Another cautionary tale

[Bill Mattocks]

For those who arm themselves and choose to leave their homes to check on potential criminal activity:

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/aug/31/involved-officer-identified/

Until Hirzel, who lives in Hayden, explains what happened, investigators only know that he radioed he was on a prowl check at 11 p.m. Wednesday.
He parked his unmarked patrol car in the parking lot of Creach’s nursery and greenhouse complex, the Plant Farm at 14208 E. Fourth Ave.
Creach lived with his wife in a home next door, and family members said he had gone out to check on what he thought was a prowler in the parking lot.
Spokane police spokeswoman Jennifer DeRuwe described the fatal encounter this way: “Just after 11 p.m., there was a confrontation” between Hirzel and Creach. “Deputy Hirzel fired his duty weapon, striking Creach with a single gunshot … ultimately causing his death.”
Detectives found a gun next to Creach, who – according to an employee – has for years armed himself with a pistol before patrolling his property.

Creach was a local business owner and a pastor of a local church. Facts are still emerging, but it appears he had heard what he thought was a prowler outside his business, armed himself, and went outside at night to check on it. A sheriff's deputy was doing a prowler check at the same time in the same place. The deputy shot the pastor fatally.

No one currently knows exactly what transpired, but this has the earmarks of a case of mistaken identity - perhaps on both sides.

However, the lesson is clear; when one checks OUTSIDE in the dark while armed, one runs certain risks. Not to say one should not do it, but beware and be careful. To the police, you're a person creeping around in the dark with a gun; they don't automatically know you're not the bad guy. You may not be able to identify the police if you're on heightened alert, it's dark, and a human-sized shape is moving towards you. Just think about the possibilities before you go charging outside with a gun, is all.

 

[MJS]

Interesting article Bill. Thanks for posting.

I would be interested in hearing more details as they come out. I have to wonder if anyone identified themselves, or if they even had time, before any shots were fired.

 

[Archangel M]

Sad coincidence, but I don't know that telling a cop to "wait a second" when faced with an armed person is the correct thing either. Although I suppose it all depends on how the confrointation went down. Turning a corner to be faced with an armed man is different from seeing him from a distance where you could take some cover and issue a command.

 

[MJS]

Sad coincidence, but I don't know that telling a cop to "wait a second" when faced with an armed person is the correct thing either. Although I suppose it all depends on how the confrointation went down. Turning a corner to be faced with an armed man is different from seeing him from a distance where you could take some cover and issue a command.

Fortunately, the closest I've come to a 'live fire' situation, was the FATS machine that I had the chance to use, a few years ago. Obviously, while I tried to have the right mindset for this, I wasn't in fear of dying, in the event I made a mistake and got 'shot.' So, this brings me to my question: What is the procedure when faced with a situation like this? Of course, things will be on a case by case basis, so I do take that into consideration, but is it normal for the officer to just fire, ID himself as a LEO, directing the person to stop, show their hands, etc.?

 

[Archangel M]

There really is no catch all "procedure" in these situations because there are so many ways they can "go down". If I was suddenly confronted with an armed man, shouting "stop police!" may as well be "here I am shoot me before I can shoot you!". I don't know that I would want to take the risk of waiting to see what the guy with the guns intentions were. While that would have been good in THIS case, its way too dangerous to do in the other 99%. Of course we train to yell "stop police!" as we are firing anyway.

If it was from some sort of distance I would try to find cover and issue a challenge.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Moral of the story:

www.surefire.com