Boy's Death Costs Modesto $2.55 Million

Modesto Bee ^ | June 20, 2002 | Michael G. Mooney

[philman_36]

I see that you are being flamed for mentioning that the father shouldn't have been involved in ILLEGAL drugs in the first place.
You keep your stance even after reading the articles at post 36 stating that no drugs were found at the home?
Where have you found evidence that the father was involved with ANY drugs in the first place?
I'd sure be interested in reading about it.

[Trailerpark Badass]

I see that you are being flamed for mentioning that the father shouldn't have been involved in ILLEGAL drugs in the first place.

If you haven't heard, being arrested or investigated for a possible crime is not evidence that one is indeed guilty.

You'd have to be a colossal moron to think Mr. Sepulveda WOULDN'T be charged (with something, anything) after the negligent shooting of his son.

[tacticalogic]

Hawn was cleared of wrongdoing in another incident in which his gun misfired and shot a person who had already killed himself during a SWAT raid.

mis·fire

1. To fail to ignite when expected. Used of an internal-combustion engine.
2.To fail to discharge. Used of a firearm.
3.To fail to achieve an anticipated result: a scheme that misfired.

[NC_Libertarian]

Her son was killed when a shotgun -- held by officer David Hawn of the Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics team -- discharged as the boy lay face down on his bedroom floor.

How much time did this reject get for gross negligence?

[NC_Libertarian]

The friggin' dumbass already had "accidentally" shot a dead person in the past, yet they did nothing as they're doing nothing to the schmuck now.

That story sounds fishy to me. Was the person he accidently shot really already dead?

[Republic of Texas]

" Stories like this truly break my heart. This could have been prevented, if the child's father wasn't involved with drugs one way or another. "

'ZACTLY!

[goodieD]

You don't have to break the law to be gunned down by "law enforcement" in this country. You don't have to break the law to have your assets siezed either. Following the laws will not keep you safe.. and blindly following the law, right or wrong will make you a sheep.

[Rowdee]

Well, aren't you just precious!

It could have been prevented as well if Officer Hawn had never been born nor if the young boy had never been born nor if SWAT squads had never been formed nor if fedgov had followed the Constitution.

All that said, I truly feel sorry for you.....if you hadn't typed such a unthought out comment, you wouldn't receive the incoming that you surely will!

[Rowdee]

FYI....the City doesn't have a 'pocket' of its own.....its coffers are filled with monies mainly taken from property owners, i.e., taxpayers.

And while property taxes may not rise this year, you can bet within no time they, or other fees, or both, will rise to fill the void the city fathers see in their 'insurance reserve fund'.

[philman_36]

You judge with partial knowledge too? Guilty until proven innocent? Another "Texan" I'm ashamed of. See post 41!
You keep your stance even after reading the articles at post 36 stating that no drugs were found at the home? Did you even read any of the links?
Where have you found evidence that the father was involved with ANY drugs in the first place?
I'd sure be interested in reading about it.

[meadsjn]

No drugs were found. Conspiracy is more obvious and provable against you two right now than the people targeted in that raid.

It shouldn't be the taxpayers footing this bill; it should be paid directly by the perpetrators and their bosses - the thieves and murderers who broke into the house in the night-time, pretending to be police, looking for cash and other assets to steal.

[gracie1]

Your nor a newbie, but maybe you didn't hear about the case when it first broke 2 years ago. No drugs were found in the home after the search! No preliminary research to determine if children lived in the home prior to the search. The evidence used to obtained the search warrant was flimsy at best. Only cash was found in the home, but since when was that illegal? And again I would like to reiteriete the point no drugs were found in the home!

We have this principle of innocent until proven guilty in this country, but somehow mention drugs and the whole constitution goes out the window.

[gracie1]

I am in total agreement with you, but where did you read or hear this piece of news? Did I miss something in the original article?

It was brought in the investigation almost 2 years ago.

[gracie1]

You don't have to break the law to be gunned down by "law enforcement" in this country.

All I takes is someone with an ax to grind against you to call the local snitch line. Happened to a friend of mine. Had her home turned upsidedown. All because of an immature jelause ex-friend of her daughter.

[Wolfie]

How much time did this reject get for gross negligence?

Officer Hawn endured the rigors of paid leave.

[EBUCK]

What the hell actually happened? Why was the cop discharging his weapon? What is the whole story?

[Wolfie]

Good question. Nobody seems to know. Or if they do, they ain't tellin'.

Modesto Police Call Shooting A Mystery

[freeeee]

Wasden, however, said his investigation uncovered a number of issues that needed to be addressed, including communication problems between the department and federal authorities.

They have learned nothing.

"Increased communication" was not the problem here.

Pointing the shotgun at an object that was not intended to be destroyed, and failure to keep the finger off the trigger until a conscious decision to fire is made, were the problems.

[freeeee]

Her son was killed when a shotgun -- held by officer David Hawn of the Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics team -- discharged as the boy lay face down on his bedroom floor.

1. Her son was not "killed". He was murdered, in cold blood.

2. David Hawn was not merely "holding" the shotgun. He fired it.

3. The shotgun did not "discharge" (as if it did so on its own). It functioned, it fired because Hawn pulled the trigger.

Who the hell wrote this article? Officer Hawn, while on paid vacation 'administrative leave'?

[EBUCK]

MODESTO POLICE CALL SHOOTING MYSTERY
The September police-shooting death of an 11-year-old boy in Modesto during a drug raid was an accident, but exactly how it happened is unknown, the Modesto Police Department said Wednesday.
The announcement came after three separate investigations -- two by the Police Department and one by the city attorney's office, Detective Doug Ridenour said.
Alberto Sepulveda was shot in the back by veteran SWAT team member David Hawn during a federal drug raid. Ridenour said there were three possibilities: One is that the weapon malfunctioned, which Ridenour said is unlikely. Another is that a piece of equipment struck the trigger. The third is that Hawn pulled the trigger accidentally. Hawn is back on the job after being put on paid leave after the shooting, which is routine in such incidents, Ridenour said. The year before the shooting, Hawn was cleared of wrongdoing in another incident in which his gun misfired and shot a person who had already killed himself during a SWAT raid. Two other separate investigations, one by the state Department of Justice and one by the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office, also are being conducted. In a separate press conference Wednesday, family members of the dead boy vowed to file a civil lawsuit against the Police Department.

What the hell! This guy plugged someone that already had killed himself? Yah right! I think we can guess what really happened....

EBUCK