Police traffic stop firefight in Ohio

[jonconsiglio]

I have watched this video several times and every time I watch it the hair on my neck stands up. I have been trying to put myself in the car with them. From what I have heard, they are watching the movements in the vehicle and discussing what to do. From the chatter on the radio, it seems like they were waiting for people to stop chatting to call off on the traffic stop. It seems that the driver opens the door of the car to approach and tells the female officer to call the car stop off on the radio when the air clears. As soon as the male officer gets out, the suspect gets out and engages.

You might be right. I thought it was the female officer that got out of the car and walked around to the driver side of the patrol car, and that's when the shooting started. The male officer returned fire through the windshield and the female officer moved around the back of the patrol car.

As for using the vehicle, The West Memphis shoot out is a good example of this. The officer rams the minivan and from what I understand, fired on them with his m4 until it either ran dry or was taken out of the fight, then transitioned to his handgun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqbEP...e_gdata_player

[CoryCop25]

Unless you know something that I don't, I don't think the female got out of the car.
I have the exact same type of video system in my car. The microphone in the car turns on when the lights are activated. Also, when the lights are activated, the video begins to record (in my car, two minutes BEFORE the lights are turned on). This is why you see the actual traffic violation that got the officer's attention. My car actually records two minutes before and two minutes after I turn the lights on/off. This can be set by whomever is in charge of the video systems in the department.
The reason why I think the female never got out, is because she is heard quite clearly throughout the entire incident. Her voice is being picked up by the in-car mic. I am going to assume that she fired what was in her gun and because she was hit in the hand, did not reload. When the BG is on his knees, you can hear the male officer reloading.

[jonconsiglio]

Unless you know something that I don't, I don't think the female got out of the car.
I have the exact same type of video system in my car. The microphone in the car turns on when the lights are activated. Also, when the lights are activated, the video begins to record (in my car, two minutes BEFORE the lights are turned on). This is why you see the actual traffic violation that got the officer's attention. My car actually records two minutes before and two minutes after I turn the lights on/off. This can be set by whomever is in charge of the video systems in the department.
The reason why I think the female never got out, is because she is heard quite clearly throughout the entire incident. Her voice is being picked up by the in-car mic. I am going to assume that she fired what was in her gun and because she was hit in the hand, did not reload. When the BG is on his knees, you can hear the male officer reloading.

That's why I said you might be right. I'm taking this from the article written by their local paper. I'm searching for it now and will post back.

That article also states 37 rounds of 7.62x39 were fired and the officers fired 54. From everything else I've heard, it was a few less.

But, I do believe it was the chief that stated she was out of the vehicle.

[CoryCop25]

The things I would like to know are:
Type of handgun (Mayor stated in press conference they have 9MM)
Type of ammo
Movements of officers
Coroner's / Pathologist's report

[jonconsiglio]

Here's the article - http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index...lease_vid.html

It has Chief Stanko saying one of his officers, Erin Thomas, got out of the patrol car after Gilkerson was pulled over, got to about the driver side door of the cruiser, when Gilkerson bolted from his car and began shooting.

Edit - she returned fire and officer Savage did as well through the windshield of the patrol car. All of his shooting was done from inside the vehicle while her's was done from outside. She then went around the rear of the car after being hit and returned to the passenger side of the patrol car. You can see two separate groups through the windshield, which I believe are both from Savage from what I've heard.

[jonconsiglio]

From another article

Stanko said his officers saw Gilkerson's car go through a stop sign on Ohio 608, near Pierce Street. They pulled it over.

Thomas, who had only been on the 10-person force for a month, got out of the passenger side of the patrol car, walked behind the patrol car and had reached the driver's door of the cruiser when Gilkerson bolted from his car and began shooting.

Thomas fired back, as did Savage. Stanko said Savage shot through the windshield of the cruiser.

[jonconsiglio]

And one more...

FYI

MIDDLEFIELD, Ohio - A review is complete into the fatal officer-involved shooting of James Gilkerson and the Geauga County prosecutor reports officers acted in self-defense.

On March 10, dash cam video showed Gilkerson being pulled over by Middlefield police officers Savage and Thomas for failing to stop at the intersection of East High Street and North State Avenue.
The prosecutor's report notes Officer Thomas got out of the passenger side of her cruiser and began walking up to the stopped car when Gilkerson opened the door and began shooting at her "in rapid succession" using an AK-47 style rifle equipped with a 40 round magazine.
Thomas was struck by a bullet in her hand resulting in the amputation of her index finger. Officer Savage began firing at Gilkerson through the cruiser windshield as Officer Thomas got behind the cruiser.
The report notes one of the 29 rounds fired by Officer Savage struck Gilkerson who began to move back toward his vehicle yelling "kill me" while continuing to fire shots at the officers.
Crouched on one knee with his rifle pointed toward the cruiser, Officer Savage fired several shots, fatally striking Gilkerson as Officer Thomas radioed for backup.
Gilkerson was pronounced dead at the scene by the medical examiner. An autopsy showed 19 wounds and nine bullets to his body. The two fatal shots were to his head and chest.
In all, Gilkerson fired 33 rounds at the officers. A search of his car and the trunk revealed multiple loaded magazines and loads of ammunition, ski masks and gloves, military style ammo cans, a scoped .22 caliber rifle, numerous instructional DVDs and books such as "Kitchen Approved Plastic Explosives," "Advance Close-Range Gunfighting," "Homemade Detonators," and many others.
Geauga County Prosecutor James Flaiz noted in his 4-page report that both officers "were in imminent danger of great bodily harm or death due to the actions of James Gilkerson. The only reasonable course for both officers was to use their firearms in self-defense."
Based on the facts, the prosecutor said the incident will not proceed to a Grand Jury.

"The only crimes committed on March 10, 2013 were committed by (Gilkerson)," said Flaiz.

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/ne...kerson#ixzz2SbiBHCcC

The man heard saying he had a pistol was an Amish taxi driver.

The reason for the delay was park rangers had the radio tied up.

[jonconsiglio]

Here's an interview with Officer Erin Thomas - ignore some of the stupid comments from the hosts.

http://www.roverradio.com/videos/off...tout-tells-all

From the interview, during the fight the Amish taxi driver (he's not Amish, he's a taxi driver for the Amish) came up behind the patrol car. Offcier Thomas had emptied the magazine in her handgun and as she was taking cover, the taxi driver took her handgun from her (not sure if he was going to reload it for her or just to set it aside to help with her injuries) and comforted her telling her "your partner has this, if he needs help I have my gun".

This guy deserves some recognition. He passed by right when this started then parked and ran to the patrol car during a fight. During an exchange of gunfire, he comforts the injured officer and is willing to step in should his assistance be needed.

Officer Savage also got out of the vehicle and went to the rear. When he went to the rear to check on Officer Thomas is when he asked if she's been hit. Shortly after, the taxi driver covered the downed shooter with his handgun and kicked the rifle away from him.

[CoryCop25]

The officer/s must have had wireless mics then because they can be heard so well. We can't have those yet because of PA wire tap laws. It makes a lot of sense now. I didn't think of the wireless mics because I can't use mine. This is why I assumed the female officer stayed in the car. The radio interview actually answered a lot of questions.

[jonconsiglio]

The officer/s must have had wireless mics then because they can be heard so well. We can't have those yet because of PA wire tap laws. It makes a lot of sense now. I didn't think of the wireless mics because I can't use mine. This is why I assumed the female officer stayed in the car. The radio interview actually answered a lot of questions.

Yeah, anyone wondering about specifics needs to listen to the interview.