Another Officer Killed!
 

When is this ever going to end?

Suspect in Fla. Police Shooting Killed September 13, 2007

Florida Manhunt Ends, Shooting Suspect Dead

CUTLER BAY, Fla. (AP) -- A gunman opened fire on four Miami-Dade County police officers during a traffic stop Thursday, killing one and injuring the other three. Police killed the suspect hours later, authorities said.

Dozens of officers from police departments across South Florida had been searching for 12 hours for the suspect, who investigators identified as Shawn Sherwin Labeet, 25. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez said Labeet was found shortly before midnight Thursday in a Pembroke Pines apartment complex about 30 miles north of the initial shooting scene.

"There was an exchange of gunfire and the subject was shot and killed," Alvarez said.

He said the family of the dead officer was informed of Labeet's death.

"They asked us for one thing," Alvarez said. "They asked us to catch the subject. Well, I'm happy to report that shortly before midnight, we found the subject."

Alvarez identified the dead officer as Jose Somohano, 37, a married father of two. Another officer, Jody Wright, 31, underwent several hours of surgery to repair her severely injured leg. The other two officers were treated and released.

The officers were conducting burglary surveillance in the Cutler Bay area of southern Miami-Dade County when they stopped the man because he was driving a car erratically, police spokeswoman Linda O'Brien said. The man opened fire with a high-powered weapon without warning and fled. It was not immediately clear whether the officers returned fire.

Labeet, who may have been wearing a bulletproof vest, fled in his car, which was found abandoned 5 miles away, officials said. An AK-47 assault rifle was found inside, Alvarez said. It wasn't immediately known if it was the weapon used in the shooting.

Labeet's girlfriend had earlier given officers the name of another man, Alvarez said. Investigators wasted several hours looking for him before he came forward hundreds of miles away in Jacksonville, hearing that he was wanted. He was not involved in the shooting.

"I'm sure she'll be facing some charges," Alvarez said of Labeet's girlfriend.

Several schools were locked down during the search in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, in suburban Miami.

Two other officers were shot separately last month in neighboring Broward County. One was killed, the other badly injured.

Ours hearts go out to the families!
Jim and Jeanne Kill

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: for shooting that scumbag perp dead.

Yep!!!

DRT=Dead Right There!!!!:thumbsup:

Another sad day :nonod:

:iagree::nonod:

When "we" (LEO's) get serious about tactics and training, and the courts quit being such puzzies about sentencing!!!:mad:

Halleluiah brother! Miami-Dade Police Dept. gets it done one way or the other. Usually shooting first asking questions later.

Check it's history. They have a long history of being proactive rather then reactive. It's amazing there has been such little reports of police brutality to ever come out of the Miami-Dade Police Dept. I think it's a damn shame that the rest of the state's LEOs don't have the same approach and/or at least the people to back them on it.

Not to mention that if the bad guys carry assault rifles, why can't LEOs? When LEOs get around to popping a few of these punks all around the state in different jurisdictions, then maybe we'll see some improvements.:thumbsup:

Although I agree for the most part, there's a couple of issues I'd like to try to clarify.

Thats usually not an accepted practice and will get your agency federally investigated and officers indicted pretty routinely. Despite what they say, the "feds" are really not on our side:NoNo: :lmao:

There's a reason for that. In the 60's, 70's, 80's, Metro-Dade was not the department of choice to model;) There was a lot of corruption and if you'll really look back, you'll actually see there were investigations, indictments, firings, and use of force complaints pretty regularly.

Our Sheriff in the 70's was of the opinion that we would be polite to the masses...as long as they don't put thier hands on you:yesnod: AT that point, someone went to jail. Maybe via the local hospital, but to jail all the same;)

The rest of the state did study Miami as a model of what not to do.

In it's latter years, it got better and became more of a progressive agency:thumbsup:

Administraors/Administrations are by and large, no longer cops, they're politicians, business managers. They are still badged and armed, but every bit the politician. Thier tactics vary widely depending on locale, but for the most part, are politically driven:( They will do/say whatever they think is best for thier chance of being re-elsected or re-appointed. Even a local Sheriff in this area, who is recently well respected for his stance on a recent shooting, behind closed doors has the same approach. You work for me at my leisure. If you piss my "customers" off, I'll fire you.....
It is, has and always will be that way...it's still politics as usual.

And that brings me to the final point:

LEO's in many jurisdictions have been carrying assault rifles in thier vehicles since the late 70's early 80's.

At the Sheriff's office, I carried Ruger, K-mini14 GBF, stainless steel, retractable stock, marine version, assault rifle in .223:thumbsup: :dancer01:

Many of the guys were carrying AR15/CAR15's and M-16 rifles among others.

You purchased them, qualified with them and carried them.

But, you should have seen the fight just to switch to a semi-automatic sidearm from the old revolvers (some still haven't made the switch:lmao: ). As a weapons instructor, it was astounding how difficult it was to break that mold! First it was descretionary and you purchased your own weapon. Later in some agencies, the weapon was purchased for you and assigned (usually low bid).

I know for a fact that PBCSO is/has changed thier policy on assault rifles and are now even looking into mounting them on thier motorcycle units (again, this was done here years ago, they're just catching up.) Most of us removed them due to safety and security concerns. There's really no way to secure a rifle to a fibreglass saddle bag. The hinge points on the saddle bad are the weak point.

As far as this shooting, I can't get into details, but I received some inside information this afternoon that disturbs and somewhat saddens me regarding Metro-Dade/Browards response:(

Suffice to say that vigilatism is NOT what police work is about:thumbsdown:

Had they done it differently, the outcome would have been the same, justice would still have been served and the maggot would still be dead...