Remember last month the deputy who was killed supposedly by intruders during a break-in? Apparently, he was shot by his own AND he ended up shooting the three victims including a child before he was actually shot and killed by accident. Good grief, this sounds crazy. <i>Friendly fire killed deputy By DALE LEZON Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle Harris County Sheriff's Deputy Shane Bennett was killed by friendly fire from a fellow officer, a ballistics report released today shows. The 29-year-old deputy shot two armed suspects in a deadly shootout last month, but was then mistakenly killed by a fellow deputy, Sheriff's Capt. Dick Henderson said during a news conference today. "It has been determined he was the victim of friendly fire during a shootout with armed suspects," Henderson said. Henderson said a ballistics report on the weapons fired during the gun battle revealed Deputy Sean Conrad inadvertently fired a bullet from his .45 caliber pistol that hit Bennett in the back of the head. The report also revealed that Bennett shot suspects Daniel Damian Jr., 20, and Carlos Alberto Ramirez, 24, who had broken into a home in the 3000 block of Havner about 2 a.m. June 12, terrorizing residents and demanding drugs and money. A bullet from Bennett's gun also mistakenly struck two residents, Rosa De La Garza, 22, and her 3-month-old son, Ray. De La Garza was wounded in the side and her son was hit in the wrist. Both underwent surgery at Memorial Hermann hospital and were released. Ramirez and Damian died in the shootout. Damian died of gunshot wounds to his hips and Ramirez died of multiple gunshot wounds, but autopsies have been completed on them, said a spokesman for the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office. Deputies Bennett, Conrad and T.L. Burks were dispatched to the house after a 911 call reported at least one armed intruder was threatening the family, according to investigators The deputies heard screaming inside the home when they arrived and forced their way inside. The house was nearly pitch black and Bennett led the deputies single-file into it. Conrad followed Bennett and Burks was third in line. When Bennett stepped through a doorway into the den, a shot was fired and he returned fire, Henderson said. Conrad told investigators he stepped back out of the doorway when he heard the first gun shots and then stepped forward again and fired, believing he hit one of the suspects. Investigators believe the first gun shot was fired by Ramirez and struck Bennett is his left thigh, Henderson said. Bennett fell to the floor and said he had been hit. Then he partially stood and that's when Conrad's bullet hit him in the back of the head, Henderson added. Maj. George Sturgis, head of the Sheriff's Department detective bureau, said the department would review reports by ballistics and investigators to determine if training procedures would be implemented to help avoid similar friendly fire shootings in the future. However, he said, the incident was one of the worst-case scenarios law enforcement officers could face. There were pitch-black rooms, screaming innocent bystanders and armed suspects, he said. Henderson said the deputies followed tactical procedures "by the book."</i>
I wouldn't lump the 2 armed criminals in with the lady & her baby and call them all "victims", but that's just me.
I meant to say TWO victims - i.e. mother and child. I wasn't lumping the criminals in there. Thanks for catching that.
Sad story all the way around. Hopefully the mom & her child recover fully; I can't imagine what Dep. Conrad is going through right now. A huge "Thank you" to all the policemen/women out there. Some of you out there need to remember that this could have been your family before posting "I hate cops, I don't care if they get killed cause they're all racist & crooked" etc....
Has anyone actually said that? I only remember debates about whether or not police officers should be punished and at what level when they do cross the line or come very close to crossing it.
Well that's unfortunate. I have my own problems with the police, but I know that it's really just a very, very small number of them who cause these problems (and sometimes it's not the cops on the beat but the management/command officers).
We should remember all of the families involved in our prayers. Criminal or not. Over the past year, "friendly fire" has caused way too many casualities. Nerve, heart-rate or the threat of death or serious bodily injury cannot be simulated in the police academy.
I remember the thread from when this happened. The thugs were condemned here for having shot a police officer and for shooting such a young child (something like, "what kind of sick b*stard would shoot a child?"). I pointed out that they were probably caught in crossfire and there was no indication yet the thugs had actually shot anyone (which is not to say they weren't trying to nor that they're not so bad because of it). Unfortunately, I now get to say I told you so. I do feel sorry for the cop who shot the deputy. That must be tough on him. Given the conditions, though, I don't see what else he could have done.
so what??? you get to say you told us so for what??? does that diminish the crime??? it's a felony-murder, Juan...even if they're not the ones who actually pulled the trigger on the bullet that ultimately caused the death of this officer. they were in the commission of a felony and that led to the death of a police officer...end of story.
The told-you-so was for it's own sake and I don't particularly relish being right this time (especially considering it was just a guess). I mentioned it only because I objected to people jumping to conclusions on sketchy information and, as it turns out, they were the wrong conclusions. People on this board are quick to get indignant at the atrocities of the world and slow to realize their errors (myself included, I know). Does it diminish the crime? Yes, somewhat. It's a bit moot since they are dead as well. But, the thugs here didn't fire the fatal bullet. They tried to kill a cop, even injured the cop, and, if given more time probably would have succeeded in killing the cop -- but still did not actually kill him. If they had lived and were put on trial for his death, would they have received the same punishment they would have if they had killed him themselves? I doubt it.
Yeah lets not forget all those police officers who act like that badge and gun makes them invisible, Lets just disregard that their has been a huge quantity of police officers using excessive force,tampering with evidence,killing and beating civillians for their own macho images.... Yeah, lets just thank them now..... "I hate cops" "Cops are crooked" all True. Fact is the police did not handle this break in the correct way, witnesses said they wen in with guns blazing...I know this because my Aunt lives in the neighborhood.
Yeah thats a real good post....My Aunt is a Doctor so she sees cases in which Cops use excessive force all the time. Pass a law where the cops get stiffer punishments for using excessive force and this will change.... Internal Affairs is a joke and should be abolished...
As mentioned earlier, this would have been considered felony-murder. At first blush, one may think that if the fatal shot did not come from the perpetrator's gun, this should mitigate his punishment. Not necessarily true. The felony-murder statute was enacted to encapsulate circumstances such as these. If a person commits a felony, they assume the risk of any loss of life during the commission of that felony. This means if an officer discharges his weapon and inadvertantly hits a bystander rather than the felon, the felon will still be charged with the bystander's death. The reasoning is 'but for' causation. The result would not have occurred without the party's conduct. BUT FOR the commission of the felony by the suspect, would the bystander not have been shot. Lets say someone decides to commit an armed robbery but has no intention of actually firing the gun, he just wants to scare the clerk, victim, etc...He proceeds into the store, brandishes the weapon, points it at the clerk, and demands the money. He is now in the process of committing a felony. If an officer arrives and fires at the suspect but accidentally hits the clerk, the robber still gets charged for the clerk's death. If the officer fires at the suspect and accidentally hits another patron, the robber still gets charged for the clerk's death. It does not matter that the actual round failed to come from the robber's gun, nor does it matter that the robber never intended to use the gun in the first place. He assumed that risk and the consequences deriving therefrom when the felony was attempted/committed.
