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In Baton Rouge, little 9-month-old Mason Jackson sees his father’s face every day, all the time – in photographs. His mother makes sure of that, makes sure he feels his father’s presence. His mother tells him what a selfless, caring man his daddy, Montrell Jackson, was, and how much he wanted a child – they tried for nearly two years. She tells Mason how ecstatic Montrell was when he came into the world in March. “That’s what hurts the most,” said Trenisha Jackson, “that he’s not here for his son. He was so excited about being a father. He felt his responsibility was to make sure he raised a wonderful young man. [Montrell’s] father was not in his life. He really wanted to be there for his son.”
Baton Rouge Police Corporal Montrell Jackson, who was shot and killed by Gavin Long along with two other officers on July 17
Montrell Jackson, 32, was shot fatally in an ambush in July – when Mason was 4 months old – by a man targeting police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. That gunman killed a total of three officers – just a fraction of the nearly 140 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty this year, up from 130 in 2015, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, a non-profit group founded and run by active and retired law enforcement officials. The most recent shootings of police officers took place on Friday.
In Mt. Vernon, Washington, Mike “Mick” McLaurghry, a 30-year veteran, was shot in the back of the head while responding to a call. Officials said he was “hanging in there” in critical condition after surgery. Later the same day, Sgt. Rob Hatchell, of Dallas, Oregon, was shot in the leg while attempting to arrest an intoxicated man. Of those men and women in blue who died in 2016, 62 were killed by gunfire – a marked rise from the 39 the year before – about a dozen of them shot by gunmen who set out to kill police. “What we’re seeing now, this year, is a big increase in gunfire murders of police officers,” Lt. Randy Sutton, a retired police officer and author who represents Blue Lives Matter, told FoxNews.com. “The methodology, where they are targeted attacks or ambushes or where people are lured into attacks, is up too. We haven’t seen that since the late ‘60s or ‘70s, when there was a tremendous amount of anti-police terrorism.”
Sutton, like many others in law enforcement, say that tension between police and minority groups like Black Lives Matter that have organized to focus attention on profiling and what they argue is unwarranted use of force has led some to see those in uniform as the enemy. “It legitimizes a call for terror, a call for violence,” Sutton said. “It adds an element of danger for law enforcement.” He added, “Of course not everyone who is in the protests believes that. But when there’s a mob in place and fervor builds up, people do things they wouldn’t normally do independently. And it can inspire lone wolf attacks. There are weak-minded people, some mentally disturbed, who absorb this call to action and act upon it.”
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Suspected cop killer Jason Robison is still at large and considered dangerous, according to police. Authorities said Trooper Landon Weaver was shot and killed by Robison at about 6:30 p.m. Friday when the officer investigated a "domestic-related incident" at a home on Bakers Hollow Road in Juniata Township in Huntingdon County. The area where the shooting occurred has been closed off while police officers search for Robison.
Trooper Landon Weaver
Robison made his feelings toward law enforcement known on his Facebook page less than two weeks before the killing. "The only good cop is a dead cop," he said in a Dec. 17 post, which was on Facebook until about 1 a.m. Saturday when it was deleted. The status included two images -- one of a police cruiser that had crashed and another of an injured police officer.
Robison, according to court documents, has previously been arrested about a dozen times with charges ranging from simple assault to arson. Weaver enlisted with state police in December 2015 and was assigned to Troop G, Huntingdon. He is the 97th member of the Pennsylvania State Police to be killed in the line of duty, according to authorities.
Pennsylvania State Trooper Fatally Shot | Officer.com
Law enforcement fatalities nationwide rose to their highest level in five years in 2016, with 135 officers killed in the line of duty, according to preliminary data compiled and released Thursday by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) in their 2016 Law Enforcement Fatalities Report. The 135 officer fatalities in 2016 are a 10 percent increase over the 123 who died in the line of duty last year and is the highest total since 2011 when 177 officers made the ultimate sacrifice. Firearms-related incidents were the number one cause of death in 2016, with 64 officers shot and killed across the country. This represents a significant spike—56 percent—over the 41 officers killed by gunfire in 2015. Of the 64 shooting deaths of officers this year, 21 were the result of ambush-style attacks—the highest total in more than two decades. Eight multiple-shooting death incidents claimed the lives of 20 officers in 2016, tied with 1971 for the highest total of any year since 1932. Those incidents included five officers killed in ambush attacks in Dallas (TX) and three in Baton Rouge (LA) spanning 10 days in July.
Fifty-three officers were killed in traffic-related incidents in 2016, which was 10 percent more than the 48 killed on roadways in 2015. Of the 53 traffic-related deaths, 28 died in automobile crashes, 15 were struck and killed while outside of their vehicle and 10 were killed in motorcycle crashes. Prior to 2016, traffic-related incidents have been the number one cause of officer fatalities in 15 of the last 20 years. Eighteen officers died from other causes in 2016, including 11 who died from job-related illnesses—mostly heart attacks—while performing their duties. Other causes included beatings (3), a drowning, a fall, an aircraft crash and a stabbing. Among the states, Texas had the highest number of officer fatalities, with 17, followed by California with 10, Louisiana with nine, Georgia with eight, and Michigan with six. Six Federal law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2016, along with four from the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico and one tribal officer.
The 135 officer fatalities in 2016 are a 10 percent increase over the 123 who died in the line of duty last year and is the highest total since 2011 when 177 officers made the ultimate sacrifice.
Six of the fallen officers in 2016 were female. Among the officers who died this year, the average age was 40, and the average length of service was 13 years. "Public safety is a partnership and, too often, the service and sacrifice of our law enforcement professionals is taken for granted," observed NLEOMF President and CEO Craig W. Floyd. "We must never forget that 900,000 law enforcement officers nationwide risk their lives every day for our safety and protection. And, this year, 135 of those men and women did not make it home to their families at the end of their shift. As we begin the new year, let us all resolve to respect, honor, and remember those who have served us so well and sacrificed so much in the name of public safety."
There are currently 20,789 names of officers killed in the line of duty inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, dating back to the first known death in 1791. Over the past decade (2006-2015) the average annual number of officer fatalities has been 151. The deadliest year on record for law enforcement was 1930 when 307 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty. The last time officer fatalities dipped below 100 for a single year was 1944. The statistics released are based on preliminary data compiled by the NLEOMF and do not represent a final or complete list of individual officers who will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in 2016. For a complete copy of the preliminary 2016 Law Enforcement Fatalities Report, go to: www.LawMemorial.org/FatalitiesReport.
Law Enforcement Fatalities Hit Highest Level in Five Years
Jason Robison, 32, was cornered at around 10 a.m. in an unoccupied house trailer close to his residence in Hesston, which is about 100 miles west of Harrisburg, the state capital, according to state police. He had gone into hiding since the fatal shooting of Trooper Landon Weaver, 23, of East Freedom, at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. When surrounded on Saturday, Robison refused commands to surrender and vowed to shoot more troopers, a state police news release said. He was shot and killed in the ensuing confrontation. Further details were not available. Weaver was killed when he went to serve a protection-from-abuse order on Robison, who was already facing criminal assault charges, police said.
Jason Robison is pictured in this undated handout photo obtained by Reuters December 31, 2016.
According to the state judicial database, the suspect had a criminal record dating back at least 10 years. Weaver graduated from the State Police Academy in Hershey in June. He was the 97th state trooper to die in the line of duty since the department was organized in 1905. The last was in late 2014. Law enforcement fatalities hit a five-year high in 2016 with 135 officers killed in the line of duty, including eight killed in ambush attacks in Dallas and Louisiana in July that raised nationwide concerns, a study released on Thursday said.
Suspect in fatal shooting of Pennsylvania trooper killed by police
Two Orlando-area law enforcement officers were killed this morning, one shot by a murder suspect who managed to get away and a second killed in a crash while officers and deputies scrambled to find him. Orlando police Master Sgt. Debra Clayton was shot early this morning by a murder suspect as she tried to detain him, the agency reported. He managed to get away. A sheriff's deputy later was killed in a crash while officers and deputies spread out to find him. Law enforcement responded with a manhunt that included hundreds of officers. They also offered a $60,000 reward for anyone helping them capture the suspect, Markeith Loyd, 41, who was accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend in December. Orlando Police Chief John Mina called Clayton, a mother of two, "a hero. She gave her life for the community she loves." She was one of the first officers to respond to the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in June that left 49 people dead and scores injured.
This morning, hours after the shooting, an Orlando SWAT team with armored vehicles was at an apartment complex off Cinderlane Parkway, calling the suspect by name and telling him to come out while a law enforcement helicopter circled overhead, but after noon, they left. People were allowed to return to the complex for a time, but shortly before 2 p.m., the access road was blocked again. A vehicle was towed from the complex, and eight or nine K-9 officers remained at the scene. The second law enforcement death today was an Orange County motorcycle deputy who was part of the effort to find the suspect, said Sheriff Jerry Demings. "We're sad on this day for many reasons," Demings said at a morning news conference at Orlando Regional Medical Center. "In my 36-year career, this is possibly one of the toughest days for me." Both officers were taken to ORMC and pronounced dead there. Demings did not release the name of the deputy, saying the agency was still trying to notify relatives.
Sgt. Deborah Clayton, left, and Markeith Loyd
Both agencies identified Loyd as the shooter. He has a long criminal history and on Nov. 30 wrote this on his Facebook page, "Goals!!!! To be on Americas most wanted." As part of the manhunt hundreds of law enforcement officers from agencies across Central Florida were spread out across Pine Hills, a high crime area just west of Orlando, blocking off dozens of roads. "We are going to bring this dirtbag to justice, and he's going to jail," Mina said. Both OPD and the Sheriff's Office described Loyd as armed and dangerous, and Demings asked anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact law enforcement immediately. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement sent out an alert midday, describing him as 6-3, 230 pounds and having last been seen on Cinderlane Parkway. Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs asked Orange County residents to simply stay indoors. "We need citizens to be diligent, we need them to be careful. ... If you don't have to be out, don't be out," she said at a morning news conference.
Also at that news conference were Mina, Demings, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Gov. Rick Scott, who happened to be in town for a business event but cancelled it. The violence started about 7:15 a.m. when Clayton, a 17-year department veteran and patrol officer, tried to contact Loyd at a Walmart, Mina said. It's not clear why she confronted him or precisely what happened. Two minutes later, Mina said, there was a radio call that an officer had been shot. A captain at the Orange County Sheriff's Office was in the area in an unmarked SUV and spotted Loyd, according to that department. Loyd pulled into an apartment complex and fired at least once at the deputy, missing him but hitting his SUV, the agency reported. The suspect then carjacked a vehicle and fled. He abandoned that vehicle near Rosemont and Cinderlane Parkway. That prompted the manhunt and produced the two law enforcement crashes.
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The crash that killed the deputy happened at about 9:43 a.m., according to WFTV. "In my 36-year career, this is probably one of the toughest days in my career," said Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings. Other details about the crash were not immediately available. The deputy had been part of the search for Markeith Loyd, the suspect in the shooting death of Officer Debra Clayton. "Debra Clayton is a hero and she will gave her life protecting the community that she loves. She will be deeply missed," said Chief John Mina, who added that Clayton was a 17-year veteran of the police department. A witness told WFTV in Orlando that Clayton was shot nine times by a man wearing a security uniform at a Walmart store in Orlando.
Law enforcement has been hunting for Loyd since Dec. 13, when investigators say he shot his pregnant ex-girlfriend to death. "There is a manhunt underway for murder suspect Markeith Loyd. ... Loyd was spotted today fleeing in a vehicle from the OPD scene at the Princeton Avenue Walmart, by one of our deputies," officials stated, according to News 13. After the alleged shooting at the Walmart, an Orange County Sheriff's Office deputy saw Loyd at North Lane and Pine Hills Drive, according to News 13. When Loyd pulled into a nearby apartment complex, he allegedly shot at the deputy and also struck his unmarked OCSO vehicle twice, officials explained.
An Orange County Sheriff's Office motorcycle deputy was struck and killed Monday during the manhunt for the suspect in the shooting death earlier of an Orlando police officer.
The deputy was unharmed, but Loyd carjacked a vehicle and fled the scene, according to officials. "He later abandoned that vehicle near the intersection of Rosemont and Cinderlane Parkway where a manhunt is underway," officials stated. Officials described Loyd as armed and dangerous and warn the public not to approach him, but to call 911. Loyd was named as a suspect last month after his pregrant ex-girlfriend Sade Dixon, 24, was shot dead at her home. Her brother, Ronald Steward, was also shot and was last listed in critical condition. The officer was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment.
Numerous schools near the Wal-Mart at 3101 West Princeton St. have been placed on lockdown because of law enforcement activity, Bay News 9 reported. Students and staff are safe, Orange County Public Schools spokeswoman Lorena Hitchcock said. Orlando police urged residents to avoid the area of West Princeton Street and John Young Parkway during the manhunt. The Orange County Sheriff's Office and Florida Highway Patrol are assisting Orlando police.
Florida Deputy Dies During Manhunt for Cop-Killer | Officer.com
What makes you think I care one way or another? My comment was informational, not opinionated. What it points out is a convenient way cops have for dealing with offensive bosses. Call it donut shop justice.MikeK wrote:
I know of a similar situation with an NYPD Sergeant some years back. They knew the bar he hung out in and they laid for him. When he left and got in his car a call was made and he was popped for DUI.
Ordinarily, something like this would never happen.
So you would prefer he be allowed to continue his drunk driving?
They may very well have prevented him from killing someone.
Markeith Loyd visited his former boss at Texas Fried Chicken restaurant wearing a bulletproof vest and had a pistol in his waistband just two days before police say he killed an Orlando Police officer, court records released Wednesday show. Zarghee Mayan gave the hungry Loyd some free food Saturday, knowing his former employee had been on the run since police said he killed his pregnant ex-girlfriend Sade Dixon and wounded her brother Dec. 13, he told investigators. Authorities are arresting people who may have helped Loyd as anxieties grow and the search for him continues.
Three people have been arrested so far in the search for Loyd. Mayan was arrested Tuesday, Loyd's niece, Lakensha Smith-Loyd, and his ex-girlfriend Jameis Slaughter were arrested Wednesday. All are charged with being accessory to first-degree murder after the fact in Dixon's death. Sheriff's Office spokesman Jeff Williamson said Wednesday that the department had been actively investigating Dixon's death well before Orlando Master Sgt. Debra Clayton was killed when she confronted Loyd at a Wal-Mart on Monday.
Markeith Loyd
Deputies, Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents and members of the U.S. Marshals Service talked to every member of Loyd's family that they could find and every associate during those three weeks, he said. "[Loyd] killed a woman who was pregnant," Williamson said. "You may not see our work, but our guys are working." During Mayan's confession Monday, he said he gave Smith-Loyd $200 for Loyd two days after Dixon died, according to his arrest report. Mayan said the money was "owed to him" for previous hours Loyd had worked at the restaurant he manages at 400 S. Orange Blossom Trail.
Before his interrogation, Mayan, 33, of Orlando, never contacted authorities about Loyd's location, though he knew there was arrest warrant for his former employee, according to an arrest report. The niece, Smith-Loyd, reportedly told the Sheriff's Office sometime after Dixon was killed and before Clayton's death that she knew where Loyd was hiding, according to an arrest report. She told officers she thought Loyd was defending himself in the act and would encourage him to turn himself in. Loyd, 41, didn't turn himself in, and Smith-Loyd later became "uncooperative" with deputies, according to the report.
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Around 7 p.m. Tuesday, authorities located Loyd in an abandoned home, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said during a press conference. Police surrounded the home, but Loyd tried to escape through the back of the home before the SWAT teams arrived, Mina said. Loyd then ran back inside the home and left again through the front door, wearing body armor and carrying two handguns, including a Glock that contained a magazine with the capacity for 100 rounds of ammunition, Mina said. Loyd threw the guns to the ground and resisted arrest when police officers tried to detain him. He suffered minor injuries in the scuffle and was treated by firefighters, Mina said.
On Dec. 9, Orlando Master Sgt. Debra Clayton was on duty by herself near a Walmart around 7 a.m. when a citizen approached her, telling her that a murder suspect was nearby, according to police. Clayton found Loyd and chased him, police said. He allegedly opened fire after Clayton told him to stop running. He was already wanted before he shot and killed Clayton for allegedly killing a pregnant woman. Clayton, a wife and mother, was shot multiple times, police said. She was wearing body armor at the time, but she later died. A funeral for the slain officer was held over the weekend. Loyd was placed in Clayton's handcuffs when he was caught, as part of a "tradition" in law enforcement that goes back "many, many years," Mina said.
Orange County records show Loyd was booked on charges of first-degree murder with a firearm, unlawful killing of an unborn child, attempted first-degree murder with a firearm and two counts aggravated assault with a firearm. One of the first people Mina said he called after Loyd was caught was Clayton's husband, Seth Clayton, who expressed both relief and concern that Loyd was captured just around the corner from the home of Clayton's mother, Mina said.
Authorities launched a massive manhunt last week in response to Clayton's death. Law enforcement was able to locate Loyd by "tireless" and "great police work," rather than anonymous tips, Mina said. Several agencies, including the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Marshals, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security and the FBI participated in the hunt for Loyd. Last week, the reward for information leading to Loyd’s capture was raised to $125,000. "I was extremely happy that this dangerous person was off the streets," Mina said when asked by a reporter why he was seen smiling in the video of Loyd being led into the police station.
More arrests are pending for anyone who helped Loyd evade police, Mina said. The investigation has revealed that Loyd received help and the home that he was found in has ties to some of his associates, Mina said. Police do not know how long Loyd was in the home before he was caught, the police chief said. An investigation of the arresting officer's use of force will be launched, per standard procedure, Mina said. In a statement, Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Loyd will be "held to the fullest extent of the law." "It is sickening that anyone would commit senseless violence against our brave first responders," Scott said. "Ann and I continue to pray for the families of the fallen heroes and hope today's news provides some relief.”
Orlando Police Capture Alleged Cop Killer Markeith Loyd
Detective Jerry Walker, 48, was shot by a man with a long gun outside a home in the 1400 block of Turtle Cove Drive, officials said. The suspect was found dead Tuesday night, Fire Chief Brian Roach said. Earlier in the evening, officers were able to get an older woman believed to be related to the suspect out of the home. The incident started about 3 p.m., when police were called to the home on a complaint that a man had a weapon. Officers arrived and found the man screaming in the back yard and holding a gun. When the officers gave him commands, he ran inside, said Lt. Orlando Hinojosa, spokesman for the Denton County Sheriff’s Department.
Detective Jerry Walker
Officers then moved to the front of the home and gave him more commands. About 4 p.m., the man began shooting from inside the home, striking Walker, Hinojosa said. A witness told WFAA that she heard 40-50 shots coming from near the home. Walker was taken by patrol car to an area where a CareFlite helicopter could pick him up, Hinojosa said. He was flown to Denton Regional Medical Center, where doctors pronounced him dead. “He was a model officer,” Harrison said in a brief statement.
Walker joined the Police Department in September 1998. He was a father of four children, his youngest a few months old and his oldest 22 years old, Harrison said. About 8:30 p.m., officers began lining up outside the hospital to honor Walker, shortly before his death was announced. Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted about the shooting, asking for prayers, along with dozens of other police departments. Nationwide, Walker is the sixth officer to be killed in the line of duty this year and the fourth to die from gunfire, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
Texas Police Detective Fatally Shot During Standoff | Officer.com
A Mount Vernon, Washington police officer wounded in a shooting late last year will most likely be left blind as a result of his injuries. Officer Mike McClaughry was shot in the head on Dec. 15 while responding to another shooting, according to MyNorthwest.com. Following a standoff at a residence, police arrested Ernesto Lee Rivas, who was charged with attempted first-degree murder.
Officer Mike McClaughry
In a Facebook post, McCaughry's daughter April updated the community on the status of his recovery: "It is with much heartache to inform you all that we have been told that most likely my dad will be blind," the statement reads. "We are very devastated to hear this news as it changes our lives forever and for sure my father's. We are holding onto some hope that his brain will heal and recover but we are also trying to prepare ourselves for the future and probable reality."
During his time at the hospital, McClaughry has been able to move his body and speak a few words and there are indications he can hear his family and music. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist McClaughry with medical costs.
Washington Officer Shot in the Head Likely Left Blind | Officer.com
The man threatening to jump off the Crescent City Connection bridge shot himself in the chest after an hours-long standoff on Friday. EMS were rendering aid to the man, identified as Sylvester Holt, a person of interest in the shooting deaths of a Westwego officer and another woman in Marrero, according to Louisiana State Police. A video from WWL-TV shows Holt being lifted from his location on the bridge after the shot was fired. Holt was seen moving after the gunshot and was taken to University Medical Center. His condition is unclear. More to come.
A man threatening to jump from New Orleans' Mississippi River bridge ignored a rope lowered to him as police hunted for a man who fatally shot an off-duty police officer and a woman who had crashed her car. Police pulled the rope back up late Friday afternoon, and the man lay down on a girder below the bridge and outside its railing. Officers had guns trained on the man as of 3:45 p.m. The man had been standing on the support beams of the bridge for several hours. At least three officers could be seen with guns drawn. More to come.
Officer Michael Louviere - Westwego Police Department
Latest details:
Police officers had converged around a man on the edge of the westbound side of the Crescent City Connection on Friday afternoon, in a standoff that one official said was related to the search for Sylvester Holt, who has been named as a person of interest in the fatal shooting hours earlier of a Westwego police officer and a 32-year-old woman. Asked if the activity was related to the search for Holt, who has been named as a person of interest in the killings, Assistant Gretna Police Chief Anthony Christiana said, "Apparently, that's the information we are obtaining." Authorities have not said whether Holt is the man on the bridge. While the standoff continued, the lanes heading in the direction of the West Bank on US 90B West over the bridge remained closed.
The man, who was wearing a blue shirt and shorts, was standing on the support beams under the bridge. Police standing above had lowered a phone to speak with officers. Hours earlier, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said that Officer Michael Louviere of the Westwego Police Department was shot in the head and killed Friday morning after stopping to help a woman who was involved in what had appeared to be a traffic accident near the intersection of Ames and Barataria boulevards, just south of Marrero. The Sheriff’s Office identified the woman as Simone Veal, 32, on Friday afternoon; she was Holt's wife.
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A 29-year-old sheriff's deputy was killed in a shootout with a suspected car thief, who also died, in northern North Dakota on Wednesday night, according to the Rolette County sheriff's office. Deputy Colt Allery, who had been with the Rolette County Sheriff's department for three months, died at a rural intersection along with the suspect, who law enforcement officers have not yet identified.
Rolette County Deputy Colt Allery
A male suspect in a stolen pickup lead four law enforcement officers on an approximately 15-mile chase reaching 85 miles per hour after a vehicle was reported stolen in Devil's Lake at about 6:10 p.m. Wednesday. Operators of an OnStar vehicle tracking system told law enforcement that the vehicle was headed into neighboring Rolette County, according to the sheriff's office. Onstar trackers slowed the vehicle down to approximately five miles per hour. A shootout then began when officers caught up to it at an intersection.
Though three other law enforcement officers were involved in the shootout, none of the others were hurt. Allery had been a law enforcement officer for approximately three years, at once point holding a position with tribal police. Rolette County Sheriff Gerald Medrud described Allery as "a young deputy that was full of spunk" who was "cheerful and happy all the time." The state Bureau of Criminal Investgation is investigating.
Slain North Dakota Sheriff's Deputy Identified | Officer.com
Hours after a fugitive in the slaying of a police officer told a judge he was brutalized during his arrest, the Orlando police chief released a video of his surrender and described the suspect as “extremely violent, dangerous and very unpredictable.” The nighttime aerial video shows Markeith Loyd crawling across the front yard of a house before he is surrounded by police. At least two of the officers appear to kick him as he surrenders. The camera then pans out and away, making it difficult to see anything in detail. Orlando Police Chief John Mina acknowledged that Loyd was kicked during his arrest on Tuesday, but said that was because he was resisting the officers’ orders.
Loyd later appeared with both eyes swollen shut and blood oozing from his mouth. He was hospitalized overnight and then jailed before his initial appearance on Thursday. The police chief said he believes his officers acted appropriately and that all involved remain on full duty. “Let’s not rush to judgement, let’s let the use of force investigation play out and remember that we are dealing with an extremely violent, dangerous and very unpredictable person,” Mina said.
Markeith Loyd, suspected of fatally shooting a Florida police officer, attends his initial court appearance at the Orange County Jail in Orlando, Florida
Loyd directed expletive-laced outbursts at a judge during his initial hearing on Thursday on charges that he also killed his pregnant former girlfriend. He declared that many of the accusations against him are “made up,” and said he was brutalized by officers after an intense, nine-day manhunt. “They done took my eye, broke my nose, broke my jaw,” Loyd said. “I didn’t resist.” Most suspects appear with a lawyer and remain silent while the judge reads the charges in initial hearings, but Loyd said he planned to represent himself, stridently objecting to charges of first-degree murder and the unlawful killing of a fetus in the Dec. 13 death of Sade Dixon.
Loyd, 41, is also accused of fatally shooting Orlando Lieutenant Debra Clayton outside a Wal-Mart while he was a fugitive from justice. Charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, carjacking, aggravated assault and wearing a bulletproof vest while committing an offense were filed against Loyd on Thursday related to the officer’s killing. Orange County Judge Jeanette Bigney ordered Loyd held without bond. Loyd dismissed any notion of guilt and, despite being cautioned by the judge, his outbursts continued. The judge confirmed that Loyd was speaking under oath and said “everything you say is being recorded, sir.” “I’m not finished talking because y’all been making up shit the whole time,” Loyd said.
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At 5:06 a.m., Delaware State Police breached the C Building at the prison, said Jayme Gravell, Department of Correction chief of community relations. One of the hostages, who Gravell said is a Department of Correction employee, was safely rescued and is being examined at a local hospital. She is alert and talking. The remaining hostage, a Department of Correction officer, was found but was unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at 5:29 a.m., Gravell said. Building C is secured, Gravell said. No more hostages are in the prison.
Gov. John Carney released the following statement this morning: "I'm praying hard for the fallen officer's family. This serves as a tragic reminder that members of law enforcement risk their lives every day on behalf of the people of Delaware," Carney said. "We will stand by the fallen officer's family and fellow law enforcement officers during what is an extremely difficult time." "This was a long and agonizing situation. I want to thank all those involved in responding, including officers at the Department of Correction and the Delaware State Police, as well as our federal partners," Carney said. "Our priority now will be to determine what happened and how this happened. We will hold accountable anyone who was responsible. And we will make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again."
More information will be released at a 10:30 a.m. press conference, Gravell said. The Department of Correction continues to operate under emergency procedures.
Corrections Officer Dead in Hostage Situation at Delaware Prison
Fighting back tears, Gov. John Carney addressed the media Thursday morning after a hostage situation in Smyrna's prison ended with the death of correction officer Sgt. Steven Floyd. "It's a very sad day across the state of Delaware with the loss of one of our brave correctional officers," the governor said during the press conference at Delaware State Police Troop 2 in Glasgow. "My prayers all day yesterday was that this event would end with a different result. But it didn't. So today all of us mourn the family of Sgt. Floyd." Perry Phelps, commissioner for the Delaware Department of Correction, said Floyd -- a correctional officer for 16 years at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna -- was pronounced dead this morning at 5:29 a.m. An autopsy is being performed to determine the cause of death.
Sgt. Steven Floyd
The uprising at Vaughn Correctional Center started Wednesday morning around 10:30 a.m. when prisoners took four hostages in Building C. Phelps said one hostage was released at 2:25 p.m. A second was released around 8 p.m. At 10:52 p.m., three maintenance workers who were hiding in the basement, unbeknownst to inmates, worked their way to the roof where a tactical team rescued them. Phelps said police stormed Building C at 5:06 a.m. on Thursday and rescued the third hostage, a female staff member. Sgt. Floyd, the fourth hostage, was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at 5:29 a.m. Authorities secured the building at 5:32 a.m. Secretary Robert Coupe from the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security said a backhoe was used to breach a barricade of footlockers that inmates in Building C had filled with water.
A tactical team quickly located the female staff member and had her removed safely from the building in less than two minutes. Coupe said inmates helped to shield her from danger. An early plan to storm the Building C was to use one of Maryland State Police's breaching vehicles. But eventually the tactical team "came up with another plan and that was to use a backhoe," Coupe said. The secretary said 120 inmates were in Building C and all are considered suspects in this investigation. Coupe said there are plans to get the attorney general's office involved to ensure "the appropriate charges are filed and the perpetrators are brought to justice." While Coupe didn't share a motive for the inmates' attack or the weapons they used, he did say they had "sharp instruments."
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Security Officer Scott Von Lanken -- a former police officer in La Crosse, Wisconsin -- was standing outside of Union Station in Wynkoop Plaza near the intersection of 16th and Wynkoop streets around 11 p.m. when he was attacked, according to The Denver Post. Officials said the 56-year-old armed security officer with Allied Universal was giving directions to two women about where to board the light rail when the suspect snuck up behind him and pointed a gun at his neck. The women said they heard the suspect say "Do as I tell you" before shooting the officer.
Security Officer Scott Von Lanken
Von Lanken died in an ambulance while being transported to a local hospital. A warning was immediately sent out out to all Denver police officers because there was no known motive for the shooting. "We have concerns," Denver Police Commander Barb Archer told reporters. "Was the officer a target because he was wearing a uniform?"
The suspected gunman, 37-year-old Joshua Cummings, was arrested a few blocks away and is being held without bond. Von Lanken is survived by his wife, Shellie, and their twin adult daughters. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Denver Transit Officer Killed in Ambush Attack | Officer.com
Whittier Officer Keith Lane Boyer died and Officer Patrick Hazel was wounded when they answered a report of a traffic accident in the eastern Los Angeles County suburb. A motorist pointed out the location of the car that had rear-ended his vehicle, and the officers approached the driver. "When they get him out of the car, they go to pat him down for weapons, they can see he's got tattoos all over his face and all over his neck," county sheriff's Lt. John Corina said.
The man then pulled a semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and opened fire at the officers, who were wearing bulletproof vests and shot back, Corina said. "They walked up on the vehicle believing the motorist was in need of medical help and then they ended up in a gunfight for their lives," Sheriff Jim McDonnell said. Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper wept as he described Boyer as a friend of more than 25 years. "All of us have been grieving," the chief said. "And I didn't think I had any tears left." Gov. Jerry Brown issued a statement of condolence. Capitol flags were ordered to be flown at half-staff in his honor.
The suspect, a 26-year-old gang member, had a history of serious crimes and had been granted early release from Los Angeles County jail about a week ago, Corina said. He didn't know the nature of his offense. His name wasn't immediately released. Earlier Monday, he shot and killed his cousin in East Los Angeles and took his car, which later rear-ended another car in the neighboring city of Whittier, Corina said. He got out and asked those he had hit to help push his stolen car from the intersection. Boyer and Hazel didn't know any of those details when they answered the report of a car accident, Corina said.
Boyer was pronounced dead at a hospital. Hazel, a three-year veteran, and the suspect were hospitalized in stable condition and were expected to live. After the shooting, a long line of police cars escorted the slain officer's body from a hospital in Irvine to the coroner's office. Mourners placed candles and flowers outside police headquarters. Boyer joined the force as a dispatcher in 1989 and became a full-time officer in 1990. A divorced father who played the drums, he was "the best of the best" who was sought for advice by his colleagues and superiors, the chief said. Boyer recently talked to the chief about retiring. The Whittier Police Department has about 125 sworn officers who patrol Whittier and Santa Fe Springs. The department has had two other officers killed in the line of duty - a detective in 1979 and a corporal in 1977.
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Obama's rhetoric, the sheriff claims, is part of a broader "war on cops" that inspired attacks on officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Dallas; New York and other cities. "What I said about Barack Obama -- our former president -- that was not rhetoric," Knezovich said in an interview Monday. "That was my heartfelt belief that President Obama let this country down. That man was perfectly positioned to heal this country and close the divide between law enforcement and the people, and he blew it."
Knezovich, a Republican, has made similar statements before, including after the fatal shootings of five Dallas police officers last summer. The difference, he believes, is that his most recent speech was delivered at a rally in support of Donald Trump. "I speak at Democrat rallies; I speak all over the place," Knezovich said Monday. The chairman of the Spokane County Democrats, Andrew Biviano, wrote an "open letter" to Knezovich on Facebook in which he urged the sheriff to "tone down your own rhetoric and use more nuanced language, lest someone level at you the same unfair accusation of complicity in murder." According to the Washington Post, the number of law enforcement officers intentionally killed each year has been steadily declining for decades and reached historic lows during Obama's presidency.
The Post analyzed data from the Officers Down Memorial Page, a website that tracks police fatalities in real time, and found an average of 62 intentional killings per year under Obama. That compares to 101 under Ronald Reagan, 90 under George H.W. Bush, 81 under Bill Clinton and 72 under George W. Bush. However, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, there has been an increase in "ambush-style" attacks, which claimed the lives of 21 officers in 2016, the highest total of any year in the past two decades. The Memorial Fund reported that 135 officers died in the line of duty last year, including 64 from gun-related incidents and 53 from traffic-related incidents.
Knezovich said he still has some "reservations" about Trump but stopped short of blaming him for any tensions between police and marginalized communities. By contrast, he said Obama established an anti-police tone early in his presidency by suggesting that a Cambridge, Massachusetts, officer "acted stupidly" in the 2009 arrest of black Harvard University professor Henry Gates Jr. Biviano said Obama "validated the pain of those who had suffered at the hands of police" and "definitely stood up for police as well" by recognizing the sacrifices of law enforcement officers in speeches and eulogies, and by allocating billions of federal dollars to maintain local police forces. Knezovich should remind people of that, he said. "That, coming from the mouth of a sheriff, would mean so much," Biviano said in an interview. "I want this to be an opportunity for this dialogue to be fixed."
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A Navajo Nation Police Department officer shot while responding to a domestic violence call in rural McKinley County died Sunday, according to the FBI. Officer Houston Largo, 27, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital in critical condition following the shooting near Prewitt, FBI spokesman Frank Fisher said in a news release. Fisher said a suspect is in custody, but he did not release the person’s name. The shooting remains under investigation by the FBI, New Mexico State Police and the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office, Fisher said. Largo was a decorated officer with five years of service, Fisher said.
Lt. James Maiorano of the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office said that deputies from his office were dispatched to an address on County Road 19 late Saturday “in reference to a Navajo police officer possibly being shot.” “It’s believed that Navajo Police Department officer Houston Largo had responded to some sort of a dispute at that address, made contact with two subjects in a vehicle,” Maiorano said. “While detaining the driver, the passenger fled on foot.” Maiorano said it’s not clear what led to the shooting or whether the driver or passenger was responsible. He said that deputies believe a passerby found Largo or noticed his police unit after the shooting and called Crownpoint dispatch for help.
Navajo Nation Officer Houston Largo, 27, Fatally Shot During Domestic Violence Call
Prewitt is located on the Navajo Nation west of Grants. Maiorano said the shooting took place about nine miles north of Prewitt. Largo is the first law enforcement officer killed this year in New Mexico. The shooting captured the attention of Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye, who visited UNM-H on Sunday, according to a social media post. He said the officer’s death was “one of the most trying times” he has had as president.
He said officer “lives are precious. They are the ones who stand guard over our nation and protect us.” Begaye said Largo died around 3 p.m. Sunday. He was from Thoreau and had served in the Navajo Nation Police Department’s Crownpoint District. Gov. Susana Martinez said in a statement that the news “reinforces the dangers our police officers face every day.” Fisher said more information will be released as the investigation continues.
Navajo Nation Police Officer Fatally Shot During Domestic Violence Call
A decorated officer with five years of service killed in Navaho country...
Navajo Nation Officer Fatally Shot During Domestic Violence Call
March 13, 2017 - Navajo Nation Police Officer Houston Largo died Sunday after he was shot while responding to a domestic violence call late Saturday night.
A Navajo Nation Police Department officer shot while responding to a domestic violence call in rural McKinley County died Sunday, according to the FBI. Officer Houston Largo, 27, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico Hospital in critical condition following the shooting near Prewitt, FBI spokesman Frank Fisher said in a news release. Fisher said a suspect is in custody, but he did not release the person’s name. The shooting remains under investigation by the FBI, New Mexico State Police and the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office, Fisher said. Largo was a decorated officer with five years of service, Fisher said.
Lt. James Maiorano of the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office said that deputies from his office were dispatched to an address on County Road 19 late Saturday “in reference to a Navajo police officer possibly being shot.” “It’s believed that Navajo Police Department officer Houston Largo had responded to some sort of a dispute at that address, made contact with two subjects in a vehicle,” Maiorano said. “While detaining the driver, the passenger fled on foot.” Maiorano said it’s not clear what led to the shooting or whether the driver or passenger was responsible. He said that deputies believe a passerby found Largo or noticed his police unit after the shooting and called Crownpoint dispatch for help.
Navajo Nation Officer Houston Largo, 27, Fatally Shot During Domestic Violence Call
Prewitt is located on the Navajo Nation west of Grants. Maiorano said the shooting took place about nine miles north of Prewitt. Largo is the first law enforcement officer killed this year in New Mexico. The shooting captured the attention of Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye, who visited UNM-H on Sunday, according to a social media post. He said the officer’s death was “one of the most trying times” he has had as president.
He said officer “lives are precious. They are the ones who stand guard over our nation and protect us.” Begaye said Largo died around 3 p.m. Sunday. He was from Thoreau and had served in the Navajo Nation Police Department’s Crownpoint District. Gov. Susana Martinez said in a statement that the news “reinforces the dangers our police officers face every day.” Fisher said more information will be released as the investigation continues.
Navajo Nation Police Officer Fatally Shot During Domestic Violence Call
An East Baton Rouge deputy has died after he was shot while conducting an investigation before midnight on Saturday night, East Baton Rouge and Louisiana State Police officials confirmed. The shooting occurred near the Classic Cuts barber shop off O'Neal Lane, according to Louisiana State Police spokesman Bryan Lee. Two deputies were conducting an investigation near the barber shop, located at 1962 O'Neal Lane, when shots were fired. A suspect also sustained injuries, according to Lee, which were being treated. The suspect's condition was not given.
The identity of the deputy won't be released at this point, EBRSO spokeswoman Casey Rayborn Hicks said. "It's a tragic night for the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office," Hicks said. " ... We're focused on working with the family, praying for the family and making sure that our deputies have the help and support that they need." Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie and East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome were at the scene and both expressed the need to keep the deputy's family in people's thoughts and prayers. Sheriff Sid Gautreaux was with the deputy's family at the hospital, Hicks said. "My thoughts are this is certainly a tragedy for our community," Weston Broome said. "Our thoughts, our prayers, our condolences go out to the sheriff's deputy and his family."
Said Dabadie: "I think we are a very praying community and I think that thoughts and prayers are needed here and we come together just like we always do and always have. There's no doubt we won't here, also." The deputy was transported from Ochsner Medical Center after 2 a.m. with a procession of law enforcement vehicles. A large area near the AMC movie theater remained roped off in crime scene tape as police continued to investigate. Hicks said Louisiana State Police would be conducting the investigation.
Louisiana Sheriff's Deputy Fatally Shot; Suspect in Custody
A veteran East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff's deputy who served high-risk warrants and earned accolades in his career became the fourth law enforcement officer to die here in the line of duty over the last eight months after he was fatally shot Saturday night at a strip-mall hair salon while trying to question a rape suspect, officials said. Sgt. Shawn Thomas Anderson, 43, a father of two and an East Baton Rouge Parish deputy for 18 years, died after being rushed to nearby Ochsner Medical Center. Anderson and another deputy struggled with the rape suspect inside Classic Cuts, a storefront hair salon on O'Neal Lane, about 11 p.m., said Casey Rayborn Hicks, a Sheriff's Office spokeswoman. Hicks said during the struggle "shots were fired," and the deputy was wounded.
The rape suspect, who hasn't been identified by law enforcement, was also shot during the struggle, Hicks said. He remained hospitalized Sunday evening. No other details of the shooting were provided by State Police, who took over the investigation. Anderson was a decorated officer who, a year ago Sunday, earned accolades and local media attention after he helped a woman deliver her baby on Tiger Bend Road. “Our hearts are broken as we grieve for one of our brothers,” Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said in a statement. “We ask for your continued prayers and support during this difficult time as we mourn the loss and honor the memory of Sgt. Shawn Anderson.”
A State Police trooper guarded the scene Sunday morning as a few patrons of a nearby daiquiri shop in the same strip mall as the hair salon showed up to find out when authorities would let them get their vehicles, which were trapped behind the police tape put up the night before. Even as a parking lot for the next-door AMC Theater began to fill up for Sunday matinees, a few people were starting to leave flowers and other remembrances for the deputy on a brick planter in front of the salon. At Classic Cuts, a bullet hole was visible Sunday morning just under a decal saying "Cuts &" in one of the salon's large glass windows facing the mall and movie parking lots.
Lilnetta Roach, the owner of the hair salon, said she had few details about what happened or why. She was reached by telephone Sunday morning before details of the shooting or Anderson’s name were made public. Roach said some employees would work as late 11 p.m. on a Saturday and appeared to acknowledge that an unnamed male employee was at the business Saturday night. She declined to offer more details or give the employee's name until she could learn more. “I don’t know why he was there. I don’t know why he was there. All employees have a key,” Roach said.
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