http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/robbery-suspect-dead-after-shooting-at-wendy-s-cops-tv/article_a919c242-2d98-11e4-9cee-001a4bcf6878.html

 

 

 

Quote

A crew member with the “Cops” television show was fatally struck by police gunfire as Omaha officers confronted a robber — who also was fatally wounded — at a midtown restaurant, law enforcement sources said Wednesday.

The World-Herald has learned that at least 30 shots were fired at the Wendy’s near 43rd and Dodge Streets.

Officials said it appears the only shots fired came from police.

The robbery suspect apparently had an air gun, a type of BB gun that looks like an actual firearm. He apparently was a prison parolee from Kansas, law enforcement sources said.

The names of the two dead had not been released at midday Wednesday. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer has scheduled a press conference for 2:30 p.m.

 

 

I put this in the "Politics" section because it highlights a big concern with Police on a lack of training for many officers.

 

While I hold no fault in the police for shooting the suspect, I have a major problem with the lack of training of many cops in the United States in regards to firearms.

 

Before my dad ever allowed me to touch a gun, I had the three rules to firearms safety ingrained in my head. The particular one that applies in this situation is to be aware of your target and what's beyond it.

 

Unfortunately, most PDs have minuscule firearms training, usually involving between 2-4 qualifications a year with handguns (usually at a still target without any sort of stress involved) and 1 qualification for each long gun.

 

Edited April 27, 20188 yr by c13

May he rest in peace, very sad to hear this. I am kind of surprised that this hasn't happened before though, the amount of calls they have gone to. 

My father's a police officer and he's told about how bad of shots some of the other officer are at his department. I think he's qualifies for the handgun 2 times year and 1 time for long guns. Even though it's a small village department under 100 officers, you never know what might happen and training should be a bigger priority.

 

Let's not forget that officers are trained "Shoot to kill". So if you have 1-4 officers shooting to kill, there's going to be a lot rounds(let's say 6-17 rounds each officer) going in different directions.

 

One more thing, I think it's time for bb guns to have some sort of coloring on the barrel, airsoft guns have an orange tip, so let's have bb guns be yellow or pink. I know any criminal can just paint it black, but I believe there was an incident at Walmart somewhere where a guy was fatally shot for messing around with a bb gun.

Edited August 27, 201411 yr by BlackJesus1

What a tragedy. May he rest in peace.

Man how sad, poor crewman. Me I'm not a big fan of guns, so I just stay away from them.

There is a serious lack of training in firearms for law enforcement across the board. Their qualifications are so basic, and as OP said, with no stress. Plus additional quals happen less than 3 times a year. Hell I qualify once a year! I'm the last defense of our air bases, and we only qualify once a year under no stress! That's ridiculous. Of course I regularly shoot on my own time, but I'm significantly better than those that don't practice on their own.

But then again I feel something is wrong with what happened in the story. Normally the cameramen are to be behind the police if shots are being fired. Not in front or to the side where there's even a remote chance of being struck.

They still make "Cops"?  haven't seen a new ep in ages....

 

RIP for the dead.

 

Edited August 27, 201411 yr by nazethc

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Edited June 23, 20241 yr by tobeymaguire

At least he died doing what he loved. I'm sure he'd do it all over again if he had the chance. That being said, I've read quite a few comments about Police Officers not having proper training. Well I don't know about where you live, but here in Conroe, Texas you must have a 90% accuracy 4 times a year. There are moving targets, dark rooms, flashing lights etc. to simulate a real world event so that Officers will not make the same mistake that was made here. If you score 89%, you failed and must qualify again. You may not resume your patrol duties until this is met, and it may be a reason for them to terminate your employment. It's pretty harsh, but for good reason.

One more thing, I think it's time for bb guns to have some sort of coloring on the barrel, airsoft guns have an orange tip, so let's have bb guns be yellow or pink. I know any criminal can just paint it black, but I believe there was an incident at Walmart somewhere where a guy was fatally shot for messing around with a bb gun.

While they are less dangerous than actual guns (though I hate to define them like that), there are several dozen deaths a year attributed to air guns like the one held by the guy in the Wal-Mart.

If something easily capable of killing is labeled a toy, it would make people think even more that they shouldn't be treated as dangerous.

If something easily capable of killing is labeled a toy, it would make people think even more that they shouldn't be treated as dangerous.

True, but the guy that got killed was playing with it as a toy. If there was some sort of indicator on the bb gun to quickly identify it as for lack of better words "less lethal", then the 911 caller wouldn't have been saying " there's a man with a gun , he's loading it and aiming at people" The incident could've been resolved without someone dying.

 

 

Before my dad ever allowed me to touch a gun, I had the three rules to firearms safety ingrained in my head. The particular one that applies in this situation is to be aware of your target and what's beyond it.

 

You are right, although this scenario is WAAY different. Police officers are trained to shoot and kill, guns are always a last resort, how often do you think police have to fire at someone? Most officers havent even shot there weapon at anything in the line of duty. You also have to realize, unlike on a gun range you have to make split second decisions when getting shot at, you dont think straight and all you wanna do is take the guy down. People wonder why police shoot a suspect multiple times after theyre dead, trust me if you ever got shot at you would shoot them till your gun stops shooting. Its a whole different mindset when your being shot at. I also assume this happened in a not so large area, so the police there dont do much weapon training, unlike in a place like detroit or the bronx. Your completely right when it comes to the range, but in shootouts its different.

 

One more thing, I think it's time for bb guns to have some sort of coloring on the barrel, airsoft guns have an orange tip, so let's have bb guns be yellow or pink. I know any criminal can just paint it black, but I believe there was an incident at Walmart somewhere where a guy was fatally shot for messing around with a bb gun.

That wouldnt make sense. The colored tip signifies that the gun is a toy, and not lethal. A bb gun is very lethal, painting the tip orange wouldnt follow legal standards.

Damn shame. So the bullet cam from an officer's gun? RIP

Does anyone know where he was compared to the officers and cameramen? He's the sound engineer so I guess he was trying to get audio of the robber, but he didn't move away in time?

Man how sad, poor crewman. Me I'm not a big fan of guns, so I just stay away from them.

A Texan who's not a fan of guns? i think i hear hell freezing over right now

 

 

I Do agree about the requirements for police if its true 2-3 times a year for handgun training is a little too low.. 

You are right, although this scenario is WAAY different. Police officers are trained to shoot and kill, guns are always a last resort, how often do you think police have to fire at someone? Most officers havent even shot there weapon at anything in the line of duty. You also have to realize, unlike on a gun range you have to make split second decisions when getting shot at, you dont think straight and all you wanna do is take the guy down. People wonder why police shoot a suspect multiple times after theyre dead, trust me if you ever got shot at you would shoot them till your gun stops shooting. Its a whole different mindset when your being shot at. I also assume this happened in a not so large area, so the police there dont do much weapon training, unlike in a place like detroit or the bronx. Your completely right when it comes to the range, but in shootouts its different.

It matters more so in a real life situation. It's not likely some one will go forward of the firing line while at a shooting range while some one is firing, and even though people should be wary of it, the chance of that happening is miniscule.

 

However, in a real world shooting, bystanders can pop up from virtually anywhere. Especially at a business. People could have tried to get up from behind cover to run, blocking the officers line of fire. That doesn't mean to continue firing.

 

While the suspect did have what appeared to be a gun and I'm not saying he wasn't asking for it, no shots were fired at the police. While still a dangerous situation, it didn't reach the point of ignore all bystanders and open fire, even though there is no excuse for that.

 

Detroit is in shambles economically, especially the city government. I highly doubt they have the budget for any sort of decent firearms training. And the NYPD's firearms training is probably the worst in the country due to a combination of general laziness of many officers, 12 lb triggers and not enough the resources to have more than 2 basic qualifications a year. Just read this.

 

The only departments that have what I would consider to be good firearms training for cops are smaller suburban agencies, since they are at a small enough size that each person can get additional training and because they have the budget to do so. While nothing in my area is as extreme as the city in Texas that was mentioned earlier, I know that one PD that fits my description near me has 4 handgun qualifications a year, including 1 low light and one stress/obstacle course shoot, as well as low light and stress shoots for rifles.

 

And before anything is said, I'm not blaming the officer, but mainly the poor policies many agencies have that are some how acceptable.

A Texan who's not a fan of guns? i think i hear hell freezing over right now

I Do agree about the requirements for police if its true 2-3 times a year for handgun training is a little too low..

Yes you heard right, I'm not a fan of guns, oh well at least I'm not the only one.

At least he died doing what he loved. I'm sure he'd do it all over again if he had the chance. That being said, I've read quite a few comments about Police Officers not having proper training. Well I don't know about where you live, but here in Conroe, Texas you must have a 90% accuracy 4 times a year. There are moving targets, dark rooms, flashing lights etc. to simulate a real world event so that Officers will not make the same mistake that was made here. If you score 89%, you failed and must qualify again. You may not resume your patrol duties until this is met, and it may be a reason for them to terminate your employment. It's pretty harsh, but for good reason.

It's incredibly expensive to have qualifications multiple times a year. Plus even the most intense qualifications don't train trigger discipline. Until you have live adrenaline rushing through your veins looking down the barrel of your gun at somebody aiming back at you, not knowing how many there are, is totally different. Training helps, but doesn't prevent it. Plus the whole "Copa work as a team" mentality doesn't help. If one coo starts shooting all the other cops with open fire as well. It's an unfortunate accident. Training only lessens the chance.

It's incredibly expensive to have qualifications multiple times a year. Plus even the most intense qualifications don't train trigger discipline. Until you have live adrenaline rushing through your veins looking down the barrel of your gun at somebody aiming back at you, not knowing how many there are, is totally different. Training helps, but doesn't prevent it. Plus the whole "Copa work as a team" mentality doesn't help. If one coo starts shooting all the other cops with open fire as well. It's an unfortunate accident. Training only lessens the chance.

 

Agreed, although that wasn't the point. The point was here in Conroe, Officers do have proper training. Which only helps prevent, but does not completely wipe out, accidents.

 

What gets on my nerves is, all this hate from Canadians saying it's no surprise, like it should effect the Canadian people, as if this happens in Canada like it does in the states.. makes me wild when Canadians have this delusion American cops are Canadians or just Americanized Police..