Was correct procedure followed and.... (long)

[Heather]

what else could have been done? Yesterday, I had an experience that I hope I will never go through again. While attending a barbeque at a neighbors we had repeatedly heard the sounds of gunfire in the distance. Living in a rural area - you make the assumption of target practice, hunting, etc. All that is fine and dandy until we start noticing that the sounds of gunshot are extremely close. While sitting around a bonfire just about a half hour or so before dusk, we hear the sound of gunshot followed by a zinging sound in the brush not 5 feet from where we were sitting. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what the sound is. We immediately grab the children that were present and make a mad dash for the house all while the sound of repeated gunfire is continuing. We hadn't even shut the screen door and bullets start hitting the house. The owner of the home, gets on the phone, calls 911 "gunshots are being repeatedly fired and are hitting the house." they say, they will send someone out. 30 minutes later, no officers at the house. All the while, the gunfire is continuing and striking the house. Place a second call to 911 - they inform us, that they are sorry, they are tied up with an accident and will send someone out as soon as possible. Needless to say, we are quite upset and make this known. 10-15 minutes later a deputy pulls up in the drive. No lights and no back up.
By this time it is completely black outside and the firing has stopped. Deputy says, "well, he'll head over to the next street and see what he can find out" He comes back a short while later and says that he found about 6 guys sitting around a fire at one of the houses. He asked them if they had been shooting to which they replied they had been. He asked what and they replied they were shooting skeet with shotguns. He asked if anyone had been firing a rifle and they said no. Told them of the incident and they "expressed sympathy". yada, yada. He also says, "well, nothing really I can do to prove it but I think I worried them a bit." and that was that. I feel something more should have /could have been done. This very well could have turned into a tragedy had the bullets struck one of us, instead of the house. The house has 4-6 bullet holes in the upper and lower levels, inches from where we fled into the house.
45+ minutes to respond to a shots being fired on a house / striking a house call? Nothing they can do about it??

[Norm357]

File a complaint. I probably would.

[corporal716]

I would complain all the way up the chain of command. I would even go to the next board of supervisors meeting. 45 plus minute response time on that call is B.S.

[Group9]

I wouldn't call that good law enforcement service for sure.

[corporal716]

The sad thing is the Cop didn't do anything wrong. It was their system he probably didn't even get the call until he was done with the accident. Were I worked someone would have been on the way after the first call.

[Toeknee112]

Good Lord yes! We get a shots fired call with rounds hitting a house and we'd have the friggin' cavalry there asap! Were was this? Mayberry???

[Oldbillplod]

I understand the severity of the call and agree somebody should of been dispatched ASAP. However in the UK if there are no resources to attend then the police cannot be held responsible for any incidents which occur as a result of their non attendance.
I take it this is diferent in the US?

[P01IC3M4N]

i'd have been shooting back.

we would file a deadly conduct report, put all the information we came up with in it and send it to a detective for follow up.

the dispatcher might not have gotten the idea that bullets were whizzing by. i would be pizzed.

on the other hand, i've called fort worth 911 and told them there was a guy getting the dog beat out of him by three other guys. i don't normally get involved off-duty in fort worth because of the following scenario, so i just hung out and waited. 20 minutes later, all the fight participants had departed, fort worth calls back, "are those guys still fighting or do we still have to send someone out?" i said, "no, i think he must have died because those guys carried off his body." about 12 cars showed up no more than 2 minutes later. told them what i saw and that was that.

[Heather]

I am also inquiring on as to whether that is all the police can do in a scenario like that? The time issue does bother me though because I can understand that police have many jobs to do, but if one officer is at a traffic accident does this mean ALL of them are?? And is it normal for only one officer to show up on a call such as that wothout backup and be all nonchalant about it?

[corporal716]

And is it normal for only one officer to show up on a call such as that wothout backup and be all nonchalant about it?

For a plain Jane careless shooters call, yes. But when a house is being shot at No. Even if the house is accidently being hit, they should have had more than one deputy there and much faster.

Something went wrong with this call. Maybe the dispatched did not understand the house was beeing hit.

[darrell]

I would sadly have to say that in my county that kind of response and attitude is very very typical of our deputies. Unless it was a bad accident where life was in danger that would a reason not to clear. Chances are that it was only a 2 car minro accident w/o injuries. I suggest next time callign the State Police Post or Emergency MSP Dispatch for a response. PM me for the number. Sorry to ehar about that and yes I would file a complaint and so should your neighbors.....

[Heather]

[QUOTE=P01IC3M4N]the dispatcher might not have gotten the idea that bullets were whizzing by. i would be pizzed.[QUOTE=P01IC3M4N]





No, it was clearly stated that multiple shots were being fired and the house was being hit.

[oscarmitre]

You need to file a complaint Heather. Two points. First I think the officer's attitude left a lot to be desired and if he isn't corrected then it will happen again. Just got to hope his employer sees it as a case of correction of the officer rather than simply disciplining him without explaining how he should have responded.

Secondly if there are insufficient resources then someone has to be found accountable for that. If the local authority doesn't have sufficient police officers/deputies then that is a politico-administrative decision and someone up top has to be made accountable. If it isn't drawn to their attention now they will sit on their hands and hope it doesn't become an issue before the next election of officials.

[michiganstud]

Yep, pretty common, especially in the area Heather lives in. THey prolly don't have too many deputies on duty, and their area is so large to cover that i'm sure he did have an accident, plus driving time to get to the call. A shots fired call in an area where the next house is a mile away is a bit different than a shots fired call in a major city.

Was the deputies response ok? No, i dont think so. They pretty much admitted to firing weapons in the direction. Being dark when the deputy arrived, and the call being placed 45 min prior makes it AFTER dusk, in which you can't fire a weapon in the state of michigan after dusk. I'm not sure of the actual code for it or being a mis/felony though. Some tickets should have been issued at least. There are even provisions for shooting in the direction of homes! This deputy should have been more resourceful but it was evident he didn't care.

Make a complaint and keep us posted.

[Scruit]

Are the bullets lodged in the house, or did they punch right through? Surely there can be more investigation of this... You can tell trajectory etc from the bullet holes... They should be able to figure out at least if it was accidental or malocious...