Gunman shoots 4 officers inside Detroit precinct

[spookyturtle 9,466]

DETROIT — A gunman opened fire inside a Detroit police precinct on Sunday, wounding four officers including a commander before he was shot and killed by police, authorities said.

The gunman walked in through the precinct's revolving door shortly after 4 p.m. and opened fire indescriminantly at officers, police said. The officers fired back, killing the gunman.

"Utter chaos and pandemonium took place," Police Chief Ralph Godbee said at a news conference. "We have a number of officers who are shaken up."

Godbee said the gunman has been identified but it was "too early to characterize" him while the investigation was ongoing.

The chief said along with the commander, two sergeants and an officer were wounded, but none appeared to have life threatening injuries.

The commander, who was shot in the back, appeared to be the most seriously wounded. Godbee said he underwent surgery Sunday evening and his prognosis was "very good." A sergeant and an officer who each suffered graze gunshot wounds to the head were both talking and alert, Godbee said.

Police also did not immediately release the names of the wounded officers, saying families had not been notified in all cases.

While the department was "very sobered" by the shootings, Godbee said he was "just very relieved that it appears all of our officers are going to be OK."

The one-story brick building is located along the main street in what is a predominantly business district on the city's northwest side. After the shooting, city and state police squad cars converged on the scene, and an ambulance was seen taking away at least one victim.

Like other precincts in the city, there are no metal detectors at the entrance and visitors are permitted to come in and talk face-to-face with police sitting behind a large, rounded desk.

"We have to take a step back and look at security at each of our facilities . . . as far as we screen our public when they come in," Godbee said.

Retired police Sgt. David Malhalab told The Associated Press that after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the precincts added hand-held metal detectors at the public entrances. He worked at the 6th precinct for years and says the desks are open once you walk in the door.

"I was always very comfortable working the desk because I wanted that one-on-one feeling with the public, but I thought it was an accident waiting to happen and it did," said Malhalab, who spent 23 years on the force and retired in 2005.

Several officers leaving the precinct Sunday night declined to comment about the shooting.

"It's very somber mood, the officers are still somewhat shocked that this happened," said the Rev. Jerome Warfield, chair of the Detroit Police Board of Commissioners, who visited the precinct with other members of the board after leaving the hospital where the wounded offcers were being treated.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41224400/ns/us_news/

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Terrible. A perfect example of how it you could have everyone packing and it's still the gunman who has the element of surprise with the clear advantage.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

No worries guns are safe...

[^_^ 5,021]

It would appear that the gun nuts were right about one thing. If every potential victim is armed and has the firearms training of a cop, then the gunman dies without taking much (if any) life.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

Terrible. A perfect example of how it you could have everyone packing and it's still the gunman who has the element of surprise with the clear advantage.

and yet, the gunman is dead and no one else is. so much for your theory.

[SuperDuper! 230]

and yet, the gunman is dead and no one else is. so much for your theory.

Steven strikes again!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

and yet, the gunman is dead and no one else is. so much for your theory.

He walked into one of the most fortified civilian buildings he could find and was able to wound four officers, including the chief before being neutralized. He obviously wasn't planning on getting out alive - he was on a suicide mission with a gun.

In a gun freaks utopian world, it's the shooter who shoots first that has the clear advantage. So much for a gun protecting ones life.

[웃 910]

He walked into one of the most fortified civilian buildings he could find and was able to wound four officers, including the chief before being neutralized. He obviously wasn't planning on getting out alive - he was on a suicide mission with a gun.

In a gun freaks utopian world, it's the shooter who shoots first that has the clear advantage. So much for a gun protecting ones life.

If he wanted to be more effective he could have made a bomb and blew himself up...Isn't that how they do it in the ME? Isn't that how the "170 killed in super market bombing" and similar headlines are done?

But good thing bombs are banned here so we don't have that problem.

[SuperDuper! 230]

Why the namby pamby steven surprised response about a disenfranchised individual who finally cracks and goes out in a blaze of glory?

Its surprising we dont see such incidents more often.

Welcome to the crazy new world. Get out much?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJsa-iemNwk

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If he wanted to be more effective he could have made a bomb and blew himself up...Isn't that how they do it in the ME? Isn't that how the "170 killed in super market bombing" and similar headlines are done?

But good thing bombs are banned here so we don't have that problem.

I'm simply pointing out that the gun freak fantasy of a utopian society where everyone is packing in order to defend themselves is a fallacy. It doesn't make you necessarily safer, nor does it give you an advantage in situations where everyone else is also armed. The gunman that shoots first has the advantage.

[mawilson 2,133]

I'm simply pointing out that the gun freak fantasy of a utopian society where everyone is packing in order to defend themselves is a fallacy. It doesn't make you necessarily safer, nor does it give you an advantage in situations where everyone else is also armed. The gunman that shoots first has the advantage.

How is it a fallacy? The gunman was killed before he had a chance to kill anyone.

Do you think the outcome would have been the same had he walked into an office building where no-one was armed?

[^_^ 5,021]

Do you think the outcome would have been the same had he walked into an office building where no-one was armed?

Of course not.

And while we're at it, what about the outcome had he walked into an office building where everyone was armed but no one had the level of expertise of a police officer?

If we rank outcomes, surely the man not walking into an office building armed ranks at the top in terms of desirability?

Edited January 24, 2011 by \

[james&olya 1,121]

How is it a fallacy? The gunman was killed before he had a chance to kill anyone.

Wrong. He did have a chance to kill 4 people. He fired 4 shots before they took him down. One of those shots struck an officer in the back, 2 other officers had bullets graze their heads. All three are lucky to be alive and it is only their luck and the shooters poor aim that can be credited.

[mawilson 2,133]

Wrong. He did have a chance to kill 4 people. He fired 4 shots before they took him down. One of those shots struck an officer in the back, 2 other officers had bullets graze their heads. All three are lucky to be alive and it is only their luck and the shooters poor aim that can be credited.

Did the guns help the police officers or make the situation worse?

Be honest now.

[Pooky 3,786]

If he wanted to be more effective he could have made a bomb and blew himself up...Isn't that how they do it in the ME? Isn't that how the "170 killed in super market bombing" and similar headlines are done?

But good thing bombs are banned here so we don't have that problem.

Tell that to Oklahoma City.