once again a CONTACT shot.
Shooter takes Sgt's wallet and steals credit cards and Sgt's duty weapon.
Shooter does not rob the store or hurt or threaten anyone else.
The shooting lasted approximately 3-5 seconds for the first three deputies. The Sgt's encounter lasted another 5-7 seconds.
Accomplice waiting outside and gets into car. They leave the area.
Accomplice is a former cell mate he did time with in Arkansas prison.
Federal agents track shooter by cellphone "pinging" to locate phone/area.
Five more additional accomplices help shooter with medical issues, food, money ect. Feds find driver and get the name of shooter. All accomplices are arrested and general area where shooter is headed is found out.
Tuesday approximately 3:00 a.m. shooter turns off phone and takes battery out, so that Feds can no longer track phone.
Short time later, Peirce county deputy checks 10-46 abandoned car. Car running with lights on and drivers door open.
As Deputy was walking back to squad he sees movement from behind squad.
Once he clears his headlights, which were blinding him, he sees shooter and recognizes him. Shooter is crouching behind squad now. Deputy orders him to ground and other commands. Shooter attempts to draw weapon and starts to run. Deputy fires five rounds. Three strike the shooter. Shooter falls to ground. Deputy covers shooter until back up arrives. Unknown how long this took. Once back up on scene, shooter is cuffed. He is dead at this point.
Deputies find slain Sgt's duty weapon on shooter. The round recovered from the shooters body is traced to the Sgt's weapon, confirming the Sgt shot the shooter.
Some lessons to learn from our fallen brothers.
1. Just because you are "off duty" or in a "safe" restaurant, keep your head up and your eyes and ears open.
2. Do not sit close to the register or other focal point (entrance doors, bathrooms, hallways ect). Try to sit where you can scan the area.
3. Leave devices that distract you, like laptops,ect in the car. Do your reports and other things that take your mind off your safety, at post or far away from the public.
4. Even at lunch or break, don't let your guard down. You should always be in condition yellow.
5. Keep your distance. Take those lateral steps or diagonal steps and move. It is a lot harder for the bad guy to shoot a moving target, let alone a lot of distance.
6. Each time you train, train as if your life depends on it. When the time comes, you will not arise to the occasion and be a hero, you will fall to your level of your training effort and perform at that level. While I do not think they could have done anything different after the contact, do your best at whatever training you attend. Lose the mentality of "It will never happen to me" and train as you wish to fight, fight like you train.
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