Posted on 05/13/2011 10:39:22 PM PDT by petitfour
TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) - A decorated Marine's family cannot believe their loved one, who served two tours of duty overseas, is gone; never expecting him to die here at home at the hands of law enforcement.
A Pima County Sheriff's Department SWAT team shot and killed Jose Guerena eight days ago; it was executing a search warrant. Four days ago, in a news conference, a sheriff's deputy said the department makes it clear when SWAT is about to enter a home. Lt. Michael O'Connor says SWAT says it never wants to be mistaken for other people, "We had our large armored vehicle there with the markings on it. It also has lights and sirens. It was going. So we do everything we can to try to portray the image that we're law enforcement, we're not home invaders."
But, Guerena's wife, Vanessa, who hid in the closet with her youngest son while 71 rounds were fired her husband's direction, said she heard nothing. At any point did you hear them yell, ‘police" or ‘SWAT'?" KGUN9 asked. "No, no!" answered Guerena.
A neighbor who heard the shooting corroborates the wife's account, "The only sirens I heard out here were like maybe 20-30 minutes into the entire ordeal," said David Watson.
Watson is very familiar with gunfire and stressful situations; he's a Vietnam combat veteran, "I want to make this as clear as possible: you only heard the announcements after you heard the gunfire?" asked KGUN9 reporter Joel Waldman. Watson quickly answered, "Yes!"
(Excerpt) Read more at kgun9.com ...
Those sheriff scum even lied and recanted the previous statement.
this kind of thing is getting so common that people don’t even think twice about it anymore. That’s something to think twice about.
We had something like this happen in Minneapolis a few years ago.
A Minneapolis Police High Risk Entry team (aka SWAT) attacked the wrong house while executing a search warrant based on a statement made an ex-con.
They did not announce themselves. They started hammering the front door open with a battering ram. The guy inside grabbed his pistol and opened fire. The police returned fire.
Amazingly, no one was killed or even injured - except after the police took the guy into custody. They smacked him around. Later on, the police chief issued a kinda-sorta apology.
max americana: Those sheriff scum even lied and recanted the previous statement.
They also held back paramedics for an hour until they were sure he bled to death.
This obscene SWAT murder madness is everywhere. SWAT teams have become like WWII Buzz Bombs over London - they hit each night, smash into a house and kill people, and walk away grinning. And they don't need a warrant, you don't have to be guilty of anything, they are never held to account for their killings and maimings - and you never know if you're next.
This is jackboot insanity, nothing less. This is what generations of American died fighting to prevent happening here.
But it's here.
Did they make it clear in this case?
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Lt. Michael O'Connor says SWAT says it never wants to be mistaken for other people, "We had our large armored vehicle there with the markings on it. It also has lights and sirens. It was going.
Note he does not actually say that the lights and sirens were going. OTOH, the wife and a neighbor are on record as saying they were not.
______________________________________
So we do everything we can to try to portray the image that we're law enforcement, we're not home invaders."
Again, he doesn't actually say they did so in this case.
Your post is spot-on. I used to be one of those people who was of the “Law Enforcement is Always right” - but over the last five years, I’ve changed my tune.
While I hate to possibly invoke Godwin’s Law, this type of increasing incident seems to remind me of jack-booted thugs from an earlier time who had no respect for human right or the rule of law.
I'm completely unsurprised that Dupnik runs this poorly trained SWAT unit.
You’d sure think the sheriff would have filmed the entire scene, showing this supposed siren and lights display while the raid progressed. If he meant what he said. It sounds, at best, at BEST, like the SWAT is covering its hineys and told lies to everyone involved, including the sheriff who believed them until some embarrassing contradictions and lack of evidence turned up. At worst, there is wink and nod from the sheriff too.
Dupnik needs kicked out of there, like, yesterday. This is in the middle of a well known drug corridor, and the last thing they need is for law enforcement credibility to be going down the toilet.
This Marine was murdered by these jackboot thugs. This Marine served in Iraq to help protect our Freedoms, only to be gunned down in cold blood by these thugs.
Most SWAT teams relish the thought of acting like RAMBO. These SWAT thugs live to carry out violence so they can get their high. Damn them all.
SWAT teams are an affront to the ideals of our Republic. Our Founders would be appalled at the insane lurch towards a police state.
I cringe every time I see on TV these animals with SWAT on their uniforms. It makes me feel as those I am in a Police State. I doubt very few SWAT thugs think much of our Constitution.
Has anyone asked PCSD about that?
Pima County ping
They were..."worried" about the neighbors....suuuuuuuurrrreeee.
I'd like to know how much cash is too much cash to keep at home. Hmmm? Does gold and silver qualify as suspicious as well and how much of that can a citizen have in their home? And is that all they need to make the drug conspiracy charge? No drugs necessary?
When the Feds go broke, and all their protection collapses, I want these guys to know why.
When they are standing at the edge of a ditch, and they feel a gun barrel against their heads, I want them to remember how they got off, dressed in black, 'roiding out while they smashed thru the wrong door and butchered some "civilian" and walked away grinning.
There WILL be a Reckoning. "I Vas Followink Orders!" ain't gonna cut it.
Do not help or cooperate with Sheriff Dupnik or ANY of his Deputies.
Union POS Scum.
And then they didn’t bother to lock the doors back up? Just walked away and left them unguarded?
If I was king, heads would roll.
Apparently the SWAT team blocked paramedics from aiding the victim until he bled to death.
http://www.kgun9.com/story/14629829/medical-care-blocked-for-man-killed-by-swat
http://www.kgun9.com/story/14621212/marine-killed-by-swat-was-acting-in-defense-says-family
Actually, under asset forfeiture, any money, valuables can be seized. Your assets have no civil rights, so you have to prove they are innocent. Generally that means let them keep half and go the F#%k away.
Life in Prison for the whole bunch, including the Judge,Sheriff,DA and every last stinking jack booted thug involved right up to the Clerk that stamped the so called never seen warrant.
“...SWAT teams have become like WWII Buzz Bombs over London...” and “...jakboot insanity..”
No, actually, a better WWII analogy would be Gestapo and SS Einsatzgruppen smashing in doors, looking for “enemies of the State” and killing everything that shows even the slightest resistance in the house.
Buzz Bombs were just sort of “thrown” across the channel, not knowing where they’d land. This is focused, directed, and intentional. And you are correct - the Jackboot IS here, now. And they’re bold and arrogant because they’re invincible in their nice shiny black uniforms, body armor and riot shields, and little German submachine guns - they think.
Complaints and indignation won’t reverse this course we’re on. I’m sure the Jews and other “enemies of the State” in Germany were indignant too - as they were being led away to gas chambers or just before they were shot dead and murdered in their beds.
Why is it NOT murder when SWAT teams shoot the wrong person?
I remember wondering about that picture years ago when it first showed up. Does a SWAT team always have a photographer with them?
Yeah....they were so worried about the wounded that they kept medical personnel out of the area for over an hour.
Through a successful, decades-long campaign of fear-mogering by the media and elected officials of both parties entrenching in the minds of Americans that there should be a "War on Everything", we've finally gotten the police force that we've collectively asked for.
And this police force looks less like Mayberry, USA and more like Bogotá, Columbia. Great job, my fellow Americans! You asked for it. You got it.
Make it hard labor 7 days a week. No family visits. ALL their assets should be taken and their families thrown into the street.
Government at all levels is turning against the citizens. It is becoming the innocent patriots VS the government parasites.
“Lt. Michael O’Connor says SWAT says it never wants to be mistaken for other people,”
Then stop invading homes. Criminals can steal a uniform and call “SWAT” just as easily as your men can, O’Connor.
If I remember right, in this high-profile case the house was watched by Miami news 24/7 waiting to see what the government would do.
Some lucky photographer got the answer in spades.
SWAT = standing army....
We were warned.
Couple this article with the one posted below and we will see what is to become of law enforcement in the future.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2719736/posts
Doesn’t the require that they find something that is actually illegal?
No. They can “suspect”, and confiscate the “proceeds” of illegal activity. Mant times charges are never filed because there is not enough evidence and you have certain rights in a criminal trial. Your property has no rights, and you must go to civil court and prove your property is “innocent”.
That is a BATF agent and the photographer was with the Elian Gonzalez family.
Mant times = Many times
Tyranny
Respone
Team
Actually, he was an INS agent. ATF would have just burnt down the ‘compound.’
Isn’t that lovely? Seems very similar to complaints the Colonists had with King George’s minions.
Very...
K - ping to post 15... Have you heard about this latest debacle in the People’s Republic?
The jackboots march closer.
Combine those two stories, and the days ahead become exceptionally dark.
Well, of course, it is.
Some of the biggest steroid users I've seen were LEO boys.
Quite a number of PDs have an unwritten 'roid rage policy => No problem until the city DAs office files paperwork.
Yikes this makes me nervous, esp. being in charge of my own LLC...ect...
Very sad outcome.
We are not talking about bad cops - It is leadership, discipline and training issues that killed Jose Guerena.
I am disturbed and upset about a young hero Marine possibly killed by “friendly fire” under questionable circumstances by Pima County SWAT. A 26 year-old former Marine Jose Guerena is dead, was it righteous or criminal? Lets check the current info available from Pima County Sheriff’s spokesman, and media quotes:
Jose Guerena arrives home from working 12 hour a shift at mining job, showers and goes to sleep. The man has no criminal record other than a couple of traffic tickets.
Two hours later Pima SWAT arrives with sirens and lights on all vehicles at Guerena home to serve warrant. (Wife and locals say no lights or sirens observed) Lights and sirens on serving a warrant, LOL?
Wife & son see unidentified man pointing gun in window, runs toward bedroom to wake Jose fearing home invasion.
Jose wakes, instructs wife to hide with son in closet, with AR-15 moves toward front door.
Guerena home door breeched. SWAT claims after knocking for 15 seconds and announcing. Wife and locals say no knock, no ID announced.
SWAT claims fired upon by Guerena upon entry and returned fire, 71 rounds. SWAT recants initial statements. Jose’s weapon was found on safe with round in chamber. First man in stack has accidential discharge (AD) that hits door frame, and he falls back, whole stack opens fire on Guerena. You can clearly see from the videos of the house that most of the 71 shots hit walls and doorframe. County Corn says 60 hits on Guerena, I would like to see second opinion. As said previously would you want to be the pointman in the door, if you’ve got 4 or 5 quick triggers behind you that’ll spray and pray? SWAT lucky Guerena demonstrated more fire discipline than they were capable of demonstrating
SWAT made entry into two other homes to check for possible injuries and damage from rounds that penetrated after exiting from the Guerena home.
Wife talks with 911 operator for more than five minutes pleading for help while husband bleeds out and SWAT hangs around outside trying to figure out what happened and what to do next. SWAT pull wife off phone and out door, kid still in closet.
Wife claims Jose was still alive. SWAT said he was dead hitting floor. 1 hour and 15 minutes to “clear” house before SWAT allows an ambulance crew work scene.
Wife not served with warrant, warrant and files sealed after the fact.
Post entry/shooting investigation being conducted Pima County Sheriff’s Office. Why not let AZ State Police investigate with all conflicting statements.
This needs to stay at top of stack. Righteous or wrongly all the facts need to be out on the table .
Has anyone asked PCSD about that?
Um, they've refused to release even the alleged search warrant. No way they'd give up any tapes...
He said "IT was going." It's clear he's talking about he lights and siren, what else could he have meant?
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