SC: Bodycam of LEO shooting homeowner through front door.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/ ... 855233001/

The above link is primarily body cam of a Greenville County, SC LEO responding to a call. The homeowner had no awareness that a medical alert had apparently been triggered by someone in his home. The alarm company called 911. The 911 dispatcher got no response from a phone call to the home.
The homeowner had been asleep, heard a knock on his door, armed himself with a Smith and Wesson .38 snubbie, and approached his front door.

The LEO responded by shooting multiple rounds through the small glass panes beside the front door. He hit the homeowner twice, once was in the groin (ouch!). The homeowner is a 2A friend and will survive.

The LEO is in trouble because he said the door opened and the homeowner pointed his gun at him. The body cam shows that the door had not been opened before the LEO engaged the innocent homeowner.

This video is 10 minutes, 37 seconds long. It serves as an example of what can go wrong in such a situation.
There is strong language and blood in this video, so be aware.

SIA

[03Lightningrocks]

I am not sure I understand. Did the guy point his gun at the cop from behind the closed door? It seems a bad idea to answer the door with your gun pointed at it. I can understand being armed and ready if needed but "striking a pose" seems like a good way to shoot an innocent person knocking on the door.

[OneGun]

I am not sure I understand. Did the guy point his gun at the cop from behind the closed door? It seems a bad idea to answer the door with your gun pointed at it. I can understand being armed and ready if needed but "striking a pose" seems like a good way to shoot an innocent person knocking on the door.

I never heard the deputy announce he was the police. From the homeowner's perspective, there is a person outside his house at midnight shining a flashlight into the house. The homeowner has a good case against the deputy. The deputy on the other hand has a problem because his initial story was that the homeowner opened his door and pointed a gun, which did not happen.

[BeanCounter]

Lesson learned. Never have clear sidelight windows so someone outside your home at night can see that you are armed.

[twomillenium]

I wonder if the Greenville Co. sheriffs dept is as good at stalling and covering up as Houston's Police chief is?

[03Lightningrocks]

I am not sure I understand. Did the guy point his gun at the cop from behind the closed door? It seems a bad idea to answer the door with your gun pointed at it. I can understand being armed and ready if needed but "striking a pose" seems like a good way to shoot an innocent person knocking on the door.

I never heard the deputy announce he was the police. From the homeowner's perspective, there is a person outside his house at midnight shining a flashlight into the house. The homeowner has a good case against the deputy. The deputy on the other hand has a problem because his initial story was that the homeowner opened his door and pointed a gun, which did not happen.

Don't get me wrong. I also think the cop is toast.

[PriestTheRunner]

Lesson learned. Never have clear sidelight windows so someone outside your home at night can see that you are armed.

Good point. You never know when armed gang members might show up at your door.

[narcissist]

Lesson learned. Never have clear sidelight windows so someone outside your home at night can see that you are armed.

I would also be armed but maybe don't answer the door at all in some cases? Gotta admit if you don't know who just shot through the door it would be hard not to drop down and unload on whoever just shot me.

[puma guy]

WARNING: graphic language and scenes which includes the "f" word and wounds on victim.
Here's the unedited youtube video of the incident without the narrative. The homeowner was shot four times striking his aorta, pelvis and two other grazing wounds. Spent a long time in the hospital, but survived.

[flechero]

I wonder if the Greenville Co. sheriffs dept is as good at stalling and covering up as Houston's Police chief is?

The narrator of the video should apply in Houston... I didn't listen to all of it (skipped around to see the shooting part) but it sounded like he was trying to paint a real picture

[C-dub]

The victim says they don't have an alarm.

When the victim was yelling out asking who it was telling him to throw his gun out, did the officer say he was the "shooter?" That's what it sounded like.

[Paladin]

I would submit that the shooting is evidence of a common training deficiency. Too many train to "see gun, shoot". That's why you see some law enforcement officers shooting each other. They saw the gun and shot before they bothered to put the situation in context. The officer had an easy opportunity to take cover and call for backup, but appears to have created a complete mess. Glad the homeowner lived.

VISION AND SCANNING

One problem I generally see in LE training is that more emphasis is put on flat range fire rather than learning to see and discriminate faster, which are equally as important. I ask individuals if they see first or shoot first in a tactical situation? The answer is simple, you must see first before you can shoot. Seeing and processing the information faster than your opponent is the key to whether you are in a shooting or in a gunfight.

Scanning and discrimination drills should compliment your live fire training. I always suggest you look at the “Whole Person” and then hands in a tactical encounter to help prevent fratricide. This is especially true for active shooter response scenarios and multi-breach point operations.

Always put in discrimination drills into your training.

Training for the read fight

ACHIEVING TACTICAL MATURITY:

The cheapest way to do this is to do dry fire practice against bad guys at home during an action movie on TV. You have to ID threats... friend vs. threat vs. third party and get a quick trigger pull on the threat before the threat disappears.

[Excaliber]

One important element is missing from the story:

Did the dispatcher tell the deputy the alarm was a medical alert or was the call just dispatched as "an alarm?"

The wording of the dispatch will make a big difference in how the officer approaches, what he is prepared to see, and how he is primed to respond.

[rtschl]

I want to be fair to the officer but if he lied about the door opening that is problematic. But based only on video and statements in the article,
If I was sitting on a grand jury I don't believe I would indict the officer on criminal charges. Especially as we can't see if the victim pointed his weapon because flashlight washes him out in the video. If sitting on civil jury for damages, I would be inclined to find in favor of the home owner. I think this falls more under possible negligent actions than criminal.

There is a lot to learn from this for LEO's and those of us who think our home is being broken into.