During a deadly encounter in Chandler, Arizona, Officers Daniel Colwell, 29, and Joshua Pueblo, 34, proved themselves to be good cops who bravely and effectively eliminated a threat to themseleves and to the people around them.
The call, about a trespasser at a Walmart near Phoenix, came in at 6:21 AM. The intruder was 24-year-old Mitchell Oakley who had trespassed on previous occasions but always left before police arrived. On April 23, 2016 Oakely did not leave before police arrived - he waited.
According to one report Officer Colwell spoke with Oakely for several minutes before he started checking for active warrants. Then, as Officer Pueblo approached, Oakely pulled a gun and opened fire.
The shooting only lasted 10 seconds but that was enough for Officer Pueblo to be hit three times, in the arm, the back, and the face. Badly wounded, Pueblo retreated and called for help on his radio, "Help me, help me... shots fired... shot in the face, bleeding heavily." A Walmart employee helped Pueblo with paper towels.
In the meantime Officer Colwell was hit twice in his bullet-proof vest. From the floor the police officer returned fire, quickly hitting the fleeing Oakley five times. One shot hit Oakley in the hand and he dropped his gun, then turned back to pick it up, and died.
The tragedy of this story is that it might have been prevented. Oakley had gotten himself into legal trouble and did time in jail for theft, drugs, and attempted aggravated assault. At the time of the shooting he was depressed about being unemployed and living as a homeless person. His parents lived nearby but thought "tough-love" might help the troubled young man and only allowed him to spend nights at home occasionally.
At one point during his legal troubles the state had found Oakely incompetent to stand trial, unable to aid in his own defense. His mom said he was talking to himself and threatened to kill her. His parents unsuccessfully tried to persuade his probation officer to get mental health care for him.
Then Oakely bought a gun he found advertised on the internet for $200. His half-brother thought about taking the gun away from him, but didn't get around to it in time.
Whatever failures there may have been to prevent this incident, none of them reflect on the skill and courage of Officers Colwell and Pueblo. They were faced with a sudden life-threatening situation where an armed assailant tried to kill them and posed an obvious and imminent threat to everyone in the area. They did their job and they did it well. This is what good cops look like.
For more details, and video of the shooting, check out the links below.
Watch shocking moment.... (Includes video)
Chilling moment.... (Includes video)
10 deadly seconds.... (Includes video)
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Copyright © 2017 by Joseph Wayne Gadway
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