Nebraska Highway Patrol trooper kills himself day after deadly heist

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Sept. 27, 2002 | Unknown

[A. Morgan]

	Nebraska Highway Patrol trooper kills himself day after deadly heist
	MADISON, Neb. (AP) -- A state trooper committed suicide Friday, apparently upset because he botched a background check involving a man who one week later allegedly killed five people in a bank robbery, authorities said. Mark Zach, 35, shot himself with his service revolver just outside Norfolk, the site of Thursday's deadly heist.

[bybybill]

The coward left a wife and six kids.

[VaBthang4]

If he honestly blew himself away because of a background check mistake then I dont know what to think.

That is rediculous.

Friggin melodrama.....so he cant walk on water...move on!

My Mother always told me that people kill themselves because they are overly egocentric and they either think the world revolves around them or they are too prideful to deal with their own mistakes. I would tend to agree with her.

What a shame.

[Poohbah]

If he honestly blew himself away because of a background check mistake then I dont know what to think.

He transposed two digits in a handgun serial number. If he'd gotten it right, then the gun would've come up as stolen, and the robbers would've been in jail before they could shoot up the bank.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Was it ever determined or reported were these individuals that committed these brutal murders were from? Or if they were here legally? There seems to be a news black out on the background of these suspects....

[Poohbah]

Was it ever determined or reported were these individuals that committed these brutal murders were from? Or if they were here legally? There seems to be a news black out on the background of these suspects....

Well, since Glenn Spencer isn't trumpeting it on his website, they're probably here legally.

[VaBthang4]

I see.

It happens...what a waste.

[A. Morgan]

Zach was elected this year as an area chairman for the State Troopers Association of Nebraska.

Wow, he was more than hard on himself. So, he made a mistake.. blamed himself... took the cowards' way out. It looks like his wife had seven kids!

[anymouse]

I bet a reporter dug this incident up and told the officer that they were going to splash it all over the news (like they are doing even after his unfortunate life-ending decision.

Just because the SF Chronicle claims it was a "botched" background check, I'm not so sure that the officer was to blame (even though he may well have felt responsible.) If he called in the perps' name, license and plates, he did his part. If the police files were incomplete or wrong, or if the researcher goofed on the search parameters, why would the officer be to blame?

One thing is for sure Nebraska lost 6 good people. :(

[Slyfox]

"He took his responsibility very, very seriously."

Now his poor wife has the total responsibility of caring for their six children.

[steveo]

So if you make a mistake that in your mind causes the death of five innocent people you tell me how you sleep at night. You screw up and people are
dead. Oh well, everybody makes mistakes, 'hey honey grab me 'nother beer'. I'm sure his family would be comforted with your wisdom and opinion.

[Joe Hadenuf]

The coward left a wife and six kids.

That coward as you say, could have been easily brutally murdered at this traffic stop by this armed and dangerous individual. He was walking an invisible, the fine line of life and death, not knowing who he was pulling over.

When it was discovered this was one of the suspects that committed these brutal murders, this cop must have been devastated beyond belief and affected him in ways many of us can't understand.

Get your priorities straight, the real cowards were the ones that murdered the five totally innocent, *unarmed* people inside the bank.

The cop was just couldn't handle the pain, and lost it. He was just another victim of these animals that walk among us.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

This is awful for his wife and children. To think that Clintoon botched an opportunity to nab Osama. He could have followed the example of Trooper Zach. That would have been an honorable thing to do.

[unixfox]

I'm sure his family would be comforted with your wisdom and opinion.

Maybe his family would rather him be alive.

[Poohbah]

He apparently transposed two digits in the handgun's serial #--if he hadn't, the gun would popped up as stolen and the robbers would've been arrested.

[steveo]

read my #11

[steveo]

WELL NO DUH!!!!!!!

Did you ever screw up and cause someone to die?

[Joe Hadenuf]

Does anyone have any background on these individual that committed these murders?

I would appreciate any info, as I have not seen any specifics on who these three were.

[Consort]

He must have gotten a call from Tom Lantos.

[Maigret]

The cop was just couldn't handle the pain, and lost it. He was just another victim of these animals that walk among us

Yes and he let them do just that to him, make him and his family more of their victims. Hey like other suicides he believed a lie.