Posted on 02/15/2012 7:57:49 AM PST by AtlasStalled
When U.S. special agent Jaime Zapata was shot dead one year ago on a notorious stretch of highway in central Mexico, he was driving a $160,000 armored Chevy Suburban, built to exacting government standards, designed to defeat high-velocity gunfire, fragmentation grenades and land mines.
But the vehicle had a basic, fatal flaw.
Forced off the road in a well-coordinated ambush, surrounded by drug cartel gunmen brandishing AK-47s, Zapata and his partner, Victor Avila, rolled to a stop. Zapata put the vehicle in park.
The door locks popped up.
That terrifying sound — a quiet click — set into motion events that remain under investigation. When Zapata needed it most, the Suburban’s elaborate armoring was rendered worthless by a consumer-friendly automatic setting useful for family vacations and hurried commuters but not for U.S. agents driving through a red zone in Mexico.
* * *
Had the door locks not opened at that moment, “Zapata would probably still be alive today,” said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex.), a former U.S. prosecutor who is pressing U.S. agencies to clarify what happened in the attack, in which Avila was wounded.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Also, Homeland Security is soooooooo politically correct we have to assume Muslim and Mexican infiltration is massive. Drug Lords and terrorists will know our movements before our guys are on the road...
I will do that. Thanks, Vinnie. It has always bothered me (especially when driving at night, alone or with the kids).
Amazing!
I’ll be that the same corporation who amored Zapata’s SUV wasn’t the same corporation that does the POTUS Limo.
I’ll bet that the same corporation who amored Zapata’s SUV wasn’t the same corporation that does the POTUS Limo.
.
Ping
Armored SUV could not protect U.S. agents in Mexico
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Yikes! Did you die?
Ever since the 1980’s, GM vehicles have had this “feature”.
It’s especially annoying when you’re trying to shuttle folks from one area to another in the dead of winter, like I did one year for my sister’s wedding. 25 below zero, 1/2 mile on private property, but big brother wants those doors LOCKED if the car is in drive.
PITA and stupid overall. That it cost a border agent his life is yet another reason GM should have been allowed chapter 11.
Recall also that David Petraeus took a 5.56 round through the chest and was out jogging two days later.
Wow, not sure where you live or stop your vehicle but for simple consumer use the park and pop feature is a welcome sign to me.
For the safety of government officials this needs to be turned off though.
I live in Maryland (Montgomery County). I usually don’t have much need to go out at night; however, some of the areas in our county are less than crime free. I am afraid it is just a way of life and one gets use to having a “street sense” of sorts. You need to be aware of anyone near the vehicle, if the vehicle can be seen... just as a good, common sense precaution. Better safe than sorry, I guess.
I have noticed that when using 55 grain 5.56mm ammo out of an 11-1 twist a profound increase in group pattern size in a light misting rain. I even had one keyhole.
It would be just as logical to have spikes coming up and impaling everyone in the car. Is this ObabaDesign?
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