My guess is right name, wrong address.
Well theres one less crazy woman in the world so thats a good thing.
Congratulations, you posted the first of 3 threads!
Man, she went out, guns-a-blazin' at 92.
No-knock. The greatest thing since sliced bread.
Doughnut munchers trying to play Rambo. Most of us would have reacted the same way if someone broke down our front door...I know I would have.
It's sad, chalk up another victim in the War on Drugs.
She just winged them, they shoulda just winger back.
Uhh... I think that is part of being undercover.
Three Atlanta narcotics officers were wounded in a Tuesday evening shootout with a 92-year-old woman in northwest Atlanta. She was shot and killed.This was supposed to be the routine serving of a search warrant, but things went very wrong, very fast. Once the gunfire ended, three APD narcotics officers had been shot: one with a graze-wound to the face, and another hit dead-on, center of mass in the bulletproof vest. They were all transported to Grady Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
A 92-year-old woman -- Catherine Johnson -- lived in the home where the officers tried to execute the warrant. She was killed in the gun battle.
“The female victim shot and wounded all three of them (the officers),” said deputy police chief Allen Dreher. “The investigation is going to be ongoing -- I’d say it would be all wrapped up in a period of time, but as we have it, she opened fire on the officers. The officers returned fire, struck and killed her.”
Johnston’s relatives arrived at the scene of the shootout, distraught and upset. The warrant was served at Johnson’s home at 933 Neal Street. The victim’s family says they are convinced the police made a mistake and went to the wrong house.
“They done the wrong house,” said Johnson’s niece, Sarah Dozier. “And they killed her! This lady lived to be 92. She lived to be 92 and in good health. They went in there and she was scared to death.”
According to family members, Johnson lived alone. Dozier says that Johnson did have a firearm. She says she took her aunt to get a permit for that firearm, for her own protection.
...
Tons of information is missing from the article. Did the police find any drugs? What evidence was presented to the judge to get the search warrant? How does a 92 year old woman, home alone, get the drop on 3 policemen who presumably have their guns drawn? Should future raids be conducted with more force to prevent dangerous 92 year old women from wounding officers with a rusty pistol?
What's the point of being undercover if they're going to break down a door (and do anything in which they need to be known as police)? It seems as though they deserve the blame, not only for breaking into the wrong house (which could be excusable), but for failing to make it clear that they were police officers, thereby making the shooting far more likely.
If this happened the way I think it did then the cops should be charged with murder.
I bet a 92-year-old woman can hear the door being broken down a whole hellofalot better than a call of "police."
Will be a very interesting story to read more about.
ping
What's the point of being undercover if they're going to break down a door (and do anything in which they need to be known as police)? It seems as though they deserve the blame, not only for breaking into the wrong house (which could be excusable), but for failing to make it clear that they were police officers, thereby making the shooting far more likely.<<<<<<<
Another possibility:
Before everyone assumes the cops screwed up, it's very common for thugs/dope dealers to lie and use Grandma's address as their residence to the parole/probation officer or court. Sometimes they actually live there, often they just keep stuff there or use the property from time to time. If an actual warrant was obtained, then there was other info indicating criminal activity at the location.
Often, the press confuses serving a warrant with a warrantless search (probation/parole, can be done with or by the cops), which is often done at the address of record. Normally, a knock and notice is done first, on those searches. So Jr. could have given Grandma's address all over town, and be living elsewhere.
I'm guessing Grandma didn't answer the door, and the cops aren't about to stand out front while everyone inside gets rid of evidence or gathers weapons. Normally, there would be good reason to believe the thug was there or doing business there, so there isn't enough info at this point to know what happened. I sincerely hope nobody broke into the wrong address, wrong street, whatever.
Sad event, but likely there were other circumstances not disclosed. When the thugs use Grandma's address as their own, they subject that property to search and seizure as per their probation/parole conditions, nice thing to do to Grandma. I've dealt with many a mad Granny, but it doesn't usually end up tragic like this case.
92 year old living in high crime area, hard of hearing perhaps or in the back room. Doesn't hear anyone yell POLICE or perhaps just hears someone yellin on the porch but doesn't hear what. Looks out window sees three dudes in plainclothes with guns advancing with purpose on her property towards her house.
Does the math "Damn punks is trying to get me" and does the only thing any of us would do when faced with a gang attack she opens fire quickly and sends em packin only to find out she was outgunned.
Its certainly a possible scenario from the viewpoint of the woman.
I'll say this for her. She was one heck of a shot. Three shots three hits.
To bad for all involved granny and the law.
It's a shame she didn't have a family dog to shoot as well.