Line of Duty Deaths

[Lilllabettt]

I am going to update this list with the names of police as they are murdered, starting with this month. This is just those who were killed with guns, going forward I will include those who are killed other ways.

This list does not include those who died in line-of-duty accidents. 

Pray for these officers and their families.

 

End of Watch: August 1, 2015

Police Officer Sean Bolton, age 33,  was shot and killed when he interrupted a drug deal near the intersection of Cottonwood and Perkins Roads at approximately 9:15 pm.

Officer Bolton observed an illegally parked vehicle near the intersection occupied by multiple people. As he approached the vehicle, he was shot several times by one of the occupants, who then fled the scene. A citizen used Officer Bolton's radio to call for assistance after he was shot.
He was transported to Regional Medical Center where he succumbed to his wounds.

Officer Bolton was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He had served with the Memphis Police Department since October 2010.

End of Watch: August 5, 2015

Police Officer Thomas LaValley, age 29, was shot and killed when he and several other officers responded to a domestic violence call involving a man threatening other family members with a gun at approximately 9:15 pm.

When officers arrived at the home in the 3500 block of Del Rio Street, in the Queensborough area of the city, the subject opened fire. Officer LaValley was struck multiple times. He was transported to University Health where he succumbed to his wounds.

Officer LaValley had served with the Shreveport Police Department for four years.

End of Watch: Saturday, August 15, 2015

Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell was shot and killed while responding to a domestic battery call on the 4100 block of Montez Drive in east Carson City at approximately 2:20 am.

The first deputies to arrive on scene located an injured woman in front of the home. As other deputies checked on the woman's injuries, Deputy Howell approached the home to speak to the male subject. The subject ambushed Deputy Howell at the front door, mortally wounding him. Despite the wound, Deputy Howell was able to return fire and killed the subject.

Deputy Howell was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Carson City Sheriff's Office for nine years. He was a married father of 6.

 

End of Watch: August 24, 2015

Trooper Steven Vincent, age 43, was shot and killed while checking on a vehicle that was being operated by a suspected intoxicated driver near the intersection of Highway 14 and Fruge Road, near Bell City.

Trooper Vincent was on patrol when he spotted a vehicle from a previous reckless driving report. The vehicle in question had driven off the road and was stuck in a ditch. Trooper Vincent approached the vehicle and began speaking with the occupant and then ordered him to exit the vehicle. The male exited the vehicle with a sawed off shotgun in his hand and opened fire, striking Trooper Vincent in the head. The man then taunted Trooper Vincent as he lay on the ground mortally wounded.

A passing motorist witnessed the incident, stopped his vehicle and tackled the subject. He then wrestled the shotgun away from the man while additional civilians who stopped to assist, utilized Trooper Vincent's handcuffs to cuff and take the subject into custody. They then called for assistance and rendered aid to Trooper Vincent.

Trooper Vincent was taken to Lake Charles Hospital where he died the next day from his wounds.

Trooper Vincent was a U.S. Army veteran. He had served with the Louisiana State Police for 13 years. He is survived by his wife and 9-year-old son.

 

End of Watch: August 26, 2015

Police Officer Henry Nelson, age 51, was shot and killed at approximately 3:00 pm while responding to a domestic disturbance call where three women had been stabbed by a male subject at a home on Anna Street in Sunset. When Officer Nelson arrived the subject opened fire and fatally wounded him.

The subject fled the scene and crashed his vehicle into a nearby gas station where he barricaded himself for several hours. He was apprehended after a SWAT team made entry into the gas station.

Officer Nelson was airlifted to the hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. One of the three stabbing victims also died.

Officer Nelson had served with the Sunset Police Department for 13 years. He is survived by his daughter.

 

End of Watch: August 28, 2015

Deputy Sheriff Darren Goforth, age 47, was shot and killed while pumping gas into his patrol car at a commercial gas station at the intersection of West and Telge Roads, in Cypress.

Deputy Goforth was on patrol and had completed an assignment at the scene of a vehicle collision. He went to a local gas station to fuel his patrol car. As Deputy Goforth stood next to his patrol car filling it with fuel, a male subject walked up behind him and fired multiple shots. After Deputy Goforth fell to the ground, the subject shot him several more times before fleeing the scene in a pickup truck.

Deputy Goforth was shot 15 times and died at the scene.

Deputy Goforth had served with the Harris County Sheriff's Office for 10 years. He is survived by his wife and two children, ages 5 and 12.

[Lilllabettt]

Deputy Goforth and his family.

[MarysLittleFlower]

Eternal rest +

[CatherineM]

I've talked to many officers who have all agreed that the two most dangerous situations are domestic violence calls and routine stops of cars. I think your list has shown why. Thanks for doing this. 

[Lilllabettt]

End of watch: September 1, 2015

Lieutenant Charles Gliniewicz, age 52,  was shot and killed while investigating suspicious activity. 

At approximately 8:00 am, Lieutenant Gliniewicz radioed his dispatcher that he was stopping to investigate three suspicious males that he observed near Route 12 and Sayton Road in Fox Lake. Shortly thereafter, he radioed in a foot pursuit. When backup officers arrived, they found Lieutenant Gliniewicz mortally wounded. They also discovered that items were missing from his duty belt, including his firearm. 

Lieutenant Gliniewicz was a U.S. Army veteran. He had served with the Lake County, Illinois Police Department for 32 years.

He is survived by his wife and four children. 

 

[dominicansoul]

[Lilllabettt]

End of Watch: September 13, 2015

Trooper Joseph Ponder, age 31,  was shot and killed after conducting a vehicle stop on I-24, near Lamasco, at approximately 10:20 pm.

Trooper Ponder was on patrol when he observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation. The vehicle fled during the stop, leading Trooper Ponder on a nine-mile pursuit. During the chase, the driver abruptly stopped his vehicle, causing Trooper Ponder to crash into it. The man then exited his vehicle and opened fire, killing Trooper Ponder. 

The subject fled the scene on foot but located in a wooded area several hours later by members of the Kentucky State Police ERT. He was shot and killed when he pointed his weapon at the officers.

Trooper Ponder was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Kentucky State Police for 9 months.

End of Watch: September 14, 2015

 

Deputy Sheriff Dwight Maness, age 47, succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained 11 months earlier after being ambushed while en route to a domestic disturbance at a home in Holiday Hills.

He and two other deputies had gone to the home in the 1300 block of Northeast Shore Drive after a friend of the subject's wife called to request a welfare check. The subject answered the door and stated he did not need any assistance. He invited the deputies into the home and then immediately opened fire on them with an AR-15 rifle.

Deputy Maness and one of the other deputies were both shot multiple times as they retreated for cover. The third deputy returned fire as an Island Lake Police Department officer pulled Deputy Maness to safety.

The subject who shot the deputies was arrested several hours later. He was subsequently convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 135 years in prison.

Deputy Maness was confined to a wheelchair and underwent multiple surgeries. He passed away on September 14th, 2015, while conducting a rehab session.

Deputy Maness was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the McHenry County Sheriff's Office for seven years. He is survived by his wife.

[CatherineM]

Routine traffic stop and domestic disturbance. Hopefully the shooter will face murder charges now. In most states if the death occurs within 12 months it's automatic. 

[Luigi]

Further details on the murder of Officer Ponder in Kentucky. 

The shooter, was driving 103 mph on a highway. That's why Ponder pulled him over. The suspect was driving on a suspended driver's license. No one else in the car had a valid driver's license either. The others in the car were his nineteen-year-old niece, a twenty-two-year-old woman, and two children under six years of age. 

Ponder was trying to arrange for all five of them to stay the night in a hotel until someone with a valid driver's license could come pick them up. But the suspect drove away. 

 

The suspect had had previous run-ins with the law including: 

2013 - Stopped by a police officer; had marijuana in the car; drove off before the transaction with the police officer concluded; outstanding warrant. 

2014 - Failure to appear (traffic fines); in another incident, Interfering with a police officer; in another incident, failure to appear on a property damage charge (shooting BB's into a neighbor's front windows); in another incident, theft of $900 worth of lottery tickets; he then cashed the winning tickets at nearby outlets and was caught on camera 

And the suspect also had a gun on him. I can't find any reports about whether it was a legal gun, or stolen, or whether he had a permit or what. The niece was also arrested, for interfering with a police officer. 

My guess is that the suspect drove off because he thought that Ponder would find out about the outstanding warrants and arrest him. 

 

Edited September 16, 2015 by Ice_nine
removed names of the suspect as requested

[Lilllabettt]

 

 

I'm not the boss around here, but I would like to try to keep the names of suspects out of this thread. If they were guilty they don't deserve the publicity of repeating their names. If they're innocent its not justice to be repeating their names.  I would like to keep the focus on the sacrifice these officers make and helping people be less prejudiced against them.

But that being said, thanks for the context Luigi.  It helps people understand that when officers pull over a speeding car, they have to fear for their lives. Even if its a family with little kids in the car.  They have to be alert, anxious, and ready to react in a split second.

People don't understand that, because they've never been on the police side of a traffic stop. And it doesn't matter if the driver has a record, or what kind of record.  Someone can be busted for a small amount of marijuana one day and the next week murder a cop on a traffic stop.

 

[Ice_nine]

 

 If they're innocent its not justice to be repeating their names.  I would like to keep the focus on the sacrifice these officers make and helping people be less prejudiced against them.

I don't intend to hijack your thread, but if this is your intention I would adopt a different strategy. The reason being is that people put their lives in danger every day, with all sorts of motivations. That in itself is not worthy of praise (otherwise suicide bombers would be noble yes?). It doesn't mean much to me to know that someone entered a dangerous line of work was murdered (whether a cop or a drug dealer) without knowing a little about the context and what the person was dying for.

What really is effective with me is seeing officers you know doing what they're supposed to do i.e. serving and protecting the community, helping to protect our constitutional and human rights. There are stories out there (the cop buying shoes for the homeless man went viral a few years ago). I'm also a phan of the Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) who oppose the senseless slaughter and carnage of the drug war. These are things that help terrible people like me become "less prejudiced."

But I will not speak ill of the dead. May God rest their souls and grant them pardon.

[CatherineM]

Ice I found your post offensive. I didn't report it since you're a mediator. I'm not doing this privately because I doubt you care if you offend anyone. The idea that you actually said you didn't want to speak ill of the dead in a thread to Honor sacrifice sounded to me as if you are assuming there was something you could say ill of these fallen public servants. As to the slaughter due to drug laws, more people have been killed by the illegal drugs that low life scumbags sell rather than do an honest day's work, than by cops enforcing those laws. Those dead include two sister in laws, two nephews, and a cousin of mine. 

[AccountDeleted]

Ice, I understood what you meant, even if some others might not. I, too, am more inspired by the good stories about cops - mainly because some of them do abuse their power and there are also mistakes where they invade the wrong house and end up killing people. In one story recently they killed the dog, who was barking at these strangers, and then the old man who lived in the house - and it wasn't the house they wanted after all - all just a mistake! I know mistakes happen in every profession, but they can be lethal in law enforcement, as we have seen.

But I also understand that this thread is about the cops who have been victims, rather than the other way around, and it's good to honor anyone who has died needlessly. 

I just wanted you to know Ice, that I get what you were trying to say, and I don't think you were trying to offend anyone.

[Lilllabettt]

I don't intend to hijack your thread, but if this is your intention I would adopt a different strategy. The reason being is that people put their lives in danger every day, with all sorts of motivations. That in itself is not worthy of praise (otherwise suicide bombers would be noble yes?). It doesn't mean much to me to know that someone entered a dangerous line of work was murdered (whether a cop or a drug dealer) without knowing a little about the context and what the person was dying for.

What really is effective with me is seeing officers you know doing what they're supposed to do i.e. serving and protecting the community, helping to protect our constitutional and human rights. There are stories out there (the cop buying shoes for the homeless man went viral a few years ago). I'm also a phan of the Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) who oppose the senseless slaughter and carnage of the drug war. These are things that help terrible people like me become "less prejudiced."

But I will not speak ill of the dead. May God rest their souls and grant them pardon.

 

Thanks for telling me what is "effective with" you. When St Therese was novice mistress, the younger Sisters she was in charge of wanted to tell her what was "effective" with them. Her response was:  "nobody is a good judge in his own case." pg 239, Story of a Soul.  Good stuff.

I could make a feel-good story thread, ice, but that would not make folks like you uncomfortable enough.

Remember that securing dignity for police officers as human beings is more important than protecting the feelings of people who are prejudiced against them. 

If the thread is too upsetting, don't feel compelled to read it. Of course, if you can stand it, I would encourage you to not look away.  When we are willing to sit with the discomfort of being confronted with our own prejudice, that is when it begins to lose its grip on us.

By the way, laying down their lives for the community is what police are supposed to do.  Joseph Ponder was supposed to give his life if necessary so that 2 little 6 year-olds would not be in a car going 100 miles per hour down the highway. Carl Howell was supposed to give his life if necessary to protect a battered woman. And greater love has no man than this.

There is a lot of heroism behind many of these stories, and I would like to include more of that part of it at some point. And I'm trying to make an effort to find other photos besides the official ID ones - to show the police with their family, or doing something they loved. That's a challenge, since I would like to get their names up as fast as possible. 

I may include some feel good stories occasionally I guess - but a basic goal I have for this thread is that when you login to phatmass, if you see this thread has been bumped, you know an American police officer has died in the line of duty. And you don't even have to click to know.  

p.s. thnx for the edit

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2015 by Lilllabettt

[Ice_nine]

Ice I found your post offensive. I didn't report it since you're a mediator. I'm not doing this privately because I doubt you care if you offend anyone. The idea that you actually said you didn't want to speak ill of the dead in a thread to Honor sacrifice sounded to me as if you are assuming there was something you could say ill of these fallen public servants.

I'm sorry it sounded that way. I was honestly trying to be helpful, since I was probably one of the targets of this thread I figured I'd put in my two cents, which in hindsight was obviously not appreciated. If the thread was just to honor sacrifice, I would have said nothing, but since the OP said one of her motivations was reaching people like me, I figured it was fair to comment on that.

Maybe my speak ill of the dead comment was a poor choice of words but I did that just as an explicit reminder that I'm not here to smear the reputations of the men lilla has posted about, and that despite their career choice which I'm not a huge fan of, I hope they rest in peace. And turns out it had the opposite effect on you . . . wonderful.

 

Thanks for telling me what is "effective with" you. When St Therese was novice mistress, the younger Sisters she was in charge of wanted to tell her what was "effective" with them. Her response was:  "nobody is a good judge in his own case." pg 239, Story of a Soul.  Good stuff.

I could make a feel-good story thread, ice, but that would not make folks like you uncomfortable enough.

Remember that securing dignity for police officers as human beings is more important than protecting the feelings of people who are prejudiced against them. 

I don't want to turn this thread into an argument, so I won't address everything you said, but I think we have a misunderstanding, and I think it's not wise to gauge peoples' emotional states over the internet. I am not uncomfortable by your thread. I am a little sad when I hear about people dying (relative to how taxed I am emotionally at the moment). When there's really no context though, there's not much of an impact on me, personally. Am I a heartless, terrible, and prejudiced person? Maybe a little bit. I can only garner so much angst and rage and anger, and we all have our pet causes. This is one of yours, not one of mine.

I'll try not to post in this thread again since I've apparently ticked a few people off.