I have never met one person that went into properly structured FOF and did not see the absolute need to add point shooting and movement to their tool box.
Wounded officer may be paralyzed
SPINE SEVERED FROM SHOT FIRED BY TEEN
Injured partner who tackled suspect is in fair condition
By MAKI BECKER, VAN and ESSA THOMAS JAY REY
News Staff Reporters Buffalo News
12/7/2006
Officer Patricia A. Parete, clinging to life Wednesday night after her spine was severed by a bullet, is described by fellow cops as vibrant and "not one to walk away from a police call.
Varner Harris Jr. was meeting the requirements of his probation following his conviction last year.
Officer Patricia A. Parete, clinging to life Wednesday night after her spine was severed by a bullet, is described by fellow cops as vibrant and "not one to walk away from a police call."
Patricia A. Parete - one of two Buffalo police officers shot Tuesday night - was fighting for her life late Wednesday, her spine severed by a bullet fired by a teenager who was on probation.
If Parete survives, she likely will be paralyzed from the neck down.
"If she lives, she's probably going to be a quadriplegic," said a fellow officer who spoke on condition of anonymity. "I'm just so angry right now. It's horrible."
Sources also told The Buffalo News that police believe Varner Harris Jr., 18, who police say confessed to the shootings, opened fire on Parete and her partner, Officer Carl E. Andolina, because he feared being sent to prison now that he is of legal age and no longer eligible for youthful offender status.
Parete, the first female Buffalo police officer shot in the line of duty, was listed in serious condition late Wednesday night, while Andolina was in fair condition. Both are in Erie County Medical Center.
Tuesday night, Parete and Andolina were riding together on a special detail downtown investigating a rash of car break-ins. At 9:01 p.m., they were dispatched to a Valero gas station on the corner of Chippewa Street and South Elmwood Avenue, where a fight had been reported.
The officers spotted Harris running from the scene and chased him in their cruiser.
They got out of their patrol car and ordered Harris to turn around and take his hands out of his pockets.
They didn't know until too late that Harris was carrying a gun.
Harris "knew once the gun was found that he would go back to jail and finish his time and he wouldn't be a young offender anymore," a police source said. "He'd be going to the men's jail."
Harris began shooting at the two officers, nearly emptying the gun, as Andolina tackled him to the ground.
Neither officer discharged a weapon.
Parete was hit twice. Her bulletproof vest blocked a round aimed at her chest, but a second bullet pierced her face and ripped apart her spine.
As Andolina tackled Harris, he was hit three times - in the neck, arm and chest, protected by his vest.
"Andolina charged at him and took him to the ground," Police Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson said at a morning news conference at ECMC. "He physically charged at an individual who was firing at him at point-blank range. He charged at a blazing gun."
From celebrated Police action in my hometown. The male officer's instincts told him he's never draw in time, and was perhaps too close to even clear the gun, so he grabbed the BG and hugged, taking all the remaining rounds himself to the point where he heard only the trigger clicking on empty - but saving his partners life. He came up in the heat of the moment with the only weapon available to him: his body:
Charging at someone who is shooting at you rather than returning fire is insane at best. The closer you get, the less likely the shooter is to miss. If both officers were critically wounded, they could not help each other out. Maybe both would have been killed and the bad guy would have gotten away. I can understand risking your life for your partner, but it is senseless to risk both lives by taking inappropriate action.
In December 2006, Officer Carl Andolina, responding to a fight in progress at a convenience store, faced the ultimate nightmare scenario for a law enforcement officer. The veteran officer and his partner Officer Patricia Parete, approached a suspect pointed out by the store clerk. Little did they know that this individual was a violent convicted felon who was on parole. The two officers approached the suspect who waited until they were literally inches away before he began firing his weapon. Two rounds struck Officer Parete - - shattering her jaw bone and lodging in her spine. Officer Andolina acted quickly - - he grabbed the suspect's gun and was shot. Without regard for his personal safety and with a bullet in his neck, Andolina wrestled the shooter to the ground, subduing him until help arrived. Andolina is recovering from his injuries while his partner was not so fortunate. Today, Officer Parete remains on a respirator undergoing a slow recovery. Andolina's selfless actions are still evident as he assists in raising money and providing support for Parete's family. Buffalo Police Lieutenant, Danny Williams, commented "both officers were two young good cops. Carl's first response was 'how is my partner."
This action was investigated by all concerned, and there was no hint that any other way would have been more appropriate - or POSSIBLE - to save his partner.
This transpired before you could count to 2 - when he made the leap - while his partner was being continuously shot - and this happened more than a year ago.
Now, far removed by time and space, you are sitting comfortably behind a computer- and YOU are so sure he did the wrong and crazy thing, when no other hint of that ever appeared subsequently?
This is the hubris of intellectualizing, of theory over reality.
Puleeeze: I didn't post this so there would be a general field-day on this LEO but to make a point already raised: reality dictates the action. He won a ton of heroism citations and awards. Why not just accept what those there and those investigating found -- and that he wasn't a fool. Or move on to something else. Lordy........
I respect his bravery for willing to sacrifice himself for his partner, but truth is they could have both been killed that night. Had he had his gun out, do you think he would have shot the suspect or charged him? Monday night quarterbacking done.
That the way you did it when you saved your partners life?
By the way, do you really think that it would be politically correct to say the officer screwed up after he tried to save his partner and was shot several times as well? Try asking, objectively, if any of their actions led up to that situation. Frankly, I have no idea why you are taking this so personally. Whatever
By the way, do you really think that it would be politically correct to say the officer screwed up after he tried to save his partner and was shot several times as well? Try asking, objectively, if any of their actions led up to that situation. Frankly, I have no idea why you are taking this so personally. Whatever
What's the matter with you? I live here and I know police officer's and I know that this incident was investigated and no error was found on the part of either officer, - I've said it twice - but the opposite: the male officer was cited for heroism by the police agency - subsequently there were hundreds of opportunities to find errors from scores of other agencies, organizations nationally. Not a hint of anything but bravery
And you somehow deny this is true and insist such errors were made that the officer is, in fact, responsible for the life-long paralysis of his partner.
Do as you like, but don't wonder about the reaction to it.
First, over responses to a critique you asked for, and now in response to comments to a seemingly unrelated-to-the-thread article that you posted.
GVF,
You seem to take perceived disagreement and/or things that you perceive as challenges rather personally. There are two examples in this thread alone: First, over responses to a critique you asked for, and now in response to comments to a seemingly unrelated-to-the-thread article that you posted. You are coming across as a bit more worked-up than called for. Which in turn detracts from points you seem passionate about conveying.