PULLING THE TRIGGER
2006-2010
This book is dedicated to law enforcement officers
throughout the United States, especially the following two
Minnesota officers who died in the line of duty
during the past five years:
Officer Richard Scott Crittenden, Sr.
North Saint Paul Police Department
September 7, 2009
Sergeant Joseph Anthony Bergeron
Maplewood Police Department
May 1, 2010
Contents
Thats a Big Weapon: aka Assaults by Automobiles
One of Our Own: aka Officers Killed or Fired Upon
That is a Dangerous Weapon: aka Assailants With Firearms
Those Are Sharp: aka Knives and Swords as Weapons
Miscellaneous: Bats, Replica Weapons and Others
Age of Officers Firing Weapon
Race/Ethnic Group of Officers
Number of Officers Firing Weapon at Scene
Time of Day Shooting Occurred
Day of Week Shooting Occurred
Type of Weapon Used by Officers
Age of Suspects Killed
Suspect Weapons
Acknowledgements
First and foremost I want to acknowledge all of the officers who took valuable time to allow me to interview them regarding their shooting. Your candor and insight to officer involved shootings was invaluable to telling your story. I also want to thank all of the officers who were proofreaders regarding their shooting incident. I would amiss if I did not acknowledge my family who has been so patient and understanding during the hours I have spent updating the book.
The following individuals from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension:
Special Agent in Charge Jeff Hansen
Special Agent Janet Nelson
Administrative Assistant Deb Remackel
Minnesota Justice Information Services Editor Kathy Surridge
Commander James Ryan, Bloomington Police Department
The following individuals from Hennepin County Sheriffs Office:
Sheriff Rich Stanek
Captain Chris Omodt
Sergeant Charles Kelly
Detective Division Senior Support Supervisor Jacqui Albright
The following individuals from the Minneapolis Police Department:
Deputy Chief Robert Allen
Lt. Robert Kroll
Sergeant Jesse Garcia
The following individuals from the Saint Paul Police Department:
Chief Thomas Smith
Commander Tim Lynch (retired)
Commander William Martinez
Sergeant Tom Bergren
Administrative Assistant Lisa Drake
Captain Craig Hendrickson, Minnesota State Patrol
Chief Deputy Scott Gudmundson, Sherburne County Sheriffs Office
Captain Craig Robson, Shakopee Police Department
Chief Jeff Tate, Shakopee Police Department
Chief Gordon Ramsay, Duluth Police Department
Sergeant Haataja, Duluth Police Department
Ms. Sharie L. Larson, Maplewood, MN (Proofreader)
INTRODUCTION
Many things have happened since the publication of my first book regarding shootings from 1981 to 2005. During those 25 years there were 110 fatal shootings. This was an average of just over four shootings per year. There were 37 shootings during the past five years. This is just over seven per year. A record eleven shootings occurred in 2009, only to be equaled again in 2010. Unfortunately, assaults on police officers have also increased. The total number of shootings for 30 years (1981 to 2010) now stands at 147, with 149 individuals being killed.
Two hundred sixty-seven officers have fired their weapons during the 147 shootings. Any officer who fired his or her weapon during the incident is counted, as those officers instituted deadly force as defined by Minnesota Statute Section 609.066, Subd. 1. Autopsies do not always determine who caused the death of the person, as some individuals were hit by more than one caliber weapon or different weapons.
The average age and years of law enforcement experience changed little during the past five years. The average age of officers in the 1981 to 2005 shootings was 34 years and 11 months. Adding the past five years, the average age was 34 years and 10 months. The average level of experience went from ten years to nine and one-half years.
Two hundred sixty-three of the officers firing their weapons were male. Ten of those officers were involved in two fatal shootings. Fourteen female officers have been involved in shootings. Two hundred fifteen officers were employed by police departments. Forty-three were sheriffs deputies. Minnesota State Troopers accounted for eight shootings, and one was a Department of Natural Resources Officer. Just over eighty percent of the officers involved in shootings were employed by law enforcement agencies in the seven-county metro area.
The biggest change over the past five years has been the weapons used by the officers. The .40-caliber handgun is now the weapon of choice. It also appears that some departments are changing from the .12-gauge shotgun to a rifle with a .223 round.
Unfortunately, assaults on law enforcement personnel have dramatically increased. On September 7, 2009, North St. Paul Officer Richard Crittenden was shot and killed during a domestic situation. Maplewood Police Officer Julie Olson, who was assisting Crittenden, was shot and physically assaulted. However, she was able to return fire and kill the assailant.
On May 1, 2010, Maplewood Sergeant Joseph Bergeron was shot and killed just inside the City of St. Paul while investigating a carjacking. While assisting in maintaining an outer perimeter of the shooting, St. Paul Police Department Officer David Longbehn encountered an individual casually walking down the street toward him. The man was initially compliant but then violently attacked Officer Longbehn. Longbehn was able to break away from his assailant and shoot him. That person was identified as the person who had killed Sergeant Bergeron. An additional seventeen events during the past five years had officers and assailants engaged in physical confrontations. Officers were hit by objects, threatened with knives and weapons, fired upon and injured by automobiles.
The average age of those killed by law enforcement personnel in the 30 years increased by one yearto 34 years and six months. The youngest person shot during the past five years was 17, and the oldest was 62. The 17-year-old had attacked a police squad with a bat, and the 62-year-old had shot his wife, who subsequently died, and also fired at the officer when he arrived. Sixty-four percent of those killed during the 30 years were white, 24 percent were black, 6 percent American-Indian, 5 percent Asian and 2 percent Hispanic.
The weapons used by the individuals were fairly consistent with the previous 25 years. Sixty-seven of those killed had a handgun. This number also includes offenders who fought with officers in an attempt to take their handgun. Thirty-two offenders used an edged weapon, and 16 had a replica weapon or instrument that resembled a weapon. Automobiles were used in ten incidents. Four used a bat or other type of instrument to strike an officer. There were no accidental shootings during the past five years. It should be noted that one individual had a shotgun and a handgun. Three had a rifle and a handgun. One person had an edged weapon and a replica weapon.
