Posted on 08/17/2005 3:16:53 AM PDT by Former Military Chick
Authorities have charged a former US marine marksman with shooting down a sheriff's helicopter, alleging that he bragged to investigators that it would be no problem for him to "make that shot".
Jason Kerns, 29, was arrested on Monday for the August 6 shooting.
He allegedly told investigators he watched the chopper go down but apparently made no direct admission of responsibility.
Kerns was being held on $US1.8 million ($2.3 million) bond.
Authorities recovered firearms from the suspect's home, including a rifle they believe was used in the shooting, along with boxes of ammunition.
Pilot Chris Holland and sheriff's deputy Ward Pfefferle were in the helicopter when it went down and suffered injuries.
Mr Pfefferle reported hearing a gun shot.
Kerns is a former lance corporal honourably discharged from the US Marine Corps in 2001.
He was a helicopter airframe mechanic who also worked as a marksmanship instructor.
Kerns told investigators the night the copter went down that he had been watching it hover low above a nearby golf course.
naw....he was a pothead..../sarcasm
A mechanic, who also happens to be a marksmanship instructor does NOT make him a Marine Sniper. There IS a difference for those who are uninformed. To be a Marine Sniper, you must have held that MOS and graduated Sniper school. The fact that he was a marksmanship instructor just states that he was a good shot.
While I agree that he should be identified correctly, we need to see his military records to verify.
If they are wrong, they need to print a correction. Otherwise we just have to endure the press not doing their job to their fullest ability.
Thanks for adding the clarification.
So what is the motive here, and why do they suspect this guy?
"a high-powered 30-06 rifle"......As opposed to a LOW-POWER one?
There's more to this story.
This guy was probably a shitbird that got into trouble multiple times, couldn't get promoted (or possibly had some stripes taken away), but didn't do anything (or get CAUGHT doing something) bad enough to get a less than honorable discharge.
It should be thoroughly investigated, but it sounds like this guy brought dishonor upon the Corps (not to mention almost KILLING two people, or more, if the downed chopper had hit someone on the ground) and should be put away for a long, long time.
This guy was most likely no sniper.
From the word marksman he qualified at the lowest level possible. To qualify as marksman is like getting a C grade
Something is really odd here for the simple fact that people his age just don't go from "no criminal record" to deciding one day to shoot down police helicopters. I might be able to understand if he was drunk (not that it would justify it) but people who commit those types of crimes under the influence typically have a history of alcohol abuse.
Something's not passing the smell test here and/or too much information is being withheld.
Americans aren't interested in facts, he's a witch! Burn him!
Yea great, so were Oswald and Whitman ....
In my life, I have seen the mixture of alcohol with cars or guns ruin more young men's lives than I care to remember.
That chopper should have been at 500 feet...it was violating the resident's rights.
"Do any of you ladies know who Lee Harvey Oswald was?"
Serious enough; he may suffer permanent damage; and also serious enough that he won't be flying anymore, accordeing to the Albq Jrnl, when it happened.
The pilot has shrapnel in his face and chest, flesh missing from his leg, and the leg is broken."
Chris Holland said he's reached the end of his flying career.
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BTW the pilot served with honor also.
From the Albq Jrnl, Aug 12th:
"He just got back from Iraq, and then this happens. I never thought about him being shot down over Albuquerque," she [pilot's wife] said.
Chris Holland flew helicopters for about 20 years in the Army and Army National Guard. He served as a pilot in the Gulf War and as a judge advocate general lawyer in Iraq with the Army Reserves.
He returned from Iraq in February.
also,
Holland is no stranger to combat. He was a decorated pilot in the Gulf War, where he served with the Army National Guard. Holland served as a helicopter pilot in the 717th Army National Guard for about 20 years. He left the National Guard in 2002, later enlisting in the Army Reserve to gain a commission. He served in Iraq with the reserves,
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so...
Those that serve receive from me an extra pat on the back, which I would consider if in fact someone were found guilty of breaking the law."
Does the fact the victim being also a veteran, and and a current Reservist, and so also deserving of an extra pat, cancel out the alleged perp's extra pat on the back, leaving us back at "equal justice under the law"?
Oh, no; he owns the HIGH POWERED model; the rest of only have the LOW POWERED 30/06...unless we hand load./sarc
However, most of us do not own a silencer...and his neighbors did NOT hear the shot(s) that brought the chopper down.
Three days later, undercover deputies attempted to trail Kerns after the search, but Kerns led them on a high-speed chase, further prompting a search of his home, according to the complaint.
The search indicated Kerns owns several weapons, including an assault rifle and a silencer, according to the complaint. Kerns' father [who also lives in the house, and was home at the time] and neighbors told deputies they did not hear any gunshots, according to the complaint.
Sorry for any confusion.
I'm so used to reading Jrnl stories, that I just automatically wrote 'Journal' instead of 'the other paper'.
"...the guy who had a bottle thrown at his window opened up to a crowd."
He or his lawyer said the bottle broke his window and his finger was cut. Sounds like the window was closed when the bottle was thrown or it hit a different pane. Has anyone heard any other witness (ie. the cops) describe what happened to his window? Would like to get the full story here. The cops may be more honest than those in the crowd. Of course the club owner has a brother on the force, so they may lie also. Innocent until...
Kerns is a former lance corporal honourably discharged from the US Marine Corps in 2001.
Kinda hard to blame on Iraq since he was discharged before we went in there in 2003.
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