never know when you'll need it....

[SSN Vet]

Just back from holiday visiting and a fresh download of LEO happenings from my BIL w/ the State Police. This one I thought was worth posting...

The press account of the story (back in April) is here....



So what the press doesn't tell you is that the first LEO on the scene was an off duty State Trooper, who had just dropped his wife off at the Walmart and was sitting in his truck waiting for her to come out when he see's a guy walk right buy him into the store brandishing two hand guns!

Problem....the trooper is UNARMED! Apparently, this guy works at the crime lab. and never felt the need to carry off duty.

I bet he felt the need that night!

Story has a happy ending, both in that the gunman is talked down without shots fired and.....

a trooper decides that being armed while off duty is a real good idea.

story text below for those who can't link......

AUGUSTA -- Police don't know why Philip Urquhart, 42, of Windham pulled into the Augusta Wal-Mart Friday night and then walked in carrying two handguns, two knives and ammunition, said Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
"Why he pulled into the Augusta Wal-Mart only he knows," McCausland said.

Urquhart was in Kennebec County jail Saturday after an evaluation at MaineGeneral Medical Center on Friday night.

He is charged with terrorizing, creating a police standoff, and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, said Augusta Police Lt. Michael Small.

No one was injured during the standoff and no shots were fired, police said.

McCausland said police first made contact with Urquhart after getting a 911 call from his 18-year-old daughter.

Urquhart had pulled over on I-95 in Palmyra, pulled out a handgun and left his daughter on the side of the interstate.

"She called 911, which went into Augusta dispatch," McCausland said. "We then alerted every agency along the interstate to be on the lookout for his truck.

Trooper Jeff Beach called him on his cell phone, which we knew he had and [Urquhart] told Beach he had pulled into the Wal-Mart and was going to 'scare some people.'"

Urquhart then entered the building with two handguns, two knives and ammunition.

Wal-Mart managers ushered customers and employees out of the store as members of the Augusta Police Department, the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office, the Maine State Police and the Maine State Police tactical team streamed into the building.

Wal-Mart employees moved people away from the building upon evacuation, while police took up positions in front of the store and at all of the building's exits.

"Maine State Trooper David Pelletier was our first responding trooper, and he located Urquhart in the center aisle. He was the officer who eventually convinced him to give himself up," McCausland said.

Urquhart then put down his weapons and ammunition and then was taken into custody around 10:30 p.m., he said.

It was estimated there were as many as 40 law enforcement officers on the scene including trained negotiators.

McCausland praised employees of the Augusta Wal-Mart and Augusta Police.

"They took charge very quickly, so the store was mostly cleared out by the time Pelletier arrived.

And the Augusta Police Department had police on every corner of the building and arrived very quickly," he said.

Gerald Tyler, manger of the Augusta Wal-Mart did not return calls seeking comment.

After Urquhart was taken into custody, a canine team searched the buildings for an explosives or ammunition that may have been thrown by the gunman.

Wal-Mart reopened at 6 a.m., Saturday.

 

[highorder]

He is charged with terrorizing, creating a police standoff, and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, said Augusta Police Lt. Michael Small.

interesting story. more interesting is that it seems that you can be charged with a crime for "creating a standoff". I'd love to see the legal definition.

 

[230RN]

highorder remarked:

interesting story. more interesting is that it seems that you can be charged with a crime for "creating a standoff". I'd love to see the legal definition.

Speaking of legal definitions, I wotched part of one of those cop shows where the police had a no-knock dynamic entry warrant and had a real problem breaking through someone's reinforced door.

The guy was addtionally charged with having a door "designed to inhibit entry by the police" or some such.

So I wondered what legal definition could possibly separate a door designed to inhibit entry by crooks from one which inhibits entry by the police.

Did anyone else see this one? I believe the incident took place in California. I don't usually watch TV intently --most of the time I'm doing something else while the TV happens to be on.