First, note the school bus in the background in the third picture.
In the second picture, (taken from the East end of Washington Street) citizens were gathering within 30 yards of the home the suspect was barricaded in.
As I was standing there taking pictures, I was even closer. Mind you, I didn't want to stand behind the crowd and take pictures and I was not asked to get back further. However, I have been to enough of these scenes in which I knew we were probably too close. That being said, we actually chose to get in our vehicle and leave.
In the mean time there were several adults and children attempting to use the sidewalk directly across the street from the suspects home and it created quite a bit of confusion. More importantly, there were children everywhere. Again, it should be noted that even though there were, (in my opinion) too many children too close to the scene immediately after they were let out of school, HOW SHOULD LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE BOE HANDLE SUCH CASES.
Police got the call at 2:29 PM about the shooting. School let out at 2:30 PM. I do know for a fact that the SPD did make contact with the BOE immediately but clearly it was too late. Several people criticized through comments that the BOE didn't react quick enough and I disagree. You can't point a finger at the BOE with only one minute to spare. I just learned that the BOE received a call from the SPD at 2:58 PM.
HOWEVER, IMHO, IF you have a gunshot situation, you must make sure those areas are immediately blocked off so kids, (and adults) cannot get so close to the scene. The images we produced in our first post were images no other source of media had because they didn't even know about it until they themselves read it on SBYNews.com.
It wasn't until we came back to the office, published our information, THEN the MSM knew it was serious and they headed to the scene but were made to stay back a few hundred yards. In fact, the Media wasn't even allowed to the east end of the scene at all.
Now, getting back to the third picture, which concerns me. Why were school buses continuing to operate KNOWING this area was dealing with a crime scene and a gunman was still at bay. I felt it was important to put out the time line on how things went down. Last nights comments were valid but now that the SPD put out their press release letting every one know the call came in at 2:29 PM, we're talking a whole different situation that may have to be looked into in the future. The timing was just freak. A call comes in to SPD at 2:29 and school let out at 2:30.
Something else that should be considered. MANY people were removed from their homes and or not let back to their homes. During the day it was quite warm but as the sun started to set, many people didn't have the proper clothing to stay warm, yet they were not allowed to go back to their homes. In the third picture you see a woman with a cane, (blue shirt) standing there. This woman was forced to stand for at least two hours before Mr. Tyler was kind enough to recognize her, run to a neighboring home and borrow a chair off their front porch so she could sit down. Again, another resident NOT allowed to return to their property.
All that being said, perhaps, (in situations like this) the County/City can consider setting up a staging area, (like Prince Street Elementary) for kids to regroup, those displaced from their homes can have a place to sit and or stay warm/cool.
It takes situations like this to learn from. I look forward to every one's opinion/ideas on this matter.
21 comments:
An accident waiting to happen!
People should have enough common sense to stay away from the area.
The cops should have an agenda for these problems.
Of course washington street is a bundle of druggies and what ever, but even still , get the people away from the area.
As far as the school bus , whoever was driving it should be fired , if children were on it. At least someone should beat the crap out of the driver.
All in all it looked a little like the firemens parade.
if idiots want to gather around to watch a crazy man with a gun, LET THEM. if they get shot, its on them. one less idiot IMHO
Again i'm going to make this point we heard 3 shots fired at 9:30 am we were told by the person next door to the hostage's house she herself called at 9:30 it was not until the 3rd shot was fired at 1:30 until the police arrived! there were also shots fired the night before from somewhere close and two individuals were seen running one with a wound, and the other hollering "keep the pressure on the wound" . Why are we repeatedly seeing and hearing that the call came in at around 1:30 !!! I am trying to be as honest and upfront as we can be knowing what we observed and heard down as far as the 300 block!
Photo OP for Matt, he wears a vest and the kiddies run around. Tells ya something doesnt it. A colt huh, nice.
Yea, just because there is a crazy person down the street with a gun does NOT cancel out peoples rights to move and stay on their own private property. The government likes to act like the constitution is just for when things are going O.K. but that's not the case. our rights are unalienable rights, meaning can not be legally taken away for any reason. Of course criminals can take away these rights and are breaking the highest law in the land when they do, no matter what the reason is.
Joe with all due respect to you ,Law Enforcement and the school system in that neighborhood it would be just about impossible to get everyone out of harms way. The house in question sits between two very highly traveled streets and very close to an intersection. I think the SPD did a pretty good job in this case considering all of the "could be" situations they had to deal with.
What ya gonna do when its an AK with the right bullets and the man dont care about tomorrow? That little AR pee-shooter and gonna do sht.
I remember a Friday in Talbot County 4 or 5 years ago when the MSP shut down RT 50 all day because of a threat in a house close to the road. Sure made a lot of tourists mad, it was beach season. Took me forever to get home, even knowing all of the back roads. Can't be too careful is all I'm saying.
there are always someone who thinks they can do a better job than the police.
The photographs are a testament to all of the dead wood do-nothings, sitting back drawing welfare dollars all day long. Real human beings actually have jobs and couldn't make the photo shoot, as did their children, they were occupied with aquiring an education. The police should have moved that entire drain on society crowd inside the house with Mr. I Wanna Be A Killer. That's the only mistake that the police made in my opinion.
anonymous 12:41, NO, more like, there's always a certain Police Officer who ONLY see's things that are black and white.
Being open to constructive critisism is a part of life. Being open to new ideas outside of your own makes a better world.
The idea here is NOT to critisize the Police but to protect our children.
No one is required to follow the suggestions of the people reading this Blog.
So take it for what its worth. Use it if you like and then, please, if you'd be so kind, SHUT UP.
Wow must be nice to sit home and bash the police after then did an AMAZING JOB! Bunch of know nothings who only get your law education from the movies. Great work SPD and everyone involved.
Little AR? Are you serious? I carried an M4 for years in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yes the AKshoots a bigger round, but I would take the AR over the AK any day due to accuracy.
You know what? People are about as bright as sheep!! You should not have to be told to get yourself and your children and neighbors out of harms way. Go somewhere safe; watch it on TV for ****** sake! The human race has eaten, nintendo'd and televised itself nearly to oblivion. What a freakin' joke, people!
For the love of God! Why can't we
understand that the sal police are
just trying to do their jobs! Why
anyone would question the cops'
job-at-hand is beyond me. They always put their lives on the line
serving this area. Anyone that is
always in that position needs support!
Thats not Matt. Its Mark Tyler from Salisbury PD. He's McDreamy!!
They cancelled all Salvation Army Football games as well and that field is a half mile or betterfrom the house in question. Better safe, than sorry is my opinion.
I wonder who was in charge. These people needed to be told and forced to be out of harms way. Not hanging over the rope. When shots are fired go home and crawl under the bed NOT looking around the corner that the policeman is looking around...he is armed you are not. Just go home.
Having all the folks removed from their homes and lined up outside like a row of sitting ducks does not seem safer to me. True, i've had NO training in removing people from their homes and what to do with them, but i would think the walls and obstacles in houses would help to stop any bullets more then street distance. Yep, lining up tightly in the open and marked with bright yellow tape does not seem safe at all with a possible gun fight ready to break out.
Regardless if these people were force out of their homes. A sane person would have gotten in their vehicle and drove as far away from this area to a safe place with the rest of their family and kids. A sane person who don't have a care would have walked far away from this area with their family and kids too a much safer place. These peole look like they have been siiting home all day doing absolutely nothing. Therefore, they needed to be nosey so they could have something to talk, critize or gossip about for the rest of the evening. Shame on these people who exposed their kids too such danger. But, that is the behavior of most citizens of Salisbury. They love to run their mouths, critize and gossip.
Agreed 10:48-but, consider the clientele and their general disregard for themselves- much less the orders of the police. Now consider how they will raise their offspring...not a pleasant thought.
Post a Comment