Police Storm Wrong Apartment, Resident Dies of Heart Attack

WABC News NYC ^ | May 16, 2003 | Art McFarland

[Unknown Freeper]

(Harlem-WABC, May 16, 2003) — Police smashed down an apartment door and used a flash grenade in their search for a potentially dangerous suspect. But it was the wrong apartment, and the woman who lived inside is now dead after suffering a heart attack.

Police smashed down an apartment door and used a flash grenade in their search for a potentially dangerous suspect. But it was the wrong apartment, and the woman who lived inside is now dead after suffering a heart attack.

What happened at 310 W. 143rd Street was meant to be the end result of a drug investigation based on confidential information from a police informant. But it is now among the most tragic errors of the NYPD.

Lucille Ross, Building Resident: "She was such a lovely person. If something was to happen with her like this, I want to know why."

The search warrant was apparently issued for apartment 6F in the multi-unit building. It was the home of Alberta Spruill.

Today Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said it was based on what investigators thought was reliable information. But it all turned out to be a terrible mistake.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly: "Entry was made by officers from our Emergency Services Unit who used a flash grenade during that entry. Once inside the officers found the occupant, a 57-year-old woman, identified as Alberta Spruill. She was briefly handcuffed while police conducted a cursory search of the apartment. The patrol captain then entered, and saw that the apartment did not match the description given by the informant, and immediately ordered that the handcuffs be removed."

The commissioner said Ms. Spruill soon told officers she had a heart condition, and then complained of chest pains. EMS was called to the scene and administered aid. But Ms. Spruill died a short time later at Harlem Hospital.

Commissioner Ray Kelly: "On behalf of the entire New York City Police Department, I want to offer my condolences and sympathy to the family of Alberta Spruill. I also want to offer my apology. This is indeed a profound tragedy."

Calvin Alston, Building Resident: "We're all just devestated. Really devestated. Because this is a woman that got up and went to church every day ... went to work every day. And we're all just devestated that this would happen to someone like this."

Police Commissioner Kelly did say a "flash grenade" was used at apartment 6F before officers entered. It may be the use of that flash grenade broke procedure. The ESU lieutenant who used it is now on administrative leave pending the investigation. Those grenades have been used 85 times this year.

And NYPD tells us only four mistakes out of 1,900 search warrants have been made this year. The investigation of this tragedy continues.

[Chemist_Geek]

Are you going to say the officers usedg an outright use of deadly force on that woman, because nobody seems to say that?

The uncivil-drug-addled-society folks around here (or, as they prefer to be called, Rugged Individualists^TM) would consider use by a police officer of any level of force greater than harsh language, to be the End Of The Free World.

Musn't make the stoners feel bad about destroying the lives of everyone around them as well as their own, don'cha'know?

[A CA Guy]

How are you connecting your obsession with legalizing drugs and this Koolaid remark?

[TLBSHOW]

you need howlin to answer the question LOL

See ya! have fun,,,,,,,,,,

[justshe]

that was a heck of an answer......

nothing like side stepping the facts

---

BWHAAAAAAA!

OH, MASTER OF THE SIDESTEP......yoo hoo.....over here, Todd.......

5th time I've asked:

TLBSHOW: So the question is why aren't the teachers the lawyers the police officers or the judges homes doors busted down?

AMELIA: The question is, how do you know all these people are using drugs?

Answer the question, Todd.

[Chemist_Geek]

I quit spoon-feeding students long ago. I gave you the link, use it.

[ActionNewsBill]

I didn't suggest the woman was on drugs, but I was right about her having a pre-existing condition ...thank you very much.

Give yourself a pat on the back while you're at it, and take some money out of petty cash and get yourself a dozen donuts.

You and the officers involved can go down to the bar and have a few drinks to celebrate your victory in the war on drugs.

[Mr. Mojo]

If this incident helps keep just one high school kid from listening to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon or Yes' Close to the Edge while stoned, and then going out for chili burgers and chili fries right afterward, her death was well worth it.

Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway) ......</ sarcasm>

[A CA Guy]

There was no police abuse, they didn't abuse the woman or use deadly force on her, they were given poor information and she had a pre-existing condition.
How is this an abuse case, especially when the error rate is stated as being 1/5th of 1%? That is a low error rate for any activity where humans are related.

These type of accidents in the course are not that common, for if it were, the pro-illegal-drug advocates here would be posting every one of them.

[TLBSHOW]

I already know how many pot and herion and coke deaths there are vs my post to spinner a ca guy...

but keep spinning.... because there are not many!

[TLBSHOW]

get lost you are a waste of time

[Fred Mertz]

TLBSHOW: So the question is why aren't the teachers the lawyers the police officers or the judges homes doors busted down?

That's how it works out here in flyover country too.

You must lead a sheltered life.

[justshe]

Now THAT was funny....coming from you.

[A CA Guy]

They were there to begin with due to crime regarding illegal drug activity. They did not come because of her nor was she doing drugs. But you knew that, so why post such stuff?

[justshe]

So you are concurring with Todd's "opinion" that 'lots' of teachers, lawyers, policemen and judges smoke pot?

Interesting.

Perhaps YOU could provide the source for your concurrence? Todd can't find his.

[A CA Guy]

The story later states it goes right 1896 times out of 1900 and that they were at the wrong place only 4 times. That is an error rate of only 1/5th o 1%. There was no deadly use of force, just a woman with a pre-existing heart condition involved and that was the sad part, but not a criminal situation regarding officer.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

So you are concurring with Todd's "opinion"

That's the only thing he knows how to do. Poor soul !!!

[aruanan]

What happened at 310 W. 143rd Street was meant to be the end result of a drug investigation based on confidential information from a police informant. But it is now among the most tragic errors of the NYPD.

I knew it was going to be some frigging terrorism by the drug warriors. A pox on their souls.

[justshe]

get lost you are a waste of time

---

Want to try again....or is this your final answer to the question:

To: TLBSHOW

that was a heck of an answer......

nothing like side stepping the facts

---

BWHAAAAAAA!

OH, MASTER OF THE SIDESTEP......yoo hoo.....over here, Todd.......

5th time I've asked:

TLBSHOW: So the question is why aren't the teachers the lawyers the police officers or the judges homes doors busted down?

AMELIA: The question is, how do you know all these people are using drugs?

Answer the question, Todd.

304 posted on 05/16/2003 9:26 PM PDT by justshe

[aruanan]

And NYPD tells us only four mistakes out of 1,900 search warrants have been made this year. The investigation of this tragedy continues.

Yeah, that's only a 0.21 % error rate, though this woman is 100% dead.

[A CA Guy]

Well there was no crime and this kind of accident almost never had this kind of end. She had a pre-existing heart condition and these accidents can happen with humans.
In the story on the web site it listed the error rate at a whopping 1/5th of 1%.

This was tragic but thankfully, extraordinarily rare.

4 times only in the wrong place out of 1900 times. That is impossible great for a human operation like that.

You can always find the rare bad case is you wait long enough and look hard enough.