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
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