Christian Family Services Ministry

12-8-2023 – A Word to the Wise – There are some experiences that seem to live forever in your brain. This is one of them.

July

Element 341

It is very hot. Sweat is already dripping off my face and this armored vest seems to weigh a ton. My partner and I are preparing to leave the station at four in the afternoon. I put the shotgun on the floor beside my feet and grabbed the mike “341, clear us from the station and we are available for calls. She responded, ” 341, you have a Signal 6 on Valentine. (Signal 6 is a disturbance call.)”Received.” I answer.

“Well, it looks like it’s going to be a long evening, I had no idea. The location of the call is only a short distance and to be honest it seems we have been getting frequent calls here to this location in the past.

Our conversation is interrupted by the dispatcher again stating, “341, we are getting numerous calls from that location you might step it up.” “Received dispatch we are en route.” And we increase our speed. Silence filled the vehicle as we both begin to feature the location in our minds.

Ten seconds later, the emergency signal is emitted, it is impossible to convey the feeling when that emergency signal goes off. Everyone listens intently for the location and the problem. the dispatcher states: “341 your call is now a shooting. You are authorized code three.” The tenseness in the dispatcher’s voice reflects our own feelings of the moment as I turn the red lights and siren on. The shrill of the siren pierces the hot afternoon. For change other autos move to the side.

A few moments later, again the emergency signal is emitted up until now I had never had two signals on the same call and again a very tense dispatcher speaks, “342, 345, 313, 311, cover 341 on a shooting. Shots are being fired and the suspects are using automatic weapons. There are numerous victims approach the location with caution.” I mumble to myself now just how are we supposed to do that? Now twelve officers are on the way and to be honest it is somewhat a relief to have backup on the way.

In the distance, we could hear the gunfire even over our siren as we approached the location. “341 we are a block from the location. Inform the other elements shots are still being fired.” There is no time for fear, or anxiety, every sense is alert as we pull up another vehicle leaves eastbound. We did not realize that it is the shooter. Nor am I prepared for the sight.

Stepping from the vehicle weapons drawn an individual tells us the suspect just left.

The Fire Department arrives. In the front yard is one of the victims, he has been shot in the chest and DFD starts working on him. I walked down the driveway on the side of the house, gun drawn, and saw another victim. He is dead next to him another wounded individual. I need to clear the area before I help with the wounded. Walking into the backyard there is an upset card table with cards strewn everywhere and another body. Two other people have been shot and are also in the backyard. It is odd how some sights remain stuck in your mind. On the ground are numerous chicken bones.

It is a very long evening interviewing witnesses and taking them down to Crimes Against Persons to be interviewed. All of this over a card game.

Detectives arrive and we help sort the witnesses and start transporting them to the police department to be interviewed. It is a very long and hot evening.

Postscript. Two weeks later we were on patrol and see the wanted vehicle and suspect. But that story if for a later time.