Cop Kills Bellport Man: Accidental Shooting In Botched Drug Raid

Newsday ^ | April 21, 2002 | Samuel Bruchey

[Wolfie]

A 20-year-old Bellport man was accidentally shot to death by a Suffolk police officer Friday night during a botched raid of a suspected drug house in Bellport, police said yesterday.

The shooting occurred about 10:30 p.m., just after eight highly trained Emergency Service officers arrived at 862 Doane Ave. to execute a search warrant, police said. As four officers charged toward the front door, two men - Jose Colon and Aaron Hatcher, also 20 - unexpectedly came out the front door, Chief of Department Philip Robilotto said during a news conference. As he did, a second officer, who was carrying a battering ram, tripped over a tree root and fell forward into the lead officer, causing the lead officer's weapon to discharge, Robilotto said.

[Politically Correct]

"He was asked a number of times 'Show your hands, drop to the floor.' He didn't and that's when the accident occurred," Fitzpatrick said.

Yep, don't show your obedience immediately.....and that's when the accident occurs.

[Wolfie]

I don't understand what that statement by the cops has to do with one cop tripping over a tree root and falling into another cop, causing him to discharge his weapon. Is that standard procedure if a person doesn't show their hands and drop to the floor?

[FreePaul]

causing him to discharge his weapon

That isn't what the Chief said. He said "causing the lead officer's weapon to discharge". Apparently this means that the officer didn't have any control of this evil instrument.

[Wolfie]

That isn't what the Chief said.

Of course not, but he's probably been briefed out the wazoo by the Department's attorneys.

[Chad Fairbanks]

One of these days I am going to build a house that the cops couldn't get into with a tank. Just so I can be "secure in my person, papers and effects from unreasonable search and seizure".

I'd be careful - it's probably illegal now...

[palo verde]

I want to stop the war on drugs now
I'll vote libertarian

[hopespringseternal]

Where did this occur? I hate it when something like this gets posted with no information as to the state.

They may be tripping, stumbling idiots, but they are armed tripping, stumbling idiots.

[Wolfie]

New York State.

[Liberty Belle]

My best guess is New York - Suffolk county is on Long Island.

[Liberty Belle]

Another casualty of our out-of-control government.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

It happened in Suffolk County, New York. On the south shore of Long Island.

[Fred Mertz]

The officer's weapon holds a magazine of 30 rounds but was set to fire three rounds with a single squeeze of the trigger.

I never heard of such a feature. Is there such a setting that I don't know about?

This entire article is an attempt to cover up police incompetence and malfeasance.

[uncbob]

Swat team members were probably so unnerved by the incident that they headed for the nearest bar afterward to calm down with liquid drugs

[uncbob]

I never heard of such a feature. Is there such a setting that I don't know about?

Yeah that's a feature on military M16s

[uncbob]

"He was asked a number of times 'Show your hands, drop to the floor.' He didn't and that's when the accident occurred," Fitzpatrick said.

Guys can't even get their story straight

The other part of the story said they UNEXPECTEDLY appeared as they were charging the house

This part says they were ordered to show their hands several times
What a bunch of BS

[LouD]

eight highly trained Emergency Service officers

Apparently not highly trained enough...

[razorback-bert]

Bump

I have run out of comments for this.

[Wolfie]

As four officers charged toward the front door, two men - Jose Colon and Aaron Hatcher, also 20 - unexpectedly came out the front door, Chief of Department Philip Robilotto said during a news conference. As he did, a second officer, who was carrying a battering ram, tripped over a tree root and fell forward into the lead officer, causing the lead officer's weapon to discharge, Robilotto said.

You're right, the cops should make up their minds. Either the whole thing happened so fast that the trailing cop tripped into the lead officer right away, as in the statement above, or there was time to order the victim several times to get on the floor. In which case Officer Tripper must be a real idiot. Which is it?