Selected Summaries of Officers Assaulted and Injured with Firearms or Knives/Other Cutting Instruments
Note: In 2014, the Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted Program received reports of 88 officers who were injured as a result of assaults with firearms or knives/other cutting instruments. The following are summaries of selected incidents in which officers survived injuries from such assaults.
CA | CO | MI | MN | NJ | NY | OH | TX | UT | WA
California
A police officer with the San Bernardino Police Department survived a gunshot wound he received while investigating a suspicious person and circumstance shortly after 2 a.m. on August 22. The 31-year-old veteran officer, with 6 years of law enforcement experience, was in his patrol vehicle with a trainee officer when they observed five people near a car in a residential area at the end of a dead-end street. As the officers approached the group, one individual began to move away. The veteran officer told the trainee officer to make contact with the group of four individuals while he tried to contact the individual who was moving away from the area. Shortly after, the trainee officer heard a gunshot. When he looked in the direction of the officer, the trainee officer saw the veteran officer on the ground. The officer, who was wearing body armor, had been struck from close range with a round to the side of the head from a .38-caliber revolver. The individual then began to fire at the trainee officer, who retreated behind a car. The trainee officer returned fire, and a round struck the assembly of the suspect’s 7.62x39 mm semiautomatic rifle, rendering it incapable of firing. The suspect then used the .38-caliber revolver to continue firing at the trainee officer. In a gun battle that lasted approximately 1 minute, the trainee officer’s rounds struck the 38-year-old suspect several times; the suspect later died from his injuries at a hospital. The trainee officer was not injured during the exchange of gunfire. The suspect, who was on probation, was under the influence of narcotics and alcohol at the time of the incident. His criminal history includes murder and weapons violations. The suspect was a documented gang member who was known to have made statements about wanting to kill a law enforcement officer. At the time this incident was reported to the FBI, the injured veteran officer had not returned to duty.
Colorado
Two police agents with the Lakewood Police Department (Lakewood PD) survived injuries sustained on July 5 during a premeditated ambush. Around 9:40 p.m., Lakewood PD dispatch received two 911 calls from a female who reported she was in the process of separating from her husband, who was making suicidal comments. The caller stated her husband possessed several firearms, and he told her if she called the police, there would “be a battle.” She also reported that her husband sent a text message to her son threatening to kill him. Shortly before 10 p.m., a male caller contacted 911, identified himself by first name, and provided the same address as the female caller. The caller advised there was a “guy out front with a gun ready to kill a bunch of people.” When dispatch asked the man for his exact location, he said, “I’m the guy with the gun.” The caller told dispatchers that he had three guns, and he was outside his home in the back of his pickup truck. Police agents were dispatched to the scene; the first to arrive approached the residence from the west. The 32-year-old veteran agent, who had more than 8 years of law enforcement experience, turned off his patrol vehicle’s headlights and prepared to stop approximately four houses west of the man’s residence. However, before his vehicle came to a stop, the suspect fired his 7.62x39 mm semiautomatic rifle and struck the agent, who was wearing body armor, in the front upper torso/chest and the arms/hands. The agent exited his patrol vehicle while it was still moving. The vehicle continued traveling east, unmanned, until it struck a truck in the suspect’s driveway and came to rest in the suspect’s front lawn. The agent radioed for assistance and applied a tourniquet to his wounded arm. Other agents arrived and assisted in moving the injured agent to a safer location west of the scene. From there, he was transported to a local hospital. Shortly after the first agent was shot, a second agent parked her patrol vehicle east of the suspect’s residence and attempted to approach on foot. The suspect fired another round from the same weapon and struck the 28-year-old agent, who was wearing body armor, in the front below the waist (leg). The agent, who had more than 1 year of law enforcement experience, collapsed onto the sidewalk. Other agents arrived and assisted her to a safer location. She was also transported to a local hospital. After shooting the agents, the suspect exited his truck and walked out into the street. He called 911 again, apologized to dispatch, and said, “I hit that cop, and now it’s too far.” The suspect explained to dispatch that he was walking in the middle of the road, and he “has to die now.” Dispatch advised the suspect to speak to the agents. The suspect responded, “I just shot one. They’re going to have to kill me.” The suspect ended the call by providing his exact location, informing dispatch that he was far away from the scene, and instructing the dispatcher to get help for the wounded agents. Another agent heard about the incident on the radio and responded to the scene. He parked his patrol vehicle nearby and took cover behind a fire truck. When the fire truck moved, the agent saw the suspect walking in the middle of the street and carrying a .44-caliber revolver. The agent ordered the suspect to drop his weapon multiple times, but the suspect did not comply. Instead, the suspect raised his revolver and pointed it at the agent. The agent fired several rounds with his service weapon, striking the suspect once in the chest. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital. The 54-year-old suspect, who had a prior criminal record with a conviction, was charged with two counts each of Attempted First-Degree Murder and First-Degree Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer as well as Felony Menacing. In an interview the next day, the suspect explained that he wanted to die but was concerned his wife would not receive the life insurance payout if his death were ruled a suicide. For that reason, he wanted to provoke the police into shooting him. The wounded veteran agent has since recovered from his injuries and returned to his duties. At the time this incident was reported to the FBI, the other wounded agent had not returned to duty.
Michigan
About 1:20 p.m. on August 28, a 46-year-old patrol officer with the Sebewaing Police Department was assaulted with his service weapon while handling and transporting a prisoner in Hampton Township. The veteran officer, who had more than 21 years of law enforcement experience, went to a residence to pick up a youth who was the subject of a juvenile detainer. The officer planned to transport him to a juvenile detention center in another county. At the residence, the officer handcuffed (double locked) the juvenile’s hands in the front and placed him in the backseat of the vehicle. When they arrived at the detention center, the officer exited the vehicle and opened the rear door. The juvenile, who was able to slip one of his hands out of the handcuffs, attacked the officer and attempted to grab the officer’s service weapon, a .40-caliber semiautomatic revolver. The officer, who was wearing body armor, attempted to maintain control of his weapon; as they struggled, the handgun discharged. The officer was hit in the arms/hands. The juvenile gained control of the weapon, and the officer took cover behind parked vehicles at the detention center. The juvenile ran a short distance across the parking lot, then stopped and shot himself in the head. Both the officer and the juvenile were taken to a local hospital where the juvenile died a short time later. The veteran officer was treated for his gunshot wound and released. The 16-year-old offender was a known drug user and was on probation at the time of the incident. He had a prior criminal record that included a violent crime and a prior conviction. At the time this incident was reported to the FBI, the officer had not returned to duty.
Minnesota
At 9:56 p.m. on February 24, a 34-year-old deputy sheriff with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office was injured by gunfire while investigating suspicious persons or circumstances in Alexandria. The veteran deputy, who had 11 years of law enforcement experience, responded to a call from a homeowner who reported a vehicle had been parked in their driveway for an unusually long period of time. The officer arrived at the residence and pulled his squad car into the driveway behind the suspicious vehicle. The temperature was below zero, and the driveway was icy and lined with 1 to 2 feet of snow. The deputy observed the vehicle had a dealer license plate and relayed this information to dispatchers. After exiting his squad car, the deputy, who was wearing body armor, approached the suspicious vehicle and spoke with two occupants, a male in the driver’s seat and a female in the passenger’s seat. Both occupants claimed to have no identification with them, but they provided the deputy with their full names and dates of birth. The deputy went back to his squad car and searched the names via his computer; he located the female’s driver’s license information but not the male’s. As he returned to the vehicle, the deputy noticed the driver’s side window was rolled almost completely down, and the man had repositioned himself with his upper torso twisted and parallel to the driver’s side door. The deputy thought the change in position was unusual; however, he reasoned that the driver may be attempting to stay warm. As the deputy talked to the occupants while at the driver’s window, he saw a flash and realized he had been shot. The male driver had fired a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun and struck the victim deputy in his front upper torso/chest. The deputy immediately retreated to his squad car while returning fire. The suspect started moving his vehicle down the driveway toward the complainant’s residence but veered to the side and got stuck in the snow. After reaching his squad car, the deputy backed the vehicle to the end of the driveway and over the road, where he also got hung up in the snow. The deputy continued to see flashes coming from the suspect’s vehicle and heard what he believed to be rounds striking the trees behind him. At this time, the victim deputy retrieved his rifle but did not fire because he did not have a clear target. He also radioed dispatchers and advised he had been shot and requested backup. Shortly thereafter, deputies and officers from the surrounding area arrived, but they could not immediately locate the suspect or his female passenger. It was later verified that after the suspect’s vehicle got stuck in the snow, the suspect fired more rounds at the deputy before he and the woman left their vehicle and tried to enter the complainant’s residence. However, when the homeowners brandished their own firearms, the subjects ran away. Hours later, responders in a helicopter and SWAT teams found the suspects several hundred yards from the residence, both dead from gunshot wounds. Further investigation revealed the man had first killed the woman, who was later found to be his girlfriend, then turned the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide. None of the rounds fired by the victim officer had hit the subjects. Toxicology reports on the man and woman revealed that they were both under the influence of narcotics at the time of the incident. The 24-year-old male suspect had a prior criminal record, including drug violations, and he had been convicted previously. It was later learned the two subjects had been involved in numerous other crimes in the previous 48 hours, including the burglary of a veterinary hospital where controlled substances were stolen. The wounded deputy recovered from his injuries and has returned to duty.
*****
A 47-year-old deputy sheriff with the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (Hennepin County SO) was assaulted while handling a person with a mental illness in Medina at 12:38 p.m. on December 4. Officers with the Medina Police Department (Medina PD) arrived at a residence in response to a man who reported his son was suicidal. The man told officers his son had a knife, was wearing body armor and a helmet, and had talked about “suicide by cop.” The Medina PD officers heard movement in nearby woods and searched the area, assisted by a K-9 unit from the Plymouth Police Department and the deputy from the Hennepin County SO. Officers found the subject standing in thick brush and holding a machete upward towards them. The officers instructed the man to drop the machete, but he refused. The veteran Hennepin County SO deputy, who had more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, was approximately 10 feet away from the man and saw he was wearing body armor, just as the man’s father had warned. The deputy deployed an electronic control device, striking the subject in the back of his legs. Shouting an obscenity, the man charged at the deputy and swung the machete. Using a baton, the deputy, who was wearing body armor, attempted to block the attack but was wounded in his arms/hands. The man continued to swing the machete at the deputy until another officer shot him. He was taken into custody and then to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries. The 23-year-old man, who had a prior criminal record that included police assault and drug violations, had been convicted previously. He was charged with Second-Degree Attempted Murder and First-Degree Assault. The victim deputy has recovered from his injury and has returned to duty.
*****
A deputy sheriff with the Norman County Sheriff’s Office has returned to work after being assaulted around 8:30 a.m. on April 15 while investigating a suspicious person in Ada. The 26-year-old deputy, who had 3½ years of law enforcement experience, was dispatched to check a suspicious vehicle parked along a local highway. After identifying the driver and a passenger in the vehicle, the deputy was informed that the passenger had an active warrant in a neighboring county for Failure to Appear. The deputy took the passenger, who was the brother of the driver, into custody and notified the driver where his brother was being taken and the amount for his bail. The deputy then told the driver he was free to go. The deputy, who was wearing body armor, walked back to his patrol unit to clear the scene. When he reached for the door handle, he was struck in his rear upper torso/back with a round from a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun, knocking him to the ground. As the deputy stood up, the driver of the vehicle fired at him again, and a round struck his portable radio on his front upper torso/chest. The deputy took cover behind his patrol unit as the 19-year-old suspect continued firing. The deputy returned fire, striking the rear window of the suspect’s vehicle. The deputy fired several rounds, emptying his weapon. As he reloaded, the suspect drove off. The deputy was then able to get into his vehicle and radio for assistance. The injured deputy remained on the scene until other officers arrived. The suspect was located approximately 2 hours later at a vacant farm a few miles away. He was arrested without incident and charged with First-Degree Attempted Murder, two counts of Receiving Stolen Property, and Bringing Stolen Goods into the State.
New Jersey
On November 18, two veteran patrol officers with the Ridgewood Police Department (Ridgewood PD) sustained injuries while handling a person with a mental illness. Shortly after 2 p.m., the two officers, a 42-year-old with nearly 15 years of law enforcement experience and a 33-year-old with nearly 9 years of experience, responded to a disturbance call from a residential mental health center. When officers arrived on scene along with a Ridgewood PD sergeant, a case worker explained a resident was agitated and had insinuated that he might burn down the center. The case worker explained to the officers he had called an operator at the local psychiatric emergency screening program and requested a screener to evaluate the resident. However, the operator advised the case worker that screeners were not available at that time and suggested he call the police instead. The officers located the resident in his bedroom on the second floor and explained the reason they were called. When the resident became agitated once again, the officers suggested that they escort him to the hospital for an evaluation. While the two officers continued to speak to the resident, the sergeant again contacted the emergency screening program. An operator confirmed that no one was available to come to the center to provide a screening. The operator also told the sergeant that following a previous violent crime, a superior court placed the resident on Krol Status (i.e., the superior court was monitoring his mental health treatment). The operator then recommended to the sergeant that the resident be transported to the hospital for an evaluation. Meanwhile, the resident was making threats and arguing with the two officers. The sergeant informed the operator that the resident’s condition was worsening and that he would transport him to the hospital as recommended. The sergeant then requested backup and an ambulance. The sergeant explained to the resident he was to be taken to a local hospital for evaluation. Initially, the resident refused and stated that he would fight the officers. The two officers continued to talk to the resident and eventually convinced him to comply. At that time, another officer and a member of Ridgewood Emergency Services arrived; they all escorted the resident to the first floor. Before exiting the center, the sergeant told the resident that he needed to search him for hidden weapons. Once again, the resident became very agitated and refused to be transported. The sergeant advised the resident that a weapon search was standard procedure and requested his cooperation. The resident refused to comply, clenching his fist and taking a combative stance. The 42-year-old officer moved in and attempted to grab the resident, who reached into his left pocket and pulled out a folding metal knife with the blade open. When the resident raised the knife into the air, the 33-year-old officer, who was wearing body armor, joined the scuffle. Both officers grabbed the resident’s arm as they wrestled to control him. The resident swung the knife at the 33-year-old officer’s head, slicing the officer’s hat. During the struggle, the 33-year-old officer received a puncture wound on his arms/hands, and the 42-year-old officer received a laceration on his arms/hands. The officers pulled the 55-year-old resident to the ground, disarmed him, and placed him in handcuffs. The resident remained combative as he was immobilized and placed on a stretcher. He was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital for an evaluation. The resident had a prior criminal record including police assault, a violent crime, weapons violations, and drug violations, and he had been convicted previously. The resident was charged with Aggravated Assault. Both officers were taken to a local hospital where they were treated and released. They have recovered from their injuries and have returned to their duties.
New York
On May 24, just after 5:30 a.m., a police officer with the Poughkeepsie Police Department (Poughkeepsie PD) was assaulted and injured while answering a disturbance call. The 36-year-old veteran officer had more than 7 years of police experience and was wearing body armor at the time of the incident. She was flagged down by a passing motorist who reported that a man was screaming at cars and blocking traffic several blocks away. At the same time, another Poughkeepsie PD officer was dispatched to the area for the same disturbance. He arrived first, and the man immediately confronted the officer while he was still in his vehicle. The officer pulled his patrol vehicle away from the man to create some distance. At that time, the officer who had been flagged down arrived and opened the door to exit her patrol vehicle, but the man ran at her before she could get out. He began slashing her with a box cutter, wounding her on the front of her head, her neck/throat, and on her arms/hands. The victim officer unsuccessfully attempted to fire her electronic control device. The other officer on the scene witnessed the situation and drew his duty weapon. The offender persisted, who was now on top of the victim officer in her patrol vehicle. The officer fired his weapon. The offender then pulled the victim officer out of her vehicle, and both fell to the ground where he continued his assault. The victim officer’s patrol vehicle was still in gear and rolled past her as she struggled with the offender on the ground. The other officer continued firing at the suspect until his service weapon was empty. The offender was wounded, and the victim officer, though injured, freed herself from under him. She got to her feet and managed to stop her rolling patrol vehicle. After securing it, the victim officer exited the vehicle and collapsed on the curb. Bystanders provided assistance. The suspect, who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time, rolled onto his back and continued the slashing motion with the box cutter. The officer returned his weapon to his holster and handcuffed the suspect. The entire incident was recorded by multiple cameras in the area. The 27-year-old assailant, who later died of the gunshot wounds, had no prior criminal record.
Ohio
A 44-year-old police officer with the Hamilton Police Department survived an ambush that occurred shortly after 7 a.m. on February 15. The veteran officer, who had 16 years of law enforcement experience, responded to 911 calls reporting shots fired. As the officer drove his marked police vehicle to the area of the report, he noticed a subject standing in the street with a rifle. The officer, who was wearing body armor, stopped his vehicle approximately three to four car lengths from the subject and radioed dispatch to convey what he saw. The subject walked toward the sidewalk, between parked cars. The officer exited his vehicle, drew his weapon, and took cover behind a car. He then ordered the subject to drop his weapon. The subject opened fire on the officer with a 7.62x39 mm semiautomatic rifle. One round went through the windshield and the back window of the car, striking the officer in the front of his head and grazing his scalp. The subject started to yell, but the officer could not understand what the subject was saying. (Witnesses later reported that the subject was yelling for the officer to shoot and kill him.) While the officer was bleeding from his wound, he stood up from behind the car and fired two shots, both striking the subject in the upper torso. The victim officer radioed dispatch to request help for his head wound and to advise that the suspect was down. The officer remained behind the cover of a car with his weapon drawn. Another officer arrived and located the injured officer who pointed in the direction where the suspect was located about 25 yards away. The assisting officer saw the man lying on his back on the sidewalk. The rifle was on the ground beside the subject, and a pistol was in his waistband. The officer ordered the suspect to roll over on his stomach, but he did not respond. Medical personnel arrived on scene and assisted the officer and the suspect. The victim officer was airlifted to an area hospital where he was treated for his injuries. The 18-year-old suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, justifiably killed by the injured officer. Officers processing the crime scene found the suspect had a total of 225 rounds of ammunition on his person. Further investigation located three suicide notes at the suspect’s residence and multiple computer searches related to mass shootings, suicide, and weapons. Toxicology reports confirmed that the suspect, who had a prior criminal record and convictions, was under the influence of narcotics at the time of the incident. The officer who was shot has since recovered from his wound and has returned to duty.
Texas
A 30-year-old patrol officer with the El Paso Police Department survived injuries he sustained in an ambush with a firearm just before 9 p.m. on October 20. As the officer walked back to his patrol unit after completing a traffic stop, another vehicle pulled up beside the officer and paused. The driver of the vehicle fired four rounds from a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, yelled an obscenity at the officer, and drove away. The victim officer, who had nearly 2 years of law enforcement experience, fell to the ground. He used his police radio to advise he had been shot and drew his service weapon in case the offender returned. Several motorists, including the driver of the vehicle the officer had initially pulled over for the traffic stop, rendered first aid to the victim officer. He was hit twice and suffered injuries to his arms/hands and his front upper torso/chest when a round entered between the side panels of his body armor. Law enforcement officials issued a description of the suspect’s vehicle, which was connected to a murder hours later. From that connection, officials determined the identity of the driver who allegedly shot the patrol officer. Around 11 a.m. the following day, law enforcement responded to a call for shots fired behind a local business. There they found a 30-year-old male, who was identified as the suspect, dead from an apparent suicide. The offender had a prior criminal record and was on probation at the time of the incident. Subsequent comparison of the shell casings from the scene of the officer shooting and shell casings from the scene of the offender’s suicide showed a match. At the time this report was written, the victim officer had not returned to duty.
*****
Around 3:15 p.m. on May 12, police officers with the Greenville Police Department were dispatched to a residence on a domestic disturbance call. During the incident, a 50-year-old veteran officer with 29 years of law enforcement experience was injured with a knife. Two officers initially responded to the scene of the domestic disturbance and found a man in the yard of the residence. He explained he had called the police because his roommate was “off his medication” and had punched him. Dispatchers had warned the officers that the suspect may be armed with a knife, and the roommate confirmed he was. The officers began walking toward the residence as the suspect came around the west side of the house. One of the officers knew the suspect, and it was clear the suspect disliked that officer. Because of the suspect’s hostility, the other officer took over interviewing the suspect about the situation. The suspect admitted that he punched his roommate in the head saying it was “because he wouldn’t give me a cigarette.” The officer told the suspect she needed to search him for weapons, and the suspect reluctantly agreed. The suspect was unarmed, and the officer began to pull his arms around to handcuff him. The suspect spun around, took an aggressive stance, and backed away from the officers. One officer pulled out his electronic control device (ECD), and the other officer told the suspect to stop or her partner would use the ECD. The suspect indicated he didn’t care if they did and continued backing away. The first officer told her partner to discharge the ECD, but the suspect turned and fled. The officers called for backup as they chased the suspect, who forcefully threw a large piece of wood with a steel latch at them. The object missed the officers, and the suspect retreated into the house. The officers secured both the front and rear of the residence as other officers arrived to assist. One of the initial officers on the scene spoke with a K-9 officer and told him the suspect was not concerned about the threat of an ECD, but he might respond to a K-9. By this time, several officers were on the front porch. One tried the front door and found it to be unlocked. They called to the suspect to come out. When he did not respond, one officer opened the door and found the suspect standing at the foot of a nearby staircase holding a knife. Officers instructed the man to drop the knife or they would use an ECD on him. (The K-9 was also ready to be deployed.) The suspect then threw the knife at the officers. The handle grazed the head of one officer and struck a 50-year-old veteran officer (who was wearing body armor) in the front of the head, causing a large gash on his chin and profuse bleeding. Officers deployed three ECD cartridges on the suspect with minimal effect, but he surrendered after the K-9 subdued him. The suspect, who was under the influence of narcotics at the time of the incident, continued to struggle after he was handcuffed and taken to the front yard to receive medical assistance. The suspect was subsequently transported to the hospital to have the K-9 bite treated. The victim officer, who was in shock, was also taken to the hospital where he received 11 stitches for the cut on his chin. The 26-year-old suspect had a prior criminal record including a violent crime and drug violations, and he had been convicted previously. The suspect was charged with Assault Causing Bodily Injury—Family Violence; two counts of Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer; and Resisting Arrest, Search, or Transport, with a Deadly Weapon. The injured officer has since returned to duty.
Utah
A 49-year-old police officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department (Salt Lake City PD) survived injuries sustained while conducting an investigative activity on July 5 at 12:30 a.m. The injured officer was a veteran with 5 years of law enforcement experience. Earlier in the evening, a woman attended a fireworks display in a local park. While at the park, she realized that her cell phone was missing and probably stolen. She tracked the cell phone using GPS technology and drove to an address that was the likely location of her cell phone. The woman called police to report the stolen phone and to provide information regarding its probable location. A Salt Lake City PD officer met with the woman and her companion near the address of the residence where she suspected her phone to be. The officer and the woman agreed that she and her companion would stay in their vehicle parked away from the residence while the officer went to investigate. The officer would return and inform her of the status of her cell phone. The officer who spoke with the victim met the veteran officer at the residence indicated by the cell phone’s GPS signal. Upon arriving, the officers noted a party taking place, so they stood on the sidewalk and began a conversation with the individuals standing just inside the yard, which was surrounded by a short fence. When one of the officers asked to speak with the homeowner, a man came forward claiming he owned the residence. The officers explained they were investigating a possible cell phone theft. They told the homeowner that the phone’s GPS tracked the device to his residence. The homeowner denied knowledge of a stolen phone, said he needed to speak with his friends, and began speaking in a language the officers could not understand. To gain more information, one officer asked the homeowner and surrounding individuals if anyone had been at the local park for fireworks earlier; no one answered. The officer then asked the homeowner for his name and identification. The man refused to give his name or to provide his identification and told the officers twice to wait while he spoke with the other individuals present. After the officer insisted the subject provide identification, the homeowner said the officer “was on his property,” and he “knew his rights.” During the verbal confrontation with the homeowner, a 16-year-old male pulled out a cell phone, flashed its light in the officers’ direction, and said he was recording the incident. He and several other individuals instructed the homeowner not to cooperate. As the crowd became more agitated, one of the officers radioed for backup; however, his ear bud had been knocked loose, and he could not hear the dispatcher’s response. He then requested that the homeowner move away from the crowd, outside the fence, so they could speak in the driveway. As the homeowner walked out to meet the officers, several subjects followed. Officers directed the people to stand at a distance, but at least two subjects used cell phones to record video within an arm’s length of the officers’ faces, temporarily blinding them with the phones’ lights. One officer spoke with the homeowner while the veteran officer attempted to separate the angry and visibly intoxicated crowd that surrounded the officers on three sides. Because the 16-year-old male continued to be disorderly and ignore the officers’ orders to back up and stop shining the light directly in their faces, one officer tried to separate him from the crowd. The male was impeding the investigation, and the officer attempted to place the male in handcuffs but was unable to keep control of the subject’s arms. During the struggle, the officer noticed the homeowner, who was being vocal and appeared to be intoxicated, advancing on him from behind. The officer turned and blocked the homeowner, who fell backwards into the street. As the officer turned to check the position of the veteran officer, he saw the veteran officer was involved in a physical altercation with several men and women. He also witnessed the 16-year-old male make physical contact with the veteran officer from behind. Unbeknownst to the officer at the time, the 16-year-old male had removed the veteran officer’s folding pocket knife from his front pocket and stabbed the veteran officer in his rear lower torso/back, below his body armor. The officer ran to the victim veteran officer’s aid and attempted to knock the 16-year-old male suspect off balance, but the suspect locked his arms around the assisting officer, and they both fell to the ground. The suspect began to kick and punch the assisting officer. After a brief struggle, the suspect ran into the crowd. At that time, an additional officer and two detectives arrived to help regain control of the crowd. However, several of the subjects involved, including the 16-year-old male suspect, were headed toward the entry of the residence. Concerned the subjects were going to retrieve weapons, the officer pursued them and ordered the 16-year-old suspect to stop. When the suspect began to run, the officer grabbed his shirt as the suspect entered the screen door, pulling the officer inside. There, the suspect and two other men began to punch the officer and tried to push him out of the house. The backup officers entered the home to assist. During the struggle, officers used electronic control devices on two subjects to subdue and handcuff them. Meanwhile, medical personnel were summoned for the victim officer who sustained a stab wound from the knife that remained lodged in his rear lower torso/back below his body armor. The victim officer was admitted to a local hospital for his injuries. Once the scene was secure, an officer located a cell phone in the possession of the 16-year-old suspect that matched the description of the stolen phone. Further investigation revealed the phone belonged to the woman who reported it stolen. A 46-year-old suspect, who had a prior criminal record and conviction, was arrested and charged with Riot, Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, and Interference with Arresting Officer. The 16-year-old male was arrested and charged with Disarming a Law Enforcement Officer, Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, and Fleeing. The suspect had a prior criminal record including police assault, weapons violations, and drug violations, and he had been convicted previously. Both suspects were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. In addition, several other subjects from the scene were also taken into custody. The wounded veteran officer has since returned to duty.
Washington
A patrol sergeant with the Duvall Police Department was shot on September 15 while investigating a suspicious person and circumstance. The 42-year-old veteran sergeant, with 10 years of law enforcement experience, responded with other officers to a call at 10:45 p.m. concerning an individual shooting paint balls. Officers located the individual in a church parking lot. The man had unloaded a large amount of paintball supplies on the grounds of the church. When the individual spotted officers, he got in his vehicle and tried to flee. The sergeant, who was wearing body armor, parked his patrol vehicle to block the exit, got out of the vehicle, and prepared to contact the man. The individual was able to maneuver around the sergeant’s vehicle and fire five rounds from a semiautomatic handgun. One of the rounds struck the sergeant in the front below his waist (upper left thigh). The sergeant returned fire, shooting nine rounds from his 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, none of which hit the offender. The individual fled in his vehicle, and the victim sergeant and a backup officer pursued him in their vehicles. When other patrol units arrived, the victim sergeant returned to the church parking lot for medical evaluation. Additional officers continued to pursue the suspect’s vehicle for 20 to 30 more minutes, during which the individual continued to fire on pursuing officers. No officers were hit, but several patrol cars were damaged. Officers used a tire deflation device, which disabled the individual’s vehicle and resulted in a standoff with officers that lasted for several hours. The suspect repeatedly displayed a weapon during the standoff. Officers fired at and struck the individual many times with less-than-lethal munitions and were eventually able to take the suspect into custody without serious injury. The 47-year-old suspect, who had a prior criminal record, was arrested and charged with two counts of First-Degree Assault. A subsequent investigation revealed several firearms in the suspect’s vehicle as well as thousands of rounds of ammunition, several paintball guns, and hundreds of rounds of paintball ammunition. The injured sergeant was transported to a local hospital, where he was treated and released. He has since returned to duty.
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Just after 8 p.m. on June 19, a 31-year-old police officer with the Port Orchard Police Department (Port Orchard PD) was assaulted and injured while attempting an arrest. The officer, along with two other Port Orchard PD officers, were attempting to locate a suspect who had a felony warrant from another state for Child Molestation and misdemeanor warrants for Assault, Assault-Domestic Violence, and Malicious Mischief-Domestic Violence. The officers located the suspect inside a bar. Two of the officers entered the bar, one of whom was the 31-year-old officer who had 1½ years of law enforcement experience. The third officer stationed himself in an alley near the bar’s back door. The suspect, who worked as a disc jockey in the bar, requested that he be permitted to shut down the music system. As the man moved toward the stage, he grabbed a knife and fled out the back door. The two officers pursued the man on foot. The pursuit continued into the alley where the suspect turned to confront the officers. Both officers discharged their electronic control devices (ECDs), but the ECDs had no effect. The suspect lunged at the 31-year-old officer, who was wearing body armor, with the knife extended. The officers fired their service weapons, striking the suspect. However, before he was hit, the individual was able to stab the 31-year-old officer in the front below the waist (just above the left kneecap). The victim officer justifiably killed the offender at the scene. The 36-year-old offender had a prior criminal record including a violent crime, drug violations, and weapons violations. He had also been convicted previously. The victim officer recovered from his injuries and returned to duty.
