No such thing as a routine traffic stop. 1 perpetrator and 1 cop dead.

[TheeBadOne]

Man shot & killed in CA by Cop

California police officer, suspect killed in shootout

BURBANK, Calif. (November 16, 8:03 a.m. AST) - A gunfight erupted in downtown Burbank during what began as a routine traffic stop, killing a gunman and a police officer and wounding a second officer.
A second gunman was being sought Sunday in this Los Angeles suburb.

The shootout happened about 6:30 p.m. Saturday when the officers pulled over a sports utility vehicle, said police Sgt. William Berry. He did not say what the nature of the stop was.

The men in the SUV "apparently ... came out of the vehicle firing," Berry said. "The officers were hit several times but still managed to kill one of the suspects."

One officer died in surgery and the second was in critical condition Sunday, police spokeswoman Lyn DeBoeven said.

Berry said both officers - one in his 20s, the other in his 40s - were wearing bulletproof vests.

It wasn't immediately clear what prompted the shooting. "There are only four known witnesses to the shooting," the two officers and the gunmen, Berry said.

As police searched the area, the California Highway Patrol closed a five-mile stretch of Interstate 5 for several hours.

Identities of the two officers were not immediately released.

http://www.adn.com/24hour/nation/story/1054611p-7412090c.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A perfect example of why there is no such thing as a "routine" traffic stop. They never know who they're pulling over. It may be a stop for a tail light out, but who's behind the wheel? We live in a mobile society, right now some of the FBI's 10 most wanted are tooling around in a car somewhere.
This is a good reminder for us all to pay more attention in our day to day lives. Nasty suprises have a way of popping up when you least expect them to. Being armed and vigilant go hand in hand.

 

[Greg L]

Ok, so why the title that the only one that got killed was by a cop?

My condolences to both the officers/families.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Heard about this incident earlier. My condolences to the officer's family.

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

Cop Shooting in Burbank

Cop Killed in Calif. Traffic-Stop Shootout


Sunday, November 16, 2003

BURBANK, Calif. — A gunfight erupted in downtown Burbank (search) during what began as a routine traffic stop, killing a gunman and a police officer and wounding a second officer.


A second gunman was being sought Sunday in this Los Angeles (search) suburb.

The shootout happened about 6:30 p.m. Saturday when the officers pulled over a sports utility vehicle, said police Sgt. William Berry. He did not say what the nature of the stop was.

The men in the SUV "apparently ... came out of the vehicle firing," Berry said. "The officers were hit several times but still managed to kill one of the suspects."

Officer Matthew Pavelka, 26, who was called in for backup, died in surgery Saturday night, police spokeswoman Lyn DeBoeven said. Officer Gregory Campbell, 41, was hospitalized Sunday in critical condition.

Berry said both officers were wearing bulletproof vests.

It wasn't immediately clear what prompted the shooting. "There are only four known witnesses to the shooting," the two officers and the gunmen, Berry said.

As police searched the area, the California Highway Patrol (search) closed a five-mile stretch of Interstate 5 for several hours.


You just never know. Sad.

 

[Orthonym]

Well, we USED to have routine traffic stops.

You know, where consciousness of being armed, or that the other guy was/might be armed, had bad intentions, was a Govt/Freelance criminal, or any such nasty thing didn't happen in either of our heads. Where the main worry on the the part of both parties may have been something like, "Gee, I sure hope the judge'll be reasonable!"


Edit: re-spelled consciousness to get it right.

 

[Sven]

Truly sad. Whenever I see those Highway dedications to police officers, I know there is a story like this behind it.

 

[tyme]

The LA Times story mentions an "assault rifle" (probably using the CA definition) and meth. Wonderful. Watch more rights in Kali go down the drain, if there are any still left.

One slimeball dead, another on the run. Thankfully the second officer hasn't died, and is now stable.

http://www.latimes.com/la-me-cops17nov17,1,4825065.story

Manhunt Continues for Suspect in Police Slaying
A Burbank shootout leaves a rookie officer dead and a 15-year veteran wounded.

A massive manhunt continued Sunday for a 19-year-old suspected of shooting two Burbank policemen the night before, wounding a 15-year veteran and killing a rookie, the first fatal shooting of an officer in the suburban department's 82-year history.The slain officer, who died during surgery at a local hospital, was Matthew Pavelka, a 26-year-old who had come to the force 10 months ago after serving in the U.S. Air Force. The other officer, 41-year-old Gregory Campbell, remained hospitalized Sunday in stable condition.

The officers approached the two men Saturday night after they were spotted in a Cadillac Escalade without license plates or temporary registration. It was parked in a hotel lot "well-known to the Burbank Police Department for auto burglary, auto theft and narcotics activity," Burbank Police Chief Tom Hoefel said.

A gunfight ensued, and the officers shot and killed one man, 25-year-old Ramon Aranda of Sun Valley. The other suspect fled on foot, and remains at large.

Police identified him as David A. Garcia, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound Latino with brown eyes and a shaved head. He is known to frequent the Sun Valley area. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call Burbank police. Officers said he should be considered "armed and very dangerous."

"The suspect is a coldblooded murderer," Hoefel said at a news conference.

...

Police said the incident began when Campbell spotted the men about 6:30 p.m. in the north parking lot of the Ramada Inn on North San Fernando Boulevard, near Burbank Airport.

Campbell asked Aranda, the driver, for his license and registration, Hoefel said. When Aranda could not produce them, Campbell called for backup.

Pavelka arrived almost immediately, and Campbell ordered the driver to get out of the vehicle.

"Soon thereafter, the driver and passenger opened fire on the officers," Hoefel said.

The police returned fire  15 rounds total  but both officers were shot several times. The suspects, Hoefel said, each had two handguns and fired 30 rounds. The officers were wearing bulletproof vests, and no bullets penetrated them. Campbell was struck in the stomach and neck. Hoefel did not say where Pavelka was hit.

Later, when authorities searched the car, they found an assault rifle and three ounces of methamphetamine, Hoefel said.

After the shooting, police set up a large perimeter around the neighborhood, using K-9 patrols, a SWAT team and a helicopter in their search for Garcia. Law enforcement officers from six other state and local law enforcement agencies participated.

The Golden State Freeway was shut down for several hours in both directions between the Ventura and Hollywood freeways.

Nearly half of the 100-plus guests at the Ramada Inn who were out of the area at dinner time were not allowed to return to their rooms Saturday night, and some slept in their cars, said Shawn Todd, the hotel night auditor.

By late Sunday morning, however, police were "pretty sure" the suspect was no longer in the area and had begun sending teams to other locations to look for him, following tips from phone calls and other sources, said Sgt. Will Berry, a Burbank police spokesman.

"We're pretty much casting a wider net," Berry said.

...

 

[Orthonym]

Aw, Shoot! (Stronger words forbidden by Forum rules.)

Mr. Pavelka (may God rest his soul) seems just exactly like the kind of guy I would hire to be a policeman, if I were King. Why is it the wrong people always get shot? Let's hope toolmark analysis shows he gave a good account of himself. Not that it matters, really, but maybe his family would feel better.

 

[TheeBadOne]

ANOTHER EXAMPLE

Police Officer James Samra
Clifton Police Department, NJ
End of Watch: Friday, November 21, 2003

Officer Samra was killed when his motorcycle was intentionally struck by a mini-van attempting to elude him. Officer Samra was on motorcycle patrol when he stopped the suspects vehicle at approximately 1000 hours. The driver of the vehicle, who had recently been released from prison on parole, fled in the vehicle. Officer Samra got back on his motorcycle and pursued the suspect. Officer Samra went to the corner of Maple Place and Washington Avenue in an attempt to cut off the suspect, but the suspect intentionally rammed the officers motorcycle with his van, which was travailing at approximately 50 MPH.

The suspect then fled on foot, but was apprehended by two civilians who witnesses the incident. He was then arrested by responding officers and charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a fatal accident, aggravated assault, eluding police and causing a fatal accident while his license was revoked.

Officer Samra was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey where he died from his injuries.

Officer Samra had served with the Clifton Police Department for 15 years and had previously served with the United States Air Force.

http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=17033