Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputy killed in shootout
A Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputy was slain early Sunday after a burglary suspect opened fire at him at an Anthem medical plaza, sheriff’s deputies said.
The burglary suspect, whose name was not released, was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy after he opened fire, according to Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Deputy William Coleman, 50, a 20-year veteran, the first deputy killed since 1995, was one of three who responded just after 4 a.m. Sunday to a report of a burglary in progress on Anthem Way just east of I-17, Arpaio said.
“Unfortunately, one of our deputies was killed in the line of today,” Arpaio said. “It is extremely sad, for everyone. He was an excellent officer.”
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Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputy killed in shootout
Once again we are offering our most sincere sympathies to the family, friends and fellow Officers of a Law Enforcement Officer that went down in the line of duty. Our hearts are hurting with yours for this terrible loss.
This is the 4th officer killed since the start of the New Year, and today is only the 8th day of the month of January, and one officer was killed on New Years Eve. The Thin Blue Line continues to grow thinner.
- Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office - Arizona ~ January 8, 2012
- Ogden Police Department - Utah ~ January 5, 2012
- United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Government ~ January 1, 2012
- Puerto Rico Police Department - Puerto Rico ~ January 1, 2012
- United States Department of Justice - U.S. Government ~ December 31, 2011
A minivan was parked outside near one of the medical buildings at the plaza when the three Sheriff’s deputies arrived. The MCSO patrols Anthem, a master planned community roughly 20 miles north of central Phoenix.
“The suspect came out and started shooting at our deputies,” said Arpaio, speaking from John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital. One of the deputies, Arpaio said, “returned fire and killed the suspect.”
The deputies, Arpaio said, “returned fire and killed the suspect.” … as it should be.
Not to intentionally denigrate the Officers involved in the recent shooting in Ogden, UT. but this is the way the murder of a Brother Officer should turn out. Kudos to the Maricopa Officer(s) involved in taking this cretin down. He will never shoot another Officer again!
The suspect carried a semiautomatic rifle, Arpaio said. Coleman wore a vest, but such vests are no match for such weaponry, he said.
“Not when the (bad) guys carry semiautomatic weapons,” Arpaio said.
Deputies said they could not yet comment on how many times and where Coleman was shot.
Body armor is a wonderful thing, and without it, we would quite likely see a lot more of our Police Officers going down, but the fact of the matter is this; soft body armor does have its limitations.
To protect Officers even more they would have to be in *HARD* armor and that would seriously limit their mobility.
But, once again, let’s face facts, our TROOPS wear *HARD* armor, and we still lose troops in combat. Nothing is 100% certain in a shooting situation.
“Number 1, there’s a war on against police,” said Arpaio. “We live in a violent world.”
Sheriff Arpaio is the master of understatement on this one. His words are the Gospel Truth my friends, it is a WAR out there and our Police Officers, Deputies and Troopers are giving of themselves in a way that most will not, they are placing their lives on the line to protect you, me, our families and this nation!
To my family, friends and readers that either are Officers or know and love an officer(s), be safe out there. It’s better to have to face a shooting board than it is for your family to have to bury you!
The Good Guys will KNOW what that means!
Additional Information from ODMP:
Deputy Sheriff William Coleman, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona
Signed the book. So sad. Thanks for keeping The Thin Blue Line, Fred. Thanks for helping to keep our warriors out in front of the public, so that their work isn’t forgotten.
Lisa, I didn’t KEEP the OLD TTBL, Facebook destroyed it, the bastards…
I started a new PAGE… Linked in the sidebar here, please hit the link and LIKE the NEW page!
This is really starting to suck!!! 🙁 🙁 ………
…….Officers being murdered 🙁 🙁
Yes, there is a war on police. This war is aided and abetted by the entitlement mindset, children being raised on an entitlement and ESTEEM mindset — meaning that Life is all about THEM and no one else — and adults, now parents, who have told their children that they are the locus point around which the rest of the world must rotate and look upon decisions, any decisions, as judgmental and horrible. Witness OWS. Witness the media. Witness your own local newspapers. Witness your neighbors and the comments made by your neighbors and acquaintances at work.
Let me also point out some facts, if I may, since I’m still in law enforcement at age 61 and still a supervisor in Patrol though, hopefully, not for long and certainly not past the expiration of our contract in 2014:
The number of fatalities from departments across the country, caused by firearms, made this past year — 2011 — one of the deadliest years in recent copdom history.
Nationally, 173 officers died in the line of duty, up 13 PERCENT from 153 the year before, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. This can be documented on and at ODMP.org.
NLEOMF also reported that 68 federal, state and local officers were killed by gunfire in 2011, a 15 PERCENT jump from 2010, when 59 were killed.
Those figures also delineate the first time in 14 years that firearms fatalities were higher than traffic-related deaths. The data shows that 64 officers died in traffic accidents, down from the 71 killed in 2010.
This trending reminds me of being a cop in the late 60s and early 70s:
At that time, the greatest danger for cops — at least on my Left Coast — was from Leftist GROUPS of individuals such as the Weather Underground, Weathermen, SLA, Black Panthers, etc., whose mindset was anti-authority, militaristic, organized and very deadly.
I submit that now, for cops, it’s becoming as deadly, with the massive exception that dangers for cops don’t exist within organized groups per se — it’s now from the INDIVIDUAL who likewise has an anti-authority mindset, is militaristic, full of himself with esteem, sociopathy and violence.
These a turbulent times for cops — and it will get much WORSE for cops before it begins to get safer.
BZ
BZ, EXCELLENT points-especially the esteem stuff in the first paragraph. I’ve been ridiculed a lot for not “worshipping” my kids as they grew up…
All that stands between us and those who would destroy us is the thin blue line, maybe the green one, but not sure about that one.
Keep an eye on this possibility:
Hopefully, there will be a definitive answer soon.
It IS a possibility. Those guns are turning up in the damnedest places.