Four US police officers shot dead in coffee shop ambush
Discussion
From BBC
Four police officers have been shot dead in an ambush at a coffee shop in Washington State, police say.
Officials said at least one gunman walked into a coffee shop in Parkland, near the McChord Air Force Base, and opened fire.
A sheriff's spokesman said the officers had been targeted and it was not believed to have been a robbery.
Other customers were in the coffee shop at the time but no-one else was injured in the attack.
Parkland is in Pierce County, 40 miles south of Seattle.
Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said the officers had been working on their laptops in the coffee shop when the shooting happened on Sunday morning.
“ This was a cold, calculated killing of four police officers ”
Ed Troyer Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman
"It was just a flat out ambush," he said. "None of the employees or any of the people inside the store were targeted or hit or wounded.
"So we believe this was a cold, calculated killing of four police officers."
First reports said there had been two gunmen but Mr Troyer told the BBC he now believed there was only one.
He said the suspect is a black male in his late 20s or early 30s who was scruffy, wearing a black coat and blue jeans.
Families of the four officers were being informed.
Theron Zahn, of KOMO-TV, told the BBC that a huge police operation involving hundreds of officers was under way.
"Police helicopters are in the air using their infra-red cameras for anyone who may be hiding nearby. It is a massive manhunt."
Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the gunmen.
All over the news channels.
Rumour is it could be gang related, as the police have been clearing up gangs in the area.
Four police officers have been shot dead in an ambush at a coffee shop in Washington State, police say.
Officials said at least one gunman walked into a coffee shop in Parkland, near the McChord Air Force Base, and opened fire.
A sheriff's spokesman said the officers had been targeted and it was not believed to have been a robbery.
Other customers were in the coffee shop at the time but no-one else was injured in the attack.
Parkland is in Pierce County, 40 miles south of Seattle.
Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said the officers had been working on their laptops in the coffee shop when the shooting happened on Sunday morning.
“ This was a cold, calculated killing of four police officers ”
Ed Troyer Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman
"It was just a flat out ambush," he said. "None of the employees or any of the people inside the store were targeted or hit or wounded.
"So we believe this was a cold, calculated killing of four police officers."
First reports said there had been two gunmen but Mr Troyer told the BBC he now believed there was only one.
He said the suspect is a black male in his late 20s or early 30s who was scruffy, wearing a black coat and blue jeans.
Families of the four officers were being informed.
Theron Zahn, of KOMO-TV, told the BBC that a huge police operation involving hundreds of officers was under way.
"Police helicopters are in the air using their infra-red cameras for anyone who may be hiding nearby. It is a massive manhunt."
Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the gunmen.
All over the news channels.
Rumour is it could be gang related, as the police have been clearing up gangs in the area.
Edited by skip_1 on Sunday 29th November 20:56
Despite the rumour that it is gang related, I'm sure they are looking at other possibilities. Gang members are not known for acurate shooting
To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
pokethepope said:
$10k reward for a four-time cop killer, seems a but low?
Because they really don't want him caught, they want him dead. The gangs have chosen a path to go down that may well be their demise. The police will now have freer hand against all gang activity nationwide IMO. The "real" gangsters do not like the police being stirred up this way. Although it may initially distract the authorities from them to the gangbangers, it will eventually weigh on them. We may see "real" organized crime in an odd partnership with the cops to stop these type fellows.
Edited by Jimbeaux on Monday 30th November 01:55
jeff m said:
Despite the rumour that it is gang related, I'm sure they are looking at other possibilities. Gang members are not known for acurate shooting
To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
The gang member may have been ex-military. Although the strain of military life is usually too much for gang scum, some have brought those skills back. It is becoming more common. Washington State is also a very liberal and laid back place, the police are not used to expecting this type thing as much as some "tougher" areas.To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
Edited by Jimbeaux on Monday 30th November 02:00
Jimbeaux said:
jeff m said:
Despite the rumour that it is gang related, I'm sure they are looking at other possibilities. Gang members are not known for acurate shooting
To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
The gang member may have been ex-military. Although the strain of military life is usually too much for gang scum, some have brought those skills back. It is becoming more common. Washington State is also a very liberal and laid back place, the police are not used to expecting this type thing as much as some "tougher" areas.To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
Edited by Jimbeaux on Monday 30th November 02:00
some money. Up until about 5 to 7 years ago I had no fear in walking freely but now we try to stay in better areas with more street lights. I took the same precautions this summer when I took my trip around America by myself. Your area had its moments and Memphis area was the worst. Even Vegas (which I have visited many times was bad (but I stayed on the north side for the first time by the Air Force base.) That is the only mid priced hotel that I could find by phone that had parking for my truck and trailer so I could drive my TVR around Vegas.Nothing is the same as it once was and we just have to learn to deal with the cards we are dealt.
If I make that trip around America again next year my Spousal Unit will be with me for the whole trip and I will know better on where to make my stops and to make the whole trip more enjoyable as I now know more people in more areas.
Edited by V8TVR1978 on Monday 30th November 07:28
jeff m said:
Despite the rumour that it is gang related, I'm sure they are looking at other possibilities. Gang members are not known for acurate shooting
To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
Never touched a gun in my life but i think my odds of killing 4 cops eating donuts are pretty high when taken completely by surpisre. Bang...ones now dead and the others are probably diving to get under the table which would be a natural reaction when your 6ft from the gun that just took your mates head off. These guys are not all Steven Segal.To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
Tiggsy said:
jeff m said:
Despite the rumour that it is gang related, I'm sure they are looking at other possibilities. Gang members are not known for acurate shooting
To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
Never touched a gun in my life but i think my odds of killing 4 cops eating donuts are pretty high when taken completely by surpisre. Bang...ones now dead and the others are probably diving to get under the table which would be a natural reaction when your 6ft from the gun that just took your mates head off. These guys are not all Steven Segal.To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
V8TVR1978 said:
Jimbeaux said:
jeff m said:
Despite the rumour that it is gang related, I'm sure they are looking at other possibilities. Gang members are not known for acurate shooting
To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
The gang member may have been ex-military. Although the strain of military life is usually too much for gang scum, some have brought those skills back. It is becoming more common. Washington State is also a very liberal and laid back place, the police are not used to expecting this type thing as much as some "tougher" areas.To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
Edited by Jimbeaux on Monday 30th November 02:00
some money. Up until about 5 to 7 years ago I had no fear in walking freely but now we try to stay in better areas with more street lights. I took the same precautions this summer when I took my trip around America by myself. Your area had its moments and Memphis area was the worst. Even Vegas (which I have visited many times was bad (but I stayed on the north side for the first time by the Air Force base.) That is the only mid priced hotel that I could find by phone that had parking for my truck and trailer so I could drive my TVR around Vegas.Nothing is the same as it once was and we just have to learn to deal with the cards we are dealt.
If I make that trip around America again next year my Spousal Unit will be with me for the whole trip and I will know better on where to make my stops and to make the whole trip more enjoyable as I now know more people in more areas.
Edited by V8TVR1978 on Monday 30th November 07:28
Lucas CAV said:
Tiggsy said:
jeff m said:
Despite the rumour that it is gang related, I'm sure they are looking at other possibilities. Gang members are not known for acurate shooting
To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
Never touched a gun in my life but i think my odds of killing 4 cops eating donuts are pretty high when taken completely by surpisre. Bang...ones now dead and the others are probably diving to get under the table which would be a natural reaction when your 6ft from the gun that just took your mates head off. These guys are not all Steven Segal.To engage four armed people you would need four quick shots, not that easy.(even if they are seated)
If they are wearing vests you are in the crapper.
I am guessing sat in a coffee shop having a drink and a bite to eat you probably aren't going to be expecting someone to walk in and start shooting at you therefore normal responses probably are bit delayed...
Still very sad for all those involved.
Surely an automatic weapon of a certain sort at short range would make it feasible to have committed this awful crime in mere seconds..?
It's dreadfully sad that people that perpetrate such things are maybe milling about amongst us. You'd think we'd have weened out such nutters by now?
RIP to all involved.
It's dreadfully sad that people that perpetrate such things are maybe milling about amongst us. You'd think we'd have weened out such nutters by now?
RIP to all involved.
Edited by s3fella on Monday 30th November 12:48
Tony*T3 said:
Cops on laptops in a Coffee shop....???
Senior officers/management types??? Any ideas?
Perhaps not as sharp in reaction as beat officers or detectives?
Many US police have laptops in their cars for organising work, filing reports etc, I think some only go into a station to book in a prisoner and file completed reports. I guess they could pull them from the car to bring in and make notes, go through incidents etc.Senior officers/management types??? Any ideas?
Perhaps not as sharp in reaction as beat officers or detectives?
Gareth79 said:
Tony*T3 said:
Cops on laptops in a Coffee shop....???
Senior officers/management types??? Any ideas?
Perhaps not as sharp in reaction as beat officers or detectives?
Many US police have laptops in their cars for organising work, filing reports etc, I think some only go into a station to book in a prisoner and file completed reports. I guess they could pull them from the car to bring in and make notes, go through incidents etc.Senior officers/management types??? Any ideas?
Perhaps not as sharp in reaction as beat officers or detectives?
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