Fake cops kill 6 men in home invasion in Edinburg, Texas

San Antonio Express-News ^ | January 6, 2003 | By Macarena Hernandez

[MeekOneGOP]

Fake cops kill 6 men in home invasion

By Macarena Hernandez

San Antonio Express-News

Web Posted : 01/06/2003 12:00 AM

EDINBURG — Gunmen dressed as cops barged into two homes in a rural neighborhood here early Sunday, killing six men after demanding drugs, money and weapons, local authorities said.

The home invasion robbery claimed the lives of two sets of brothers from different families — the only four victims that had been identified by late evening, although authorities were not releasing their names.

"We are still trying to identify the other individuals (and) because of the gunshot wounds they received, it is very difficult right now," said Sgt. Rey Ramirez Sr., chief of detectives for the Edinburg Police Department. "They got shot in the head. They sprayed the bodies. We are looking at some type of weapon that is possibly fully automatic."

The two old wood-frame homes where the shootings took place were in the same lot, in a neighborhood in the city's Northeast Side. The victims were all men between 20 and 32 years old.

In one home, the mother of two of the victims, ages 24 and 32, was tied up with electrical cords along with one of her sons. The only one not gunned down, she called 911 after the killers fled.

She told police they demanded drugs, weapons and money before spraying the men with bullets, and she said one of the killers wore a ski mask and a garment with the word "police" printed on it.

Ramirez, who said there might have been four to five assailants, added they had no suspects as of Sunday night.

Police say the fact that gunmen wore either a T-shirt or jacket bearing the word "police" is not uncommon here. In the past four to five years they have reported an increase in pseudo-cop incidents.

"This has been one of the most horrible crimes in my 22 years of law enforcement here in our city. This has been one of the worse homicides I have worked," Ramirez said. "If we do catch anyone, they will be charged with capital murder."

mrhernandez@express-news.net

01/06/2003

http://news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=180&xlc=912958&xld=180

[lavaroise]

A good reason to "ask" for ID and to verify the ID by calling the station.

[Jumper]

Not much information here... were these homes of know dealers of just innocent people... or was this an area in which drug use was rampant and police could not finger the dealers which would lead one to assume that those living outside the law usually succumb to violence much more often in daily life than those who remain sheltered within the laws of society.

[BlackbirdSST]

A good reason to "ask" for ID and to verify the ID by calling the station. Easy task to perform as your face is being peppered with hot lead at a high cyclic rate. There is no mention of these thug's knocking on the door and asking permission to enter. I don't get your comment? Blackbird.

[Boonie Rat]

...one of the killers wore a ski mask and a garment with the word "police" printed on it.

Used to be the bad guys wore masks, now it's the cops (SWAT), wonder why?

Boonie Rat

MACV SOCOM, PhuBai/Hue '65-'66

[Wolfie]

I understand the ID comment. Haven't you ever watched COPS? The big bad SWAT team, after kicking in the door and tossing a flash-bang, stops dead in its tracks and pulls out badges and IDs when asked. Happens all the time.

[FITZ]

A good reason to "ask" for ID and to verify the ID by calling the station.

In these cases that's not going to work ---this sounds like rival drug gangs. It's common in Mexico.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Kind of hard to ask when the bullets are flying. No Knock raids are going to get police killed because this plainly shows thatn ANYBODY can put on a jacket and claim to be police.

[JeeperFreeper]

The Texas border is and has been wild and wooley for decades. Even today the Mexican police cross the border into the U.S. and commit crimes, then scurry back. As late as 1939, Mexican bandits crossed over and tried to "adobe wall" (line him up against the wall and shoot) a Texas Ranger. It goes both ways as well. A few years ago, a woman was raped in Texas, the "alleged " culprit crossed the Rio Grande back to Mexico. As I recollect, several days later the "suspect" was found bound with barb wire to the flagpole by the Texas county courthouse. From my hunting trips to the border counties
( where you never, ever go unarmedout in the boondocks) , I've learned of other episodes of border justice. The people in the border areas, particularly out in West Texas, are, shall we say, very self reliant. Sort of a Texas... " 911??- we don't need no stinkin' 911" approach to law enforcement and self protection. To understand the Texas frontera, think of the Rio Grande not so much as a border, but simply a river. People there have kin and friends on both sides of the Rio Grande and treat the border as you might treat a river through the middle of your town.
And smuggling, well, that's been going on forever, people, liquor, weapons, drugs- you name it- at one time or another it's been moved across the Rio Grande. Smuggling is sort of a second job for many otherwise honorable people in the border area. Anyway, it's pretty wide open and interesting along the border. ( To tell the truth, I like the border and wouldn't mind retiring there) And, if you go into Mexican border towns, don't go alone, stay together, bring cash for " la mordida", the bite, or bribe money, and don't get arrogant.

[FITZ]

Smuggling is sort of a second job for many otherwise honorable people in the border area.

"Otherwise honorable"??? These are the most vicious thugs you could hope to find ---sure they like to dress nice and put on a nice appearance only because that helps them get better access. Look at Carlos Salinas ---he might have appeared to be honorable by making it to the presidency but he raided his country of billions of dollars, his brother had their brother-in-law murdered and they were nothing but an organized crime family dressed up very nice.

[JeeperFreeper]

Dear Fitz,
Perhaps a explanation is in order. I've spent days in various border courtrooms wiating to be heard on matters. While there I've had to listen to the docket ahead of me. So many times what I've witnessed is an air conditioning repairman, auto mechanic, self employed persons with stable marriages,people with kids in college , people without a blemish on their records being charged with what is tantamount to smuggling, possession of less than 100 pound of marijuana generally. These are people who if you or I met them, had lunch with them, went to sports practice with them, never would we think this Little League coach or choir member was a smuggler. I'm not saying what they've done is right.
And, to be sure, on these same dockets, I've seen hard core gang members charged with these sorts of crimes and generally more violent ones as well.( I suspect this shooting in the main post is gang related) The experienced judges generally make the ones who seem hard core gang types, remove some clothing, lift their hair, etc to check for tattoos to see what particular gang is involved here. After awhile they are easy to spot. They are, in a word, feral. They barely have a facade of civilization.And what might surprise you, or maybe not, is their youth. Offhand I don't remeber one who was old enough to legally drink. These teenagers had hard cold eyes and to- hell -with -it attitude. The judges tend to lower the boom on these guys.(In Texas, being young is no defense for serious crimes, particularly violent ones.) And I didn't intend to imply these sorts are honorable by any meaning of the word. Nor are their masters. By the way, many of these young ones are simply considered disposable, like Dixie cups by their overlords. I agree with you, these sorts are abominations to be rooted out and destroyed. In any event, sorry for the confusion.

[Howie]

Perhaps it was just the "Hostage Rescue Team"?

[Nov3]

Here in Memphis it is standard procedure to rob Mexicans (and fellow drug dealers) this way. You and your gangsta buddies dress up like rambo cops, kick a door rob all the mexicans or drug dealers, rape and sexually torture the women, (especially if they are pregnant) and leave. All in all a great evening of entertainment! The victims (especially mexicans) don't want anything to do with the cops or banks so it is lucrative and not that dangerous. (More so when it is drug dealers being robbed)When the cops show up with the paramedics there is a bunch of shrugging of shoulders because they don't trust the police.

Unfortunately a cop got shot by a drug dealer "legally" serving a warrant on a paranoid drug dealer. Yelling POLICE just isn't real ID. It is my view that cops should not be kicking in doors in the middle of the night under any but the most extreme and well regulated circumstances. He reaped the fruits of this policy. My next door neighbor a paramedic made one scene that really woke me up just how animal like these people are. (He has a bunch of home invasion stories that NEVER make the press)Here is the situation: Perp is sitting with his ho and the VCR breaks. Now obviously this is not acceptable so he decides to procure one. Being a little strapped for cash and not wanting to get out and go shopping Perp goes NEXT DOOR and kick in the front door to get another VCR. Seeing that the girl next door is home he decides to entertain himself. So after a little rape, sodomy and sexual ultraviolence he beats this poor girl senseless, and throws her through the back window of the house. He then retires NEXT DOOR (!!!!) to watch his new VCR in the comfort of his crib with his own ho. He seems genuinely surprised when the police arrested him watching the next door neighbor's VCR!

How does one deal with a mind that works like that?????????

How SCARY!

[MeekOneGOP]

Yikes !

[dcwusmc]

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