New Orleans police officer shot with her own gun

[Psychic Bacon]

N.O. COP KILLED WITH OWN GUN- NOLA.com


N.O. COP KILLED WITH OWN GUN
Suspect took officer's weapon during struggle, police say
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
By Brendan McCarthy

A New Orleans police officer was fatally shot Monday morning in Central City by a man who police initially called a possible rape suspect, but who relatives said is a paranoid schizophrenic transient with no history of sexual assault.

On Monday morning, officer Nicola Cotton, 24, approached a middle-aged man sitting in the parking lot at a strip of stores in Central City, Police Department spokesman Sgt. Joe Narcisse said. Police Superintendent Warren Riley said the man appeared homeless.

Surveillance footage shows Cotton motioning casually about 10 a.m. for the man to come near, police said. At that point, for reasons unclear, he pounced, Narcisse said.

For seven minutes, the pair tussled on the pavement, police said. Cotton called for backup on her radio at some point during the struggle, but the man wrestled away her gun and shot her before help could arrive, police said.

"He fired several times," Narcisse said. "She goes down to the ground. He just stands there, over her, looking down."

He fired again, unloading her service weapon of all its bullets, Narcisse said.

Cotton -- a shy, soft-spoken and ambitious young officer patrolling some of the city's most violent corridors -- was pronounced dead minutes later at University Hospital. She became the second female NOPD officer killed in the line of duty.

Two men, similar names

Police said Cotton was shot in the 2100 block of Earhart Boulevard by Bernel Johnson, 44, a man described in an NOPD news release as having a history of sexual assaults.

"Officer Cotton responded to a suspicious person, possibly the perpetrator of a sexual assault," the news release stated. "Johnson has been previously arrested for sexual assaults in Jefferson Parish."


Story continues for a few pages in the link.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Sig 210]

That brave young lady stood up and became a cop when the city needed her. Now some low life has murdered her. How very tragic.

[Psychic Bacon]

This one hit especially close to me when I found out that she was only 24. I'm 25 and applying to a force near New Orleans...

[rangerman2003]

its always sad when someone behind the badge is killed, even worse when with her own weapon.. how far was backup?? around here backup is less than 2 minutes usually

[Psychic Bacon]

She was about 4 blocks from her district hq.

[atctimmy]

It said she was in a strip mall parking lot. Why didn't anyone help her? It's possible nobody saw a lady cop get attacked by a nut, but my guess is nobody wanted to get "involved". I, for one, would have helped, not with a gun but with my hands.

[goldshellback]

Man....! NOPD has a history of taking care of cop killers on thier own. Prayers to her, her fellow officers, and her family.

atctimmy is right, somebody has to be a dog among the flock and predators.

The wife and I are gonna be in NO next weekend for Mardi Grais too.

[Cupcake]

Damn, Damn, Damn! I sure hope noone was standing by watching.

[srfl]

My condolences to the young officer's family and fellow MOS.

[Ram Rod]

Terrible tragedy indeed.

[HotGuns]

There probably were people standing by watching. Most of them were more than likely unprepared and unequipped to act.

There may have been one or two that could have helped, but made the commitment that they would only help themselves or their family members due to the possibility of getting sued, losing the farm, or not being "on duty" or perhaps they simply chose to be a "good witness".

Of course, none of the above prevented the young officer from getting killed.

[Supertac45]

One link I read had several people watching and no one did anything.

[GBS]

The article I read stated the struggle lasted 7 minutes.
No one even had a cell phone?

[farronwolf]

There probably were people standing by watching. Most of them were more than likely unprepared and unequipped to act.

There may have been one or two that could have helped, but made the commitment that they would only help themselves or their family members due to the possibility of getting sued, losing the farm, or not being "on duty" or perhaps they simply chose to be a "good witness".

Of course, none of the above prevented the young officer from getting killed.

My thoughts exactly. How sad.

[GPS]

That is a very rough neighborhood. A high crime area with lots of drug heads. I've investigated several arsons in that neighborhood including one at the laundry in that strip mall. What really sucks is that this area is about 3 or 4 blocks from City Hall. It just seems like every system is broken down here. In the winter and during the Mardi Gras Carnaval season we also get all the homeless and deadbeats from up north coming down here to get warm and get into the partying. By the way, the law down here does not allow CCW if you are attending a Mardi Gras parade. If you get caught along the parade route with a gun or any other weapon, it is a straight trip to Central Lock-Up for you.

A gunfight broke out shortly after a parade down here the other night when two groups of teenage gang bangers started in on each other. The shooter missed his intended target and the bullet passed through a window into a hotel lobby where it hit a tourist in the head. Luckily, it must have been a grazing hit or missed the brain, because news reports said it was not a life threatening injury.