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.

[A CA Guy]

I think the country is turning more conservative due to the internet. That is a good thing.

I don't know that libs attack the cops because they could be vastly conservative. Maybe they simply can't stand the rule of law.

[newwahoo]

"PS. 1/3rd of our jails have locked up violent offenders and murderers who are all illegal aliens."

I've arrested a few nonviolent ones myself. I was told to not expect the INS to pick them up anytime soon. Its a totally separate issue though.

[A CA Guy]

Here in CA they are talking about taking their false IDs and they seem to be letting them get away with everything but murder.

[newwahoo]

"I don't know that libs attack the cops because they could be vastly conservative. Maybe they simply can't stand the rule of law."

Destroy the NYPD and you destroy the Giuliani legacy and put into place rule by mob. Whatever people think of NYC now (and I agree with most of their criticism-it is liberal paradise), it could be so much worse.

[A CA Guy]

If my neighbor is cooking garbage, growing or distributing, I will turn them in.
If I get the smell of stuff consistently from their place or they keep doing drug use in front of me, I will also turn them in.
If they have children in the house and both parents are drunk or drugged while caring for them, I will turn them in very fast.
If they beat their children, spouse or dogs I will turn them in.
Depends on the situation.

[A CA Guy]

They have been doing that since Gates retired here in LA and it has gone to hell. A good case to point out.

[newwahoo]

At least you have Bratton now. He and Safir were the best of the commissioners during the Giuliani years. I was surprised to hear that the cops in LA are hated more than the are here in general.

[A CA Guy]

They are loved in the suburbs but the libs and minorities are prejudiced against them and want them to arrest by a percentage of a race in a population rather than by who does the crime.
We had another scandal break out 2 years ago that smeared some 15 cops. They were later proven to be smeared by criminals who cut deals. Later after proven to be BS, the LA Times did not do any front page reporting on the truth like they did for weeks on the false allegations.

[A CA Guy]

We have under cover cops in this city that I have spotted who spend all days on bikes dressing grubby and driving through the neighborhoods of the city checking tings out.

Our city does a great job and they do a great job with the youth which prevents many of the later problems.

[A CA Guy]

Nothingis nada, but they do the best they can to keep everything down.

[A CA Guy]

You may never stop it, but slow it down as best you can.

In some of the rougher areas where there is a lack of money, there may be also a lack of traditional families where few have dinner together.

There is a stigma with all things related to drugs though just like there is to slappimg a wife. It isn't acceptable. That is why it will not be approved of. Have a nice night.

[ActionNewsBill]

If you really think that the officers did that and were not trying to save her you really are as ignorant as you sound.

Let's see. were they trying to save her when they threw in the grenade, or was it while they had her handcuffed? Not a victory in my book either, but most of you WOD ssupporters seem to think that a little "collateral damage" is not so bad. I disagree.

Have fun on DU.

Thanks, but I've never been there. It's funny how whenever you and your ilk have no logical argument to make, you always invoke the "go back to DU" mantra.

Not very original, is it?

[ActionNewsBill]

If they get illegal drug use, they perhaps would sell their own mothers into slavery, so I wouldn't expect a quick "no" at any time on that kind of question around these drug threads.

I doubt it, but I'm sure most of you drug warriors would be happy to turn in your mothers for possessing a joint.

[William Terrell]

Baloney, your accusation was ridiculous, so I simply turned the tables on you.

Well, actually, it wasn't ridiculous. Since the poster to which he said that supported the decision to use those tactics, it has to be presumed that poster would have made the same decision had he been in charge, or that poster would be a hypocrite.

[harrowup]

A tragic mistake does not equal deliberate brutality.

You insist on missing the point. Smashing down doors and flash-banging invites tragic consequences, not mistakes.

If the courts would restore the protections outlined in the 4th amendment, then we could expect some measure of safety. SWAT squads and/or ESU teams or whatever euphemism is used to cloak the true nature of licensed thugs are an abomination.

[from occupied ga]

But it all turned out to be a terrible mistake

Oh gosh I'm sure the NYPD personnel who participated in this will be charged with involuntary homicide because after all they did kill an innocent victim. No, you think not? Or maybe possession of a firearm or grendade? I believe that these are not allowed to ordinary New Yorkers. No you think not that either? Well surely there are going to be some criminal consequences for their killing someone? Oh that's right, these are government thugs doing the killing, well that's OK then. Move on. Nothing to see here < /sarcasm>