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MH1

(17,608 posts)
Sun Feb 28, 2016, 11:50 AM Feb 2016

Just badged VA cop killed on first day, responding to domestic dispute

This is such a tragic story I wanted to post it. There is no racial factor in this story that has been revealed so far. I'm just posting this as a counterbalance to all the posts about how evil the cops are. Not every situation is a cop beating up or killing someone who didn't do anything (or much) wrong.

I'm as virulently opposed to the a*hole cops in situations like Eric Garner and Tamir Rice and Freddy Gray and .... as anybody.

But at the same time I support the cops who are out there behaving decently (at least according to how they've been trained and ordered) and just trying to do a difficult job that we all need done, whether we admit it or not. Sometimes a situation where the cops acted badly, is really a combination of a series of bad decisions based on inadequate training, poor leadership culture, and dealing with a stressful situation that could very well end up like this one. That doesn't mean that the problem cops shouldn't be brought to justice and/or retrained ... just that we should be aware of the many factors that might be in play, particularly when cops respond to domestic calls.

My thoughts go out to the family of this woman, the family of the original apparent victim of the abuser, and the other officers wounded in the incident.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/domestic-dispute-virginia-cop-ashley-guindon-shot-killed/


WOODBRIDGE, Va. - A Virginia police officer's first day back on the job ended in tragedy as she was shot and killed Saturday just after being sworn in, and two of her colleagues were wounded in a confrontation stemming from a call about an argument.

A county leader said a civilian woman was also killed in the domestic dispute.

Officers received a call around 5:30 Saturday evening in Woodbridge, about 30 miles southwest of the nation's capital, about a "verbal argument," Sgt. Jonathan Perok, spokesman of the Prince William County Police Department, said. It's not clear how the altercation between the suspect and police began but the suspect, a military serviceman, is in custody and was not injured, he said. The condition of the other two officers is not known.

...

Another woman was killed in the domestic call and was dead before police arrived, Stewart said, but police declined to confirm that information. Stewart also said there was a child in the house during the incident who was not harmed.

Neighbors told CBS affiliate WUSA in Washington, D.C., that a violent scene unfolded as cops showed up.

...

The shooting occurred in the Lake Ridge neighborhood, on a curving street with $500,000 suburban houses with brick and siding exteriors, manicured lawns and two-car garages about a five-minute drive from the county office building.

....
17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Just badged VA cop killed on first day, responding to domestic dispute (Original Post) MH1 Feb 2016 OP
Sad story. imanamerican63 Feb 2016 #1
Very sad. cwydro Feb 2016 #2
This message was self-deleted by its author exboyfil Feb 2016 #3
This message was self-deleted by its author MH1 Feb 2016 #6
This message was self-deleted by its author exboyfil Feb 2016 #8
What a lovely person. cwydro Feb 2016 #7
All the comments say that's the wrong guy. Bonx Feb 2016 #12
Definitely the wrong guy Crabby Appleton Feb 2016 #13
And that's the problem with using blogs for news Bonx Feb 2016 #14
Thank you for flagging it. MH1 Feb 2016 #15
Domestics are supposedly some of the most damgerous calls. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Feb 2016 #4
This happened in a suburb with 500K homes. MH1 Feb 2016 #17
It's very sad noamnety Feb 2016 #5
I actually agree with you, and I'm sorry I didn't phrase it better. MH1 Feb 2016 #9
This message was self-deleted by its author exboyfil Feb 2016 #10
This message was self-deleted by its author MH1 Feb 2016 #11
Police in America have a very dangerous job tabasco Feb 2016 #16

Response to MH1 (Original post)

Response to exboyfil (Reply #3)

Response to MH1 (Reply #6)

Crabby Appleton

(5,231 posts)
13. Definitely the wrong guy
Sun Feb 28, 2016, 01:14 PM
Feb 2016

The Army says the shooter is an active duty staff sergeant stationed at the Pentagon working in IT.

MH1

(17,608 posts)
15. Thank you for flagging it.
Sun Feb 28, 2016, 02:59 PM
Feb 2016

I've self deleted my related replies.

I guess it was the same name? Really sucks to share a name with a cretin, I guess.

Erich Bloodaxe BSN

(14,733 posts)
4. Domestics are supposedly some of the most damgerous calls.
Sun Feb 28, 2016, 12:02 PM
Feb 2016

Surprising that he would be sent out to one on his first day. Sort of like putting a brand new nurse on a patient who's unpredictably violent.

MH1

(17,608 posts)
17. This happened in a suburb with 500K homes.
Sun Feb 28, 2016, 03:08 PM
Feb 2016

Probably not considered the most dangerous duty. But if they were the closest car when the call came in, of course they responded.

 

noamnety

(20,234 posts)
5. It's very sad
Sun Feb 28, 2016, 12:05 PM
Feb 2016

and I'm certainly not one celebrating cops' deaths.

But since you chose to include the commentary about the few bad apples, I can't let that go unchallenged. The issue is not just the few bad apples. When you phrase it the way you did, you put the focus on individuals, not the systemic problems which police departments as a group uphold.

The systemic problems include a system of lying to cover each other's asses, a culture of lying on reports, a culture of not dismissing the cops caught lying on reports, on and on.

MH1

(17,608 posts)
9. I actually agree with you, and I'm sorry I didn't phrase it better.
Sun Feb 28, 2016, 12:12 PM
Feb 2016

A lot of what you mention falls under what I call "poor leadership culture". Of course that's a simple phrase to write, that covers a lot of the systemic ills.

I just wanted to focus on the fact that there are good, idealistic individuals who go into policing with the honest intention of serving the public. I think the kind of systemic problems you describe cause all but the highest integrity individuals to slip at least a little. Those with weak integrity slip more than a little, and those become some of the bad apples. Then there are a few that get through the screening and are rotten to start with, who go into policing for all the wrong reasons.

That said, until we do something about the systemic issues, it's going to be tough for the "good apples" to balance out the "bad apples". The system is stacked against them, even if they survive the real criminals they have to face in their jobs.

Response to MH1 (Original post)

Response to exboyfil (Reply #10)

 

tabasco

(22,974 posts)
16. Police in America have a very dangerous job
Sun Feb 28, 2016, 03:06 PM
Feb 2016

thanks in large part to our lack of rational gun restrictions.

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