Thank God no one was hurt, lesson here is know what your target is before shooting and that it is a real threat as a cop or civilian
Phillip Ransom thought he had trouble Thursday night when his old van broke down on the side of the road, booming out backfires.
But that was when his troubles really began.
Two Kansas City police officers, mistaking the van’s backfires for gunshots, began firing at it.
It was a terrifying moment for the Kansas City man, who was unarmed and said he did not own a gun.
The incident occurred just before 6 p.m. Thursday on Gregory Boulevard near Interstate 435. Ransom, who owns a janitorial service, said he was on his way home from work.
But his van didn’t make it, breaking down just a block from his home.
About the same time, someone called police and reported shots being fired.
But Thursday night, Ransom, concerned that the vehicle might catch fire, stepped out of the van about the time the two officers arrived to investigate and began firing.
Ransom could only stand with his hands in the air and yell that he was not shooting.
“I guess they couldn’t hear me,” Ransom said Friday.
Besides the damage to Ransom’s van, windows of the patrol car were also shot out — apparently by the officers as they got out of the patrol car.
Police and media reports initially described the incident as the police car being hit by a bullet fired from a suspect in the van.
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/11/12/2427505/backfires-from-broken-down-van.html#ixzz15gyTmpq6
Phillip Ransom thought he had trouble Thursday night when his old van broke down on the side of the road, booming out backfires.
But that was when his troubles really began.
Two Kansas City police officers, mistaking the van’s backfires for gunshots, began firing at it.
It was a terrifying moment for the Kansas City man, who was unarmed and said he did not own a gun.
The incident occurred just before 6 p.m. Thursday on Gregory Boulevard near Interstate 435. Ransom, who owns a janitorial service, said he was on his way home from work.
But his van didn’t make it, breaking down just a block from his home.
About the same time, someone called police and reported shots being fired.
But Thursday night, Ransom, concerned that the vehicle might catch fire, stepped out of the van about the time the two officers arrived to investigate and began firing.
Ransom could only stand with his hands in the air and yell that he was not shooting.
“I guess they couldn’t hear me,” Ransom said Friday.
Besides the damage to Ransom’s van, windows of the patrol car were also shot out — apparently by the officers as they got out of the patrol car.
Police and media reports initially described the incident as the police car being hit by a bullet fired from a suspect in the van.
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/11/12/2427505/backfires-from-broken-down-van.html#ixzz15gyTmpq6
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