Two L.A.P.D. Officers Shoot Driver


05:52 AM EST February 02, 2003
The Associated Press


LOS ANGELES
Two police officers shot and killed a driver who they thought was reaching for a gun, but no weapon was found, a police spokesman said.

Officer Gordon Olson stopped a car early Saturday for going the wrong way down a one-way street and ordered two men inside to raise their hands so he could see they were unarmed, Sgt. John Pasquariello said.

"The passenger immediately complied," Pasquariello said. "The driver, however, failed to comply and instead raised then lowered his hands several times as if reaching for something."

Olson, 43, reached into the car to pull the driver out, but the driver grabbed the steering wheel with both hands, Pasquariello said.

Officer Robert Duke, 35, arrived with his partner as backup. Olson told Duke that he believed the driver was sitting on a gun.

"The officers then observed the driver reach down between his legs beneath his buttocks," Pasquariello said. "Officer Duke's partner then yelled out that the driver was going for a gun." Duke's partner's name was withheld by police.

Olson and Duke both fired and the driver was struck by their bullets and died at the scene. His name was not immediately released.

The passenger, whose name was withheld, was unharmed but detained for questioning.

"A preliminary search of the driver and the vehicle did not turn up any weapons," the sergeant said, however, a clear plastic bag containing what was believed to be rock cocaine was recovered.

Bravo! Go LAPD! Thank you for taking another piece of scum of the streets...

I and most of America applaud you, there's no place for drug addicts in this society!

This guys above me is ignorant to the fact, He believes in the system so much, that he will let fascism rule his life. HES PROBALLY A PIG HIMSELF.
You are happy a person is dead for having drugs? NO GUN WAS FOUND.
I guess your against prescription drugs too. Every illegal drug has a legally protected corporate counterpart that people believe is safe to take.
THIS guy will be screaming murder if they take away his cigarettes and alcohol. Maybe one day in the future, when cigarettes are illegal, he will get smoked for going for his car registration. maybe it will be a loved on that gets killed. only then will this #@** understand. GET REAL

Very happy a dirty drug user is off the streets permanently....

BTW, I do not smoke and do not drink... As a college junior who is also part of the USAF ROTC and an active member of the USAF Resereve who was recently accepted for basic jet instruction in Texas this summer, I am more than proud not to smoke or drink.....

I personally don't care if they guy was reaching for the rocks or not.. If a cop says to put your hands up, you do it.. You don't reach between your legs... That is just asking for a bullet in the chest! Common sense!

and then they use company man George I's "drug war" to criminalize, control and (like in this case) kill them. CIA Director (you never leave the agency) George I is one of the biggest drug kingpin's in the world. The drug war is cover and doublespeak. See for yourself:

http://www.guerrillanews.com/crack/

Read the words of former DEA agent whistleblowers to get the bigger picture surrounding this event:

http://www.guerrillanews.com/crack/c_castillo.html

http://www.radio4all.org/expert/

There may not have even been any crack. The above info is the pretext that gives them the official sanction to harrass, enslave and kill. This is the LAPD we are talking about.

I look like everyone else, I have an ordinary job etc. You wouldn't believe what I feel about the police though. Next time the alleged "ROTC/Texan" dude is hanging out with ordinary people, just remember, if I saw a police officer being beaten to death, or lying injured somewhere I wouldn't help him. If I get to know someone is involved with the police I don't say anything to them, don't attack them verbally or anything. I just make sure I _never_ help them out. I suppress my normal human instinct to help.

The reason that I feel and behave the above way is because of incidents like this: the police are murderers armed by the state. They get away with it and they do nothing to solve the root problems that cause me discomfort in society.

So, to any police officer reading this "fuck you, you're not my friend, you're not part of society, you're an animal that has surrendered his or her human obligations and duties, you're a paramilitary for the rich".

Ha ha ha. A drug-addled scumbag doesn't have the sense to do what he's told even when a gun is on him. He he he.

just checking back on your comment.
I am a infantry veteran of the gulf war and of the panama invasion in 89.
You will learn, as i have learned that killing begets killing. the government doesent give a shit about you, and that when you kill someone, you wont be saying 'hey bitchen dude!!'
Your ass will get shot down and then you will shit your pants.
A college junior...you dont know shit.
I have lived in the middle east, central america, and europe.
You are brainwashed. But believe this,,,, after you get into a war-youll understand where im coming from.

I was just cruising the net one day and stumbled upon this here ... interesing I must say.

It's very sad that you seem to buy that whole "cops are facist, paramilitary pigs" BS. But then again, I doubt you know any police officers, and as you have said you don't want to. But I wonder if it was you shot, and lying there in a puddle of your own blood and urine if you would tell that cop "f--k off, and let me die." I would think not. You can say you would all day long, but I doubt you would stick to it. Who knows? Maybe someday, you'll even believe yourself.

As for the LAPD. The last twenty years have been pretty hard on the LAPD. They get more and more bad press, and less and less coperation. I have no doubt there are corrupt officers out there, but the mportant thing to remember is that there are a LOT more honest ones, who actually care about the people they serve, often with no thanks at all.

This guy that got shot, gun or no gun, crack or no crack put himself in a bad position. No, it's not good he died. It's hardly ever good when someone dies. But, by behaving eratically like he did, it's not hard to see why he got shot. People forget a lot of officers killed in the line of duty are killed on "routine" traffic stops. You just never know what's out there.

Now I realize somebody is going to probably write "He's a pig too" and other unflattering terms to bolster thier own low self esteem. So, I'll make it easy. Yes, I am going to pursue a career in law enforcement. I have never done an illegal drug, and I don't smoke or drink. I have, but I choose not to anymore.

I was just cruising the net one day and stumbled upon this here ... interesing I must say.

It's very sad that you seem to buy that whole "cops are facist, paramilitary pigs" BS. But then again, I doubt you know any police officers, and as you have said you don't want to. But I wonder if it was you shot, and lying there in a puddle of your own blood and urine if you would tell that cop "f--k off, and let me die." I would think not. You can say you would all day long, but I doubt you would stick to it. Who knows? Maybe someday, you'll even believe yourself.

As for the LAPD. The last twenty years have been pretty hard on the LAPD. They get more and more bad press, and less and less coperation. I have no doubt there are corrupt officers out there, but the mportant thing to remember is that there are a LOT more honest ones, who actually care about the people they serve, often with no thanks at all.

This guy that got shot, gun or no gun, crack or no crack put himself in a bad position. No, it's not good he died. It's hardly ever good when someone dies. But, by behaving eratically like he did, it's not hard to see why he got shot. People forget a lot of officers killed in the line of duty are killed on "routine" traffic stops. You just never know what's out there.

Now I realize somebody is going to probably write "He's a pig too" and other unflattering terms to bolster thier own low self esteem. So, I'll make it easy. Yes, I am going to pursue a career in law enforcement. I have never done an illegal drug, and I don't smoke or drink. I have, but I choose not to anymore. Just so you know the truth about it.

So ... I guess in conclusion all I can say and ask is, come back to planet Earth. The root problems you talk about can't be solved by the police. They can however be solved by ordinary people, but you have to quit screaming and yelling and actually do something about it.

It was sad what happened. Defiantely not "Go LAPD" or "Good riddance to a crackhead." It's just unfortunate that it's so unsafe out there in the first place.

But in all honesty ... I don't think it's going to matter what I say. I've been labled as one of them: the 5-O, Fuzz, Pigs, The Man, whatever. But then again, often times a calm reasonable voice is ignored. Have a nice day.

I can't imagine why Just a Citizen imagines that
there is a shred of truth in the police claims about
what went down in this situation -- the police
habitually lie about teh circumstances of such shootings
to protect themselves from charges. I know this from
personal experience as well as the Christopher Report
and much other evidence.

As for Cosmo -- he's a sick thug who thinks America
applauds murder and thinks that's a good way
to deal with drug users.

He's a (wanna-be) pig too........
he he he

Relax.
Being ignorant and sexist as well as
stupid and hateful has its good points.
We can all see just what we are fighting.

"As a college junior who is also part of the USAF ROTC and an active member of the USAF Resereve who was recently accepted for basic jet instruction in Texas this summer, I am more than proud not to smoke or drink..... "

Har har har! His hero GW was a crack smoking drunk, but he avoided being shot down by the cops (as well as service in Vietnam.) I also love how the Air Force makes their pilots take amphetamine. Har har har! Truly, an ignoramous. It's also well known that the rightwingers LOVE their drink! The hypocrisy!

Here in Montana, a state carpeted with white right wing thugs, we have a meth epidemic going on. No one has been gunned down!

I think it's just a matter of time before this flyboy is strung out on something, big time, if not contemplating suicide.

Right on Montana! The same holds true here in Utah. Drug users are used as fodder for the so-called criminal justice system, while the right wing little NAZI wannabes spout their mindless garbage without bothering to educate themselves on the issues. To hell with them.

One less trash to worry about and less tax dollars to spend to feed his as in prison

What's an education? Is that what a diploma is for? Maybe I should get my GED afterall.

Humans are not an endangered species. If the dumb ones are killed or die, who cares?

"Dumb ones?" Oh, you mean me, right? I'm nothing if not slow.

Ever hear that term "I'm just doing my job"? It's a euphemism for "I don't agree with what I'm doing, but I do it because I need the money, so leave me alone." I heard it from military going to this current war. I heard it from cops at demos. I heard it from bureaucrats.

Do you think this kid should be busted for smoking pot?

"I'm just doing my job"

Do you really want to arrest that vagrant?

"I'm just doing my job"

Did you really want to kill that kid?

"I'm just doing my job"

Did you really need to shoot the protester with pepper spray?

"I'm just doing my job"

Please, give me a f-cking break. Be aware and informed, as soldiers and cops, you have some right to disagree with your bosses and challenge them. They're probably sadists and megalomaniacs anyway. Remember who pays your wages: taxpayers and workers. The people you're arresting. Progressive cops need to consider the following serious political stands:

- ending the 3 strikes laws
- legalizing marijuana
- ending the DARE program
- protesting the occupation of Iraq

"ending the 3 strikes laws
- legalizing marijuana
- ending the DARE program
- protesting the occupation of Iraq."

"So we can get wasted, not go to jail for stealing to support our drug habit, get more stoners 'cause kids won't learn drugs are bad, and, well, I don't know why the war in Iraq is bad. Do they grow good weed there?"

You're right, daveman. Alcohol's MUCH better.

...Mr. Sarcastic?

Cops did the right thing, guy in car was stupid.....

...daveman?

...they'd be illegal drugs.

Fine by me.

it's not about drugs,it's not about war or anything else,it's about a freedom...do u have it?are u free enough??I dont think so!!!just don't like'em...thats it!!!
peace be with ya all !!!

energy drinks......
caffine----no more pepsi or coffee or tea
and then
junk foods like twinkies and chocolate
and then
and then
and then
Why dont people just be responsible for themselves?

Why don't they? Hmmm. You should know. You rulez. Right?

good one
loser.
ha ha ha
ha ha ah
ha ha
ah
what a moron...........