Caldwell pursuit and OIS

[Pick187]

Intense raw police dash cam video:Recently released.June 10/08:
In a matter of seconds, 15 rounds were fired, a Caldwell police officer was shot and the suspect killed.

Police say it all started when Louis Avrin, 36, of Caldwell allegedly robbed the Brookshire Brothers grocery store at gunpoint. According to police, Avrin pointed a gun at several employees, saying he had 16 bullets and would fire them if he didn't get what he wanted. Police say he got away with $5,000 in cash.

Officials say Avrin then walked out of the store and car-jacked a woman at gunpoint. He then allegedly took police on a high-speed chase.

Caldwell Police Officer Cougan Hignight was called to the scene and quickly found himself in a high speed pursuit. Caldwell Police Chief Paul Lilly soon joined in the chase. One that took both officers down winding roads and through a field.

However, neither officer expected what happened next. Avrin crashed the stolen vehicle into a tree then fired, hitting Officer Hignight in the arm.

"He was getting out of his car after he saw the man pointing the gun," Deputy Chief Daniel McElroy with the Caldwell Police Department said. "He got out, the bullet came through the windshield and struck him, it ended up in his back."

Highnight then fired back 10 times, Lilly fired four. Avrin was shot three times, one bullet skimmed his face and nose, one hit him in the hip, the third shot hit his neck and offered a fatal blow.

Officer Hignight was rushed to the hospital by an off-duty officer who stopped to help. Chief Lilly made sure the suspect didn't fire again.

We're told the shootout could have been worse. After Avrin fired once, he accidentally released the clip of his gun, dropping 15 live rounds on the ground.

It's unclear what officer fired the fatal shot. Police tell us both men had the same caliber gun and the same ammunition, making it virtually impossible to tell.

The dash cam video was shown to a Burleson County grand jury Wednesday. The jury found that the video justified the officer's actions. Both Officer Hignight and Chief Lilly were cleared of all wrong-doing.

These tapes were made available because the Caldwell Police Department wanted the public to see last week's fatal shooting was justified.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cee_1213943025

[Pick187]

Excellent use of a patrol car. I have watched this over and over and it appears that the officer ramming the suspect car caused the suspect to lose the magazine out of his weapon. That maneuver I think saved the officers life. So often Officers are afraid to ram their patrol car because they might get in trouble for damaging a car, but a car is expendable a officer is not.

The second officer who I think is the Chief came in and while covering the suspect gets on the radio. Mental note to myself, wait to get on the radio since this is not the time to multi task and secure the weapon and then step back to where the suspect wouldn’t be as great as threat to get on the radio. Seems like after that he had a little mental melt down not knowing what to do next. In a lot of our training we only train to where the suspect goes down and then what?

[justken2u]

Excellent point, Pick ...

In our instructor schools, we train the instructors in a process where scenarios never end until officers have gone through what we call their 4C checklist ...

Cover, Communication, Condition and Combat Breathing.

Cover

• Are you in a position that helps to provide some cover or are you in a position of advantage?
• Are you covering the suspect?
• Do you have cover officers coming?

Communication

• Are you communicating with your support system?
• Are you communicating with the suspect?

o Alpha commands
• Are you communicating with your partner if you have one?
• Are you communicating with any bystanders?
• Are you communicating with to yourself?

o Are you using positive self-talk to tell yourself you are going to win this encounter
and you are going to be OK?

Condition


• What is the condition of the situation?

o Do the right people know?
• What is the condition of the suspect?

o Is there additional suspects? Who needs to know?
• What is your condition?

o Are you OK?
• What is the condition of your weapon system?

o Have you reloaded? Is your weapon in battery?
• Do you have the resources to effectively start the fight back up again if you have to?


Combat Breathing

• Deep, diaphramatic 4 count breathing

Scenarios (and for that matter actual tactical encounters) should NEVER end until reaching the point of a successful 4C checklist otherwise you might win the battle but ultimately lose the war.