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In Atlanta shooting case, the police called for help for themselves and not their shooting victim

The Atlanta Journal-Constitutional reported Sunday in the SWAT shooting case Police recording reveals urgency after shooting. The press finally got the tapes after an open records request.  The officers appear concerned for themselves and not for the elderly person they shoot during the drug raid.

There is a clear sense of urgency in their voices on the recorded conversations, and moments of brief shouting can be heard as officers work to coordinate their efforts.

About eight minutes after the initial call for help, a dispatcher repeatedly asks about the condition of the wounded officers. In response, another officer lists their injuries, saying, "We've got one in the arm, one in the leg, one in the shoulder."

There are many references to the wounded officers, but little talk of Johnston. Officers refer to her as a "perp," or perpetrator. There were no calls for medical assistance for Johnston, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Maybe they already knew she was dead, but the article mentions nothing about her condition.  

At any rate, the police fraternity would be more concerned for the fellow officers that were shot than the person they shot.  The fact she fired a gun at them was reason enough to ignore her bullet wounds?

[cross-linked from www.FourthAmendment.com]

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  • Display: Sort:
    The fact she fired a gun at them was reason enough (none / 0) (#1)
    by Sailor on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 12:25:57 AM EST
    The fact she fired a gun at them was reason enough to ignore her bullet wounds?
    At some point shouldn't attribution be made for commenters who also made this point?

    I read the transcripts, read the warrant, and made an analysis, and oddly enough, came to the same conclusion that the AP did ... several hours before they did.

    No cocaine, no Sam, no video cams... (none / 0) (#2)
    by Bill Arnett on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 04:42:41 PM EST
    ...a possibly deficient affidavit for a warrant that hid the fact there were bars on the window, three officers needlessly wounded, a dead elderly lady with no connections to drugs demonstrated; better by far to make SURE she was dead as she was the only witness to the events except the police that have every reason to want to conceal any possible wrong-doing.

    Nothing to see here, move along, move along.

    Informant has stated the cops asked him to lie (none / 0) (#3)
    by atlanta lawyer on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 09:41:46 PM EST
    Talkleft hasn't convered all the aspects of this story.  The informant has told the press and the police that he never made a buy at this house and that after they killed the lady they called him and asked him to cover their asses. He's now in federal protective custody