I became aware of this five hours ago when I woke up from a nap to discover 20 patrol unit police cars, half a dozen other black, unmarked other units, a fire truck, 2 ambulances, a news truck and a helicopter searchlight hovering over my street, stopping traffic and rousing my neighbors. I walked halfway down the block to see the cops surrounding a small house on a side street. At the time nobody seemed to know what was going on.
Police say: they were there to serve a drug warrant and they had the correct address.
Niece of the deceased says: her aunt had lived there 17 years, there were no drugs in the house, and this poor old lady shot the three cops who were wounded because they kicked down her front door, whereupon they returned fire.
I faintly recall waking up and hearing what I thought were 50 or so loud ass firecrackers just before all this jumped off. The I rolled back over and went to sleep. They must have shot the HELL out of that woman.
If I were a frail 92 year old woman and three big burly guys knocked on my door, pointed guns, and said they were police, I probably wouldn’t believe them either. If I was thinking straight and not in terror of my life, I’d ask to see their badges.
Sounds like they just kicked their way into the house, though, and if three big burly men kick down my door, shouting loudly and holding guns? I’m not going to inquire as to their business, especially if I’m a 92 year old woman.
What’s the neighborhood like, Askia? I mean, I’d have a different reaction in the McMansions district than I would out in the sticks or on Austin’s east side…
Argent: If the cops information had on drugs in the house turns out to be correct, I’d reluctantly agree. But what are the chances of there being a 91 year old drug dealer? People at age 91 have earned the right to die peacefully in their beds.
I do not share your sentiments that you are “glad” of there being a body count of only one. I understand what you are saying, but it could be more tactfully expressed.
I grant you that I am making some uninformed presumptions about my neighbor’s innocence. This is fucked up either way, but particluarly so if the APD are in the wrong.
Ninja: I live in a neighborhood where I’m not particularly alarmed hearing 50 gunshots in rapid succession go off after sundown and my big reaction is hoping they were firecrackers.
I know I could have worded this better. What I mean is that I’m glad that none of the police officers were shot to death.
It’s true - if plainclothesmen bust down someone’s door, that person has no way of knowing that they’re cops. It’s a horrible situation all around. They should have executed the entry better, no question.
If I’m a cop, and there are shots coming at me, and there is a chance that I may not be coming back home to my family that night, then I am shooting.
This is bullshit, that woman had every right to defend her home and was killed for it. There aren’t words to express how angry this makes me. I don’t care if the home was filled to the fucking rafters with crystal meth and coke, you surround the place, knock on the door FIRST… wait for an appropriate amount of time for an answer and only then as a final option resort to forcible entry. I don’t care what the stupid friggin supreme court has ruled, it’s wrong and an invasion of our rights to resort to forced entry so quickly. Good for her for hitting three of the cocksure bastards, maybe next time they have the option to break into a law abiding citizen’s home they’ll think twice about it, or at the very least double check their information. I’m just sad a poor old lady had to die to teach them some fucking manners.
Sadly, there are many a drug dealer who used his/her elderly relations house to store their drugs and run their operation (make phone calls and such). This is a tragedy in any circumstance, but even more if this woman was victimized by her own family.
I understand and agree. This is the kind of neighborhood where someone in plainclothes claiming to be a cop and wanting entry would almost certainly NEVER be believed.
Which is a scenario I allowed for when I said, “If it turns out to be true, I’d reluctantly agree.” But to be victimized by family and executed by cops is a hell of a way to end nine decades of living on Earth.
The article isn’t really clear on the sequence of events, did she begin shooting when they approached the house, or when they forced entry? Hitting 3 police officers when they are prepared for a potentially violent confrontation is quite a challenge for anyone.
Also was she waiting for them to come in or something, you are going to need some good cover or a plan to get those kind of results in a frontal assault against experienced officers.
I also wonder who else might be living there or using her address, no mention is made of other family members who might stay there from time to time. I know of a few scenarios personally where less than upstanding citizen children and grandchildren take up residence with ma/grandma.
I say lets wait for more info to trickle down. Wouldn’t be the first time we went off half cocked on this board…pun intended.
Even if the shooting was justified, I can’t help but to feel sad about this. I mean, 91 years old. She must have been terrified beyond belief, trying to grasp what was happening. I don’t want any person that elderly to ever be in a postion like that.
Ms. Johnson died defending her home, I can’t think of too many more honorable ways to go.
The police have made a very big mistake. They killed a representative of the largest voting block in America (senior citizens), if everyone spreads the word about this, then you can expect results very soon.
Even if the officers who did the shooting are cleared of any wrong doing, their careers are pretty much over. All of them will have picked up the rep of “granny killer.”