LAPD rip apart 2 story house to get at suspect who shot officer

[Liberal_in_LA]

Cops Tear Down House to Get Suspect


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1373660/Cop-shooter-dead-police-bulldoze-LA-home-18-hour-stand-off.html

Suspect in shooting of LAPD cop in Sylmar found dead

Los Angeles police said the suspect in the shooting of a LAPD officer in Sylmar was found dead Monday on the second floor of his home. A rifle was found near the man's body, police added.

Monday marked a long day for officers. Police used a specially built armored robot to rip apart a home in Sylmar to reach a suspected gunman.

--------------------------------

The structural damage was escalated around noon as police used the crane to rip apart walls in the back of the home. Aerial video showed the majority of the second floor exposed, as well as at least one room on the first floor.

"The whole idea is to get complete access or visual contact within the interior, so that our officers can see what is going on inside," said a police spokesman.

By 3 p.m., the crane had also knocked out multiple windows. By 4:30 p.m., police were still smashing through walls. At 6 p.m., LAPD police officer Karen Rayner said although "we've knocked down a good portion'' of the home the suspect has not been found. By 8 p.m., police said they had found their suspect -- dead inside the home.

The LAPD acquired the robotic tool, known as the BatCat, last year. The 39,000-pound machine uses a telescopic handler to smash through walls. In Monday's standoff, police also used the robot's claw to remove furniture from the home.

The remote-control vehicle has a top speed of 6 mph and cost almost $1 million.


http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/119173789.html

[Nye Bevan]

1. Excellent. Much better than having officers walk into an ambush.

After all, the guy had already killed one cop and had nothing left to lose.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. These domestic violence incidents are getting deadly for cops

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. "A rifle was found near the man's body, police added."

That should do it.

[MedicalAdmin]

3. That is a HUGE waste of $$$$$.

1 million? Wow.

[Dawson Leery]

4. LAPD: as worthless as horse manure.

These police departments claim they are short on funds for their employees, yet they can buy tanks and demolition equipment. They have more than enough money.

[arbusto_baboso]

17. Having worked briefly as a civilian employee in a law enforecment agency I can tell you..

LEA's are some of the biggest money wasters in public service.

Aside from elected officials, if you really want to trim "government waste" at a local level, start with John Law.

[peace13]

5. That Homeland Security money really went to a good cause.

I guess they used to have a stand off and wait for the perp to come out. Good luck to them if they ever hit the wrong house. I guess the neighborhood will just have to live with the demolition. This is so wrong on so many levels. Looks to me like the police with their fancy robots have it easier than a High School teacher. Maybe we should send robots in to teach the kids! After all it would be safer for the teachers!

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. Dead guy probably had mortgage on house. Does the bank take the loss of the house?

that's what I wonder. Or does insurance cover the damage.

Officer got shot in face and chest. Hope he recovers.

[Xithras]

18. Nope. The wife will be forced to pay for it.

The whole thing started over a domestic violence call (husband was beating wife, police were called, husband shot police). California is a community property state, so the wife shares legal liability for the home. Because the damage was the direct result of criminal activity, the homeowners insurance policy won't have to pay.

The wife will either have to foot the repair bill out of pocket, or walk away from the house (trashing her credit and pushing the primary loss to the bank).

[jberryhill]

13. I think I had one of those teachers /nt

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. At least they didn't burn the house (and 65 other) like the Philly police did in 1985

[Liberal_in_LA]

11. 20 to 30 years ago, LAPD was damaging the structure of houses with battering ram to get drug suspect

s. Public outcry put a stop to it. They had created this tank like vehicle with a battering ram arm. They used used it to
damage the structure of homes to get out petty criminals/ drug suspects. They stopped that stuff.

[Recursion]

14. The Wilson Goode School of Pyrotechnics?

Yeah, those were the days...

[howaboutme]

9. Interesting consideration

I'm all for getting the bad guys. But I'm more concerned about the transformation of LE. The more toys of mass destruction that are available, the more they can be used and sometimes at the expense of innocent people. http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/4203345

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. At the bottom link, there is a video of the robot picking up cars, trucks,

and shredding buildings.
Scroll down the page, halfway thru the police story.

I find it interesting that an ad video demonstrating the robot is IN the story.

[Liberal_in_LA]

12. You can own your own batcat. n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

22. Traffic jams...a thing of the past!

[Marblehead]

15. What ever happened to tear gas?

sort of related vid
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/waco-a-new-revelation/

[LiberalFighter]

16. Who was the scumbag that approved the operation? He should be fired and prosecuted.

And forced to pay the costs for destroying the building.

And they should prohibit law enforcement from having equipment of this type in their arsenal. It is a total waste of taxpayer dollars.

[Nye Bevan]

19. Easy for you to say, safely typing on your computer

You're not the one who has to go in pursuit of an armed lunatic.

[sixmile]

20. +1

nt

[Cali_Democrat]

21. The LAPD loves death and destruction

They crave it like a crack fiend craves his pipe.