3 officers dead, suspect killed in Oakland, Calif.

3 officers dead, suspect killed in Oakland, Calif.

news.yahoo.com

OAKLAND, Calif. - A man wanted for violating his parole killed three officers and gravely wounded another in two shootings Saturday, the first after a routine traffic stop and the second after a massive manhunt ended in gunfire, authorities said. The gunman was also killed.

Police said the suspect, 27-year-old Lovelle Mixon of Oakland, fired an assault rifle at officers who came into the building to arrest him. Two officers were killed and a third was grazed by a bullet, police said.

(visit the link for the full news article)



Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
4 police shot, suspect killed, after traffic stop

First, my deep condolences go out to the families of these brave police officers, who have given the ultimate sacrifice in service to their community.

A sad day indeed for Oakland and its residents. Hopefully, the people of Oakland will realize how different this tragedy is from the new year's day shooting by transit police of unarmed 22-year-old Oscar Grant at an Oakland train station, causing violent protests against the police.

In this article, it seems that Lovelle Mixon was not innocent at all, and police were justified in matching force with force. It also mentioned people at the scene taunting police. Do you think these 'taunters' would still be doing so, if they themselves were victimized by a gunman? I don't think so.

Do you think this will add fuel to the fire of the recent assault weapons ban debate?

Any chance there's anyone from Oakland on here, reading this, who can give any more insight to this incident?



news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I live very close to Oakland. Still getting the same information as cnn, has been given.

Renewed assault weapons ban talk after this incident?

No, I doubt it. This is a perfect scenario, all though tragic, to use as defense to not enact another assault weapons ban.

Cali still has the assault weapons ban in place and he still had one. He was also on probation which means he wasn't legally allowed to own an assault weapon.

It just adds to the argument that gun control legislation only hurts law abiding citizens.

This does suck for the officers families though. My condolences goes out to them.

[edit on 22-3-2009 by Hastobemoretolife]

reply to post by lucidclouds

Thanks Lucid, Star for you!

In the related thread I linked, if you check it out, greeneyedleo posted an excellent contribution describing recent reckless 'car show' activity involving motorists performing dangerous stunts, and the complaints from residents about them.

Are you close enough by there, that you're familiar with this stuff? Or ever seen it personally?

reply to post by Hastobemoretolife

Thanks for your input, Hastobe. Star!

I would think it will add to the debate, as a perfect example; but that's just me. You're right about it hurting good law-abiding citizens, tho, I agree with ya there!

It IS a bad scene. More & more guys feel they'd rather go out in a 'blaze of glory' type of way, than go back to the joint. Do you think he has inspired his criminal buddies to do the same? Will we see more of these?

reply to post by FRIGHTENER


I'm not from Cali, but I think they have a lot of going out in a blaze of glory type people, due to the three strikes law they have.

Since he was on probation this offense could have been his third which means automatic life sentence.

They would try to use it as a debate item but the NRA would eat them alive with it.

I'm not too worried about a renewed assault weapons ban anymore, 65 house dems already sent a letter to Holder stating that any anti-gun legislation that got introduced in the house would be DOA.

Originally posted by Hastobemoretolife
reply to post by FRIGHTENER

 

I'm not from Cali, but I think they have a lot of going out in a blaze of glory type people, due to the three strikes law they have.

Since he was on probation this offense could have been his third which means automatic life sentence.

They would try to use it as a debate item but the NRA would eat them alive with it.

I'm not too worried about a renewed assault weapons ban anymore, 65 house dems already sent a letter to Holder stating that any anti-gun legislation that got introduced in the house would be DOA.

Would love if you would make a thread on that

People are freaking out because of this and it would make it easier on everyone if we could get the word out we don't have as much to worry about.

Nice news!

reply to post by Hastobemoretolife

Hey thanks for quick reply!

Yeah, I'm not from CA either (although I lived there for a year once), but I see your point; "alot of blaze of glory types" . . .sorry, I know it's not funny, just the way I saw you post it that way gave me a grin!

Good point-the 3 strikes law; wow! brutal! Perhaps it's not the deterrent they thought it would be?

And yes, thank heavens for the NRA!

reply to post by whoshotJR


Already a thread started on it right here

Also, the first assault weapons ban is what triggered the republican revolution in the 90's so I don't think to many dems are stupid enough to try to push that issue, not to mention people are already on edge and there are about 20 million other more important problems to address.

reply to post by FRIGHTENER


No problem!

Well I think the three strikes law is complete BS, I was always under the impression that prison and jail was for rehabilitation. I know it isn't, but I think we are on the same page as far as that goes.

I don't think it had the effect that they were thinking either. There are people that actually strive to get life sentences, because they are brainwashed by gangs to believe that that is the highest form of loyalty.

The world is just a crazy place.

UPDATE ARTICLE:

Family: Suspect in Oakland cop deaths feared jail

Info from the shooter's family, as well as info about him; and about the slain police officers, and more about them from their families...

The problem with this in relation to the weapons ban is that a WHOLE BUNCH of citizens believe that Americans shouldn't be allowed to own assault rifles in the first place.

The logic doesn't follow, but considering people already feel this way, you won't talk any sense into them by pointing out the fact that only criminals will have weapons in this case.
They would rather see them off the streets no matter what.

And that desire will blind them to logic.
Works like a fing charm.

As if banning them will do any good towards actually taking them completely off the streets, and it is this that a lot of people already desire.

Its sad that people died in this instance.
However the fact he used a semi auto rifle is really irrelevant.
He could have just as easily killed more people with a bolt action rifle.

Good point.
Actually, SWAT has a very, very, very dangerous job.
Clearing a building is a nightmare scenario. Especially when someone inside is bent on taking you out.

Back when I was serving in the Army, we were taught that MOUT operations carry a potential for a 60% casualty rate.
Those figures may have changed now though as we have been refining our techniques for the last SIX DAMNED YEARS in Iraq, but the point still stands.

You could take out a bunch of people in that situation with a pistol, if you were determined to do so. The type of weapon is irrelevant.
Hell, I could do well with a sword if I were alone in a building I was familiar with. (probably not against a clearing squad but a regular home invasion, hell yeah)

[edit on 22-3-2009 by Jay-in-AR]

Early reports are that he used an SKS semi-automatic rifle.

Not only is this weapon one that was NOT covered by the 1994 AWB, most versions of it are perfectly legal to own even in California.

Talk of linking this in any way to the AWB is false.

I would however support any bill that proposes the mass euthanasia of the residents of Oakland.

reply to post by Hastobemoretolife


Its terrible news.

We are all pawns, thankfully the Police did what had to be done.
I fear this is going to become more common as the economy sours.
More poverty = more crime.

reply to post by Jay-in-AR

Here here, Jay; Star!

I agree, lots of people unfamiliar with guns see assault weapons as frightening overkill, and unnecessary; Not me! They are right up to the legal limit for the average American, and if we truly enjoyed our Second Amendment rights, with NO INFRINGEMENTS, someone would've taken this guy out at the scene of him murdering the first cop; and he wouldn't have made it to the second scene, where 2 more officers lost their lives.

Just my 2 cents.

reply to post by samhouston1886


I agree. Also, if things don't improve, you may see people begin to deliberately SEEK OUT the police for this type of senseless behavior...

Here is the kicker... at first we wouldn't even realize it because the media would be spinning it and saying that these gunmen are just random psychos in an attempt to keep people from realizing that the "revolution" has started.

Not justifying this at all. Like I said, it is senseless and disgusting. Just sayin...

reply to post by BorgHoffen

Hi borg; Star!

I disagree somewhat, about the bolt-action scenario...Don't get me wrong, I appreciate your input here, very much.

But auto-feeding weapons (although much more susceptible to jamming) truly are the ultimate rapid-fire, multi-target acquisition choice, in my op.

Had Mixon been armed with a bolty, I think the second officer at the original traffic stop would have plugged him, before he could recycle another round, and it all would've been over right there, instead of him getting off enough rounds to drop the two cops, and escape temporarily.

THEN, when stormed by SWAT, he couldn't possibly get off another shot, after hitting and killing the first team member, with a bolty, because of SWAT 's standard stack-technique of entry. (Remember: SWAT has many different options including the dreaded FULL AUTO)!

I wonder if one condition for parole was employment. He couldn’t get a job with a felony so were they going to put him back in jail for violation. Maybe if it possible for him to get a job this wouldn’t have happened.

People are catching on to the prison privatization scam, some people anyway.