54-Year-Old Woman Patricia Cook Killed in Police Shooting in Culpeper

My Fox DC ^ | February 10, 2012 | Audrey Barnes

[Altariel]

By AUDREY BARNES/myfoxdc

CULPEPER, Va. - Investigators are trying to figure out what led to a police shooting that killed a 54-year-old woman in Culpeper.

A telephone pole on North East Street is where police say the confrontation between Patricia Cook and a five-year veteran of the Town of Culpeper Police Department ended.

Ironically, it began about 75 yards up the street outside of the church Cook attended. And if you had to pick a person least likely to be shot and killed by police, the victim's next door neighbor said it would be Patricia Cook.

“She’s always talked really nice, and always smiling and laughing with you,” said Robin Herndon, a neighbor of Cook’s. “It’s just a shock.”

Investigators say she was shot and killed by a Culpeper Police officer responding to a call about a suspicious person at around 10 a.m. Thursday.

“Some sort of altercation took place and some shots were fired. The vehicle ended up traveling south on North East Street about 75 yards and ended up striking a telephone pole,” said Town of Culpeper spokesman Wally Bunker.

After the initial shots, witnesses said Cook drove her Jeep up North East Street, taking out a street sign before hitting the light pole. There are unconfirmed reports from witnesses that the officer fired more shots as Cook tried to drive away.

Instead, Herndon says Cook, a petite woman with blond hair always in a neat bun, didn't have children of her own, so she would make gifts for her neighbor's children, and always took the time to say hello.

Virginia State Police are in charge of the investigation now. The officer is on paid administrative leave.

Police have not said how many times Cook was shot or what might have prompted the officer fire his weapon.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Investigators are trying to figure out what led to a police shooting that killed a 54-year-old woman in Culpeper.

Since when do they have to have a reason?

[Jack Hydrazine]

Did they have a chance to kill her dog if she had one?

[Gaffer]

You can bet your ass this cop is lying his ass off. The woman won’t contest his story now.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

If the cop is one of Eric Holder’s people as I suspect he is, the case will be dismissed.

[piytar]

Related.

According to the eye witness, the cop apparently executed her for failing to respect his authority...

[Jack Hydrazine]

It’s called “comply or die.”

As America descends into Third World dictatorship status the cops will more and more become execution/death squads.

[ArtDodger]

This story is full of holes. She attended a church but not the one that owned the parking lot. The lot actually was for a private school owned by a church (not the one she attended). Not sure why she was in the parking lot at that time. The state police are doing the investigation of the event but shooting was done by a town police officer, a veteran of the force for five years. According to a witness, the officer had his hand in the window when she rolled up the window and started to drive away. Later, the witness evidently changed his story and the officer's hand was resting on the car not in the window. The investigators won't say if the Jeep Wrangler had power windows or hand-cranked ones. The office told her, “Stop or I will shoot”. The first shot was at point blank range. As the jeep moved down the street the officer fired as many as nine more shots, according to witnesses. No information is being released so we don't know which shot killed her, why the argument ensued, how many shots were actually fired.. nothing. Not even the officer's name. He is on administrative leave.

[X-spurt]

With all the dog shooters and LEOs who have no qualms about executing citizens, when R2 starts, these will be the only LEO to stand in the way, to their peril.

[starlifter]

Let's see what more information is released, if ever.

[achilles2000]

Another doughnut-eater gone wild tragedy.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

“Contempt of Cop”.

[AlmaKing]

’ a five-year veteran of the Town of Culpeper Police Department ‘

cops aren’t veterans unless they’ve been in the military.

[Altariel]

The husband has already said that her vehicle had hand cranked windows.

Pat Cook’s husband, Gary, is baffled by the explanation. Gary Cook said his wife’s car had no power windows. “Crank [windows],” Cook explained, “old fashioned crank [windows].”

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/virginia/husband-baffled-by-police-shooting-of-wife-in-culpeper-021012

And a private-citizen witness has verified that the officer’s hand was not caught in the window.

http://wusa9.com/news/article/189808/373/Witness-To-Fatal-Police-Shooting-Says-Officer-Was-Not-Dragged

The officer, according to another witness, did not offer medical assistance when the vehicle crashed.

http://culpepertimes.com/news/2012/feb/09/one-dead-culpeper-shooting/

[driftdiver]

Not to mention 5 years is still a newby in most careers.

[driftdiver]

How many cop shootings aren’t later determined to be justified. Heck even that case in SF where they had that guy in the train station in custody when they shot him was almost dismissed.

[microgood]

He was probably hitting on her and she refused his advances so he killed her. No witnesses that way.

[microgood]

According to the eye witness, the cop apparently executed her for failing to respect his authority...

That witness better get out of town quick.

[piroque]

He was probably hitting on her and she refused his advances so he killed her. No witnesses that way.

One of the first thoughts that crossed my mind

[microgood]

According to a witness, the officer had his hand in the window when she rolled up the window and started to drive away. Later, the witness evidently changed his story and the officer's hand was resting on the car not in the window.

Please provide the link where you read this.