Posted on 11/27/2019 10:27:48 AM PST by Altura Ct.
Micheal Ann Godsey fired at her mother, police, and at least one citizen during a shooting spree in May.
Oklahoma City, OK – A Blackwell police lieutenant who stopped an active shooter during a rolling gunfight has been indicted for second-degree murder.
“It’s a sad day for law enforcement and society,” the lieutenant’s attorney, Gary James, told The Oklahoman.
The incident began at approximately 3 a.m. on May 20, when Blackwell police received reports that someone was firing a gun in the 1300-block of South Main, KFOR reported.
At least one of the rounds had struck a vehicle.
While officers responded to the scene, the dispatch center received additional calls that someone in a white pickup was firing rounds at several locations around Blackwell.
The suspect, later identified as 34-year-old Micheal Ann Godsey, ultimately opened fire on police as they pursued her through the town, The Oklahoman reported.
"She shot at the police twice. She has shot at her mother twice. She has shot at a private citizen. We know she fired other rounds around town,” James told the paper.
Blackwell Police Lieutenant John Mitchell managed to pull in behind the active shooter’s vehicle.
"He took his AR-15 and he started shooting through the front windshield at her,” James said, according to The Oklahoman.
Godsey jerked the wheel and abruptly turned at stopped near Doolin Avenue and 13th Avenue, KFOR reported.
Lt. Mitchell and another officer fired additional rounds at the suspect’s pickup.
They discovered the shooter dead in the driver’s seat a short while later.
One of the officers suffered a minor injury during the shootout, according to the Associated Press.
James said that Lt. Mitchell did what he had to do to stop a “violent, fleeing felon,” The Oklahoman reported.
He noted that the lieutenant had completed active shooter response training shortly before the fatal altercation, and that an independent internal affairs committee had cleared him of any wrongdoing.
On Nov. 21, a state grand jury determined that Lt. Mitchell engaged in “imminently dangerous conduct” towards Godsey without excusable or justifiable cause by firing approximately 60 rounds during the gun battle, The Oklahoman reported.
He faces up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted of the second-degree murder charge against him.
Lt. Mitchell was released on his own recognizance during a bond hearing on Monday, KFOR reported.
He was subsequently processed at the Kay County Detention Center before he was allowed to return home.
Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President Jason Smith said he fully supports Lt. Mitchell.
“We look forward to this working through the justice system,” Smith told WFOR. “We believe that when the facts of the case are brought out to the public, that LT. Mitchell will be put back to work where he needs to be.”
Using deadly force was the last thing the lieutenant wanted to do, the union president added.
“He didn`t wake up that day with the [intent] to take a human life,” he told KFOR. “It`s the worst thing that he could ever imagine having to do.”
Smith noted that the indictment against Lt. Mitchell marked the “first time in American history that a police officer – or anybody – was charged with the crime of murder for shooting at an active shooter,” KTUL reported.
He said that he believes Lt. Mitchell will be acquitted of the charge against him once all the facts are known, according to KFOR.
Lt. Mitchell’s supporters said they were stunned to learn about the grand jury’s indictment, KTUL reported.
"To me, you return fire until the threat is neutralized,” Sean Ingram told the news outlet. “You don't know if it's going to be one or one hundred.”
“You’re being shot at,” another resident added. “Where do you draw that line?”
Ingram said that Lt. Mitchell is the most honorable person he knows.
“I will back him all the way,” he said.
Lt. Mitchell’s preliminary hearing has been set for Dec. 18
Im not faulting the cop, though if he had allowed a round to go downrange that resulted in a civilian casualty, we would be looking at this very differently.
Then I would sincerely be interested in who/where such training exists. I dont doubt that it does somewhere. I do doubt that 99% of police officers are trained for that. But then the average Joe having spent 4 days at Front Sight, Gun Sight, or any other shooting school is better trained than most cops.
“Kay County District Attorney Brian Hermanson recused himself from the case and the OSBI [Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation] issued its findings to Stephens County District Attorney Jason Hicks for review. Hicks submitted the evidence to the multi-county grand jury.”
https://www.poncacitynow.com/blackwell-police-lt-john-mitchell-indicted-in-may-shooting-death/
I agree with you on all the situations you cited.
Remember the old Westerns where the ‘good guy’ would be riding through a canyon at full gallop, while ‘bad guys’ with rifles would be lining the canyon walls and couldn’t hit Schiff, while the Sheriff - at full gallop - is picking them off with his SIX shooters....
(I wonder if the old western 300 shot 6 shooter will be outlawed in the new gun legislation)
“Hicks also expressed his gratitude for the multiple law enforcement agencies that were involved in the immediate aftermath of the shooting as well as in the ongoing investigation. Among those agencies were the Duncan Police Department, Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, members of the District 6 Violent Crime Investigators, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigations, and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.”
https://www.marlowreview.com/articles/6900/view
“DUNCAN, Okla. — The Latest on a shooting at a Walmart in Duncan, Oklahoma (all times local):
2:30 p.m.
Authorities in Oklahoma are emphasizing that the investigation into a fatal shooting outside a Walmart is preliminary, but that it was an “isolated incident.”
Stephens County District Attorney Jason Hicks said during a press conference that there was never an active shooter Monday inside the Walmart in Duncan. The shooting that left three dead, including the shooter, happened in the store parking lot.”
http://www.startribune.com/the-latest-highway-patrol-says-3-killed-at-oklahoma-walmart/565095532/
I swear juries are getting increasingly stupid.
How many rounds did you use last time you had a running gunfight at 3 am?
Liberals won’t admit it but by their actions they are anti-police and anti-soldier. Unless you Vindman or Manning, they hate you.
How about a bazooka or an RPG or a flame thrower. Maybe that would help with law enforcement. Howitzers? Wouldn’t that be enough?
“Imminently dangerous conduct” toward the active shooter? You gotta be kidding! It was meant to be dangerous. It was meant to stop her. By that standard he would have had to let her go on shooting at people.
Oklahoma Officer Indicted for Murder in Killing of Active Shooter
This isn't an isolated incident. There's a war on LE and the law-abiding public going on in OK.
Or they know things that you don’t.
They live in the community, and operate with a broader knowledge of the officer.
Sometimes justice catches up with people who seemed to be above the law.
I’ll wait to see what shakes out.
9 rounds. What point were you trying to make? Thanks.
Even the title is false.
Everything I’d expect from the boys in blue.
That's the point, the Left wants to discourage good people from joining.
Can Trump pardon him now? That would save the taxpayers a bunch of money. And the Lt a bunch of headaches.
potus can only pardon for federal crimes state crimes the governor has the power
Like the Oklahoma judge who had a "suction device" under his bench, and would connect up, during trials, and get a distant look that the attorneys would politely ignore?
Like the Oklahoma deputy who arrested an EMT driver at an accident site, because the EMT arrived with his siren on, and it annoyed the deputy? (He was the FOP rep, and the FOP tried to say he was justified.)
Oklahoma has more than it's share of Deputy Barneys.
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