Off Duty Police Officer Kills Gunman
I’ve written quite a few posts on the problems with knock-raids and SWAT team tactics. One could get the impression that I don’t like the police or think that police in general are the problem. This is not the case. I do think there is a time and place for SWAT teams and this is it. Also, of note is the heroism of Officer Ken Hammond who after hearing the sounds of gunfire jumped up from his dinner with his wife, headed towards the sound of gunfire, cornered the gunman, exchanged fire with him until other offiers arrived.
From the article,
“There is no question that [Hammond’s] quick actions saved the lives of numerous other people,” the police chief said.
Police said it was not immediately clear who fired the shot that killed Talovic.
Talovic had a backpack full of ammunition, a shotgun and a .38-caliber pistol, police said. Investigators knew little about him, except than he lived in Salt Lake City with his mother, the police chief said. He was enrolled in numerous city schools before withdrawing in 2004, the school district said.
Good for you, Officer Hammond. If you assume the shooter had head problems, that is sad. So is the fact that so many fall through the cracks and senseless violence ensues.
Wait and see: Officer Hammond will be up on charges soon enough.
At least he would if he had been a Philadelphia police officer.