[Janq]

Preface:
This story is not exactly CCW related per se but the situation and lessons to be learned are driectly relevant to us all be we CCW or simply home defense types.
Be warned this situation is complex and as such a long read requiring me to post not one but two news stories that compliment each other providing full view of what went down and could easily happen to any one of us FTL.

Initial news report...

Man Shot and Killed by Police In Narcotics Operation

By Ryan Duffy and Victor Blackwell
First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Jacksonville Narcotics officers shot and killed a man during an undercover operation on the Southside.

The shooting happened in the 2300 block of Westmont Street, just off Philips Highway Saturday night.

"An individual approached from between two houses brandishing a handgun. The officers gave several commands to drop the gun, he did not, so they exchanged gunfire," says Chief Dwain Senterfitt.

Witnesses told First Coast News it appeared the man mistook the officers for drug dealers and was trying to scare them away.

"The man came out three times and said move out of my yard. So after the third time he came out with a 357 and started shooting at the individuals," said a witness who did not want to be identified.

Police say officers shot the man several times and there were bullets found in a tree the officers had used as cover.

The man died at Shands Jacksonville.

A man who says he is the victim's nephew tells First Coast News that the victim was weeks from turning 81 years old. He says his uncle was a respected man in the neighborhood that everyone called, 'Pops.'

"He [got] his enjoyment from sitting under a tree and watching his collard greens and cabbages grow," said nephew Gary Evans.

"The only time anybody would hear anything out of my uncle is if they stopped in front of his house and tried to do whatever deals they wanted to do," Evans added.

Officers John Maynard and James Narcisse have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in police shootings.

The narcotics officers had been working in the neighborhood in response to complaints by residents about the drug activity.

The undercover investigation netted five arrests before the shooting.

The deadly shooting is the second by JSO in a week.

Last weekend narcotics officers shot and killed 18-year-old Doug Woods at the Sable Palms Apartments on Emerson, which is blocks from the scene of the latest shooting.

Investigators said Woods tried to rob an undercover officer with a gun.

Witnesses claim Woods only had a cell phone in his hand.

The article with pics and multiple video links can be found at; http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=74573

Followup report...

Neighbors and Family Outcry Over Latest Police Shooting

By Kristin Smith
First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says the victim of a police shooting Saturday night on the Southside is 81-year-old Isaac Singletary.

Police say the shooting happened after they ordered Singletary to drop his weapon, and they had no choice but to shoot Singletary.

"If you've got an individual that's got a firearm, then you have to do what you have to do based on your training to protect your life or protect the lives of others," said the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Director of Homeland Security and Investigations, Micheal Edwards.

Edwards says the Undercover Narcotics Unit was using the area near Singletary's yard to bust drug operations in the neighborhood. He says words were exchanged between the undercover officers and Singletary.

What exactly was said is under investigation. Edwards says JSO is also investigating whether police identified themselves to Singletary before the shooting.

"The policy is that if you have the opportunity to identify yourself, we will identify ourselves," said Edwards.

Some who say they saw the shooting have a very different story. Neighbors there refer to Singletary as 'Pops.'

"That's the first thing he did. He came outside and asked, 'Will you please get off my property? You have no business on my property. You know you're wrong, get off my property.' The next thing you know, he said, 'He's got a gun.' So he ran around the tree and he shot Pops. Pops fell right here. Pops fired some shots, but all his shots hit the tree because the dude was behind the tree. That's exactly how it went," said Price Benton III, a neighbor.

Reporter: "Do you think he knew they were officers?"

"How? They didn't have nothing on that said, POLICE. After the man told them to get out of his yard, they didn't say, 'We're holding a police investigation out here, or we're officers.' They didn't say none of that," said Shafonda Boyeoten, a neighbor.

Boyeoten says everyone in their neighborhood knows not to go into Singletary's yard. She says even the drug dealers know it and respect it.

"He's real mean. He don't let nobody in his yard. You know, he don't play. So we respect him for that because he's an elderly man," said Boyeoten.

Police say they are investigating the shooting, and the two officers involved in the shooting are on standard paid administrative leave.

Police say the undercover officers did make 5 arrests for illegal drug activity in the neighborhood before the shooting.

Related articles:
# Police Kill Elderly Man During Narcotics Operation
# Tension On The Streets Divide A Community Wanting Change

The article with pics and video can be found at; http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=74585

- Janq

Lessons learned:

Mr. Singletary made a couple of tactical errors...
1) Call the cops/911 first if any suspicion of illegal activity is on going outside or around your home.
2) Don't go to the source of trouble...stay inside your fort/home and observe while awaiting backup e.g. 911. Stay on the phone with 911 providing running observational commentary untill they arrive on the scene.
3) He'd already gone out once to tell them to leave, and alerted them to his presence & observation thus giving up the very beneficial element of surprise.
4) Two behind hard cover against one with none are long odds to beat.
5) Shotgun FTW.

This deal is horrible for all parties as police are allowed to encroach on ones private property if necessary toward doing of their job as they did here. Being undercover/plainclothed they couldn't exactly yell out to dude amongst the watching neighbors; "It's okay sir, we are law enforcement officers here to protect & serve".

 

[MrMcCrackin]

so many mistakes - unfortunately deadly ones

 

[The Ghoul]

I see some inconsistancy with wittness reports and police reports. Makes me uneasy.

Then again, I don't rob people, and I live in a safe neighborhood.