Former Marine killed by SWAT was acting in defense, family says

kgun9.com ^ | May 11, 2011 | Joel Waldman

[WaterBoard]

Jose Guerena, 26, was killed when a SWAT team came to his house to serve a search warrant


Guerena's wife, Vanessa, said the SWAT team did not identify themselves


Thinking it was a home invasion, Guerena got his rifle

Now, Pima County Sheriff's officials are refuting original claims that Guerena fired at the SWAT members. In fact, they confirmed his safety was still on when his gun was recovered. Also, officials said that reports that some SWAT officers' shields were riddled with bullets are also untrue.

SWAT gunned Jose down with 71 rounds fired in just about seven seconds; officials said they did not expect Vanessa to be home with their four-year-old son, Joel, who ended up witnessing his dad's death. Now he has questions about what happened, like so many others.

"The only thing he asked me, 'Mom, my dad a bad guy? They killed my dad! Police killed my dad? Why? What did my dad do?'" explained Guerena.

Jose's relatives want his children to know he did his best to be a great husband, dad and patriot.

[brent13a]

I have lost all respect for law enforcement in this country.

Why should you retain respect? If all you see are stories like this I have to wonder if I can even trust all my fellow police officers that I might come into contact with.

Unfortunately there are going to be bad leaders and bad departments. I wish their was a more standardized way of running a police department, across the country. But all departments in all states are going to have different SOP's, different levels of expectations from their officers, etc.

I'm beginning to wonder exactly how many of use in law enforcement are still good officers and incorruptible. It's becoming harder and harder to defend my fellow police officers.

[Charlespg]

one day some angry citizens are going replay lexington and concord

[ravenwolf]

I don,t know if he had anything to do with drugs or not, and it don,t matter, it was still murder just like ruby ridge and Waco by our corrupt Nazi servants.

[papertyger]

Have you EVER seen a career ending mistake that was NOT political in nature?

[Moonman62]

SWAT is used way too much in some jurisdictions. There is no margin for error, and when you’re wrong, you’re really wrong. Double FUBAR wrong.

[brent13a]

Have you EVER seen a career ending mistake that was NOT political in nature?

I'd say it's 70/30 to political/stupidity on that. In this story, total stupidity: i.e. these cops did lazy police-work and now have advanced themselves to the level of "jack-booted thugs".

Now I fear there is just going to be a cover-up and that family will not get justice. Until that sheriff's department gets its collective sh!t together and gets cleaned up, I would stay far away.

[papertyger]

Surprisingly enough I’m pleased to know it is at least possible...

[Balding_Eagle]

The surviving wife could really do a lot to help prevent this from happpening again.

She should sue for $150,000,000 OR an end to the SWAT force and enough to let her live comfortably.

Make the sherrifs department explain to the voters that the SWAT team is so important that they have to fork out $150,000,000 to keep it.

[Mr Rogers]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I’ve sent out emails to a variety of folks I know giving them a head’s up. Aren’t you glad our sheriff (I live in Pima County) is worried about Sarah Palin & the Tea Party, and not wasting his time training his own SWAT team?

[GlockThe Vote]

I grew up w a lot of guys who became cops in Yonkers NY. They to almost a guy are far more dangerous and reckless than the worst criminal I have ever met.

I have personally witnessed things that would make most people puke at what they get away with.

[Mr Rogers]

“Would Pima County like to go ahead and write her a check for $50 million or would they like to face a jury?”

I live in Pima County. I would LOVE to be on the jury. Of course, they’d throw me out in a heartbeat.

[GlockThe Vote]

X 100.

[GlockThe Vote]

Protect and serve my butt. These thugs are nothing but a taxpayer financed hit squad and street gang.

[MileHi]

They don’t make it easy to find out where to get one...

[GlockThe Vote]

I hate to say this, but notice how the public does not react to cop killings with as much outrage as they did in the past? Stories like this are a clear example why.

[fireman15]

As a fire officer, my crews and I work on a daily basis with police officers who I respect very much and get along with very well. Yet our own home was raided by mistake by the King County Swat Team. They made a mess, upset my wife who was still in a cast from foot surgery and scared our dogs. They were looking for a white male who had no relationship to our home or anyone we know. Fortunately, I wasn't home; we have firearms.

I made some phone calls and tried to get to the bottom of what happened... I never received any kind of coherent explanation or the slightest hint that anyone was sorry about a dozen fully outfitted Swat Team people running around our house by mistake. Before people's lives are put at risk shouldn't just the slightest amount of surveillance be required? How do they manage to get a judge to sign search warrants on homes that have not been properly identified?

[Onelifetogive]

It’s a shame he didn’t take a few of them out with him.

Did I just walk into a fan club meeting for the Cop-killer Rapper that Obama invited to the White House?

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Agreed

Here’s a link. I bought and installed 4.

ampu

[DuncanWaring]

When home-invaders die doing home invasions, the survivors tend to stop doing home-invasions.

[MileHi]

They are not endearing themselves to the public. Not many will suffer a SWAT raid, but a good many have suffered “revenue enhancement”.