Constable kicks in wrong door - Homeowner armed(Near Pittsburgh)

[Emptymag]

More/link to come when story gets printed, but go here and click on "Constables Storm Wrong House in McKeesport" under "KDKA Video".(Upper right)


My favorite was the question by the reporter..."Why would you shoot someone like that?"


ETA: Story now online...
http://kdka.com/local/McKeesport.con...2.1174197.html


Sep 9, 2009 11:16 pm US/Eastern
Constables Storm Wrong Home In McKeesport
MCKEESPORT (KDKA) ―


Mark Smith says he was ready to shoot when constables wrongly kicked in the door to his home.




A man described as disabled says constables mistakenly came to his house looking for another man, but they kicked in his door and he almost shot them.

KDKA-TV's Marty Griffin reports one of the constables faces charges and three others are being investigated.

According to police reports and photos, state constables with a child support warrant kicked in the door to Mark Smith's home in McKeesport.

The problem was they were at the wrong house.

The police report says the victim was not the person they were looking for.

It also says the constables did not notify McKeesport Police they were serving any warrants in this area.

The mix-up and the panic had Smith ready to shoot what he believed to be intruders in his home.

Griffin: "Why would you shoot someone like that?"

"Because that's a home invasion - I have a young 16-year-old daughter here – I'm not gonna let anything happen to my baby," Smith said.

"I'm not fighting anybody, not in my home, I'm protecting my home.

"I'm upstairs in my home. It's midnight. You're coming through my door? End of conversation," he added.

McKeesport police have filed criminal mischief charges against one of the constables.

The Allegheny County Sheriff's Department is taking over the investigation of the entire incident.

A spokesman with the Allegheny County Constables Association says all constables announce themselves when serving a warrant.

He also says they have the legal right to kick in doors although he admits he is not familiar with the specifics of this case.

He plans to look into it.

[thetruepyromaniak]

wow. I hope that guy is a member here. Sounds like it.

[Warpt762x39]

There was a story on the news a while ago about two plain clothes cops kicking in the door to what they thought was a drug house. The house in fact belonged to a 90+ year old woman who lived alone and was hard of hearing.

So two guys with guns (no uniforms and badges were not in plain view) kick in this old womans front door. Granny grabs her pistol and opens fire hitting both officers before they return fire and kill her.

Cops kicking in the wrong door is a lot less rare than I'd like and it usually doesn't work out so well for anybody involved.

[smithwessn]

My favorite was the question by the reporter..."Why would you shoot someone like that?"

I can't believe a reporter would ask that question. Well, yeah, I can... but... you know what I mean.

[Philbert]

More/link to come when story gets printed, but go here and click on "Constables Storm Wrong House in McKeesport" under "KDKA Video".(Upper right)


My favorite was the question by the reporter..."Why would you shoot someone like that?"

Finger on trigger GRRRRRR

But geez, busting in doors at midnight to collect child support is insanity.

[Al-Mumit]

This has happened to me in Philadelphia when I lived in a less than nice neighborhood. Warrant squad claimed they had a warrant for the whole building to look for a neighbor who had, by that time, moved out months before. This was at 2AM and the first thing I saw or heard of 5 LEOs entering my apartment was flashlights under my room door. I was about to fire through the door when they knocked on my room door and announced themselves.

Had I not stopped to think about what was between and behind me and my targets I'd have emptied a 30rd mag of FMJ through the door.

The story is actually much longer & full of injustices, but that's the relevant part :P

[Wasz]

The thoughts of this scare the crap out of me.

[40twist]

UUgh Yes keep your finger of that F'ing trigger !!! Geez !!

Ive heard stories of similar incidents where this has happened , in the back of my mind I remember , I think , this happening to a member of local government in MD when SWAT raided the wrong house. Definitely gets you thinking a lot of what if's

[40twist]

This has happened to me in Philadelphia when I lived in a less than nice neighborhood. Warrant squad claimed they had a warrant for the whole building to look for a neighbor who had, by that time, moved out months before. This was at 2AM and the first thing I saw or heard of 5 LEOs entering my apartment was flashlights under my room door. I was about to fire through the door when they knocked on my room door and announced themselves.

Had I not stopped to think about what was between and behind me and my targets I'd have emptied a 30rd mag of FMJ through the door.

The story is actually much longer & full of injustices, but that's the relevant part :P

Lets just say good thing you didn't shoot!!! wow /

[ungawa]

What abouit when bad guys who say, "Police!" go into the "wrong" house. With whatever their police gettup is. It happens A LOT.