Woman, 92, dies in shootout with police

[jordanianprincess 0]

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- The niece of a 92-year-old woman shot to death by police said her aunt likely had reason to shoot three narcotics investigators as they stormed her house.

Police insisted the officers did everything right before entering the home Tuesday evening, despite suggestions from the woman's neighbors and relatives that it was a case of mistaken identity.

The woman, Kathryn Johnston, was the only resident in the house at the time and had lived there for about 17 years, Assistant Chief Alan Dreher said.

The officers had a legal warrant, "knocked and announced" before they forced open the door and were justified in shooting once fired upon, he said.

Sarah Dozier, the niece, told WAGA-TV that there were never drugs at the house. (Watch niece's fury at police shooting )

"My aunt was in good health. I'm sure she panicked when they kicked that door down," Dozier said. "There was no reason they had to go in there and shoot her down like a dog."

As the plainclothes Atlanta police officers approached the house about 7 p.m., a woman inside started shooting, striking each of them, said Officer Joe Cobb, a police spokesman.

One was hit in the arm, another in a thigh and the third in a shoulder. The officers were taken to a hospital for treatment, and all three were conscious and alert, police said.

The Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights leader, said Johnston's family deserves an apology.

"Of the police brutality cases we've had, this is the most egregious because of the woman's age," Hutchins said.

Hutchins said he would try to meet with Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington and would also meet with lawyers.

Source

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

don't mess with 92 year old ladies!

Daniel

:energetic:

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

She hit all three but in her next life hopefully she'll go for the head shot. They probably had the wrong house.

I will have the same waiting for anyone 'storming' my house.

[DeadPoolX 9]

She hit all three but in her next life hopefully she'll go for the head shot.

Three to the chest and one to the head, will knock 'em dead.

Seriously though...this case is really whacked.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

She hit all three but in her next life hopefully she'll go for the head shot.

Three to the chest and one to the head, will knock 'em dead.

Seriously though...this case is really whacked.

They had a case like that near Nashville a few years back. They [the police] killed an older guy while his wife was watching. Police stormed the wrong house in error. The irony is that the old lady and the dude in Nashville would still be breathing had they not pulled their gun. Or had they not had one in the first place. But since those things keep one safe...

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

She hit all three but in her next life hopefully she'll go for the head shot.

Three to the chest and one to the head, will knock 'em dead.

Seriously though...this case is really whacked.

They had a case like that near Nashville a few years back. They [the police] killed an older guy while his wife was watching. Police stormed the wrong house in error. The irony is that the old lady and the dude in Nashville would still be breathing had they not pulled their gun. Or had they not had one in the first place. But since those things keep one safe...

or if the trained professionals (police) had the right house

[Alanlvsjudy 0]

She hit all three but in her next life hopefully she'll go for the head shot.

Three to the chest and one to the head, will knock 'em dead.

Seriously though...this case is really whacked.

They had a case like that near Nashville a few years back. They [the police] killed an older guy while his wife was watching. Police stormed the wrong house in error. The irony is that the old lady and the dude in Nashville would still be breathing had they not pulled their gun. Or had they not had one in the first place. But since those things keep one safe...

or if the trained professionals (police) had the right house

Not Only were they at the right house, It was the old ladies name on the warrant. I know of another time this very thing almost happened, An old lady pulled her gun on the police but did not fire, and afterwards she was arrested for being in possession of 25 pounds of marijuana. Old ladies can sell dope too.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

She hit all three but in her next life hopefully she'll go for the head shot.

Three to the chest and one to the head, will knock 'em dead.

Seriously though...this case is really whacked.

They had a case like that near Nashville a few years back. They [the police] killed an older guy while his wife was watching. Police stormed the wrong house in error. The irony is that the old lady and the dude in Nashville would still be breathing had they not pulled their gun. Or had they not had one in the first place. But since those things keep one safe...

or if the trained professionals (police) had the right house

All things being equal, they would have survived the police error had they not drawn a gun on the cops which they couldn't have if they didn't have one. Which puts the "safety" aspect of having a gun in your house a little bit into perspective. That's all I'm saying.

Edited November 23, 2006 by ET-US2004

[PlatyPius 5]

But what if it hadn't been the police who knocked down her door? She's in a high-crime area. I can't blame her at all for having a gun.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

But what if it hadn't been the police who knocked down her door? She's in a high-crime area. I can't blame her at all for having a gun.

Neither would I. Just gotta be aware that having one may very well "backfire" - so to speak.

[forchika 4]

I have been following this case closely on the news stations so many conflicting reports as to why the police obtained a no knock search warrant for her house. It was said by her relative on the news that she lived alone. I really think the police made an error in the house they obtained a no knock search warrant for. It had been reported that they made a drug buy from her house earlier that day from a young male, I believe this is whats conflicting in this story. This was a very tragic case in which someone lost there life and police officers were hurt. Once fired upon they really had no other option. I wish the outcome would have been different for both parties.......... Now the city of Atlanta is facing a civil law suit initiated by the family as stated " someone will have to pay for this they had no reason to shoot her down like a dog"

[matako 0]

If the lady was white am 100% sure they would not have killed her.She was black.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

If the lady was white am 100% sure they would not have killed her.She was black.

What a load of bull. You pull a gun on the cops, they'll shoot ya'. No matter what color you are. Case in point, the guy in Lebanon, TN that was killed in a similar incident a few years back was white. He's equally dead.

Edited November 23, 2006 by ET-US2004

[RosaMystica7 0]

But what if it hadn't been the police who knocked down her door?

To make it worse, they were plain-clothes cops... it's not like she could even see cops in uniforms, all the poor old lady saw was a bunch of men knocking down her door. There's no way she could've known that they were cops.

[DeadPoolX 9]

If the lady was white am 100% sure they would not have killed her.She was black.

What a load of bull. You pull a gun on the cops, they'll shoot ya'. No matter what color you are. Case in point, the guy in Lebanon, TN that was killed in a similar incident a few years back was white. He's equally dead.

I agree. I happen to be of the mindset that having a firearm does indeed make one safer; however, you never, ever point your firearm at the police. Doing so is a surefire way to get yourself shot and maybe killed. Race, ethnicity, religion, etc., have nothing to do with this as at all.

But what if it hadn't been the police who knocked down her door?

To make it worse, they were plain-clothes cops... it's not like she could even see cops in uniforms, all the poor old lady saw was a bunch of men knocking down her door. There's no way she could've known that they were cops.

The article says that the plain-clothes officers "knocked and announced" their presence before entering, so it's not like it was a surprise, or they used a battering ram to forcibly knock down her door. She knew who was coming in and why. The fact that used a firearm and shot three of the officers suggests that she understood the implications of the police being there and felt threatened.