AOL – by Robert JablonLOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies mistakenly shot to death a hostage who was fleeing from a knife-wielding attacker at a West Hollywood apartment, authorities announced Thursday.
John Winkler, 30, an aspiring television producer, died at a hospital following Monday night’s confrontation.
“Taking the life of an innocent person is a police officer’s greatest nightmare,” Interim Sheriff John Scott said at a news conference.
The entire department mourned Winkler’s death, he added.
Winkler was “hanging out” with some friends who lived in the apartment below him on Palm Avenue when a man who also lived in that apartment took them hostage at knifepoint, authorities said.
Alexander McDonald climbed over a balcony into his own home with a 10-inch butcher knife, authorities said.
He was “in an incoherent state of mind, seemed very paranoid, which was uncharacteristic,” sheriff’s homicide Lt. David Coleman said. He took his roommate, Winkler and another man hostage, then flew into a rage and began stabbing and fighting with them, authorities said.
Scott said deputies received a panicky 911 call that someone was threatening residents with a knife and went to the apartment, where they were told the attacker was a thin man in a black shirt.
Deputies announced themselves and pounded on the door and at that moment one of the stabbing victims took the opportunity to escape, Coleman said.
“The door suddenly opened and a man with blood spurting form his neck entered the doorway.” Scott said.
Winkler also ran out, behind but nearly on top of the other man, authorities said.
Deputies, noting his thin build and black shirt, mistook Winkler for the suspect and thought he was continuing to attack the other man, Coleman said.
Three deputies fired four shots. Winkler was hit once and mortally wounded. The other man was hit in the leg and was hospitalized in stable condition, authorities said.
Deputies burst into the apartment and allegedly saw McDonald choking a man on the floor. That man was treated for stab wounds and other injuries and released, according to a Sheriff’s Department statement.
McDonald, 27, was treated for minor injuries. County prosecutors have charged him with torture, murder and two counts of attempted murder. He remained jailed Thursday.
“We don’t know what caused his rage or what caused his outburst,” or whether drugs were involved, Coleman said.
Winkler had moved to West Hollywood from Washington state six months ago to work in the entertainment industry, his friend, Devin Richardson, told the Los Angeles Times.
The deputies, all department veterans, were removed from patrol after the shooting but were expected to return to full duty next week, sheriff’s officials said.
when people lose it all, they lose it.
“Winkler also ran out, behind but nearly on top of the other man, authorities said.
Deputies, noting his thin build and black shirt, mistook Winkler for the suspect and thought he was continuing to attack the other man, Coleman said.
Three deputies fired four shots. Winkler was hit once and mortally wounded. The other man was hit in the leg and was hospitalized in stable condition, authorities said.”
What happened to telling the running men to halt, put his hands up, and LOOKING for weapons in their hands BEFORE shooting?
Instead they shot 2 hostages, wounding one and killing the other because they did shoddy police work.
They are supposed to be trained to THINK in stressful situations, not just react. This was not murder, but it was what anyone NOT trained to still be thinking while under stress, yet armed would do because they saw “thin man with a black shirt” was the same as reported … as if that was enough evidence to start shooting. There are lots of thin men that wear black shirts who could have been one of the hostages who would run if they saw a chance.
This was caused by lack of appropriate training.
Wake up, Tara. That’s a real popular definition of “police work” on TV, but in real life, they just run around shooting anyone they want to.
Forget all the exciting episodes of “ADAM 12” and read about all the innocent people these sick bastards kill on a regular basis. At least this time there was an actual criminal present when they started shooting, and that’s a big step up from them just blowing people away so they can rush back to the doughnut shop.
It has nothing to do with any “lack of training”. They’ve been highly trained by the ADL to shoot us all because we’re their enemies, and the justice system has trained them to know that they’ll always get away with it.
Good. I’m glad the moron is dead. In the future they’ll keep a gun in the house and defend themselves rather than relying on a the morons in blue to shoot everyone present out of fear that they might break a fingernail or something.
As for the cops, their day is coming, so I’m not worried about them in the least. They’ll face the only form of justice we’ll ever be able to see in this country.