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Citizens stop petty crime, Confusion sets in...

IndianaBoy79

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Did anyone happen to catch this on the news???

http://www.ktvb.com/news/crime/stories/ktvbn-jul1709-citizen_arrest.4e0b1fd0.html
BOISE -- A bizarre turn of events Friday afternoon in downtown Boise after a man steals another man's duffle bag.
Two bystanders pulled their guns to stop the crime.
Police say what started this was a case of petit theft.
One man is now accused of stealing a bag from a homeless man near the corner of Americana Boulevard and River Street.

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Misunderstanding could lead to assault charges It was after this occurred that Paul Brookhouse stepped in to make a citizens arrest.
He now faces possible felony charges.
"Somewhat confusing when it all was wrapped up," said Lt. Ron Winegar with the Boise Police Department.
On Friday afternoon just before one, Brookhouse says he witnessed a crime.
"The other guy grabbed a bag, a duffle bag and started running across the street. The one gentleman turned around and started yelling, ‘stop hey, stop that's my stuff’," Brookhouse said.
Brookhouse pulled his car over and intervened.
But in the heat of the moment this concealed weapons permit holder made an erroneous claim.
"I pulled my weapon and I told the gentleman, I made a mistake here, I said, "Boise Police. Stop. You're under arrest." So, he did, I asked him to get on the ground, we did all the hands behind your back thing. I frisked him and then held him at gun point until the police department got here," Brookhouse said.
Police identified the man Brookhouse stopped as 46-year-old John Dickey.
But before police arrived another man driving by saw Brookhouse holding Dickey at gun point.
He too held a concealed weapons permit.
"Saw that taking place and thought there was a crime happening and so he intervened, pulling his handgun and trying to detain the first citizen who had pulled the handgun to try and detain the initial suspect," Winegar said.
When police arrived they had both men put down their guns.
"While this citizen, this subject had good intentions in helping out with the crime, we just want everybody to be careful and realize the consequences of pulling a handgun, even if you have a legal and lawful permit,” Winegar said. ”It's always probably a better idea to be a good witness and call us and let us intervene.”
Brookhouse admitted to police he told the man that he was an officer.
He said it just came out because he wanted to stop him.
Because he said that, Brookhouse could face felony charges of impersonating a police officer.
He and the other man who drew his weapon could also face aggravated assault charges.
That decision will be left to the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
It's important to mention that neither of the men who drew their guns were arrested.
As for the suspected thief, John Dickey, he is charged with misdemeanor petit theft.
Boise Police say they are grateful that citizens jumped in to help stop a crime.
At the same time, they say that the guns didn't need to be involved, especially with this type of crime.
"If a police officer were making an arrest for petty theft or misdemeanor theft and pulled his gun and pointed it at someone with no apparent reason to do so, then we would certainly be under pretty heavy review for doing that," Winegar said.
*******************

In hindsight, should the first man have pulled his gun to stop a man running away with a bag? There was no danger to the citizen that was robbed and no danger to anyone else at the time. Personally, I think I would let the guy keep running; I pay cops to chase people.

How bout the second man who pulled his gun on the first "good guy"? Should he have intervened so quickly? I think I might have intervened as well, but not so quickly. I would have taken cover, pulled my gun out so I was ready for action, and access the situation to see what should be done. Until I know more though, I'm not coming out from my cover.

I'm glad no one got hurt; if I was the first gun guy, I might have turned and fired at the second man pulling a gun out in my direction.
 

Vandal

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That was a giant cluster fvck all the way around. IMO the 1st dude shouldn't have drawn. There was no direct threat to his life or the lives of others. There is absolutely no reason to pull a gun on a guy stole a gym bag. It can all be replaced. If he would have pulled the trigger it would have been a bad shooting.

The 2nd dude had no clue what was going on and shouldn't have drawn either. Hmm if I see a dude with a gun pulled on another dude, I am gonna pull mine even though I have no real clue what is going on and that could be a cop, bail agent, parole agent, FBI, some other retard with a gun. Uhh no, take cover, call the cops and let them do their jobs. The gun is to protect you and yours. Not some other dude's gym bag.

I think that both need to have their permits pulled for that BS and be charged with whatever the Prosecutor can hit them with. The best course of action would have been the for the 1st person to had just clothes-lined the BG and it would have been over.

The dumba$$ who claimed to be a cop need to be charged with impersonation as well as well as aggravated assault charges all around. Friggin' retards with a hero complex. All three of them are lucky BPD didn't shoot them all.

I plan on emailing the Ada County Prosecutor's Office and going to encourage them to press charges against the gun owners and jerk their permits for that dose of stupidity.
 

shad0wfax

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Vandal wrote:
That was a giant cluster fvck all the way around. IMO the 1st dude shouldn't have drawn. There was no direct threat to his life or the lives of others. There is absolutely no reason to pull a gun on a guy stole a gym bag. It can all be replaced. If he would have pulled the trigger it would have been a bad shooting.

The 2nd dude had no clue what was going on and shouldn't have drawn either. Hmm if I see a dude with a gun pulled on another dude, I am gonna pull mine even though I have no real clue what is going on and that could be a cop, bail agent, parole agent, FBI, some other retard with a gun. Uhh no, take cover, call the cops and let them do their jobs. The gun is to protect you and yours. Not some other dude's gym bag.

I think that both need to have their permits pulled for that BS and be charged with whatever the Prosecutor can hit them with. The best course of action would have been the for the 1st person to had just clothes-lined the BG and it would have been over.

The dumba$$ who claimed to be a cop need to be charged with impersonation as well as well as aggravated assault charges all around. Friggin' retards with a hero complex. All three of them are lucky BPD didn't shoot them all.

I plan on emailing the Ada County Prosecutor's Office and going to encourage them to press charges against the gun owners and jerk their permits for that dose of stupidity.

I have to disagree with your last statement. Although neither man was correct to draw his weapon, neither man fired a shot. No one was injured or killed here. The first man admitted to a felony. That's not good. If he is charged, he'll most likely be convicted and then he'll lose his firearms and voting "rights" (more like privileges the way the law works) for life. He knows he made a mistake and even though it was with the best of intentions. Thus he's already rehabilitated. The court doesn't necessarily need to convict him and sentence him in order to rehabilitate him back into society. Thus, perhaps the prosecuting attorney will not charge him with the felony of impersonating an officer.

Both men who drew guns may face aggravated assault charges. Both men may then face the loss of their firearms for the rest of their lives as aggravated assault can carry as much as a 5 year sentence in ID.

Why would you lobby to have someone's rights denied for the rest of their lives when they both made mistakes that resulted in no loss of life or injury and both have obviously learned from their mistake? Let the prosecuting attorney decide without your influence...
 

Ganghater

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I carry for protection. I'm not a cop, don't want to be, don't want to be confused with being a cop. You may get away with stealing from me but you wont hurt me.

Unless you're an LEO don't draw to stop theft, draw to save a life.
 

PT111

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, South Carolina, USA
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If the first CCW holder had been wearing his CCW badge then there would not have been any confusion. :lol::celebrate
 

Vandal

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"Let the prosecuting attorney decide without your influence.."

Greg Bower, the Ada County Prosecutor, needs all the help he can get. He is the guy who let a well off, white, female high school track finish the track season and school so she could get her scholarship after she ran over and nearly killed a 15/yo male and then left the scene. She claimed she though she had hit a pole and couldn't see because she didn't bother to clean the snow and ice off of her windshield. It took over 3 months for charges to be brought against her as the other kid lay in the hospital.

He is also the guy who can't seem to bring charges against motorists who run over and kill cyclists. He is basically incompetent but keeps getting re-elected because of the R at the end of his name on the ballot.
 

shad0wfax

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Vandal wrote:
"Let the prosecuting attorney decide without your influence.."

Greg Bower, the Ada County Prosecutor, needs all the help he can get. He is the guy who let a well off, white, female high school track finish the track season and school so she could get her scholarship after she ran over and nearly killed a 15/yo male and then left the scene. She claimed she though she had hit a pole and couldn't see because she didn't bother to clean the snow and ice off of her windshield. It took over 3 months for charges to be brought against her as the other kid lay in the hospital.

He is also the guy who can't seem to bring charges against motorists who run over and kill cyclists. He is basically incompetent but keeps getting re-elected because of the R at the end of his name on the ballot.

Well then maybe these two men with good intentions but poor judgment won't have their lives ruined and their firearms rights removed forever because of a conviction of aggravated assault (or in one case impersonating an officer).

No one was injured here. No shots were fired. The only real issue here is the unlawful detention of two people.
 

SlackwareRobert

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That is why you only yell...

"Stop! Militia!" This way there is no mistake that you are armed
and authorized to defend self and state. :lol:

Looks to me the only witness to the police impersonator is the crook.
If the DA lets him go for the chance to prosecute the armed citizen who
stopped a crime, we have already lost any chance of justice.

As for the second armed man, he didn't shoot first and ask later, more proof
he wasn't impersonating a police entity. :banghead:

Just contained the situation till re-enforcements arrived to sort things out.
Don't have much problem with it. Now if the first gunmen was a cop then
the ensuing gunfight when he refused to stand down would have been
glorious.
 
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