Here is a case where the robbers burst in and just opened fire

I suppose it all depends on our assumptions of the lay-out of a typical store and the assumed position of a security guard. I've never seen a convenience store with armed security (or unarmed security) but if our typical store layouts had armed security, and he was in a logical place for security to be, he would be able to see the approach of masked individuals and prepare himself accordingly.

The problem with interpretations. Each of our assumptions naturally supports our conclusions.;):)
 
"The officer didn't stand a chance in this case. He did everything he could," McCarthy said. "Both offenders were wearing masks when they entered the location. One of the two offenders immediately turned and started firing at Officer Lewis. And Officer Lewis engaged that individual ... and was subsequently murdered."
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That makes it sound like BGs walked in, immediately started firing, officer drew, officer was shot.
 
Obviously it's all speculation, but it sounds like a major failure of Situational Awareness.

"Both offenders were wearing masks when they entered the location...."

How do you not arm yourself when two masked individuals approach the store?

It SEEMS like he must not have been paying much attention.
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Let's see. People often do wear masks during colder weather. It isn't going to be prudent or practical to draw your gun and seek cover every time a masked person comes in your store during the winter time.

People approaching the store are often engaged in conversation such that you might not see their faces until they enter.

It is rather difficult to have total situational awareness both inside the store and outside the store when you are also tasked with other duties.

And oh yeah, maybe just maybe it was because Clifton Lewis didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of seeing much outside of the store because the front windows are plastered with advertisements.
http://maps.google.com/maps?rlz=1T4...code_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ8gEwAA

From what is described, it doesn't sound like he was slow on spotting the threat at all.
 
Why would he immediately turn and fire at Lewis?

Was he identifiable or did he take an action which drew attention to himself with people who already had drawn guns?

We need an exact description or else, we are slinging speculation.
 
As I'm starting to mull this over, I think McCarthy was making more of an emotional appeal rather than giving a factual account of what he knew. Although another witness in the store said in another story that Lewis "never had a chance."

I wish they would release the video - maybe they will if they either run out of leads or catch the murders.
 
Two charged with Chicago officer's murder

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi--20120107,0,2214257.story

I don't think we'll know exactly what happened until the video is released to the public, but the story says

Lewis was off-duty from his police job and working security when two masked robbers burst into M&M Quick Foods at 1201 N. Austin Blvd., opened fire with a gun — akin to a TEC-9 — and fatally wounded him, police said.
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That makes me think they just burst in and opened fire (like the title of this thread) But the story also says:
Lewis drew and fired his weapon, according to police,
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Here is a seperate report that says that Officer Lewis was not the intended target of the attack, but

The gunman opened the door to the store using his coat, so as not to leave fingerprints, according to the source. The shooter then walked directly up to the counter where Lewis was standing, raised a TEC-9 and shot Lewis once in the head and twice in the chest. The suspect jumped the counter and fired two more bullets into Lewis before taking his badge and gun, then fleed
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http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/new...-police-officermen-questioned-police-20120106

So if he fired his weapon it must have been while the robber was "walking" up to the counter?
 
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It would be incredibly foolish to walk into a business masked. I don't care if you're in Nome, Alaska. I'm going to react badly if I'm in there when someone does that. I hope that most other CCW holders would too. Not as in gun them down on the spot, but I might draw my weapon, almost certainly if it's more than one person. There are some things you just don't do, and that's one.
 
It would be incredibly foolish to walk into a business masked. I don't care if you're in Nome, Alaska. I'm going to react badly if I'm in there when someone does that. I hope that most other CCW holders would too. Not as in gun them down on the spot, but I might draw my weapon, almost certainly if it's more than one person.
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Covered faces in the winter time is pretty standard when it is really cold. Fortunately, CCW aren't drawing their guns every time a person enters a business with a cover face during the winter time. That would be silly.

Nome Alaska? Let's see, Monday's weather has a high of -20 F going to a low of -26 F with windchills of -24 to -35. Exposed skin may freeze literally in minutes at those temps and chills. People are not apt to spend much time outside to uncover their faces before entering businesses.

There are some things you just don't do, and that's one.
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And yet people do it routinely during the winter time and without a second thought.
 
I thought they'd release the video by now. Maybe they're not because of the family or because it might prejudice the case - I don't know.

But there's so much we don't know, like how the store was setup, iis the door visible from where the officer was standing, was the officer even facing or looking at the door?

There are two different verbal accounts now,

One account says masked men entered the store, turned and opened fire on Lewis.

Another account says the gunman walked up to Lewis and shot him.
 
Double Naught Spy; Nome, Alaska was simply a figure of speech. My point is, I can never recall seeing anyone walk into a store with a mask on. Not here in Tennessee, not on the High Plains, not in New England, and I've travelled them all extensively in winter. So, in my not inconsiderable experience, that would be highly unusual behavior;). And before you misunderstand, I mean walking in and not pulling it down or off. Can you really imagine someone walking into the local bank with a ski mask on? The kind of reaction that would cause? Think about it.
 
Home invasion robbery by two masked men (hoodie and bandanna--same effect as ski-mask) in broad daylight, one armed, just this weekend in Chattanooga.
 
Here are more details on the incident - and it doesn't appear to be the way Police Superintendent McCarthy or the news media described initially:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...20120107_1_chicago-men-m-m-quick-foods-dillon

According to Cook County Assistant State's Attorney John Dillon, Colon was the driver during the attack, while Clay and a third man -- who did not appear in court today -- donned masks and entered the store.

When they got inside M&M Quick Foods, Lewis announced he was a police officer, at which point Clay and the third man opened fire, Dillon said in court.

Lewis was able to fire one shot before he was struck by a bullet to the abdomen and three shots to the back, Dillon said. Bullet fragments also struck a store employee, according to the prosecutor.
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I think a police officer responds to this different than I would in that maybe it's second nature for a police officer to shout "Police!"

I don't know if he did that simultaneously while drawing or it happened sequentially, but I'm guessing that when he identified himself he drew fire.
 
Notice at the end of the article it says the officer's weapon is missing. I believe gangs make deliberate efforts to snatch police equipment when they can. A little girl in my neighborhood approached me the other day with a 2-way radio she said she saw somebody ditch in a trashcan--it appeared to be police equipment, it had an "officer 6" tag on it and appeared to have 911 bands programmed into it and was tuned into one of the frequencies. (I advised her to turn it in to the development authorities, which she did since she didn't seem to quite trust me).
 
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