Officer shot/killed because he had gun.. what would they do to you?

(a retired nyc cop who was out of NYC and a transit cop killed a cop answering a call). The friendly-fire shooting that cost a Long Island cop his life was a point-blank blunder that started when a retired cop with no business at the scene yelled, "Gun," an official said yesterday.

Geoffrey Breitkopf, 40, was shot and killed Saturday by an MTA cop responding to a call at a Massapequa Park house where Nassau police had killed a knife-wielding Satan worshipper.

The MTA officers were assisting county cops with mop-up duty when Nassau County Special Ops Officer Breitkopf arrived in a car with his partner, according to Nassau County Police Benevolent Association president James Carver.
As Breitkopf walked toward the house in plain clothes with a rifle slung over his shoulder and his badge around his neck, an unidentified retired NYPD sergeant from the neighborhood -- milling around outside -- cried out, "Gun!" Carver said.

One of the MTA cops tried to wrestle the rifle away, while the other, Glenn Gentile, fired a single shot, hitting Breitkopf in the side, Carver said.

Gentile and his partner were then trying to handcuff the dying officer on the lawn when his hysterical partner ran over and cried, "He's one of us," according to Carver.

"There's a lot of anger with my guys right now about this whole thing," Carver said. "My guy was dead before he hit the ground. He had no chance."

yankees98a said:

(a retired nyc cop who was out of NYC and a transit cop killed a cop answering a call). The friendly-fire shooting that cost a Long Island cop his life was a point-blank blunder that started when a retired cop with no business at the scene yelled, "Gun," an official said yesterday.

Geoffrey Breitkopf, 40, was shot and killed Saturday by an MTA cop responding to a call at a Massapequa Park house where Nassau police had killed a knife-wielding Satan worshipper.

The MTA officers were assisting county cops with mop-up duty when Nassau County Special Ops Officer Breitkopf arrived in a car with his partner, according to Nassau County Police Benevolent Association president James Carver.
As Breitkopf walked toward the house in plain clothes with a rifle slung over his shoulder and his badge around his neck, an unidentified retired NYPD sergeant from the neighborhood -- milling around outside -- cried out, "Gun!" Carver said.

One of the MTA cops tried to wrestle the rifle away, while the other, Glenn Gentile, fired a single shot, hitting Breitkopf in the side, Carver said.

Gentile and his partner were then trying to handcuff the dying officer on the lawn when his hysterical partner ran over and cried, "He's one of us," according to Carver.

"There's a lot of anger with my guys right now about this whole thing," Carver said. "My guy was dead before he hit the ground. He had no chance."

Click to expand...

Do you have a link/source for this article? Thanks...

Here's a link

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Nassau-County-Police-Officer-Killed.html

One of the articles I read said he was carrying a handgun. Sounds like the MTA officer thought he was the suspect with a weapon.

Seems like the police there have an extreme fear of weapons.

EDIT: Just found the above mentioned link that does say it was a rifle.

If someone has a rifle slung on their shoulder and you don't trust them how hard is it to sight them and disarm them? Seriously.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/li_officer_doomed_by_cry_of_gun_wNjTWkivEHa16Y7h5QYVEN

sharkey said:

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Nassau-County-Police-Officer-Killed.html

One of the articles I read said he was carrying a handgun. Sounds like the MTA officer thought he was the suspect with a weapon.

Seems like the police there have an extreme fear of weapons.

EDIT: Just found the above mentioned link that does say it was a rifle.

If someone has a rifle slung on their shoulder and you don't trust them how hard is it to sight them and disarm them? Seriously.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/li_officer_doomed_by_cry_of_gun_wNjTWkivEHa16Y7h5QYVEN

Click to expand...

There is more to this story that will never be released, but I am assured, contrary to the news reports, that the MTA Officer didn't just unjustifiably open fire on a guy casually walking around with a rifle. We'll just have to wait and see what the final story is as interviews are apparently ongoing.

Read no charges will be filed. Makes sense, as in ny cops are above the law even when murdering another cop. Waiting for that ******* bloomberg to blame it on AZ.

Gunslinger said:

Read no charges will be filed. Makes sense, as in ny cops are above the law even when murdering another cop. Waiting for that ******* bloomberg to blame it on AZ.

Click to expand...

The proper course of action is to ban the police from carrying guns.

emsjeep said:

There is more to this story that will never be released, but I am assured, contrary to the news reports, that the MTA Officer didn't just unjustifiably open fire on a guy casually walking around with a rifle.

Click to expand...

Is there a word for negative credibility? When someone's argument makes you believe the other side even more?

marshaul said:

Is there a word for negative credibility? When someone's argument makes you believe the other side even more?

Click to expand...

Apparently its one of those weird cop things where the true feelings and facts are kept in-house to their own detriment for the sake of the organization. I don't pretend to understand. Ever watch the movie Backdraft? Its sort of like that but with no indication of criminality. There is also the question of whether that was BS and the animosity stems from an exceptional officer making others look bad; either way, there are some heavy and secretive internal things being hinted at around here.

emsjeep said:

Apparently its one of those weird cop things where the true feelings and facts are kept in-house to their own detriment for the sake of the organization. I don't pretend to understand. Ever watch the movie Backdraft? Its sort of like that but with no indication of criminality. There is also the question of whether that was BS and the animosity stems from an exceptional officer making others look bad; either way, there are some heavy and secretive internal things being hinted at around here.

Click to expand...

emsjeep, have you heard more to the story than is reported here? http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_...e_death_interfered_with_crime_scene_offi.html

What are some of the secretive internal things you've heard about?

Back to the OP's question, "Officer shot/killed because he had gun.. what would they do to you?"

yankees98a said:

...As Breitkopf walked toward the house in plain clothes with a rifle slung over his shoulder...

Click to expand...

First, I do not know of anyone here on OCDO (other than I think Danbus many years ago) who would walk into an active police investigation, especially where shots were just fired, open carrying a firearm.

Nor do I believe anyone here would advocate interjecting yourself into such a scene. If someone believes that's a prudent action, please correct me.

well it was a 2 yr retired nypd sergeant responsible for yelling gun.

The retired NYPD sergeant under investigation for possibly triggering the friendly-fire death of a Long Island cop ignored commands to stop interfering at an ongoing crime scene, a police union official said Wednesday.

"He would not leave," Nassau County Police Benevolent Association President James Carver said of John Cafarella, who allegedly barked orders after cops shot and killed a knife-wielding Satanist on Saturday night.

"He should have gotten the hell out of the way."

Cafarella then yelled "Gun!" when he spotted rifle-toting, plainclothes cop Geoffrey Breitkopf, 40, walking up to the home where Anthony DiGeronimo was killed about 10 minutes earlier.

In the split-second chaos outside the Massapequa Park home, MTA cop Glen Gentile opened fire, hitting Breitkopf in the side, piercing his heart.

Carver fumed as he described how Cafarella grabbed the M-4 rifle out of the dead officer's hands.

"Geoff, at this time, is on the ground," Carver raged. "He's dead."

Breitkopf, a Nassau police special operations officer, was a married father of two young boys from Selden, L.I. He was also a volunteer firefighter, and his wake was held Wednesday at the local firehouse, where he was laid out in his police uniform.

Carver walked away from the crowd of Breitkopf's relatives and fellow cops to speak to reporters. He provided the first public account that seemed to explain why Gentile fired after Cafarella screamed "Gun!"
Breitkopf approached the home's front lawn with his rifle slung over his shoulder on a strap and its muzzle pointing down.

"The gun was never, ever pointed in any direction other than the ground," Carver said.

Cafarella lives in the same neighborhood as DiGeronimo, and he saw the initial confrontation between the 21-year-old and cops. An NYPD source said Cafarella stayed at the scene so he could serve as a witness.
When Cafarella sounded the fateful warning, a second MTA cop grabbed Breitkopf in an effort to stop him, Carver said.

That touch turned Breitkopf's body slightly, leading the muzzle of his rifle to move into what may have seemed, from Gentile's perspective, like a firing position, Carver said.

Gentile has reportedly been inconsolable since the tragedy. MTA spokesman Sal Arena said Gentile is currently on sick leave, and will be placed on administrative duty when he returns to work.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_...ered_with_crime_scene_offi.html#ixzz1Gv829EiJ

Is it normal to carry a rifle that is slung on your shoulder with your hands? Because if not this story has inconsistencies.

Wearing a uniform might have helped to prevent this situation. Cops who dress as everybody else on the street will sometimes be treated as anybody else on the street.

Inany

Disclaimer: I am Not A New Yorker (INANY)

Do New York police officers ever see New Yorkers carrying guns?

Do they think that any exposed firearm is a lethal threat?

Since when is hand-to-hand combat, followed by lethal deployment of a sidearm justified because a person has an exposed gun?

United States v. Ubilles: (3rd Circuit) Having a gun in a crowd is not a crime.

Terry v. Ohio: (SCOTUS) RAS needed to detain with gun.

United States v. King (10th Circuit) "...a firearm alone did not create a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity."

I am asking a philosophical question here.

Are New York cops so unaccustomed to seeing guns in public that they freak-out, wet their pants, draw their weapons and start shooting at the mere sight of a shouldered firearm?

I am confused.

If this story is true, New York cops need some serious de-programing. Talk about brainwashed.

markm

In a simple answer, YES

The plebians of New York City are essentially forbidden firearms. "Man with a gun" is seen as a life threatening engagement by the NYPD. Anyone approaching the police, armed, MUST be a criminal as the "innocent" New Yorkers could not be armed. Circular thinking with the usual deadly results. All of it approved and sponsored by the politicians and the press working together to repress the rights of citizens.

The Wolfhound said:

The plebians of New York City are essentially forbidden firearms. "Man with a gun" is seen as a life threatening engagement by the NYPD. Anyone approaching the police, armed, MUST be a criminal as the "innocent" New Yorkers could not be armed. Circular thinking with the usual deadly results. All of it approved and sponsored by the politicians and the press working together to repress the rights of citizens.

Click to expand...

Hey Wolfhound,

What about "...due process of the law," "...equal protection...," "...unreasoble searches and siezures," "...shall not be deprived of life and liberty unless convicted by a jury of thier piers," and "...the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed?"

And then there is case law.

Circular thinking is the correct term. Unbelievable.

markm

MarkBofRAdvocate said:

Hey Wolfhound,

What about "...due process of the law," "...equal protection...," "...unreasoble searches and siezures," "...shall not be deprived of life and liberty unless convicted by a jury of thier piers," and "...the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed?"

And then there is case law.

Circular thinking is the correct term. Unbelievable.

markm

Click to expand...

The cops kill people and laugh about it...do you really think they care about the law? Most of the time they are dealing with criminals and no one cares, every once in a while an innocent civilian is involved, and less often, another officer. They will blame the retired cop and everyone will move on.

I may only hear about the bad cases, but....

Does anyone ever survive a police shooting in New York? It seems from my safe distance that the NYCPD is a tad on the trigger happy side and that the shooting stops only when the target is down and had stopped moving, breathing, living? So in effect, gun possession is a fatal "crime" in the eyes of the police in New York and they will never get punished for the trampling the rights of the unfortunate citizens? Officer Safety trumps any rights you once had. Now, there is Freedom for you. And people wonder why some of us detest The urban Northeast.

I've always heard...,

that they take care of their own, does that mean they will do away with the retired officer somehow too, or will he be rehired?

How do they score this one?

sidestreet

we are not equal, we will never be equal, but we must be relentless.

My question is, it says he had a badge around his neck, and another officer tried to take the rifle away before the shot was fired.

How stupid were the officers to NOT see the shiny badge around this guys neck? If you're trying to take a rifle away from a guy, you're RIGHT there, point blank, how can you not see it?

Makes no sense, and the retired cop should sit around listening to a scanner, so he can run around and try to act like he's still on the force.

He's an idiot, and I honestly think he should be charged.