In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Why Minnesota needs to become a "shall issue"
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Edina chief: 'Officer did what had to be done'
Jim Adams
Star Tribune
Published Aug 17, 2002 EDIN17
Edina police officer Jeff Elasky had stopped for dinner at a Subway sandwich shop during an off-duty security job Thursday when two men walked in, one waving a black pistol.
"Get down," the gunman yelled. "This a robbery. Get out your wallets."
As the employees and customers hit the floor in the narrow restaurant, Elasky ducked behind the counter and pulled a gun from the fanny pack at his waist, Edina Police Chief Michael Siitari said.
About 10 feet away, Lamont A. Scott swung his semiautomatic gun toward Elasky, authorities said. The 38-year-old police officer opened fire, hitting Scott twice, Siitari said. He said it was unclear whether Scott fired.
Both suspects fled, but Scott, 30, would only reach a fence behind the restaurant before collapsing of his fatal wounds. Siitari said a getaway driver left when the shooting began.
An Edina reserve police officer who was also in the Subway called 911 and police responded about 8:40 p.m.
Police found a .40-caliber semiautomatic Taurus pistol next to Scott. He was pronounced dead at Fairview Southdale Hospital at 9:07 p.m.
His alleged accomplice, Anthony R. Marcum, 18, was found in a nearby T.G.I. Friday's restaurant in Bloomington, where he had changed clothes in the women's bathroom. Patrons pointed him out to police.
Marcum, who authorities said lives in the Twin Cities area, was charged Friday with nine counts of attempted first-degree aggravated robbery, one count for each person in the Subway. He is being held in the Hennepin County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.
The criminal complaint against Marcum said that after Scott ordered everyone down, Elasky stood by the cash register with his gun drawn. He announced he was an officer and ordered Scott to drop his gun, the complaint said. When Scott aimed at Elasky, the officer shot him.
"Jeff felt he would be shot, and fired as soon as possible," Siitari said. "He kept a level head and did what had to be done. . . . You don't wait for the other person to get the first shot or you would be dead."
It was the first time in seven years as an officer that Elasky has fired his weapon, and he's struggling with the emotional fallout, Siitari said.
"He performed with courage and stopped the threat before any of the other customers or employees were shot," Siitari said. "He did an outstanding job and we are proud of him."
The chief added that he wouldn't have done anything differently if he had been in Elasky's shoes. The department had approved Elasky's off-duty security job. Elasky is on routine paid administrative leave.
Siitari said Scott, who was convicted of an armed robbery in California, was identified by his parents, who live in the Twin Cities area.
Police are investigating whether the pair may be connected to previous robberies at the same Edina Subway, an Edina coffee shop and a Subway in St. Louis Park. But no charges have been filed in those cases.
When the Edina Subway was robbed Aug. 7, two people escaped with $910 in cash and $3 worth of food, police records said.
When two armed men robbed the St. Louis Park Subway on Aug. 8, they yelled at customers and employees, herded them to the back of the shop and looted the cash register, said St. Louis Park Sgt. John Giebel.
Edina has had 15 robberies, including three at the Subway, so far this year, about the same as all of last year, Siitari said.
On Wednesday, officers had been talking about what could be done to make the Subway shop safer, Siitari said. Police patrols in the area had already increased, spokeswoman Molly Anderson said.
To avoid any potential conflict of interest, the robbery is being investigated by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, which also will review whether Elasky followed proper procedures in firing his gun.
-- Jim Adams is at jadams@startribune.com
http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/3169163.html
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Jim Adams
Star Tribune
Published Aug 17, 2002 EDIN17
Edina police officer Jeff Elasky had stopped for dinner at a Subway sandwich shop during an off-duty security job Thursday when two men walked in, one waving a black pistol.
"Get down," the gunman yelled. "This a robbery. Get out your wallets."
As the employees and customers hit the floor in the narrow restaurant, Elasky ducked behind the counter and pulled a gun from the fanny pack at his waist, Edina Police Chief Michael Siitari said.
About 10 feet away, Lamont A. Scott swung his semiautomatic gun toward Elasky, authorities said. The 38-year-old police officer opened fire, hitting Scott twice, Siitari said. He said it was unclear whether Scott fired.
Both suspects fled, but Scott, 30, would only reach a fence behind the restaurant before collapsing of his fatal wounds. Siitari said a getaway driver left when the shooting began.
An Edina reserve police officer who was also in the Subway called 911 and police responded about 8:40 p.m.
Police found a .40-caliber semiautomatic Taurus pistol next to Scott. He was pronounced dead at Fairview Southdale Hospital at 9:07 p.m.
His alleged accomplice, Anthony R. Marcum, 18, was found in a nearby T.G.I. Friday's restaurant in Bloomington, where he had changed clothes in the women's bathroom. Patrons pointed him out to police.
Marcum, who authorities said lives in the Twin Cities area, was charged Friday with nine counts of attempted first-degree aggravated robbery, one count for each person in the Subway. He is being held in the Hennepin County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.
The criminal complaint against Marcum said that after Scott ordered everyone down, Elasky stood by the cash register with his gun drawn. He announced he was an officer and ordered Scott to drop his gun, the complaint said. When Scott aimed at Elasky, the officer shot him.
"Jeff felt he would be shot, and fired as soon as possible," Siitari said. "He kept a level head and did what had to be done. . . . You don't wait for the other person to get the first shot or you would be dead."
It was the first time in seven years as an officer that Elasky has fired his weapon, and he's struggling with the emotional fallout, Siitari said.
"He performed with courage and stopped the threat before any of the other customers or employees were shot," Siitari said. "He did an outstanding job and we are proud of him."
The chief added that he wouldn't have done anything differently if he had been in Elasky's shoes. The department had approved Elasky's off-duty security job. Elasky is on routine paid administrative leave.
Siitari said Scott, who was convicted of an armed robbery in California, was identified by his parents, who live in the Twin Cities area.
Police are investigating whether the pair may be connected to previous robberies at the same Edina Subway, an Edina coffee shop and a Subway in St. Louis Park. But no charges have been filed in those cases.
When the Edina Subway was robbed Aug. 7, two people escaped with $910 in cash and $3 worth of food, police records said.
When two armed men robbed the St. Louis Park Subway on Aug. 8, they yelled at customers and employees, herded them to the back of the shop and looted the cash register, said St. Louis Park Sgt. John Giebel.
Edina has had 15 robberies, including three at the Subway, so far this year, about the same as all of last year, Siitari said.
On Wednesday, officers had been talking about what could be done to make the Subway shop safer, Siitari said. Police patrols in the area had already increased, spokeswoman Molly Anderson said.
To avoid any potential conflict of interest, the robbery is being investigated by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, which also will review whether Elasky followed proper procedures in firing his gun.
-- Jim Adams is at jadams@startribune.com
http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/3169163.html
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878