Joker Killed In State Park

[redragon74]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090313/ap_on_...l_park_shooting
Man dressed like The Joker slain by police in park

2 hrs 28 mins agoFRONT ROYAL, Va. – A soldier dressed and wearing face-paint like Batman villain The Joker was shot and killed by police in the Shenandoah National Park after he pointed a loaded shotgun at them after a chase, an FBI affidavit says.

Army Spc. Christopher Lanum, a suspect in the stabbing of a fellow soldier at Fort Eustis, was killed hours after the attack when officers attempted to stop the minivan he was driving, according to court documents filed Wednesday that first disclosed the weekend shooting.

Lanum's girlfriend Patsy Ann Marie Montowski, a passenger in the van, was hit by gunfire and treated at a hospital. She was arrested Wednesday evening and charged with being accessory after the fact to assault, authorities said.

A lawyer for Montowski was not listed in court documents.

According to the FBI affidavit filed in federal court in Montowski's case, Lanum was dressed in The Joker outfit at the time of an argument early Sunday with his Fort Eustis suite mate, Spc. Mitchell Stone. Montowski told the FBI that Lanum idolized the character.

Stone told emergency workers that Lanum stabbed him and used a stun gun on him, authorities said, adding he was taken to a hospital for serious injuries and later released.

Stone told emergency workers that Lanum stabbed him and used a stun gun on him, the affidavit said. Stone was taken to a hospital for serious injuries and later released.

Lanum and Montowski fled in her van, which a park ranger spotted about 200 miles northwest of the base, according to authorities. The ranger called for help, and Lanum led police on a slow-speed chase before running over a spike strip laid down by police and crashing, they added.

The FBI said Montowski told them that Lanum handed her the shotgun and asked her to kill him, but she refused. The affidavit says Lanum pointed the gun at police, his finger on the trigger, and refused commands to drop the weapon. A trooper fired through the driver's side window, Lanum's shotgun discharged, and police fired several times.

The trooper and park rangers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of internal investigations, according to a joint state police, FBI and National Park Service release.

damn son
these desperate crazy times man....

 

[Razgriz]

Damn...

 

[M07Marauder]

The joker dies again?...

Sorry, thats pretty crazy.

Crazy things going on these days.

 

[BlindRascal]

The trooper and park rangers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of internal investigations, according to a joint state police, FBI and National Park Service release.

What?! They were totally justified in shooting him! (well, maybe minus the first shot by the trooper)


Although it is a funnyish story. But not at all. I'm just surprised more people haven't pulled joker stunts yet.

Although a picture would have been interesting.

 

[rowan]

A quote from the joker seems to be appropriate here:
"madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little push!"

 

[bevbor]

Wow that was crazy =(

More crazy but funnyish news: mine victim dies after falling from rescue helicopter

 

[adventchildmatrix]

What?! They were totally justified in shooting him! (well, maybe minus the first shot by the trooper)
Although it is a funnyish story. But not at all. I'm just surprised more people haven't pulled joker stunts yet.

Although a picture would have been interesting.

The first shot would have been justified as it would have been a warning shot

 

[redragon74]

i think wat it morely was, was because the first shot, his shotgun went off so they thaught he returned fire wich he prolly did

 

[Crucible]

why so srs

 

[drgon47]

I have several weapons hidden throughout my house. It is necessary in theses times. Things are not looking good, and are getting worse. I will do what is necessary to protect me and the ones I care about.

 

[Loess]

The first shot would have been justified as it would have been a warning shot

I think "warning shots" are prohibited by just about every law enforcement agency around.

A firearm is a weapon, and should never be used unless you think deadly force is necessary. Warning someone is nowhere near enough justification for deadly force. Usually, you have to be reasonable sure someone means you harm before you are justified to go as far as tazing them, let alone firing a gun at them.

 

[M07Marauder]

At the apartments I lived at in Denton our neighbor was shot more than 20 times by the police when his gun accidentally went off.

He was drunk and a buddy of his called the police because he was threatening to kill himself, when the police got there he was standing outside with his pistol pointed in the air.

He was talking with the police and they were trying to calm him down but suddenly the gun went off and the police unloaded on him, the gun wasn't even pointed at them.

That guy was a college student at UNT and was on grants for being a f***ing genius, he was cool as hell. There was no need to shoot him, especially with more than twenty shots. They did an autopsy to see what happened and found more than twenty rounds from the officers in him.

This happened in 2005 if I remember correctly.

 

[BlindRascal]

I think "warning shots" are prohibited by just about every law enforcement agency around.

A firearm is a weapon, and should never be used unless you think deadly force is necessary. Warning someone is nowhere near enough justification for deadly force. Usually, you have to be reasonable sure someone means you harm before you are justified to go as far as tazing them, let alone firing a gun at them.

Yeah, warning shots are edit: prohibited is a better word as you stated.


But the thing is, if someone has a shotgun pointed at them, and his fingers on the trigger and he says no to dropping the gun. I think thats enough justification. His reaction time is a lot quicker to fire than for them to react to it.

 

[GruntOfAction]

At the apartments I lived at in Denton our neighbor was shot more than 20 times by the police when his gun accidentally went off.

He was drunk and a buddy of his called the police because he was threatening to kill himself, when the police got there he was standing outside with his pistol pointed in the air.

He was talking with the police and they were trying to calm him down but suddenly the gun went off and the police unloaded on him, the gun wasn't even pointed at them.

That guy was a college student at UNT and was on grants for being a f***ing genius, he was cool as hell. There was no need to shoot him, especially with more than twenty shots. They did an autopsy to see what happened and found more than twenty rounds from the officers in him.

This happened in 2005 if I remember correctly.

Yet another reason why I hate cops.

 

[Loess]

Yeah, warning shots are edit: prohibited is a better word as you stated.
But the thing is, if someone has a shotgun pointed at them, and his fingers on the trigger and he says no to dropping the gun. I think thats enough justification. His reaction time is a lot quicker to fire than for them to react to it.

Oh, it sounds like the officers were justified in their actions. Someone (allegedly, since there's no conviction) assaulting a person with a knife, running from law enforment, and holding a weapon and threatening officers or others, would seem to give clear justification for deadly force, I was only commenting on use of force regarding warning shots. (Can't stand people being foolish with firearms, since they provide legislators with excuses to restrict me.)

 

[BlindRascal]

Oh, it sounds like the officers were justified in their actions. Someone (allegedly, since there's no conviction) assaulting a person with a knife, running from law enforment, and holding a weapon and threatening officers or others, would seem to give clear justification for deadly force, I was only commenting on use of force regarding warning shots. (Can't stand people being foolish with firearms, since they provide legislators with excuses to restrict me.)

I agree with you completely, I knew it was going to sound a bit jumbled though.



Although the running from law enforcent doesn't mean you can use deadly force (although it use to be "allowed")



Moral of the story: Don't be stupid, but don't be even more stupid with a gun.

 

[Loess]

I agree with you completely, I knew it was going to sound a bit jumbled though.
Although the running from law enforcent doesn't mean you can use deadly force (although it use to be "allowed")
Moral of the story: Don't be stupid, but don't be even more stupid with a gun.

Yeah, I should have left running out of the list of dumb things he did with weapons. Fleeing from LEO's was just the creamy filling between the assault, and threatening officers with a loaded shotgun.

 

[rvb4life]

wow.....why so serious?

 

[BFDesigns]

I believe that in the state of PA that it is illegal and considered excessive use of deadly force if a firearm is discharged in a self-defense case where the assailant dies as a result of said firearm discharge. However, it is not considered illegal if an edged weapon is used in the same situation.

Doesn't really make sense to me but it does give me release to use any of the long blades that I own should anyone threaten me or try to take my stuff.

After this guy in the joker suit tho, the first shot wasn't a warning shot from what I read but a dead on headshot or some other kind of critical hit (neck, high chest, etc.). The shotgun discharging was probably a reflex shot (that split second where all your vitals spike and all your muscles tense up after you get shot in the head). This is probably why the officers unloaded into the car. I feel sorry for the guy's girlfriend tho, having to sit there and watch her former boyfriend get chopped into hamburger by cop bullets. F*ckin' ass holes.

I hate cops! They all sign up to use their weapons and all they have to do is bench their own weight and pass an aptitude test to get a badge. They should all be psychologically profiled, maced, and shot in the leg just so they know what it feels like to get shot and shot at. Maybe then they'd learn that excessive use of lethal force is not warranted in every situation they are in. They'll even shoot you in a routine traffic stop out here! If you feel like you want to be a cop just so you can have a shiny badge and a big gun which gives you leave to disregard the traffic laws and shoot at anyone that you perceive to be dangerous, join the military!

 

[Bigalt424]

I have several weapons hidden throughout my house.

This reminded me so much of the Office when Dwight is talking about his various weapons
Here