Even though I have read similar stories until I am numb, this is the sort of thing I still have trouble believing is happening routinely in the United States.
A 26-year-old former Marine, who served two tours in Iraq, with no criminal record, was at home with his wife and four year old son when a SWAT Team (on the pretext of serving a search warrant for drugs) burst through the door and shot him 60 times. They said he was shooting at them, but now that it’s been learned that his gun’s safety was on and it hadn’t been fired, they’re changing their story.
Sheriff in charge? Dupnik! (Yes, the same Dupnik…)
The Arizona Daily Star seems to have had it with Dupnik:
Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik answered almost nothing Wednesday in his “comment” on the SWAT-team shooting death of Jose Guerena.
To start with, Dupnik didn’t actually step forward to explain anything about the shooting of Guerena, who was inside his home when officers arrived to serve a search warrant in a drug investigation.
Instead, Dupnik had a public information officer issue a press release that offered little insight.
It starts this way: “As a result of the need for information surrounding the shooting of Jose Guerena by members of the Pima Regional SWAT Team, the public has received misinformation and emotionally charged speculation.”
And who gave the public that bad information? That would be Dupnik’s department. At least be accountable enough to write a clear sentence that says the Sheriff’s Department is to blame for the wrong information that now has citizens – in blogs, online comment boards and letters to the editor – engaging in “emotionally charged speculation.” Not to mention asking legitimate questions.
We asked several yesterday in this space, and today we have more.
• The department originally said Guerena, a former Marine, fired on SWAT officers when they went to his house on May 5. It subsequently said he pointed an AR-15 rifle at them but had the safety on. SWAT team members fired 71 times and hit him 60.
How did the sheriff get that wrong?
• Why refuse to say what, if anything, drug-related was found in his house? If Guerena did deal drugs, his fellow criminals know the authorities might be on their trail. So what about this investigation is being protected by refusing to say what might have been found?
• Authorities said they expected Guerena to be home alone when they served the search warrant. Did they also know that he’d been a Marine and therefore was skilled in the use of a firearm and might well have one in his home?
A lot of people are asking questions.
Including this military veteran:
Whatever happened it leads to the question of what the fuck kind of training these keystone cops went through before they went on this raid. They clearly were not prepared or properly trained to execute this mission.
Uncle Jimbo did a series last year on how SWAT raids like this shouldn’t be happening. I encourage you to read it.
Also one finally thing. Cpl. Guerena was a Latino killed by the police under questionable circumstances in the “mecca of hate”, Arizona. Riots have erupted over less than this. But what has been the reaction from all the lefty blogs in Arizona, and particularly Tucson? Crickets, Crickets, Crickets, and Crickets. This prominent left-wing blog’s top post actually celebrates the fact that the Dupnik recall failed. Does it surprise anyone? A gun-owning, combat veteran with no criminal record killed by members of a left-wing Sheriff’s office? Oh, but it doesn’t fit the narrative! Fuck them. Fuck them all. I wish it was one of them in the house instead of Cpl Guerena. Semper Fi Brother.
How many more stories like this does it take before people wake up and realize that the war on drugs has become a war on the American people?
A veteran with no criminal record accused of a victimless crime is now dead — shot 58 more times than Osama bin Laden. As far as I’m concerned, the deployment of a SWAT Team under these circumstances was not mere overkill, it was the moral equivalent of murder.
Shame on this country.
Comments
14 responses to “Is this how we repay our veterans?”
No word on this yet from that mother fucking cock sucking son of a bitch Gingrich.
[…] can read the full report at: Is this how we repay our veterans? Print PDF Categories: Uncategorized 0 […]
I try not to think about this. The more I learn the angrier I get.
Though, @Simon, what does Gingrich have to do with it? I’m not a fan, but I don’t see the connection…
I have followed this story since it took place. First, If drugs were found they would have had a photo op and displayed everything they found.
Second, They would have displayed the AR15 and any other weapons discovered during the incident.
Third they would have talked about the case and provided all the public information to the media to include all their previous criminal activities.
None of this took place. Hmmmmmm I wonder why? Cover up big time!!! Everyone is tryng to cover their sorry asses.
It is obvious they murdered this man in cold blood. Each deputy who fired their weapon, the man who breeched the door, the team leader, the detective who requested the search warrant, the supervisor who authorized the warrant application should all be charged with first degree murder. Have a trial and see what takes place.
Why do I say everyone involved? If this was a group of thugs who decided to invade this guys house everyone from the shooters, the driver and anyone present would all be charged with murder.
The police who did this need to pay dearly for their mistakes.
Tom,
Gingrich proposed the Death Penalty for 2 oz of pot.
How To Put An End To Drug Users
I never heard that about Newt. A video of Newt saying this is always good proof.
I wasn’t planning on voting for Newt anyway. I thought he was good in the house but I don’t think he would make a good President. I just don’t trust him.
Thomas:
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/27/us/gingrich-suggests-tough-drug-measure.html
http://www.ndsn.org/oct95/gingrich.html
I think that should cover it.
[…] brutal SWAT Team killing of a Marine veteran in Arizona has made me think along some very paranoid (for me, at least) […]
In the state I live, which is on the other side of the country and about as far as you can get from AZ, the legislators proposed a ban on magazines over ten rounds in response to the shooting of the AZ congresswoman (et al.) Fortunately, the proposed ban was dropped. Oddly enough, though, the same legislature is not proposing any laws that would address law enforcement mistakenly shooting innocent people. I know people who defend the SWAT team by saying, “That’s the price we pay for the police to do the job they do. Unfortunately, casualties occur.” No, the price I am willing to pay is having to deal with a psycopathic nutcase gone wild at a political rally I am attending. I am not willing to pay the price of tax-feeding goons busting down my door to kill my family.
@ Simon
Thank you for the info.
Now read the BS (4th story) being trotted out, as CYA.
Thanks for the update story JB.
If this story wasn’t so sad it would be funny. Body armor inside the house does not mean a damn thing. There is nothing wrong with having body armor in your house or wearing it for that matter.
I know people in the military that did not have proper body armor when they were deployed to the area and purchased it themselves.
What part of the police uniform did they find. A t-shirt that said FBI, DEA etc which can be purchased anyplace. Or was it an actual uniform shirt. Since they were not specific and since their story changes by the minute it was probably a pair of BDU pants that most police swat members wear.
[…] Is this how we repay our veterans? A veteran with no criminal record accused of a victimless crime is now dead — shot 58 more times than Osama bin Laden. As far as I’m concerned, the deployment of a SWAT Team under these circumstances was not mere overkill, it was the moral equivalent of murder. […]
[…] it certainly does not rank with the fatal SWAT Team shooting of a Marine veteran at home with his family, I recently learned about another fatal SWAT Team shooting — not of a human being but of a […]