Cop shoots unarmed Marine 13 times

[Tobra]

From local Baltimore TV Station, cop declined breathalyzer. They aren't supposed to take their weapon if they intend to get drunk? No booze if you have your weapon on you sounds better to me.

BALTIMORE --

An off-duty Baltimore City police officer fatally shot an unarmed Marine 13 times outside a nightclub early Saturday.

According to Baltimore City police, Tyrone Brown -- a 32-year-old Marine who has served two tours of duty in Iraq -- was shot 13 times at close range. He died a short time later.

Baltimore police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the officer shot and killed Brown, saying Brown made advances toward a woman who was with the officer.

"After the advances, the officer and the individual exchanged words," Gugliemi said. "There was an argument, and the altercation turned physical. At that point, the officer pulled out his service weapon and fired multiple shots at our victim."

Brown's sister said she was there when her brother was shot. She said they were out at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday when they approached a group of people -- including the off-duty officer -- leaving Eden's Lounge, a nightclub in Mount Vernon.

"There was absolutely no physical contact," said La-Belle Scott, Brown's sister. "The supposed officer was not in any harm whatsoever. He (Brown) had his hands up to show he didn't have no weapons or anything."

Scott said her brother tried to diffuse the situation.

"My brother tried to approach him, saying, 'Calm down, calm down. All this is uncalled for.' And, the next thing you know, several shots rang out. It was maybe eight or nine shots that rang out, and then, all I know is my brother is telling me, 'I'm shot,'" Scott said.

Brown's family said they're having a hard time understanding the whole situation, saying Brown wasn't a violent man.

"My brother was supposed to walk me down the aisle next month. I'm getting married on July 24, and he would've walked me down the aisle and he's not here."
- La-Belle Scott,
Tyrone Brown's Sister
"It's just crazy that he would have to shoot 13 times at an unarmed man," Scott said. "He was a loving, caring person. (He) always looked out for everybody. He loved his kids. His family came first."

Brown is survived by a wife and two children.

"Tyrone was the love of my life. I don't know how else to put it," said Brown's wife, Loren. "We just (have to) take it one step at a time, one day at a time and just put it in God's hands. That's all I can do."

As they gather to support each other, the family said they have one wish for the future.

"I just hope justice will be served because my brother was supposed to walk me down the aisle next month. I'm getting married on July 24, and he would've walked me down the aisle and he's not here," Scott said.

The state's attorney's office will review the evidence and decide whether to file charges, which also is customary, he said.

The officer, who Guglielmi said is a 15-year veteran, has not been named. Police said they are investigating whether alcohol was a factor. The officer declined to take an alcohol breath test.

Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III has ordered his senior commanders to oversee the investigation. Guglielmi said the officer was being questioned, which is customary in shootings involving an officer.

Officers typically carry their service weapons while off-duty in Baltimore, but Guglielmi said they should not be carrying their guns if they intend to become intoxicated.

[speeder]

On the face of it, this sounds horrible...

[desertt5]

Survived 2 tours in Iraq and gets killed by an off duty cop. It sounds like the cop had drank and knew it was wrong to have his weapon on him.

[osidak]

This should make it intersting

if they intend to become intoxicated.

[m21sniper]

That cop belongs in the electric chair.

[Buckterrier]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

That cop belongs in the electric chair.

+1 if it's unjustified. Will be interesting.

[sc_rufctr]

That's a damn shame. Such a stupid thing to happen.

[masraum]

I think the cop should be given 2 options, death penalty, or life with some sort of mutilation, like, legs removed or crushed or something. Something where you have to think about what you've done every day. Although I'm sure we'd end up having to pay for his sorry azz, so we might as well off him. (assuming the way the story was written was relatively accurate)

[Hugh R]

The officer declined to take a breath test? I would think it would be mandatory in this kind of case with a cop.

[lane912]

Originally Posted by masraum

I think the cop should be given 2 options, death penalty, or life with some sort of mutilation, like, legs removed or crushed or something. Something where you have to think about what you've done every day. Although I'm sure we'd end up having to pay for his sorry azz, so we might as well off him. (assuming the way the story was written was relatively accurate)

remove whole left arm and whole right leg-
hobbled for life

[pwd72s]

Only police should have guns.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

The officer declined to take a breath test? I would think it would be mandatory in this kind of case with a cop.

You would think.

In officer involved shootings in NYC the officer is not required to do a thing until his attorney/union rep shows up and they also have a, IIRC, a 24 hour window where they don't have to say or do a thing.

[john70t]

Truth be dammed.

[WolfeMacleod]

Baltimore cop you say?

I wonder if it was this guy....

YouTube - Baltimore cops V.S. skateboarder


Hey, what happened to video insert??

[m21sniper]

Here ya go Wolf...

[Tobra]

GD MFer, how is this guy sporting a badge after prior incident in 2005?

this is by Peter Hermann, some crime beat mug for the Baltimore Sun

June 7, 2010
How is this police officer still on the force?
So now we know that Baltimore Police Officer Gahiji A. Tshamba, back in 2005, was intoxicated when he shot a man in the foot during a confrontation.

What we don't yet know -- and hopefully answers will come today -- is how Tshamba managed to retain his badge after the incident?

Tshamba, as we all know by now, is the off-duty officer who shot ex-Marine Tyrone Brown (left) six times in Mount Vernon early Saturday after Brown patted the officer's female companion on the buttocks. Brown was joking, his relatives say. Police say an argument grew into a physical altercation that led to the shooting. The victim's sister says there was no fight and that Brown apologized but was taunted by the officer.

Either way, police have been unusually blunt in calling this a troubling shooting and saying they are trying to determine whether Tshamba was intoxicated when he shot 13 tiimes. The officer has refused to make a statement and declined to submit to breath test. He has been put on administrative duties. A police spokesman said detectives have not found any reason to believe the officer's life was in danger.

So that brings us back to September 2005. Details remain sketchy but it appears that Tshamba had been confronted by a group of men who yelled racial slurs. Police said one threw a bottle at him, and another struck his car and then advanced toward him. Tshamba shot one of them in the foot.

Police and prosecutors ruled the shooting justified but disciplined him for being intoxicated on the job. I suppose you can be imparied by alcohol and still be justified in using your weapon -- escaping criminal liability -- but it's hard to imagine keeping a guy on the force under such circumstances.

I'm interested to see what new details surface once police can review his entire file later today.

[s_morrison57]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

That cop belongs in the electric chair.

I agree with this
declining to take a breath test for booze is an admission of guilt IMO, they should have blood tested him too

[Joeaksa]

Another reason why I really try to avoid the east coast... too many like this in the LE community back there...

[arcsine]

I keep hoping that we have turned a corner and that illegal activity by cops will be prosecuted. But time and time again I hear stories that show the 'protect our own' mentality is alive and well. Like this story.

Or the recent story of the drunk cop driving and killing two people and not being charged.
Or the drunk cop that beats the crap out of a woman because she would not serve him more beer and does not get charged.
Or the drunk cop driving a boat at high speed at night, runs over a sailboat killing a woman and the charges get filed against the driver of the sailboat because it was claimed the sailboat did not have running lights. Turns out witnesses testified the sailboat did have running lights but it took over a year for the charges to be dropped and I am not sure any charges ever got filed against the cop.
Or the cops in Seattle that beat the crap out of an innocent man all while being videotaped, and its 'under investigation'.

Obviously these are just a few of the stories of abuses of power by police but I find am growing increasingly disillusioned of which side the cops and prosecutors and judges are on?

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Another reason why I really try to avoid the east coast... too many like this in the LE community back there...

Better stay away Joe...it's too dangerous here. Cops are shooting down citizens left and right. None of us dares to go outside. We're very afraid.