Officer-Involved Shootings
The Officer-Involved Shootings topic page provides news about cops in deadly confrontations, as well as tactical tips and columnists’ perspective on how to handle such situations.
The chaotic event killed officer Jake Wallin, 23, and wounded officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes; the only officer left standing, Zach Robinson, stopped the heavily armed shooter without hesitation
A recent case involving law enforcement provides an opportunity for a closer look
“The officer that took that shot, under that kind of stress, that guy saved lives. That’s a guy I’d like to shake his hand.”
A pivotal 2020 case examines how TASER logs and video footage can impact an ongoing debate surrounding police use of force
A Fairfax County officer was conducting a welfare check when a woman opened the door and attacked him with a knife
The off-duty officer, a member of the department’s special response team, said he would kill himself and fired shots into the air before shooting both responding officers
After Portland Police officers used cruisers to box in the suspect vehicle, which was believed to be stolen, the man crawled into the backseat and fired shots at them
The armed man ran into a car dealership after fleeing a traffic stop; he fired multiple shots at the pursuing San Diego County deputy before the deputy returned fire
The man could be seen on drone footage walking around his home with a rifle; he continued firing shots during multiple negotiation attempts before he was fatally shot
The attack, which left one Bridgeport Police officer wounded in the head and neck, resulted in an officer-involved shooting
While there is no one way to do the job, this is a list of basics for every cop on the street
The man can be heard refusing to provide identification and ordered the trooper not to come near him; when the trooper grabbed his arm, he started to attack him with a knife
I did not have the luxury to wait to see a gun,” the officer testified. “We are trained that hands are going to harm you and hands are what are going to kill you”
A Pima County Sheriff’s deputy pursued the man in a car and later on foot after the man allegedly threatened to kill someone; the deputy was shot in the leg during the pursuit
“Without warning, the individual attacked the officer while pulling a knife from his clothing. The suspect slashed and stabbed the officer,” Santa Monica Police stated
During the trial, prosecutors argued that the officers did not clearly announce themselves and did not know the woman was armed before the shooting occurred
The man was suspected of breaking into a home, taking at least one gun and shooting the owner, causing his death
Officer Toni McBride appealed an earlier finding by the Police Commission that found her first four shots in the incident were justified, but the last two rounds were not
Unfortunately, law enforcement agencies have traditionally been hesitant to engage in this kind of self-analysis and information sharing
“We are the real police,” Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officers responded, as they instructed the man to stop his approach
After initially complying with all Indianapolis officers’ instructions, the man suddenly turned around, ran back and dove to the ground, grabbing the handgun
Bystanders initially tried to help the driver, but fled when he grabbed a “large gun” from inside the vehicle
The children were able to escape the home to safety; the man was taken to a hospital under guard after being wounded by an Oakland County SWAT sniper
“These anti-police activists...are trying to stop police officers from doing our job by targeting us for harassment or worse,” PBA President Patrick Hendry said
The man was stabbing his mother in the driveway of their home when Irvine police arrived; still leaning over his mother and armed with the knife, he lunged at an officer
The family of Dallas Police Senior Corporal Karissa David is using a GoFundMe to raise money for medical care, modifications to her home and transportation to therapies
At the time of the incident, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales stated the man was a sovereign citizen, despite the man’s claims that he did not belong to that group
The man reversed into a New Haven Police cruiser, ramming it before firing a shot that broke one of its windows; officers returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect
Video shows that despite repeated commands from officers, the man ignored orders and boarded a train; an officer opened fire after a TASER was ineffective
Lee County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Mikka was killed when gunshots caused a cruiser to catch fire; officers were unable to rescue Mikka from the cruiser as the shootout continued
Dashcam footage also shows a bystander attempting to intervene as the suspect physically resisted the trooper for several minutes
Remember to prepare for the conditions you might find yourself outside in for several hours
A Colorado State Patrol corporal was likely a “target of opportunity” when he was ambushed and shot while parked along a freeway working on paperwork
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