AZ Family – by Steve StoutCOTTONWOOD, AZ (KPHO/KTVK) – Video from the dashboard camera of a Cottonwood Police Department cruiser showed a close-knit Idaho family that appeared nearly invulnerable to stun guns, police batons and fists during a melee in a Walmart parking lot March 21 in which one person was killed and one officer wounded by a gunshot.
Cottonwood Police Chief Jody Fanning showed the video during a news conference Friday morning and said no matter what tactics officers used, nothing appeared to deter the family of eight. The dash-cam was the only one of three that was operational that night, Fanning said.
Four officers arrived at the Walmart after employees called about one of the Boise, ID, family members pushing an employee to the ground outside one of the store’s bathrooms.
The family had gathered outside their older model Chevrolet Suburban when officers arrived. The confrontation started when one of the officers said they would split up the family to talk with them about what happened inside the store, Fanning said.
But the father, 55-year-old Peter Gaver, and one of his sons stepped in and told police they wouldn’t allow them to separate the family, Fanning said.
Another officer approached the mother, 52-year-old Ruth Gaver, and her 11-year-old daughter when one of the brothers ran in between them. Police Sgt. Jeremy Daniels grabbed the man and the melee was on, Fanning said.
The family utilized tactics that had to be “taught,” Fanning said. For instance, they knew that punching officers on the body was futile because of their protective vests. Instead, the fought officers by grabbing at their eyes, ears and mouths and pulling hard.
They also had been taught to roll after they were shot with stun guns in order to break the wires and stop the shock, and to appear to give up by putting their hands in the air in order to get close to attack again.
The family refused orders to “get on the ground” and eventually overpowered Daniels. Two of the suspects, including Enoch Graver, battled the officer for his gun, which went off and wounded him in the leg.
Four more officers arrived and Enoch Graver, 21, was shot to death and his 18-year-old brother David Graver was shot in the abdomen.
Even with eight officers on the scene, nothing the officers tried appeared to stop the family, including the use of stun guns, pepper spray and police batons. In almost every instance, the suspects continued to fight the officers.
Fanning said to four people to get one of the brothers in handcuffs and two officers to get the remaining male suspects in cuffs.
A Walmart loss prevention employee, whom Cottonwood police knew, was also key in preventing more harm being done to family members or the original four officers on the scene, Fanning said. The employee fought to protect the officers throughout the brawl.
Fanning said he was not only proud of his officers and the Walmart employee for their roles, but of the civilians who came to the aid of Daniels.
The family included the father and sons Jeremiah, 29; Nathaniel, 27; David, Enoch; a 15-year-old boy; mother Ruth Gaver, 52; and an 11-year-old girl.
All were living out of the Chevrolet Suburban and were members of a traveling band called Matthew 24 Now, a reference to a Bible verse dealing with the end of times. The band’s Facebook page is rife with Biblical references.
Seven other Cottonwood police officers suffered cuts and bruises.
Copyright 2015 KPHO/KTVK (KPHO Broadcasting Corporation).
http://www.azfamily.com/story/28770136/dash-cam-captures-deadly-melee-in-cottonwood-walmart-lot
Skip to 3:19 and watch cop kick his “Brother Officer” in the head. Woops!! Too funny.
That is very professional. A toe kick to the eye for my brotha!
Wow, family of the year award. 😆 They seemed experienced at this! Either way, a few punches to a pig’s head is good way to start your Saturday!
Agreed!! 🙂
Police are nothing but hired killers. Nothing more. A true officer of the peace would have calmed things down and taken the time and effort to resolve the situation and NO ONE would have gotten arrested, much less killed.
These police goons forced this fight. They are nothing more than MURDERERS!!!!!
You are correct !!!!!!!!
Jeeeeez! Don’t mess with that fam!?
They KNEW what was comin for em. They also KNEW that it takes just 9-10LBS of concentrated force to tear a deaf ear offa human head?
@ least in the publics favor & near future all non-discretionary conflict prevention practicing LEO’s/Revenue men will all be CLEARLY marked?….
……& a touch hard of hearing ta’ boot? Guess when your a hammer-everything looks lika nail?
The Graver family gets the BadAss of the year award in my book too.
I was waitin for em’ to grab Utah’s Finest, Deseret Foods 10LB cans of crushed pineapple outta the back of the Chevy & take em to task.
My condolences to the Graver family for their loss.
walmart employees can be less than professional or downright rude. I was at a local walmart recently and an older lady behind the register didn’t have enough money in her till to break a hundred so she called on the intercom and the phone numerous times trying to get someone to help. when we thought help finally arrived, a young gal, who the clerk then tells the problem to, the young woman’s reaction was apparent by her body language that she may as well rolled her eyes at us and walks off. we’re thinking she went to take care of it but she didn’t. someone else whose known for going above and beyond to help fellow employees and their customers showed up. the older clerk even said, watch, the busiest person on the floor is probably helping someone and she will be the one that shows up. she even said, that their not allowed to complain and have to keep their opinions to themselves. I just thought the whole thing was strange. what kind of environment are they creating.
They outnumbered the pigs 2 to 1 at first.
Should have grabbed their guns and smoked ’em.
I have to admit, real Christians are the most valiant opponents of tyranny.
I wonder what motivated a member of the Christian band to knock down an employee outside the bathroom.
After watching the video, it’s clear these cops have not the slightest idea how to do their jobs. All they are doing is creating hatred for them that is so powerful, it may lead to the mass slaughter of all police in the area.