Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 19, 2007, Winnipeg, Manitoba By Bruce Owen a City police officer shot and killed a combative Man late monday night behind a landside Street apartment Block in an incident some residents described As suicide by cop. They said the Man ignored repeated demands from two officers to drop a firearm and at one Point dared officers to shoot him. It sounded like he was pointing his gun at them and told them to shoot him said one woman who overheard the shouted Exchange. The police officer had no Choice another woman said. I feel so sorry for the policeman. What a horrible situation. What Choice did he have police said they comment on whether the Man forced officers into a situation where they had to shoot him. We Are not at the Point in the investigation where issues such As this Are ready to be discussed sgt. Kelly Dennison said. Police have not released the mans name or age. A ctr Winnipeg news report tuesday night said the Man was 42 years old and had been having marital difficulties. The report said the Man was a former member of the Canadian forces but a Public relations assistant at the department of defence did not return a phone Call tuesday night to confirm if the Man was enlisted. Suicide by cop is a term that refers to incidents in which a despondent person knowing police Are armed puts himself into a position in which police have no option but to shoot. Police Are trained to use lethal Force to Stop the threat against them and others not to wound or shoot a weapon out of a persons hands. A third woman whose bedroom is just above the scene behind 34 landside St. Said she heard four loud shots in Quick succession. It was pow pow pow pow a she said. I knew they were gunshots right away. It was quite alarming. I was very upset. Patrick Murdock whose apartment also overlooks the area where the shooting took place told Csc he also heard four shots. All i heard was some Yelling he said. I heard somebody say fing shoot me already a and then i heard four shots and everything was kind of quiet after that. Brent Beckman who lives at 34 landside St., said he heard the shots at about 11 p. M. I was just about to leave for work when i heard the shots. It was so Quick like a machine gun the free press employee said. I thought it was fireworks but there were no gaps. I walked downstairs and just As i was about to grab the handle of the door i saw two people leaning Over someone on the ground he said. I opened the door and one of the Guys ordered me Back inside. I a snot going to argue. The Guy was out. They tried to resuscitate him. They were pumping his Chest. Another Man who lives at the same address said he heard Yelling outside his second floor window and then cracked it open to hear the Exchange Between officers and the Man. I heard someone yell put Down the weapon. So i reached Over and cracked my window open. And then i heard some Guy yell no i dont care a and then they said put Down the weapon a and the Guy said you re going to have to fing shoot me i dont give a of a and they yelled a few More times and then i heard grunting and huffing like they were pushing around and then i just heard shots said the Man who asked not to be identified. Dennison said police were sent to the Block after an unidentified tenant called 911 saying another Man was threatening his safety. Our caller was obviously very afraid Dennison said. The two knew one another but Dennison said the incident was not a Domestic Call. The first two officer patrol car on the scene two two officer units were dispatched arrived within minutes. Its believed the officers knew from the original dispatch that they might be dealing with an armed individual. Dennison said when the two officers walked around the building from the front Street they came face to face with the suspect. He apparently had also just arrived its believed he never got into the building after walking Down the Back Lane Between Furby Street. In a relatively Small area behind the Block an area not that much bigger than an average 12 footy 18 foot living room the Man then pointed a firearm at the two officers. He was also armed with a baseball Bat. Its believed one of the officers already had his handgun upholstered while his partner was armed with a Taser. In the next few seconds that officer fired the Taser at the Man to immobilize him but it did not work. A Taser fires two probes that both must connect to a person in order to Emit a five second 50,000 Volt burst. If one probe fails to hit or if the target is too far away or Winter clothing too thick the Taser does not connect properly. Police also said there have been instances where a Taser has had no effect on an extremely combative or drug induced person. Dennison said in this Case its not known Why the Taser was not effective in stopping the Man. He said in the following moments the Man still threatened the two officers with his gun. Thatus when the second officer shot him. Dennison said the officer feared for his life and that of his partner and he acted appropriately. We have to take appropriate action he said. Thatus what you pay us for. Our officers did everything they could to avoid a lethal situation. Dennison said he comment on the number of shots fired or How Many times the Man was hit. The Man was rushed to Hospital but died soon after arrival. As per police policy the two officers have been placed on temporary administrative leave As the shooting is investigated by the homicide unit. The two officers have about two to five years of experience. Detectives will determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting and whether it was justified. Officers Are also investigating a number of Independent witnesses. By Law an inquest must also be held. Dennison said it appears the Man did not have a criminal record. He also said the incident was not related to gangs or drugs. The former owner said the Block had recently been purchased by Balmoral Hall school to be used to Billet students. A school spokesperson was unavailable. Police blocked off both entrances to landside Street Between Westminster Avenue and Cornish Avenue. Furby Street is also blocked from Westminster to Cornish along with five housing complexes and about a dozen Homes along Furby. Dennison did not say Why police have blocked off such a Large area. Its not known if the deceased Man lived in the area or whether police attempted to retrace his Steps. Bruce. Owen free press. My. Ca with files from Gabrielle Giro Day Furby Street landside Street Backland Balmoral Hall school 42 38 34 26 24 path of suspect police car and path of police officers shooting Westminster Avenue Cornish Avenue top news Winnipeg free 19, 2007 Winnipeg repress. Com a 3 we need your help to serve hot meals or provide other essential services to hungry homeless hurting people in Winnipeg Gas inner City this Christmas season. For just $ 2.58, you can provide a hot meal or the Safe shelter and spiritual help that can be the Start of a new life. Please help us feed and care for hungry homeless hurting people by mailing your gift today.  $ 12.90 helps 5 people  $ 98.04 helps 38 people  $ 23.22 helps 9 people  $ 196.08 helps 76 people  to help As Many people As possible please charge my    please clip and Send with your gift today costs Are average and include the expense of preparing and providing meals. A receipt for income tax purposes will be sent to you. Siloam Mission is a registered Canadian Charity # 11915 0043 rr0001. Celebrating 20 years of service in Winnipeg Gas inner City card no. Signature donate online at wow. Siloam. Ca or Call 204 956 4344 or toll free at 1 866 648 Hope 4673. Name address City pc phone e mail Apt. @ expiry Date Complete Christmas dinner 2.58 please make your Cheque payable to Siloam Mission Street dept. 00000 wow. Siloam. Ca 300 Princess Street dept. 69589 Winnipeg my r3b 1m3 Siloam. Ca wow. Winnipeg repress. Com classified is on line at police shootings March 27, 2007 Ahmed Saleh Azad 61, is killed by police after going on a deadly rampage inside a Wolseley care Home. Saleh Azad had stabbed to death one Man and injured another when confronted by police. He was shot when he refused to drop the knife. Jan. 31, 2005 Matthew Dumas 18, was shot on Dufferin Avenue As he advanced on an officer with a screwdriver in his hand. Jan. 3, 2005 Dennis St. Paul had just been placed under arrest but not handcuffed in Norway House when he wrestled ramp const. Darcy Muthus Baton from him and hit the officer on the head. Muth pulled out his gun and fired two shots. Dec. 30 2005 police shot and killed Zunga Bashir at a St. James apartment As officers tried to Stop an agitated Bashir 24, from stabbing his Friend James David. David 28, later died of his wounds. Dec. 2, 2005 Howard Fleury was killed after a confrontation inside his family is Alfred Street Home. He was armed with a knife and advanced on officers coming Down a stairway ignoring repeated demands to drop the weapon. He had also been Pepper sprayed but it had no effect. Nov. 5, 2002 Donald Miles 34, was shot twice in the lower Torso by two City police officers after he lunged at them with a knife during a tense standoff in the parking lot of a North end Gas station. Dec. 16, 1997 Abe Hiebert was killed As he tried to repel officers with Pepper Spray and hit an officer with a baseball Bat during a drug raid on his Dufferin Avenue Home. Winnipeg free press shoot me already gunman residents say suspect taunted police dared them to fire Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg free press police gather in the Lane Between landside and Furby near the scene of the shooting. Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg free press investigators scour the shooting scene behind an apartment Block on landside Street tuesday after a Man was shot dead by police ;