Cops kill wrong man after knocking on wrong door

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. -

Lake County Sheriff's Office deputies shot and killed a man they assumed was an attempted murder suspect on Sunday, but they now know they shot the wrong man.

In the early-morning hours, deputies knocked on 26-year-old Andrew Lee Scott's door without identifying themselves as law enforcement officers. Scott answered the door with a gun in his hand.

"When we knocked on the door, the door opened and the occupant of that apartment was pointing a gun at deputies, and that's when we opened fire and killed him," Lt. John Herrell said. "Even though this subject is not the one we were looking for when he opened the door. He was pointing the gun at the deputy and if you put yourselves in the deputy's shoes. They were there to pick up someone who was wanted for an attempted homicide."

Officials said the deputies did not identify themselves because of safety reasons.

Deputies thought they were confronting Jonathan Brown, a man accused of attempted murder. Brown was spotted at the Blueberry Hills Apartment complex and his motorcycle was parked across from Andrew Scott's front door.

"It's just a bizarre set of circumstances. The bottom line is, you point a gun at a deputy sheriff or police office, you're going to get shot," Herrell said.

Residents said the unannounced knock at the door at 1:30 a.m. may be the reason why the tragedy happened.

Read more:http://www.wesh.com/news/central-florida/Deputies-shoot-kill-man-after-knocking-on-wrong-door/-/11788162/15527202/-/euk6tg/-/index.html#ixzz20prHPZVP

Just read about this, sounds like an overly tragic accident that occurred in the heat of the moment. But I find it shocking that such an incident can occur due to 'safety reasons' - I'm sure any homeowner would take defensive measures against banging on the door at 1:30am and being a gun owner he was well within his rights to have it in self-defence.

All very well to say that he shouldn't be pointing at law enforcement, but considering the time and the fact that no identification occured I don't think the victim was truly at fault, poor guy was probably terrified.

If one of the primary reasons for knocking on his door was a suspect's motorcycle across the street, then there's definitely something gone wrong in terms of intelligence or planning - officers should've identified themselves regardless of the assumed occupant.

Florida, F*CK YEAH

Im so glad I live in this awesome state

>Florida

Just read about this, sounds like an overly tragic accident that occurred in the heat of the moment. But I find it shocking that such an incident can occur due to 'safety reasons' - I'm sure any homeowner would take defensive measures against banging on the door at 1:30am and being a gun owner he was well within his rights to have it in self-defence.

All very well to say that he shouldn't be pointing at law enforcement, but considering the time and the fact that no identification occured I don't think the victim was truly at fault, poor guy was probably terrified.

If one of the primary reasons for knocking on his door was a suspect's motorcycle across the street, then there's definitely something gone wrong in terms of intelligence or planning - officers should've identified themselves regardless of the assumed occupant.

Ravensmash

The bottom line is, you point a gun at a deputy sheriff or police office, you're going to get shot," Herrell said.

Ravensmash

Holy sh*t

But how was the victim supposed to know it was the police? This falls completely on the officers for not doing their homework.

Also opinions: What U.S state is bottom of the Barrel and why?SteverXIII

Florida, Arizona, and Ohio are far worse than everybody else.

[QUOTE="SteverXIII"]Also opinions: What U.S state is bottom of the Barrel and why?JML897

Florida, Arizona, and Ohio are far worse than everybody else.

don't you just love happy endings

Also opinions: What U.S state is bottom of the Barrel and why?SteverXIII

[QUOTE="SteverXIII"]Also opinions: What U.S state is bottom of the Barrel and why?Aljosa23

Also opinions: What U.S state is bottom of the Barrel and why?SteverXIII

Ohio, New Jersey, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alaska, Texas, Arizona, Mississipi, Florida.

[QUOTE="JML897"]

[QUOTE="SteverXIII"]Also opinions: What U.S state is bottom of the Barrel and why?SteverXIII

Florida, Arizona, and Ohio are far worse than everybody else.

Florida has stories like this all the time plus they suck at voting because they're all old and voting booths confuse them (see 2000 election).

Plus there's this.

Arizona has Jan Brewer.

The deep south states like Alabama and Mississippi are pretty solid contenders too since a lot of people in those states seem to be stuck in the past.

Alright, it's the middle of the night, and your door is being pounded on. Your an innocent man and the last thing you expect is the Police. Why wouldn't you grab your gun? It was a moronic decision to do a no-knock at 1:30 in the morning anyway. gmaster456

Alright, it's the middle of the night, and your door is being pounded on. Your an innocent man and the last thing you expect is the Police. Why wouldn't you grab your gun? It was a moronic decision to do a no-knock at 1:30 in the morning anyway. gmaster456

Alright, it's the middle of the night, and your door is being pounded on. Your an innocent man and the last thing you expect is the Police. Why wouldn't you grab your gun? It was a moronic decision to do a no-knock at 1:30 in the morning anyway. gmaster456

[QUOTE="gmaster456"]Alright, it's the middle of the night, and your door is being pounded on. Your an innocent man and the last thing you expect is the Police. Why wouldn't you grab your gun? It was a moronic decision to do a no-knock at 1:30 in the morning anyway. DigitalExile

[QUOTE="gmaster456"]Alright, it's the middle of the night, and your door is being pounded on. Your an innocent man and the last thing you expect is the Police. Why wouldn't you grab your gun? It was a moronic decision to do a no-knock at 1:30 in the morning anyway. DigitalExile

Instead the guy answers the door with a fire arm

DigitalExile

Which he had every right to do under Florida's law.

[QUOTE="DigitalExile"]

[QUOTE="gmaster456"]Alright, it's the middle of the night, and your door is being pounded on. Your an innocent man and the last thing you expect is the Police. Why wouldn't you grab your gun? It was a moronic decision to do a no-knock at 1:30 in the morning anyway. l4dak47

[QUOTE="l4dak47"][QUOTE="DigitalExile"]What's moronic is not asking "who's there?" - call 911 if you feel you are in danger. That's what people in civilised countries do. Instead the guy answers the door with a fire arm and dies.

DigitalExile

"The bottom line is, you point a gun at a deputy sheriff or police office, you're going to get shot," Herrell said"

Yet they didn't identify themselves and he had no way of knowing who they were...

[spoiler] *facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
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*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm* [/spoiler]

[QUOTE="l4dak47"][QUOTE="DigitalExile"]What's moronic is not asking "who's there?" - call 911 if you feel you are in danger. That's what people in civilised countries do. Instead the guy answers the door with a fire arm and dies.

DigitalExile

"The bottom line is, you point a gun at a deputy sheriff or police office, you're going to get shot," Herrell said"

Yet they didn't identify themselves and he had no way of knowing who they were...

[spoiler] *facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
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*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm* [/spoiler]

Celldrax

"The bottom line is, you point a gun at a deputy sheriff or police office, you're going to get shot," Herrell said"

Yet they didn't identify themselves and he had no way of knowing who they were...

[spoiler] *facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm*
*facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm**facepalm* [/spoiler]

Celldrax

Exactly, it's ridiculous. The bottom line is, the cops should know they have the right guy before they go knocking on random doors at 1:30 AM.

lol.

I just love it when people go on about "HE/she SHOULD'VE DONE THIS" in situations like this.

Let some random person bang on your door at 1 in the morning, I'm sure you'll have the best train of thought.

Well that sucks. Nothing good about that. Cops really messed up.

Speaking of which - if a civilian knocked on a door at a similar time and ended up shooting the homeowner for the same reason, would the civilian be arrested?Ravensmash

Yes. In a heartbeat.

You go into somebody elses house with a gun, then shoot that person, especially at 1:30 am, you have really no defense against that. You obviously made a poor decision and will probably be punished for a long ass time.

The cops were just doing their job, but somebody somewhere made a mistake and somebody died because of it. Going after somebody who's a murder suspect, you don't walk in casually.

The cops should have identified themselves, but at the same time the man is an idiot.

Seriously, who the **** just answers a door with a gun? As a sane person it seems to me you at LEAST ask "who's there" first, and then if you don't get a proper response you DON'T OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!

Really hard to feel bad for someone who's way of handling the situation was so damn stupid....

The cops should have identified themselves, but at the same time the man is an idiot.

Seriously, who the **** just answers a door with a gun? As a sane person it seems to me you at LEAST ask "who's there" first, and then if you don't get a proper response you DON'T OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!

Really hard to feel bad for someone who's way of handling the situation was so damn stupid....

LostProphetFLCL

[QUOTE="gmaster456"]Alright, it's the middle of the night, and your door is being pounded on. Your an innocent man and the last thing you expect is the Police. Why wouldn't you grab your gun? It was a moronic decision to do a no-knock at 1:30 in the morning anyway. DigitalExile

Speaking of which - if a civilian knocked on a door at a similar time and ended up shooting the homeowner for the same reason, would the civilian be arrested?Ravensmash

Of course.

He'd have a hard time explaining why the hell he brought a gun to the house in the first place.

The cops should have identified themselves, but at the same time the man is an idiot.

Seriously, who the **** just answers a door with a gun? As a sane person it seems to me you at LEAST ask "who's there" first, and then if you don't get a proper response you DON'T OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!

Really hard to feel bad for someone who's way of handling the situation was so damn stupid....

LostProphetFLCL

It's 1:00 in the morning.

The police aren't politely knocking, they were banging.

Try having a clear train of thought with that.

The cops should have identified themselves, but at the same time the man is an idiot.

Seriously, who the **** just answers a door with a gun? As a sane person it seems to me you at LEAST ask "who's there" first, and then if you don't get a proper response you DON'T OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!

Really hard to feel bad for someone who's way of handling the situation was so damn stupid....

LostProphetFLCL

The man is an idiot for answering the door with the gun ready and aimed right at them. What did the guy expect? A full gang attack? dragonball3900

[QUOTE="Ravensmash"]Speaking of which - if a civilian knocked on a door at a similar time and ended up shooting the homeowner for the same reason, would the civilian be arrested?Wasdie

Yes. In a heartbeat.

You go into somebody elses house with a gun, then shoot that person, especially at 1:30 am, you have really no defense against that. You obviously made a poor decision and will probably be punished for a long ass time.

The cops were just doing their job, but somebody somewhere made a mistake and somebody died because of it. Going after somebody who's a murder suspect, you don't walk in casually.

The man is an idiot for answering the door with the gun ready and aimed right at them. What did the guy expect? A full gang attack? dragonball3900

The man is an idiot for answering the door with the gun ready and aimed right at them. What did the guy expect? A full gang attack? dragonball3900

Cops go arrest a murderer;

Now they become murderers themselves.

Ha!

Haven't read the article or post, but honestly, that is a really funny thread title. I mean, I'm not sure I could ask for more, from the cops I mean.

Walking pieces of dense, misaligned, male protoplasm who are lost in their sense of masculinity and power.

Haven't read the article or post, but honestly, that is a really funny thread title. I mean, I'm not sure I could ask for more, from the cops I mean.

Walking pieces of dense, misaligned, male protoplasm who are lost in their sense of masculinity and power.

lo_Pine

[QUOTE="lo_Pine"]

Haven't read the article or post, but honestly, that is a really funny thread title. I mean, I'm not sure I could ask for more, from the cops I mean.

Walking pieces of dense, misaligned, male protoplasm who are lost in their sense of masculinity and power.

gmaster456

Believe me, I know this more than almost anyone. I am not going to say why and how I know this, but I do.

And you are right, not all cops are bad. I should have made that disclaimer at the end.