“The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on Monday released body cam footage depicting a fatal shootout last week between an officer and murder suspects as they exchanged gunfire while driving … along a street near downtown.” So reports the San Jose Mercury News.
The chase and rolling gunfight happened on July 11 after the two suspects in the Ford Expedition were wanted for shooting and killing another man earlier that morning.
The incident began at about 7:24 a.m. when officers responded to a car wash to reports that a male victim had been shot several times, Kelly said. The shooting victim was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries at 10:12 a.m.
At about 9:31 a.m., the Expedition was located at Constantine Avenue and Cooper Circle, northeast of the strip. Officers began their pursuit.
The standards for chasing and opening fire on a fleeing vehicle vary from state to state and jurisdiction to jurisdiction. We talked to a police officer in a large southeastern state who tells us that officers in the northern, more rural part of the state are trained to pursue and open fire if, in their judgement, the suspects pose an imminent threat to other citizens.
He then told us that cops in the southern, more urban, densely populated part of the state are told not to engage in high speed chases as the danger to other cars and pedestrians is considered too great.
During a news conference posted to the police department’s social media sites on Monday, Assistant Sheriff Tim Kelly identified the officer behind the wheel who fired 31 rounds at the suspects while maintaining a pursuit as William Umana, a 17-year veteran with the department.
One of the two murder suspects in the Expedition was killed during the exchange of gunfire.
Firing in a moving vehicle while driving in a neighborhood seems reckless to me.
Having watched the video, I would suggest that the officer waited until just about the perfect moment to open fire. He lined his shot up and steadied the vehicle. This seems wise, as the kind of criminal who is willing to engage it a shooting chase almost definitely hitting vehicles and perhaps bystanders, would only be encouraged were the chase to be given up for “public safety” concerns. Two reckless fools are dead. The world is better for it.
I’d be suprized if any of those rounds hit the suspect vehicle much less any of the suspects. Glass penetraion at the muzzle vs glass at the target is night and day. Glass at the target deflection is relatively minimal but can still cause a round to miss (re: Goodguys hostage rescue Sacramento, CA)… glass at the muzzle causes a bullet (especially slow round nose ones) to fly all over the place…. especially from a moving vehicle… especially when firing at a moving vehicle…. especially when people in the target moving vehicle are trying to kill you…. especially when you are also driving the vehicle you are firing from. Ya… reckless to say the least.
Maybe a bit reckless, but I’d much rather have this cop responding to an active shooter then the chickenshit response in parkland.
There was no second glass to penetrate… the rear window was clearly missing on the Expedition.
As long as the officer is willing to take full responsibility for each and every bullet fired (as if he had a choice in that), I’d trust his judgement based on what is known about this story, so far. Personally, I wouldn’t trust my abilities enough to do this with a pistol. Plus, I happen to enjoy what little hearing I have left.
There’s a similar video of an officer doing this at night, on back roads, with an AR-15, and at much higher speeds. That situation seemed a lot more controllable despite the speed. Plus, after that first round or two, I’m sure it was a lot more pleasant sticking the muzzle through the hole in the window.
As long as the officer is willing to take full responsibility for each and every bullet fired
You’re very funny.
Im no ballistics expert. But I have also fired through a stationary cars windshield many years ago during a combat class. Bonded bullets fired from the inside angle have a much greater chance of not being deflected as much as say a jacketed HP. Now from the outside angle entering a car. There is a much greater chance of the bullet being deflected.
From the video it appears the cop steadied the wheel and took a 2 handed grip while shooting.
Aside from whatever his departments policy might be about firing on a public road. He did a good job ridding the world of these totally useless pieces of crap.
I applaud him and his actions.
I take back what I said about not hitting the suspects in the vehicle… it looks like the driver was critically wounded which caused him to crash in to an elementary school. The passenger, however,… the bad guy with the gun… was able to get out and run in to the elementary school though. Don’t know if the cop wounded him during the vehicle pursuit or while he was running in to the school.
Missed ???… So you think maybe the criminal just decided to slow down and smash his vehicle into that building out of fear ?… Nope, they were hit.
You’ve got two wanted suspects who have already dropped one body and are now willing to risk everyone around them to get away to continue their crime spree.
Is letting them continue less reckless? Or is it just better because you can pretend that it’s not your problem that they got away?
Shooting through your own windshield. What could possibly go wrong?
Two BGs down. I guess that all’s well that ends well.
You could blow your own eardrums out.
Indeed. I’ve fired at a target from inside my car. Super loud, even with hearing protection. What isn’t heard is felt.
The first three are .38 Spl. for just this reason. I really don’t care to even be on the rear side of the Magnum around the home or car.
WHAT?!!! SORRY, CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!
Tinnitus is an on-the-job injury, yes?
🤠
Reckless? Maybe. But man, that’s some bitchin’ chase footage.
That’s one thing I do miss. A good high speed chase.
Just curious, Tom… are these cadets still trained to grab onto a vehicle that’s pulling away? That always seemed exceedingly stupid and tends to result in needless gunfire.
Sorry. I’m not understanding the question.
Is this a reference to a good comedy movie I need to have seen?
I think hes talking about cops getting dragged because they’re trying to get in to a car where a suspect isn’t getting out…. suspect floors it with cop hanging from the car window. Suspect gets shot…. Justified shoot, bad officer safety. 50/50 whether the cop ends up with a shattered leg….. I don’t think cops ever learn to do that. As a matter of fact you have to teach cops to NOT do that.
Goes to show you why I’d take lucky over good any day.
So much was technically “wrong” there. I can’t figure out how that crossed thumbs grip didn’t give him the slide bite of a lifetime. Fumbling hands, rounds that missed the vehicle entirely, bad mag exchange…
and all of that means jack squat. Results matter. Good job getting after it.
Lots of training notes there.
That’s almost verbatim what I told my guys who came to me with the video… I think he needs to train some more, but he got it done. And the first time I saw it, I said aloud, “there go his thumbs,” but they didn’t. And you can say what you want about what you think, what happened is he ended it. Good on him. Beats the crap out of the attitude of deputies in Florida…
Some of the details in this article lead me to believe that this IS in FL.
Oops, nevermind. Was thinking of the cop they spoke to in the large southeastern state.
Well said. Way screwed up gun handling, but goes to show you what matters … aggression and tenacity.
Perhaps the officer involved had recently watched Magnum Force.
Murphy was busy elsewhere.
Yes , he was…. I have no problem justifying police shootings, but this was a bit much. Maybe Murphy was just watching from the sidelines saying to himself, “This is so screwed up, I don’t even to do anything.”
I wouldn’t say it’s a bit much. He was chasing dudes who had literally just murdered someone. We can Monday morning quarterback all day long but that cop had to chase and engage. Firing through his own windshield though, was silly.
31 shots inside a vehicle??? He must be deaf by now. That could be a career-ender.
Having experience in vehicle fire, it’s not great, but a large portion of the energy and sound goes out through that hole in the windshield.
Mind you, I wouldn’t want to do it again, or give or take 15 shots like he did, but it’s doable.
It could have some pretty severe health consequences.
That said, sometimes you gotta do it. Letting them fire on him unopposed could ALSO have severe health consequences. Letting them escape and kill someone else? Same issue.
I can maybe see the first few shots through the windshield. Then the officer caught up to the vehicle and had a golden opportunity to ram the back corner of the fleeing vehicle to force it to spin out: but he did not do that because he was so focused on trying to shoot the fleeing vehicle.
I imagine that guy is deaf now after shooting about 15 times in the enclosed space of his vehicle.
Given the risk to bystanders and the likely loss of hearing, I think it would have been better to wait for an opportunity to ram the back corner of the fleeing vehicle.
The pit maneuver is made against front wheel drive vehicles. a vehicle as heavy as an Expedition with rear wheel drive will not be affected.
That’s not true.
WRONG. The OHP in Tulsa just PITted an expedition in Tulsa in the last week and the ford rolled over on the roof.
Good, hard to shoot back when the car is flipping over.
You heard that on CNN, didn’t you?
Love that revolver training kicking on his semi.
“Hello Safelite?”
I don’t think that’s why the FBI includes auto-glass in their ballistic tests.
What about training? Grip and reload should be automatic even in a stressful situation.
WTF ?!? I YOU KIDDING ME!?! I Wonder If theres anyone in the general public that might not be answering their door!? Because THEIR dead in their living room from errant rounds from Deputy. Barney Fife….Anyone bother to even check the neighbor to see if there was a “citizen down?!” Any other civil injuries reported, or property damage?!?!
Just the guy at the car wash the criminals shot who later died in the hospital.
Absolutely, I guarantee you from the time shots were fired until the very end, every house and business was checked as a routine part of the investigation. Not just for injuries and damage, but for witness statements as well.
Then why don’t YOU become a police officer and show us all how it SHOULD be done? Put up or shut up.
This is why there should be gun control for ALL Law Enforcement Officers! Disarm THEM All! Imagine if this was a civilian CCW person doing this?!! I could hear the statist screams about recklessness! WTF do you call this shit!? Someone’s kid could have gotten nailed at a ball game for Christ sakes! Someone’s grandma coming from a trip to the local convenience store!!!
“I could hear the statist screams about recklessness!”
You must not be listening hard enough, the statists hate police and some even want them disarmed. Find a liberal “news” website that features this story and read the comment section if you want your statist screaming. I guarantee it’s out there.
You’re a very stupid person. Police as American citizens have second amendment rights too. Being that you’ve expressed your desire to see a segment of the American population disarmed, you’ve outed yourself as an anti gun leftist bigot. Your argument to disarm police is the exact same argument the left used to disarm us law abiding citizens.
Whoa. Second amendment rights have nothing to do with your work situation, cops can be required to serve unarmed just like grocers. And they should be.
Edit not allowed. If you need armed assistance, ask a citizen.
Wow. Your posts win the ‘total ignoramus’ award for 2018 (so far). Next flight to Canada departs in 10 minutes. You won’t be missed. Buh-bye!
A civilian CCW does not have, as a job duty, the task to stop rampaging murderers. Nor are they insured by the state should something go wrong.
Next time you figure out a way to stop two murderers in a high speed chase without hurting anyone else and we’ll compare methods. Until then, you’re just a keyboard commando with a nice fat indent in your chair.
Cops don’t have those duties, either.
Actually Larry they do, stay in Austin where you belong.
No Ranger Rick, we don’t. The Supreme Court has upheld that there is “no specific duty to protect. There is no legal requirement for any officer to risk his/her life.
Now, what is moral and ethical is an entirely different matter. But what is legal and in accordance with department procedure is there is no specific duty to protect.
Hell yeah. We need more of this to put these loser gang bangers in their place. Criminals these days are walking around too proud because they see the police as too soft due to constraining rules.
Are you kidding me!? You want to live in a DMZ, them I suggest you move to the Gaza Strip, or IRAQ, maybe Afghanistan!
Blacks are disproportionally gang members, gang members tend to spray a spray all over neighborhoods too. Judging by the attitude of your posts, Are you suggesting we should disarm all black people, again?
Gun violence is very rare and getting more so in the US. Why would you do something to disarm folks for a single event, that ended up about as well as possible, out of very rare events.
Next flight to Canada departs in 10 minutes. You won’t be missed. Buh-bye!
You guys are awful good on Monday morning with how unsafe he was… Yup, his technique sucked, so what? He tagged one, apprehended the other, and didn’t hurt any innocent people. They already killed someone, and were driving through the streets shooting at cops. He ended it. Good on him. Job well done.
“Yup, his technique sucked, so what? He tagged one, apprehended the other, and didn’t hurt any innocent people.”
“…and didn’t hurt any innocent people.”
That last was by sheer luck. Skill had nothing to do with it.
Looking at his first set of shots, the holes in his windshield are so far apart, no more than one could have possibly hit the SUV. The others went somewhere, and he had absolutely no control over where they went.
I’m not second guessing, I’m looking at the facts.
Then why don’t YOU become a police officer and show us all how it SHOULD be done? Put up or shut up.
Yikes! I just watched this on Inside Edition. I’m fine with shooting perps but damn this could have gone sideways quickly. I would NEVER chase criminals through a busy neighborhood. There’s a never-ending list of innocent bystanders in Chiraq. Call ahead and set up copters and roadblocks…
Sorry but choppers and roadblocks aren’t always immediately available except in the movies. In fact, they almost never are on short notice. Roadblocks in urban areas are almost useless because of the large number of streets anyway.
Given that vehicles used in a murder like this are often stolen (and therefore useless for identifying the driver) if you decide to not chase you are letting them go free and potentially kill again.
Which might be a choice you make- but don’t pretend like you’re not making it. That’s why violent felonies are one thing that most urban PDs will still chase for, even as they let pretty much everything else go.
Murphy’s Laws of Armed Combat apply: If it’s stupid, but it works, it isn’t stupid.
This
Did the officers grip and terrible reload make anyone cringe?
Yes, I noticed that, nearly put the magazine in backwards. Maybe that was to shoot out of the back window.
doesn’t look like an HK
anyway life\death stress is difficult to replicate in training.
Highly stressful situation, eyes kept on shooting murderers, corrected quickly and re-engaged… Believe he did great under the situation and did better than 95% of any critics.
Yet another cop who should die in prison for his reckless endangerment of the citizens of the city that employs him. Cops have consistently proven that they are unsuitable to exercise the privilege of bearing arms while living off the sweat of the citizen’s brow. It is well past time to disarm cops. Citizens should be armed, not government employees.
OK. Liberal.
I love how everyone here who doesn’t like cops is immediatly called a liberal or commie or troll…silly.
Truth hurts, liberal. Why don’t you get back to voting for Hillary for the third time around.
Any bets this gets listed in the school shooting statistics by Everytown because the chase ended outside a school?
Crazy that they would think it’s protecting the community to fire from a moving vehicle at another moving vehicle in a school zone and then fire towards the direction of the school to shoot the man getting into the driver seat.
An awesome learning tool on how to not hold a semi pistol and especially how now to reload. BUt oNLy hiGhly tRaIneD lEo sHOulD hAVe fiReARms
Let’s see you get the same results and we’ll discuss your aptitude.
This proves you need a lot of bullets to engage criminals. I guess.
Murderers killed and captured, no one else hurt or injured, LE officer goes home safe – job well done.
Perhaps the police department will trade in their crown vic’s for customized Astin Martins. You know the ones with the .30 caliber machine guns that pop out of the forward running lights.
Well Robert Deniro did it in Heat, so I guess it’s standard procedure now.
Stop being a bitch. He put rounds on target to successful stop the vehicle and then put more rounds into it despite the stress induced reload error. I know we’re all armchair commandos and leo hatets here at ttag, but seriously, stfu.
Do we know what the hit/miss count on the shots fired was? Nope. With glass deflection and assuming hes shootin hollow points every one of those rounds came out of the other side of that windshield tumbling wildly and off target. If these cops spent any real time at the shooting range they would have the ability to shoot with their weak hand…just like myself and a whole bunch of commentors here. Would seem a much better alternative (and A LOT better in the ears) to shoot with your left hand out the drivers side window. It seems he even draws the pistol from the left side. This was just a spray and pray…like a chi-town gangster.
You’re the definition of a Monday morning quarterback. If you could do it so much better then go out and do it.
Whether you approve of the LEO’s actions, or you don’t, it’s all Monday morning quarterbacking.
bunch of armchair QB crybabies
Good on him. Fuck those pieces of shit.
keep in mind these were MURDER suspects that had fired on him from the expedition. It looked like he handled the situation with great care. he took a two handed hold before firing. I think he did the right thing
Good job by that LVMPD Officer! Sometimes you just do what have to do. Gotta love the happy ending where the good guy wins, a murdering piece of $#it ends up DRT, and no innocent party gets hurt.
Another well documented righteous gunfire through windshield police shooting from 2010:
http://m.policemag.com/video/290/west-memphis-shooting-wal-mart-shootout
In that shooting a very courageous, well trained, and well armed Arkansas Game Warden uses his truck to ram while simultaneously firing a M4 through the windshield to take out two cop killing sovereign citizen pieces of $#it who needed killing.
Let’s review, shall we ??? So far, the armchair laptop commandos have recommended dis-arming all the police altogether, which leaves only the bad guys with guns – right? Hhhmmmm … Naw, I don’t think that’s such a very well thought out option, especially, as a violent crime deterrent … what else? … oh, yeah … the police officer missed a “golden” opportunity to take out the bad guys by ramming the rear corner of their vehicle thereby causing it to spin-out, which only goes to prove how little. he knows about the requirements, to include environment, to “set-up” such a maneuver . . . not to forget the ridiculously disingenuous concern for the police officer’s hearing loss for firing from within his vehicle and/or the several ballistic “expert” opinions on the effectiveness without possibly knowing anything whatsoever regarding the specifications of his ammunition . . . was it a perfectly executed scenario? … No, obviously! However, the video will be carefully reviewed/shared for lessons to be learned & implemented for the benefit of others who will follow !!!
I’m reminded of two old adages: “The Proof of the Puddin’ is in the Taste !!!” … & … “All’s Well That Ends Well !!!” . . . There Is Little, if any, Bitter After-Taste and ALL the Real Warriors in Blue Went Home to Their Families !!! . . . It Potentially Could’ve Been Much, Much Worse for ALL Who Were Involved !!! GODSPEED !!!
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