Wash. officer sues city over mayor's Facebook post after fatal OIS
In a Facebook post about the shooting, Mayor Tony Guzman called the officer a murderer and said he "deserves to die in prison"
Feb 4, 2017
Associated Press
WAPATO, Wash. — A Wapato police officer is suing the city over comments its mayor posted on social media after an officer-involved fatal shooting.
The Yakima Herald reports that officer Michael Campos says he's suffered defamation and a hostile work environment as a result of the comments by Mayor Tony Guzman. Several other officers wrote letters supporting Campos' $1.5 million claim against the city.
Campos fatally shot 38-year-old Mario Martinez-Torres when responding to a domestic disturbance call on July 31. Police reports say Campos shot Martinez-Torres as he struggled with Campos and another officer. The Yakima County Prosecutor's Office ruled the shooting justified.
Guzman called Campos a murderer in a Facebook post and said the officer "deserves to die in prison."
Guzman declined requests for comment on Campos' claim.
Texas officer hit by fleeing driver released from hospital
After being run over twice, Cpl. Elise Bowden didn’t believe she was going to survive
Today at 5:00 AM
By Domingo Ramirez Jr. Fort Worth Star-Telegram
ARLINGTON, Texas — After being run over twice Wednesday night, Arlington police Cpl. Elise Bowden didn’t believe she was going to survive.
But the mother of eight made it, and on Sunday, Bowden got to go home from the hospital.
“I’m just overwhelmed,” an emotional Bowden said just outside John Peter Smith Hospital as she sat in a wheelchair.
Dozens of co-workers, police, friends, relatives and hospital staffers lined up and cheered as she was led outside, accompanied by her husband, Arlington police Sgt. Brad Norman, and Police Chief Will Johnson.
“Another detective from Dallas who got run over himself came to tell me, ‘You’ll survive this,’ ” Bowden said. “I know I will. I already did. Everything I have is mendable.”
Lt. Christopher Cook, police spokesman, said Sunday that two dashcam videos from patrol cars captured the incident.
“It’s a very difficult and hard video to watch,” Cook said. “It shows how close to death she was.”
Cook said that the department would work with the Tarrant County district attorney’s office on a possible release of the videos.
Bowden was conducting a traffic stop at 11:38 p.m. Wednesday in the 1700 block of Spring Lake Drive when she noticed that the driver, Tavis Crane, had warrants for his arrest. Four people were in the car, including a 2-year-old.
Crane had a felony warrant from Dallas County for a probation violation and multiple misdemeanor warrants out of Grand Prairie, police said.
Bowden called for backup, and two units responded.
“She was very polite. The suspect was given so many chances to get out of the vehicle that I’d say she was begging him to get out,” Cook said Sunday.
Crane refused to comply as Bowden walked to the back of the car and officer Craig Roper entered the suspect’s car through a passenger door. Crane put the car in reverse, hitting Bowden and slamming into her patrol car, police said.
“The impact knocked the police car out of position,” Cook said.
Crane pulled forward, again running over Bowden as Crane tried to flee, police said.
Roper, who by then was in a rear passenger seat, shot at Crane.
Crane’s car came to a stop at the end of the road, police said. Nobody else was injured.
Crane was taken to Arlington Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:31 a.m. Thursday.
Bowden has been with the Arlington Police Department since May 20, 2002.
Roper, who has been on the force since January 2015, remains on administrative leave.
Sgt. Greg Meagher died after inhaling liquid nitrogen while trying to save a worker
Duty Death: Greg Meagher- [Richmond County, Georgia]
End of Service: 02/05/2017
Yesterday at 11:54 PM
By James Folker The Augusta Chronicle
RICHMOND COUNTY, Ga. — A Richmond County sheriff’s deputy died Sunday after inhaling liquid nitrogen while trying to save a worker inside a sperm bank.
Three other deputies were injured but “are going to be OK,” Lt. Allan Rollins said late Sunday.
Sgt. Greg Meagher, 57, went to Xytex at 1100 Emmett St. about 3:30 p.m., according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
“Upon arrival, Sgt. Meagher succumbed to injuries sustained after inhaling an unknown chemical substance,” the release said.
The chemical was liquid nitrogen, according to Dee Griffin, the spokeswoman for the Augusta Fire Department and Augusta’s Emergency Management Agency. The chemical is used to freeze sperm donations.
Three other deputies who had responded to the call already had been taken to a hospital after complaining of shortness of breath when firefighters arrived just before 4 p.m.
The firefighters found the unresponsive deputy and a female Xytex employee inside the building. Meagher had gone into the building to try to rescue the woman, according to Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen.
Both were taken to AU Medical Center, where Meagher was pronounced dead about 4:30 p.m., according to Bowen. Meagher’s body was sent to Atlanta for an autopsy.
Two fire department hazardous materials teams were called out and shut off liquid nitrogen tanks, according to a news release from Griffin. No firefighters were injured.
There was no information on the condition of the Xytex employee.
Meagher was a 33-year veteran with the sheriff’s office and a former drug investigator. He was shot in the face in 2004 when he was assisting federal agents in a drug sting in Burke County. The bullet entered his jaw and exited the back of his neck. He was airlifted to the then-Medical College of Georgia Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.
Meagher helped a colleague chase down motor vehicle thieves in 1985 and helped rush a pregnant woman from a south Augusta restaurant to University Hospital as she went into labor, according to records from Meagher’s personnel file, obtained by The Augusta Chronicle after his 2004 shooting.
Meagher also was commended for assisting the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Justice during a 1996 undercover drug investigation of a deputy U.S. marshal, a letter states.
In 2000, officials at the Savannah River Technology Center commended Meagher and other colleagues for helping a Justice Department employee observe the use of a surveillance camera to make arrests in a drug trafficking area.
Records show Meagher went to the Criminal Investigation Division in 1989. He started with the sheriff’s office in 1984.
SC deputy attacked while responding to burglary, 2 arrested
Deputy Christopher Soward sustained an injury to his head and remains in serious but stable condition
Today at 9:42 AM
By Teddy Kulmala The State
RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — A Richland County sheriff’s deputy was hospitalized after being attacked when he confronted two suspects during a burglary Friday.
The two suspects, Jose Perez, 17, and a 15-year-old juvenile, were charged in connection with the break-in and assault.
The deputy, Christopher Soward, was responding around 11:30 a.m. to a burglary in progress on the 8500 block of Old Percival Road near Interstates 20 and 77, according to Lt. Curtis Wilson, a sheriff’s spokesman.
Soward was attacked and knocked out by Perez, said sheriff Leon Lott Friday night. The deputy sustained an injury to his head and remains in serious but stable condition at Palmetto Health Richland Hospital, Lott said.
Perez was charged with assault and battery, unlawful entry into a dwelling, breaking and entering a motor vehicle, and malicious injury to personal property. He was being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
The juvenile was charged with breaking and entering into a motor vehicle and unlawful entry into a dwelling. He was released to the custody of his parents, Lott said.
K-9 captures fleeing suspect who tried to drown him
The suspect fled after striking a deputy’s car then tried to drown K-9 Alex in a canal
Feb 3, 2017
By PoliceOne Staff
ROYAL PALM BEACH, Fla. — A K-9 is recovering after capturing a suspect who fled and tried to drown the dog.
According to the Palm Beach Post, police pulled over Quinten Henderson, 25, Tuesday for speeding. He fled and reportedly hit a deputy’s patrol car in the process.
Police sent a helicopter and K-9 unit to pursue Henderson. K-9 Alex was able to capture Henderson after he tried to drown the K-9 in a nearby canal, police told the publication.
Officials said they found crack cocaine, heroin and marijuana in Henderson’s vehicle.
K-9 Alex is recovering and is doing fine.
Henderson was transported to a local hospital with hypothermia and minor injuries.
This isn’t the first attack on K-9 Alex. The Post reported K-9 Alex was punched in the face in July by a suspect in a domestic battery case.
Denver transit security officer killed by suspect on terror watch list ...
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Police said the suspect ambushed Officer Scott Von Lanken from behind
Feb 1, 2017
By PoliceOne Staff
DENVER — A contract transit security officer is dead after a suspect approached him from behind and shot him in the neck.
Police told The Denver Channel that suspect Joshua Cumming, 37, fatally shot Officer Scott Von Lanken, 56, at Union Station Tuesday night.
An investigation found two witnesses were talking to Von Lanken when Cummings attacked. Denver Police Commander Barb Archer told The Denver Post the witnesses heard Cummings say “something to the effect of, ‘Do as I tell you,’ and then he shot the officer.”
According to an RTD news release, Von Lanken died on his way to the hospital. Von Lanken was a contract RTD security officer through Allied Universal. He was armed, but did not have official arresting powers.
The Denver Post reported Cummings was arrested within 20 minutes near the crime scene. He is currently being held for investigation of first-degree murder. Police recovered a gun from the suspect.
Cummings has an out-of-state criminal history and is on the federal terror watch list. Further information regarding why he is on the list was not available.
Authorities sent out a warning to officers after the shooting asking them to be vigilant because they don’t know the motive behind the shooting, the Associated Press reported.
Detectives said, as far as they know, the shooting was unprovoked. They are currently investigating if Cummings shot Von Lanken for a personal reason.
Von Lanken is survived by his wife and twin daughters.