this one is a difficult topic around here
lets keep it civil...
http://www.denverpost.com/news/news0930c.htm
By Sean Kelly
Special to The Denver Post
Sept. 30 - Police shot and killed a man Wednesday during a "no-knock'' drug raid on a home in
Denver - the second fatal shooting by a Denver police officer in just over a month.
SWAT officers stormed the house at 3738 High St. about 1:50 p.m. looking for crack cocaine.
In an upstairs bedroom, the man pointed a gun at officers, Sgt. Tony Lombard said. At least two
officers opened fire.
"This is an extremely dangerous situation for a police officer to be in,'' Lombard said. "You
think you have the element of surprise, but you don't necessarily.''
A second suspect was unarmed and taken into custody by police without incident, Lombard said.
Neither man's identity was released.
Investigators were still searching the home for drugs hours after the shooting, Lombard said.
The officers involved were taken to headquarters to be questioned by homicide detectives - a
routine procedure, he said.
"Obviously, we fired shots. Now we're trying to determine if there was an exchange of
gunfire,'' Lombard said. He said he did not know how many shots were fired at the man.
Mike Cox, a landlord who has owned property on High Street for nine years, was working on a
rental home in the next block at the time of the shooting. He watched as officers stormed the
home.
"Maybe eight cop cars pulled up in front of the house,'' Cox said. "They were wearing all black,
helmets and everything.''
Cox said SWAT officers searched in and around the house for about 10 minutes before shots
were fired.
"Then I heard at least six or eight shots,'' he said. "It sounded like they were all from the same
type of gun, like a semi-automatic. It was just bang-bang-bang.'' Cox said he did not know the
residents of the home and that they had been in the neighborhood for only a month or two. Their
gray home, fronted by a brick and wroughtiron fence and shaded by large trees, was not
particularly known as a problem in the area.
"I don't know much about them, really,'' Cox said. "This really isn't too bad a neighborhood,
and I've seen it getting better. I'm glad they'll be out of here.''
Computer records indicate the home is owned by Alfredo and Victoria Gonzalez of Denver. It
was not clear Wednesday whether they live there or rent it. Neither could be reached for
comment.
In late August, Denver police shot and killed Steven Evilsizer after they said he lunged at them
with a knife during an arson investigation in the man's home.
------------------
will you stand with me in DC on 10-2-99?
http://www.myplanet.net/jeffhead/LibMarch
lets keep it civil...
http://www.denverpost.com/news/news0930c.htm
By Sean Kelly
Special to The Denver Post
Sept. 30 - Police shot and killed a man Wednesday during a "no-knock'' drug raid on a home in
Denver - the second fatal shooting by a Denver police officer in just over a month.
SWAT officers stormed the house at 3738 High St. about 1:50 p.m. looking for crack cocaine.
In an upstairs bedroom, the man pointed a gun at officers, Sgt. Tony Lombard said. At least two
officers opened fire.
"This is an extremely dangerous situation for a police officer to be in,'' Lombard said. "You
think you have the element of surprise, but you don't necessarily.''
A second suspect was unarmed and taken into custody by police without incident, Lombard said.
Neither man's identity was released.
Investigators were still searching the home for drugs hours after the shooting, Lombard said.
The officers involved were taken to headquarters to be questioned by homicide detectives - a
routine procedure, he said.
"Obviously, we fired shots. Now we're trying to determine if there was an exchange of
gunfire,'' Lombard said. He said he did not know how many shots were fired at the man.
Mike Cox, a landlord who has owned property on High Street for nine years, was working on a
rental home in the next block at the time of the shooting. He watched as officers stormed the
home.
"Maybe eight cop cars pulled up in front of the house,'' Cox said. "They were wearing all black,
helmets and everything.''
Cox said SWAT officers searched in and around the house for about 10 minutes before shots
were fired.
"Then I heard at least six or eight shots,'' he said. "It sounded like they were all from the same
type of gun, like a semi-automatic. It was just bang-bang-bang.'' Cox said he did not know the
residents of the home and that they had been in the neighborhood for only a month or two. Their
gray home, fronted by a brick and wroughtiron fence and shaded by large trees, was not
particularly known as a problem in the area.
"I don't know much about them, really,'' Cox said. "This really isn't too bad a neighborhood,
and I've seen it getting better. I'm glad they'll be out of here.''
Computer records indicate the home is owned by Alfredo and Victoria Gonzalez of Denver. It
was not clear Wednesday whether they live there or rent it. Neither could be reached for
comment.
In late August, Denver police shot and killed Steven Evilsizer after they said he lunged at them
with a knife during an arson investigation in the man's home.
------------------
will you stand with me in DC on 10-2-99?
http://www.myplanet.net/jeffhead/LibMarch