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Army Chief
22 March 2009, 01:19
(CNN) -- Three police officers in Oakland, California, were shot and killed Saturday afternoon after a man pulled over for a routine traffic stop opened fire, police said.

The man, a 27-year-old Oakland resident, was later fatally shot in a gun battle with SWAT officers in a nearby apartment complex where he hid.

A fourth officer -- also shot -- remained in critical condition, police said at a late-night news conference.

Authorities discovered the alleged gunman, 27-year-old LaVelle Mixon, had an extensive criminal history. At the time of the shooting, he was in violation of parole for assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

The incident began about 1 p.m. (4 p.m. ET) in east Oakland when two motorcycle officers tried to pull over a car for a "fairly, routine traffic stop," said Dave Kozicki, the deputy police chief.

Immediately afterward, emergency call dispatchers received reports that two officers were down at the scene and needed attention. They had been shot, Kozicki said.

A manhunt was under way for the shooter when an anonymous caller directed authorities to a building on an adjacent street where the gunman was believed to be barricaded, said acting Police Chief Howard Jordan.

The gunman opened fire on SWAT officers who entered the apartment, hitting two more officers before police returned fire, killing the suspect, Jordan said.


California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said flags at the capitol will fly at half-staff to honor the fallen officers.

"This is a tragic day for law enforcement officers everywhere," he said in a statement. "All four officers dedicated their lives to public safety and selflessly worked to protect the people of Oakland."

Another tragedy, and interestingly, this is one of the few media reports I've seen so far that doesn't go out of the way to mention the "assault rifle" used once the gunman went into barricade.

This is yet another lose-lose situation for all of us: more black-striped badges, and more momentum for a further erosion of our rights. Those who prattle on about how our legislators lack the courage to attempt another AWB simply haven't been watching the news of late.

Here's hoping and praying that we don't have to witness any copycat episodes in the wake of the disaster; unfortunately, there is a certain predictability to these things.

Dunakin, Romans, and Sakai: three more names to speak with a sad, new sense of reverence.

AC

adrenaline151
22 March 2009, 06:13
Very sad. If anyone shouldn't have had a firearm, it was that guy. Assault weapons(all weapons) were already banned for him, what good did it do? The bad guys will always have them. Thoughts and prayers to the families of those brave Officers.

Hojutsu
22 March 2009, 16:51
Trust me, I am not making light of this . . . in fact it pisses me off and saddens me at the same time . . . but California restrictive gun laws did NOTHING to stop this from occuring.

"Criminals" by the very nature of their Job Description, break laws and could care less if something they are doing is against a written law.

RIP Officers :(

Stickman
22 March 2009, 19:45
Trust me, I am not making light of this . . . in fact it pisses me off and saddens me at the same time . . . but California restrictive gun laws did NOTHING to stop this from occuring.

"Criminals" by the very nature of their Job Description, break laws and could care less if something they are doing is against a written law.

RIP Officers :(


Your comments are well taken, and right on the mark.

We have four more brothers who walk a new beat, I pray their families can some day feel peace and sleep through the night.



Rest In Peace.

jeffy
22 March 2009, 22:46
The news is saying the fourth officer is brain dead and on life support.

Army Chief
22 March 2009, 23:10
I had much the same thought at as posted this ... California? They've done just about everything possible to restrict the hardware, but they still can't change the heart of man. When will legislators ever learn that you've got the treat the disease, and not just work to mask the symptoms?

AC

tac40
3 April 2009, 21:36
I held off commenting here but now it is after the officer's service. I met the 2 SWAT officers last year at Urban Shield and the wife of one of them works near my jurisdiction. They have a 4 yr old daughter. I had taken pictures of the 2 SWAT officers at the Urban Shield and as I looked back at the photos I took, I realized I had taken some precious pictures that showed the 2 officers in a lighter moment. I shared those pictures with the family of the officers.

My real opinions will be kept to myself. I will share a pray and a moment of silence with everyone here. These 4 brave men in blue faced a terror, sacrificing themselves to save one another, to save a community that perhaps does not want to be saved. In the end good triumphed over evil that day. What we want is justice not for those brave men but for all of us who simply wake up and go to work everyday.

The evil that had spawned out of this lost soul cannot be blamed on society but by his own doing and choices. I will go to work and I will face down the evil and I will triumph because I know brave men have gone before me to do the same job everyday. May they rest in peace. Be safe everyone.

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu319/horseplay/IMG_3576-1-1.jpg

waterdoor
3 April 2009, 23:30
I saw the moron LibTards marching on T.V. and thought to myself; Self shouldn't they be at work right now? I then recalled that this was in California and they don't have to work there. Just pull out all the LEO and build a wall and let the LibTard scum destroy themselves. The place is a complete despot wasteland!! There have got to be enough conservative voters in California to stand up and do the right thing.