View Full Version : I was assisting a deputy that was forced to use lethal force
ghostman1960
09-06-11, 19:04
The weirdest thing just happened to me on the way home from work. I was on the causeway and a deputy sheriff flew by me chasing after someone. I watched the guy pull over and and then drive directly into the water. I pulled over to assist and the driver began stabbing the **** out of a female in the passenger seat while the car was in the water.
The deputy took off his gun belt but kept his gun and gave the belt to me and told me to call for help on his radio. I called for help giving the location all the while watching the deputy wade out to the car. When he got up to the drivers window he yelled at him to stop and was forced to shoot him when he continued to stab the passenger. I then called over the radio that shots were fired and to send a ambulance.
He went around to the passenger side and could not get the door open. He yelled at to me to get his asp baton out of the front seat of his cruiser. I got it and waded out halfway and gave it to him and he smashed out the passenger window to unlock the door.
By this time another deputy arrived and they both carried her to the shore. By looking at the extent of her stab wounds I don't think she made it. After that I spent about a half hour with the Florida Dept of investigation giving a recorded statement and another hour giving a statement to the Sheriffs Dept. homicide investigators.
The dead guy is still in the car in this picture I took.
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz159/ghostman1961/2011-09-06171232.jpg
I snagged this pic from a news site. Im the one on the far left in the blue shirt.
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz159/ghostman1961/Meattheshooting.jpg
Belmont31R
09-06-11, 19:07
Damn. Lots of ****ing lunatic people out there.
Damn! What a thing to witness much less be involved in. I'm sure the LEO much appreciates your help. Sounds like the officer pretty much kept his wits about him.
I sure hope the woman survived.
Quiet-Matt
09-06-11, 19:13
Damn! That's effin messed up Ghostman.
Good on you for stepping up to help out.
"Honey you'll never guessed what happened to me on the way home from work..." WOW! Good on you for assisting the officer and glad to hear you're both safe.
QuietShootr
09-06-11, 19:20
Now - the next time I hear "We don't know if you're a good guy or a bad guy, everybody gets proned out!" I'll have another story to submit for "BULLSHIT!! The QS Files." The officer obviously INSTANTLY picked up on your intentions.
You CAN tell the difference between a scumbag and a human in an instant,and if you can't, you need to find a new line of work.
Good work, GM.
Thank you for helping that officer out. He may not had the time to thank you but believe me, he is thankful. I am sorry you had to experience that but I am glad you were mentally prepared.
Guys like you are the reason guys like me survive some encounters. How many people just drove by and watched? Thank you again for acting.
FromMyColdDeadHand
09-06-11, 19:29
Way to step up! Did you talk much with the cop afterwards?
How did you 'introduce' yourself to the officer? Out of curiosity, were you CCWing? Not that you should or could have used it, I was just wondering when the cops figured out.
A friend of mine on facebook posted this. I didnt know youre from Brevard. I used to drive over Pineda everyday.
ghostman1960
09-06-11, 19:38
Way to step up! Did you talk much with the cop afterwards?
How did you 'introduce' yourself to the officer? Out of curiosity, were you CCWing? Not that you should or could have used it, I was just wondering when the cops figured out.
I was not CCWing. I didn't introduce myself to him and give him my name. But he did shake my hand and thanked me. But they have my name though lol. He was pretty shook up. He was a Sergent so he was a little older than the rank and file deputies in this area and I think he acted heroically considering the circumstances. He has my respect.
You did good man. Very good. Alot of people would have froze up
Thomas M-4
09-06-11, 20:07
Amazing story man.
Now - the next time I hear "We don't know if you're a good guy or a bad guy, everybody gets proned out!" I'll have another story to submit for "BULLSHIT!! The QS Files." The officer obviously INSTANTLY picked up on your intentions.
You CAN tell the difference between a scumbag and a human in an instant,and if you can't, you need to find a new line of work.
Good work, GM.
Never waste a good opportunity to make some sort of LE statement eh?
You are misinterpreting that idea. When you are forcing your way into a house where there is screaming and stabbing/shooting going on you sure as hell can't sort out the good/bad guys. When arriving on the scene of an armed robbery, you think we can tell
...."ccw guy"..."criminal"..?
When someone runs up to help you in a case like this its a different story.
The OP did what is necessary for the LE-citizen/public relationship to work. If there was more of this we would all be better off.
Here at my dept we would give him a commendation.
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
HighSpeedDreams
09-06-11, 20:15
Good for you for stepping in and doing what you could. One hell of a situation.
Keep Truckin'
Good on you Ghost. I've heard similar stories from LEO buddies of mine and I know that you more or less helped to ensure that the good guy got to go home to his family.
As someone else already said, it's this kind of happening that helps to reinforce the police-citizen contract. Sure LE is around to serve and protect, but it is with the assistance and cooperation of the people that things get done. From investigations on up to dealing with shitbags like this.
Drive on brother and God bless. Hope the woman makes it.
H
theblackknight
09-06-11, 20:37
LIKE A BOSS! awesome work.
VooDoo6Actual
09-06-11, 20:44
Well done Ghostman.
Great situational awareness.
Mauser KAR98K
09-06-11, 21:06
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz159/ghostman1961/2011-09-06171232.jpg
A friend of mine on facebook posted this. I didnt know youre from Brevard. I used to drive over Pineda everyday.
I thought that area looked familiar in the picture. BCSO are top notch; went through the BCC police academy with some of the deputies as our instructors. Range quals were done at their range.
Good job in the assist and doing a hugely important job the deputy needed done: get the call out on the Motorola. Hope the girl makes it.
Titusville High graduate 2002.
Good job. Sad event, but good job.
Mauser KAR98K
09-06-11, 21:11
Here is the report from Florida Today.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110906/BREAKINGNEWS/110906019/Man-plunges-car-into-river-shot-dead-by-deputies?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
No mention of Ghost, though.
ghostman1960
09-06-11, 21:16
Here is the report from Florida Today.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110906/BREAKINGNEWS/110906019/Man-plunges-car-into-river-shot-dead-by-deputies?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
No mention of Ghost, though.
I did not have any interviews with the media. A homicide inspector asked me not too. That guy in the video pulled off at least 50 yards up the road. He said he was a retired paramedic and all he did was look at her when they pulled her out of the water and said she had stab wounds and asked her what her name was.
Great job! Thanks for having the balls to step up and do the right thing. Wish everyone was like this.
Good work, sir. You are the type of citizen that we police officers are proud to serve.
SWATcop556
09-07-11, 02:33
Now - the next time I hear "We don't know if you're a good guy or a bad guy, everybody gets proned out!" I'll have another story to submit for "BULLSHIT!! The QS Files." The officer obviously INSTANTLY picked up on your intentions.
You CAN tell the difference between a scumbag and a human in an instant,and if you can't, you need to find a new line of work.
Spoken like someone who really doesn't have a clue. The naiveté of your post is not suprising given your past history here regarding subject matter of this nature.
I'm not a fan of this quote because of it's gross over use but it just fits so nicely here I can't resist, so here goes....
Stay in your lane.
ThirdWatcher
09-07-11, 03:20
Thank you for helping that officer out. He may not had the time to thank you but believe me, he is thankful. I am sorry you had to experience that but I am glad you were mentally prepared.
Guys like you are the reason guys like me survive some encounters. How many people just drove by and watched? Thank you again for acting.
I had the same thoughts and I would like to add my thanks.
That's an incredible turn of events. Not many would have done what you did. Much respect.
4x4twenty6
09-07-11, 05:02
Thanks for steppingup and being a hero! Takes a set of balls to throw yourself into a situation like that as a passer by.
My dad was training a rookie when they came across a mental with a gun in a bar. The mental reached for my dads gun and they fought for while as the rookie froze up. All my dad could was hold on to his gun and trade blows with the mental until a good Samaritan in a truck stopped and as my dad put it" came running in like popeye with a big right and knocked the guy out" all the good simaritan said was I used to be a 26 and left. 26 is code for LEO.
The guy might have saved my dads life. I am thankful for people like that. So again good work and God bless.
Great shooting by the LEO! Nicely done!
Now - the next time I hear "We don't know if you're a good guy or a bad guy, everybody gets proned out!" I'll have another story to submit for "BULLSHIT!! The QS Files." The officer obviously INSTANTLY picked up on your intentions.
You CAN tell the difference between a scumbag and a human in an instant,and if you can't, you need to find a new line of work.
Good work, GM.
:rolleyes:You really need to work a reserve gig for a little while, or at least go on several ride alongs. Well done Gost.
Spot on and hard to resist :
Spoken like someone who really doesn't have a clue. The naiveté of your post is not suprising given your past history here regarding subject matter of this nature.
I'm not a fan of this quote because of it's gross over use but it just fits so nicely here I can't resist, so here goes....
Stay in your lane.
Good things can happen when people stay in thier own lanes.
what a sad deal...glad you were there to assist le but sorry everyone had to go through it in the same breath.
what the hell is wrong with people??
The_War_Wagon
09-07-11, 07:58
Great job on the assist - you went above & beyond!
As everyone else has said, nice job Ghostman! That officer, his department, the community, and that girl's family are all thankful for you being there.
War_Wagon's sig line sums it up. You were part of the solution.:cool:
ghostman1960
09-07-11, 10:25
As everyone else has said, nice job Ghostman! That officer, his department, the community, and that girl's family are all thankful for you being there.
War_Wagon's sig line sums it up. You were part of the solution.:cool:
Yeah the press release from the sheriffs Dept did not even mention me or my contribution.
Man, what a day...Well done.:cool:
Thomas M-4
09-07-11, 12:18
Yeah the press release from the sheriffs Dept did not even mention me or my contribution.
They did you a favor by not releasing your name.
They did you a favor by not releasing your name.
There are pro & cons , but I would prefer not to have breathless newies spreading my name around the air , net and into the rumor mill or whatever.
Traits like common sense , restraint , balance , and ethics are unevenly distributed within the media community.
Good assist and quick thinking. 98% of people would just keep driving, but you really helped out. What a sad thing to see.
I did not have any interviews with the media. A homicide inspector asked me not too. That guy in the video pulled off at least 50 yards up the road. He said he was a retired paramedic and all he did was look at her when they pulled her out of the water and said she had stab wounds and asked her what her name was.
That's because he was busy putting on his 'baggies' under direct order of his wife. WTF? Yeah, in an emergency situation I'm always sure to make sure I take time to put my swim trunks on... you know.. cause I surf and I'm a retired EMT. :rolleyes:
The weirdest thing just happened to me on the way home from work.
I'm sure he appreciated, and the amount of time he saved with your assistance may have saved a life to boot. Good on you sir. :agree:
I think some type of citizens accommodation is in order.
ghostman1960
09-08-11, 06:58
They did you a favor by not releasing your name.
Too late. My picture, name, age and place of work is plastered all over today's newspaper.
QuietShootr
09-08-11, 07:12
Too late. My picture, name, age and place of work is plastered all over today's newspaper.
Well, **** a duck.
Where did they get that, the police report?
ghostman1960
09-08-11, 07:29
Well, **** a duck.
Where did they get that, the police report?
I imagine so. They got the picture from photographs taken by news people. Didn't know they were taking pictures of me.
QuietShootr
09-08-11, 07:36
I imagine so. They got the picture from photographs taken by news people. Didn't know they were taking pictures of me.
That SUCKS.
I just realized that this happened near Patrick AFB where I used to work. Funny.
I imagine so. They got the picture from photographs taken by news people. Didn't know they were taking pictures of me.
When I work a case that news cameras are present, I stay as far away as possible. They always still seem to get a picture of me. Those zoom lenses are sneaky!
4x4twenty6
09-08-11, 12:48
ditto on what cory cop said.
I had a guy rush across the police tape with his fists clenched and clearly upset about something at a fair shooting were a young innocent gang member had just been killed. I grabbed him and started to redirect him back across police tape and he starts arguing and cursing. I said i dont give a **** what you say you cant be running across police tape like that and then he said man thats my ****ing son. I let him go and low and behold, channel 6 news has a camera with that little red light on me. God damn camera. I felt bad cuz they guy was clearly upset about the loss of his son. But it was one of those incidents where there are several hundred people "OH LAWDing" all over the place and i didnt know who the guy was.
He could have been the killer making sure the guy didnt identify him as his dying declaration, we dont know what their intentions are.
Moral of the story, dont rush across police tape at the scene of a murder and always act like you are on camera.
ghostman1960
09-08-11, 13:36
The story below does not have all of the facts correct. They left out some pertinent information.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110908/NEWS01/109080318/Police-Rescue-prime-example-right-time-people-place
Mauser KAR98K
09-08-11, 15:31
The story below does not have all of the facts correct. They left out some pertinent information.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110908/NEWS01/109080318/Police-Rescue-prime-example-right-time-people-place
Wow...just wow. The girl was lucky you, the deputies and others were there.
Magic_Salad0892
09-08-11, 16:13
The woman owes you a thanks as well.
ghostman1960
09-08-11, 17:38
All of the credit belongs to Deputy Sgt. Brown. He stopped the attack. I just called it in.
The story below does not have all of the facts correct. They left out some pertinent information.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110908/NEWS01/109080318/Police-Rescue-prime-example-right-time-people-place
They even got the make of the car wrong. They said the car was a Nissan, but it is a Mazda RX-7 in the pictures. I hope the woman makes a full recovery.
The story below does not have all of the facts correct. They left out some pertinent information.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110908/NEWS01/109080318/Police-Rescue-prime-example-right-time-people-place
More like a hack job!
FromMyColdDeadHand
09-09-11, 08:20
Moral of the story, dont rush across police tape at the scene of a murder and always act like you are on camera.
Or keep your kids out of gangs...
Ghost- I didn't see your pic? Is that you in the light blue shirt in the back ground of the video? I guess you being in uniform helped with the IFF when you approached the officer.
Is that x-paramedics wife in the video as annoying sounding in real life as she is in the video?
That lady is lucky she ran into so many people that cared.
ghostman1960
09-09-11, 09:06
Or keep your kids out of gangs...
Ghost- I didn't see your pic? Is that you in the light blue shirt in the back ground of the video? I guess you being in uniform helped with the IFF when you approached the officer.
Is that x-paramedics wife in the video as annoying sounding in real life as she is in the video?
That lady is lucky she ran into so many people that cared.
Yes that is her.
In this picture I am the guy in the blue shirt on the far left.
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz159/ghostman1961/Meattheshooting.jpg
It hard to see in this picture but my car is the white one in the center to the left of the black car. The Deputy's car that was involved in the shooting is to the left of me and to the right of the Sheriffs SUV on the far left.
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz159/ghostman1961/chevyattheshooting.jpg
4x4twenty6
09-09-11, 09:22
FromMyColdDeadHand- haha, You would think both were common sense knowledge but not always the case.
The father was a piece of shit too. The 15 year old kid was in one of those little recruit, starter type gangs to get in to the bigger gang.
There were fights going on between large groups, people attacking EMT's trying to save the kid it was ****ing awful.
Not out of the norm for the area though.
Too late. My picture, name, age and place of work is plastered all over today's newspaper.
As always, zero respect for anyone's personal privacy, or potentially, their safety. Getting the story always trumps any consideration for privacy. :rolleyes:
ghostman1960
09-09-11, 09:36
Here is a reply to me from the deputy on a local blog discussing the incident.
Brogan147
12:24 AM on September 7, 2011
ghostman1960
I was the deputy who gave you my gunbelt. You did as I asked, don't know if I thanked you, thanks. You have to do the job that we do to understand why things are done the way they are. A mans life was taken with an attempt on another. Until you walk in our shoes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Patrick Aherne
09-09-11, 09:37
Good job! You helped the deputy and quite possibly resulted in saving the woman's life by accurately calling in for help.
As always, zero respect for anyone's personal privacy, or potentially, their safety. Getting the story always trumps any consideration for privacy. :rolleyes:
In the beginning of this summer, I assisted State Police with a crash where the driver fled the scene. I located the driver in my patrol area. The driver fought with me and was subsequently TASERed. Because of the close proximity of the patrol zones, the state police took the arrest for the crash and added the resisting charges from my incident because it was one course of events in two patrol areas in one county.
Well, the news reporters came in the next day to view the press releases at the State Police Barracks and the morons printed that I was arrested for TASERing the suspect! They put my name and where I resided right in the news report! I was sleeping that morning because I was obviously working night shift and I must have received 20 phone calls asking if I was OK and what happened. By the time I woke up, the report was corrected and I never actually got to read it, other than the comments before and after the correction. Of course they ran the gamete from idiot rogue cop to idiot uneducated news reporter.
The moral of this story is that in a reporter's haste in getting the story, the truth was never actually reported and the damage was done.
4x4twenty6
09-09-11, 14:58
Brother that ****ing sucks. I would have a serious case of the red ass for some time after that one.
I think a certain news crew needs a few citations and maybe a vehicle or two towed! haha
ghostman1960
09-17-11, 15:58
And now it seems like I have a touch of PTSD from the whole ordeal.
And now it seems like I have a touch of PTSD from the whole ordeal.
You probably do. You should talk to a Doc about how you're feeling, that is some heavy shit you dealt with.
Good Job and thank you for stepping up and helping out.
And now it seems like I have a touch of PTSD from the whole ordeal.
Keep yer chin up bud. What you saw is disturbing and if you're not used to it it can affect you in ways you haven't yet experienced. There's nothing manly or tough about ignoring or bottling up these feelings. If the thoughts don't start to subside or for some reason get more intense... talk to someone. Anyone. Let someone know you're having issues and they will help you get the proper help that you need. This is a real emotion you're going through and like any emotion it will pass with the right approach. The sooner you get help the better.
It takes more courage to ask for help then to sit on it and keep it inside.
Just know that you did everything right and even went above and beyond the call of duty. Nothing within your power could have changed the outcome and one person escaped certain death thanks to your efforts.
And now it seems like I have a touch of PTSD from the whole ordeal.
I do not know you or your place in life nor how many traumatic events you have experienced but I will say this.
1.) You reacted and kept it together throughout the entire incident.... Most can not do that.
2.) Everyone goes through some form of PTSD every time they are involved in an incident of that nature (even less than that type of incident). It is what you do about it. Do you just fall apart and back into a corner in the fetal position and rock? NO!
Your first step in recovering from your PTSD even before you experienced it, was to start this thread! YOU decided to get it out there and talk about it! I know that you did not post this incident with the intention of saying "Hey M4C community! I just helped a cop smoke a bad guy that needed smoking!" You posted this thread to say "hey guys, this could happen to anyone and it just happened to me". When I go through a tough time, the first thing that I like to do is stop home and hug my kids. I don't care if they are sleeping, I just go in and give them a quick squeeze. It is the beginning process for me to help me cope with what I had just gone through.
Again, I commend you for your actions and you are a true hero in the eyes of law enforcement. You are the guy that I would be praying for to arrive if I was getting my ass handed to me on the side of the road and I was alone. You are a true guardian angel to that officer that day.
THANK YOU!
Thomas M-4
09-17-11, 22:56
Talking about it helps but words of experience I would keep it to like minded individuals. Sorry the media screwed it up but that is to be expected. [Time can do wondrous things]. Remember he chose his actions not you. It very well could have been two people not around any more but now you have one more that is living that can make a choice , Always keep that in mind.
Unfortunately some people need to be shot. This guy was one of them. My sympathy is for the woman being stabbed and those, like you and the Cop who were involved or witnessed it. The right choices were made by the good guys.
ghostman1960
09-18-11, 10:34
Unfortunately some people need to be shot. This guy was one of them. My sympathy is for the woman being stabbed and those, like you and the Cop who were involved or witnessed it. The right choices were made by the good guys.
I totally understand that the Guy had to be shot. Otherwise he would have stabbed the woman to death. What caused him to snap like that I guess nobody will ever know. Even his victim said that such acts of violence were totally unlike him.
The guy was a single father raising two young children on his own. He had no criminal record and worked at the post office for 20 years. The part that haunts my dreams and waking moments is that his children lost their only parent and are orphans now.
That's where the whole PTSD comes in for me. Sometimes for no reason at all I start crying for those children. That's the part I have to work through.
be strong Ghostman .I know it can be hard to think about the children but The Guy was Not thinking about them that is for sure .You did the right thing and helped to save a life.
Sometimes people go off the deep end and you just can't save them. it is a sad thing to see a person loss their life ,But he made that choice when he started stabbing the woman and fled from the police .
Bad things happen in this life that is beyond our control .But you did do the right thing .Be proud you helped Most would not.and remember you did Not Pull the trigger .The officer Had No choice but to stop him from stabbing the woman to death . and it is OK to cry that is a sign you are human and care .Just take it one day at a Time. You did Good in my book
montanadave
09-18-11, 11:21
And now it seems like I have a touch of PTSD from the whole ordeal.
Don't know what they call it these days, but back when I did some EMT work the department conducted "critical incident stress debriefings" several days after any particularly gnarly situation. That was years ago and PTSD is on everyone's radar these days, with virtually every agency providing some form of counseling after these types of incidents.
You might contact the sheriff's department (or whatever agency had jurisdiction during these event) and discuss it with them. They may be able to provide some assistance or make a helpful referral.
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