Corrections Officer Shot Dead

[Open Carry]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-cop20.html

Officer mistaken for carjacker slain in Cal City

February 20, 2005

BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN Staff Reporter


An off-duty Cook County Corrections Department officer was shot dead in Calumet City early Saturday by a co-worker who mistook him for a carjacker harassing his family, police said.

Arlin McClendon, 36, was driving with a colleague around 1 a.m. in the 500 block of Bensley Avenue when they saw a Honda they thought was being driven by another co-worker, Calumet City Police Chief Patrick O'Meara said.

But it was really the co-worker's wife and child in the Honda. The co-worker was traveling in a Toyota sport-utility vehicle ahead of his family, O'Meara said. McClendon, a 10-year corrections veteran from Calumet City, and his friend began honking and flashing their lights at the Honda. When the woman pulled over, McClendon got of his car, began yelling for the driver to get out and pulled on the car's door. By then, the woman's husband arrived. Thinking that his wife and child were being carjacked, the man identified himself as a police officer and shot McClendon in the abdomen, police said.

"It appears as if it may have been a prank that just went wrong," O'Meara said.

No charges had been filed as of Saturday night. The other officers were not identified.

 

[Open Carry]

http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsnews/218nd9.htm

Prosecutors to decide Cook Co. Jail guard's fate

State's attorney's office taking case of carjacking prank that ended with man shooting co-worker

Monday, February 21, 2005

By William Lee
Staff writer

Investigators from the Calumet City Police Department and Illinois State Police are expected to turn over their probe of a shooting involving a Cook County Jail guard over to prosecutors, who will decide whether the officer will face criminal charges.

Both agencies were looking into the fatal shooting of guard Arlin McClendon early Saturday after he played a prank pretending to be a carjacker, believing a fellow guard was inside the car.

That guard's wife and child were inside the vehicle, and believing his family was in trouble, the guard arrived at the scene and opened fire, killing McClendon, 36.

Sheriff's department spokesman Bill Cunningham said Calumet City police, who are investigating the criminal aspect of the case, and state police, who are acting as an independent investigator, would turn their case over to the state's attorney's office.

It was expected to take up to two days for prosecutors to decide whether to file criminal charges against the unidentified guard.

Officials from the state's attorneys office and Calumet City police were unavailable to comment late Sunday.

The guard had been de-deputized and was on leave with pay pending the completion of the criminal investigation, Cunningham said.

The shooting occurred after McClendon and two other guards had finished bowling at Dolton Bowl, 1401 E. Sibley Blvd., after their noon-to-8 p.m. shift and were riding home together, officials said.

 

[El Rojo]

Tragic. You never know when a joke might get you killed. I mean how could you have prevented this one? You think the guy is in the car and he isn't. Bummer.

 

[Firethorn]

Bummer too.

I don't think that the officer should be charged*, he acted in true belief that his family was in danger. On the other hand, the entire correctional staff should go through some target recognition/threat deescalation drill. And some training on "practical jokes you just don't do".

Some things you just don't joke about.

*Based on the evidence presented in the article. I reserve the right to change my mind if additional evidence is presented to me.

 

[Stand_Watie]

Tragic. You never know when a joke might get you killed. I mean how could you have prevented this one?

My vote would be for not pretending to carjack your co-workers.

 

[P95Carry]

Hard to tell but - can't help wondering if a brief shouted verbal challenge at gun point might not have allowed just that short time for ''it's me bud - don't shoot''.

Tragic in the extreme ... and a salutary reminded how things can go wrong

 

[Standing Wolf]

My vote would be for not pretending to carjack your co-workers.

Some people just have to be the life—or death—of the party.

 

[armoredman]

We do discretionary shooting drills, but not near as much as I think we should, my DOC.
Terrible thing.

 

[Bear Gulch]

Note to self. Dont' pull pranks on armed folk.

 

[c_yeager]

This prank notion smells kinda fishy to me. What prank were they pulling exactly?

Think about it. Lets say this prank went according to the plan. They get their buddy to stop and rush up and began yelling and pulling open the door. Buddy looks out and says "hey Jim what are you doing?". How is this a joke? This doesnt actually work as a prank if you are dealing with someone who recognizes you. And really, how is it that the prankster didnt realise his mistake by the time a driver from another vehicle managed to close the distance and shoot him? And why didnt he notice that TWO vehicles had stopped? This just seems a little odd.

 

[El Rojo]

You need to read the story again. The guy who got shot thought that his buddy was in the car. He was not pretending to car jack the car as his friend would have recognized him when he went to open the door. He was just playing around. Had his friend been in the car, nothing would have happened.

However, his friend wasn't in the car, but was another car away. His friend must have not have recognized his buddy and fearing for his wife and child's safety, he shot the guy. He supposedly issued a warning. It must have been like this, "Po *bang* lice, freeze".

The guy who got shot wasn't waving a gun around and it didn't say he had a mask on. So basically he got his buddy to pull over and was yelling and screaming at him. Again, that in itself is not that dangerous and had his friend been in the car, nothing probably would have happened.

But then I read the 2nd article again.

Both agencies were looking into the fatal shooting of guard Arlin McClendon early Saturday after he played a prank pretending to be a carjacker, believing a fellow guard was inside the car.

Nevermind. Don't pretend to carjack people.

 

[BluesBear]

It's one of those "What were you thinking?" "Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time." situations.

Sadly it ended badly. A prank is only funny to those who are "in on it".

Bear's thought for the day, "Silly People doing Stupid Things still have to accept Serious Consequences."

 

[buy guns]

wow, i grew up in calumet city. that officer was right for thinking that his wife was getting carjacked because calumet is fairly ghetto.