Incedibly tragic, 7yr girl burned by FB then shot in SWAT raid

[Streck-Fu]

Sorry if repost but did not find it in a search...

Summary: SWAT looking for a homicide suspect in duplex raid the both residences. In residence where the suspect was NOT a grandmother was watcing the 7yr old. A FB is thrown into the window of the room with girl igniting her blanket and burning her. She runs out of room into where SWAT is entering and an accidental discharge hits her in the face and neck. Suspect apprehended in other residence.

LINK (http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/05/16/michigan.police.child/index.html?hpt=T1)

(CNN) -- An attorney representing the family of a 7-year-old girl shot to death Sunday in a police raid is accusing the Detroit Police Department of misrepresenting the incident.

In an interview with CNN affiliate WDIV on Monday, Michigan attorney Geoffrey Fieger said he obtained video footage of the incident captured by a crew filming for the A&E network show, "The First 48."

Fieger, who didn't say how he received the tape, said it shows officers rushing the home and throwing a flash grenade through a window before one officer fires into the home from the front porch.

However, according to Assistant Police Chief Ralph Godbee, preliminary information indicates that members of the Detroit Police Special Response Team approached the house and announced themselves as police. Godbee cited the officers involved and at least one independent witness.

Godbee said officers used a "flash bang" device, entered the home and encountered a 46-year-old female inside the front room.

"Exactly what happened next is a matter still under investigation, but it appears the officer and the woman had some level of physical contact," Godbee said in a statement Sunday. "At about this time, the officer's weapon discharged one round which, tragically, struck 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley Jones in the neck/head area."

Police were executing a search warrant in the search for the suspect in a shooting Friday that killed a high school student.

Godbee said the 34-year-old suspect was found and arrested at the home where the girl was shot. In addition, a vehicle and a moped matching the descriptions of those involved in the shooting of 17-year-old Jarean Blake were also found, he said.

Fieger called the explanation from police "entirely false."

"Of course, I have seen the videotape and the videotape vividly portrays the fact that a percussion grenade device was thrown through the front window and a shot was fired immediately from the outside from the porch," he said.

"No murder suspect was found in Aiyana's house," Fieger said in Monday's interview. "In fact, there's an upstairs apartment next door which the police did not have a search warrant for and that is where he surrendered, they went into that house too. But he was not in Aiyana's house."

Aiyana's father, Charles Jones, also has denied that the suspect was in his home.

Detroit police spokesman Phillip Cook told reporters Monday that he was not aware of the video and declined to comment. The investigation, he said, has been taken over by state police to preserve the "community's trust."

A source at A&E, who asked not to be identified citing company policy, confirmed that a crew was on the scene and that the footage was confiscated by police. He would not comment on what the crew had captured on video.

Another police spokesman said the department would not identify the suspect in Blake's shooting death until he has been formally charged by prosecutors. The suspect remains in custody.

Godbee, in his statement Sunday, said he wished to "express to the family of Aiyana Jones the profound sorrow that we feel within the Detroit Police Department and throughout this community. We know that no words can do anything to take away the pain you are feeling at this time."

Police obtained the "high-risk search warrant" based on intelligence, and it was approved by the prosecutor and a magistrate, Godbee said. "Because of the ruthless and violent nature of the suspect in this case, it was determined that it would be in the best interest of public safety to execute the search warrant as soon as possible and detain the suspect ... while we sought a murder warrant."

[Streck-Fu]

Story changes to her sleeping on a couch under the front window...

Local article: LINK (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100516/NEWS01/100516012/1318/Detroit-girl7-shot-and-killed-by-police-while-sleeping-couch&template=fullarticle)

Detroit girl, 7, shot and killed by police
Officers were executing search warrant for homicide suspect

By NIRAJ WARIKOO and ZLATI MEYER
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS


Squatting on the stoop outside his Detroit home Sunday afternoon, the father of the 7-year-old girl killed earlier that day gazed at photos of his only daughter at her sixth birthday party.

“She had a lively, free spirit,” Charles Jones murmured.

He then bent over, burying his face in his hands as he wept.

The scene Sunday outside Aiyana Jones’ home on Lillibridge was a mixture of shock, grief and anger as family and friends gathered to try to make sense of a shooting death they said was caused by over-aggressive law enforcement.

Police said they, too, are deeply upset by the second-grader’s death and are conducting a full investigation.

The shooting — which happened during a raid to catch a murder suspect who was found and arrested at the home today — is the latest high-profile death in a city where there is a growing sense that violence is spilling out of control.

Ron Scott, head of the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality, called Sunday’s shooting the worst he has seen in 14 years of working to stop police abuse.

But some said it’s too early to point fingers.

“Things go wrong, and things happen that you didn’t necessarily plan for,” said retired Detroit Police Sgt. David Malhalab, who frequently monitors Detroit police issues. “All I ask is for the public to wait until a complete and thorough investigation is completed.”

It’s a chain of events triggered at 3 p.m. Friday with the shooting death of Jarean Blake, 17, a student at Southeastern High School in Detroit.

Blake was gunned down “in particularly brutal fashion in front of a store — and in front of his girlfriend,” said Detroit Police Assistant Chief Ralph Godbee in a statement.

Investigators identified the suspect as a 34-year-old man, and obtained a search warrant for a home on Lillibridge, on Detroit’s east side.

“Because of the ruthless and violent nature of the suspect in this case, it was determined that it would be in the best interest of public safety to execute the search warrant as soon as possible,” Godbee said in a statement.

Outside the home, the department’s Special Response Team was prepared to go in.

Police said that they threw an incendiary device known as a flash bang through a front window of the home to create a distraction.

After entering, a Detroit officer got into a tussle with Mertilla Jones, Aiyana’s grandmother, who was in the front room.

The police gun went off. Aiyana was killed.

According to family members, Aiyana was sleeping on the couch, which sat near a window that faces the street. The explosive device the police threw in landed on that couch and burned her, said her father, Charles Jones. He and other say the girl was burning when she was shot.

“I heard Boom! Detroit police! Pop! It happened so fast,” Krystal Sanders, 30, an aunt of the girl who lives at the house said outside the home. Her fiance was the man police were looking to arrest.

Aiyana’s dad, Charles Jones, said he rushed into the living room after hearing the explosive and gunshot. He says police made him lie face down on the ground, his face in shattered glass and the blood of his daughter.

“Blood was coming down her mouth,” said Mertilla Jones. “They killed my grandbaby.”

Charles Jones said that police told him his daughter would be ok.

The girl was rushed to St. John’s Hospital & Medical Center in Detroit, where she was pronounced dead.

Godbee said that he along with other ranking members of the department went to the hospital.

“This is a tragedy of unspeakable magnitude to Aiyana’s parents, family and all those who loved her,” Godbee said. “We cannot undo what occurred this morning. All we can do is to pledge an open and full investigation and to support Aiyana’s family in whatever way.”

“We have executed countless high risk warrants where children have been present,” Godbee later told the Free Press Sunday. “This was a perfect storm for tragedy.”

Activists such as Scott say such devices are military-style tools inappropriate for civilian settings — especially where children are present. But police say they use to distract suspects that are potentially violent and hostile.

Police did find and arrest the man they came for. Charges had not been filed as of Sunday night. Godbee said that police found a car and moped that matched descriptions of vehicles involved in the fatal shooting of Blake.

Aiyana was described by family members a lively girl who loved to sing and dance. She was especially fond of teen pop stars Justin Beiber and Hannah Montana. Balloons with Montana’s image were hung outside the home by family members on Sunday.

In photos shared by family on Sunday, Aiyana was seen at her 6the birthday party blowing out candles on a cake frosted with the image of Montana.

In another, she posed for the camera, beaming.

“Everybody loved her,” her father said, “and she loved everybody.”

[Eagle5US]

Lets not forget that the "grandmother" assaulted the police officers as they entered her home and was wrestling with one entry agent when his firearm discharged. Absolutely tragic for the little girl, and the officer...but it was the family members fault.
Funny how MMM fails to capitalize on that.

[rdret1]

Lets not forget that the "grandmother" assaulted the police officers as they entered her home and was wrestling with one entry agent when his firearm discharged. Absolutely tragic for the little girl, and the officer...but it was the family members fault.
Funny how MMM fails to capitalize on that.

From all of the articles I have read so far, I don't think there is enough evidence to make that determination. There is still some investigation to do to find out if a family member or an officer used poor judgement.

[PedOncoDoc]

I heard on local radio this morning that the officers involved were being followed by a television crew for some television show called "The first 48".

An ambulance-chasing lawyer who, at one time, had political aspirations in the state is taking on the case and reports having video footage of the whole incident proving negligence on the part of the officers. One can only assume he has access to the TV show footage; the state police have requested this evidence be shared with them to further help in the investigation. :munchin

Prayers out to the girl and the officers...:(

[Streck-Fu]

Lets not forget that the "grandmother" assaulted the police officers as they entered her home and was wrestling with one entry agent when his firearm discharged. Absolutely tragic for the little girl, and the officer...but it was the family members fault.
Funny how MMM fails to capitalize on that.

That is how it was initially reported but afterward,it changed to the contact was 'incidental' and the discharge was 'accidental'.
The video from the TV crew needs to be released....

[Dozer523]

Police obtained the "high-risk search warrant" based on intelligence, and it was approved by the prosecutor and a magistrate, Godbee said. "Because of the ruthless and violent nature of the suspect in this case, it was determined that it would be in the best interest of public safety to execute the search warrant as soon as possible and detain the suspect ... while we sought a murder warrant."

Okay, lets go over the checklist one more time. . .
Guys? check
Search Warrant? well . . . Except for the other apartment on the property (No prob)
Bullets? Check
Flash bangs? Check
TV crew from Arts and ENTERTAINMENT Channel? Check
Make-up? check
OKAY. Let's get this in one take.

Things went south as soon as it became entertainment.

[Peregrino]

Things went south as soon as it became entertainment.

Could not agree more.

[MeC86]

Originally Posted by Dozer523 View Post
Things went south as soon as it became entertainment.

A dangerous epidemic that is alarmingly popular. People are trying to turn what we do (and the same applies to the military) into some sort of drama for the pleasure of viewers.

I've lost count how many times people will tell me, "I watched CSI and I know you can DNA off of...." or "I saw Jack Bauer just shoot a guy in the leg...." People have no concept of what we do and no business passing judgement before an investigation.

Its just like that "Collateral Murder" video where I read numerous articles condemning the pilots. Then come to find out they subjects WERE armed, and WERE near a military patrol.

When will people learn that our occupations are not entertainment.

[Richard]

A dangerous epidemic that is alarmingly popular. People are trying to turn what we do (and the same applies to the military) into some sort of drama for the pleasure of viewers.

Pervasive virtual reality video gaming mentality.

Richard's $.02 :munchin

[The Reaper]

Anytime Fieger gets his hand on a case it appears slimy. It might be legitimate, but the guy is a poster child for narcissitic personality disorder and taints everything he touches. I can't hear his name without rolling my eyes.

Finally, something we can agree on.

TR

[JAGO]

Ironic, the facts sound rather similar to the tragic Atlanta incident that cost a grandmother her life, three officers convicted and jailed, and the Atlanta PD narcotics unit disbanded.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Johnston_shooting

Inviting the press along has its consequences - mostly bad. Some may remember a JTF-6 proposal for support near Waco, TX. That raid was named "Operation Showtime".:(
v/r
phil

[Utah Bob]

Just went through a long Jack Booted Thuggery discussion on another forum. Bottom line is that so far the investigation and trial and judging is being handled primarily by the media.:rolleyes:

[Streck-Fu]

Just went through a long Jack Booted Thuggery discussion on another forum. Bottom line is that so far the investigation and trial and judging is being handled primarily by the media.:rolleyes:

Being able to see the video would help understand the events. Let's see if that happens.

We all know the media is guilty of sensationalistic reporting but there is a trend. Most certainly not all SWAT teams reckless but with events like in Lima, OH or the Maryland Mayor (among many others) the common use of dynamic entry teams is called into question.

[The Reaper]

Inviting the press along has its consequences - mostly bad. Some may remember a JTF-6 proposal for support near Waco, TX. That raid was named "Operation Showtime".:(
v/r
phil

Do you mean the one to bust the meth lab, or to seize the illegal weapons, or to rescue the children?

TR

[Utah Bob]

Being able to see the video would help understand the events. Let's see if that happens.

We all know the media is guilty of sensationalistic reporting but there is a trend. Most certainly not all SWAT teams reckless but with events like in Lima, OH or the Maryland Mayor (among many others) the common use of dynamic entry teams is called into question.

Sometimes video helps. Sometimes it doesn't. I saying that a thorough investigation needs to be done before I can tell what happened.
If heads need to roll then so be it.

[CSB]

Sometimes video helps. Sometimes it doesn't.

My experience as a criminal defense attorney here in Clarksville, TN:

The locals used to video the search from the beginning. After the videos captured everything from violation of the "knock and announce" rule for non-violent offenders, to gratuituous violence, officers using foul language, reckless and unnecessary destruction of property, etc. they stopped making videotapes. They were hurting more than helping.

Now, if there is a video at all, it is after entry is made, the occupants are cuffed and seated on the floor or the couch, and the video consists of panning about the house/apartment to document the contraband or evidence that was discovered.

As for the Detroit case:

If the first thing that happened was a stun grenade going off like a bomb on my granddaughter, setting her on fire, followed by armed men running through the doorway, all totally without warning because you are a totally innocent family in your own house, I can understand the grandmother getting into a "tussle" with the invader.

And no, I don't believe the discharge was "accidential."

[The Reaper]

Guns do not accidentally discharge unless there is a mechanical failure or something strikes the trigger.

In this case, I believe someone negligently pulled the trigger.

Who and why remain to be seen.

TR