Off-Duty Connecticut Officer Shoots Daughter (Thinking Intruder)

[JonInNY]

Off-Duty Connecticut Officer Shoots Daughter

STRATFORD, Conn. (AP) - An off-duty New Haven police officer shot and critically wounded his 18-year-old daughter, apparently mistaking her for an intruder after she sneaked out of their Stratford home and re-entered through the basement.

Eric Scott, 41, on the New Haven force for nine years, has not been charged in the Tuesday shooting.

"Mr. Scott was under the impression his daughter had gone to bed for the night," Stratford Capt. Thomas Rodia said. "He did not expect his daughter to be outside or down in the basement."

Investigators said Tasha Scott left her home late Monday to meet a boyfriend. She triggered a backyard motion sensor light as she tried to enter through a basement door.

Awakened by the light, Eric Scott spotted someone moving in the basement bathroom, police said. He fired his department-issued pistol once, hitting the teen in the knee. The bullet traveled up her leg and lodged in her thigh area, police said.

Her father called 911, authorities said.

The teenager underwent surgery and was listed in critical but stable condition Wednesday morning.

Scott has been on leave since being struck by a truck while on duty in November. A telephone listing for him had been disconnected Wednesday morning, and a message left for him at the New Haven department was not immediately returned.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[deadeye72]

He fired his department-issued pistol once, hitting the teen in the knee. The bullet traveled up her leg and lodged in her thigh area, police said.

Something does not sound right here. I think there may be more to this story.

[matiki]

Something does not sound right here. I think there may be more to this story.

Chaos theory in action.


I have witnessed two firearms related fatalities in my life. One of them was from a .22LR that entered at the left hip and came to rest in his left ventricle.


I hope she makes a full and speedy recovery.

[NKMG19]

That sucks. I hope she recovers well .
I don't think she will be sneaking out again.
What ever happened to target identification.

[Eagleks]

Something does not sound right here. I think there may be more to this story.

That's what I thought too. He saw a figure in the bathroom and shot ??

Anyone who has teenagers, needs to be very aware of their target and that it's not one of their friends who came over, them sneaking back in, etc. Anyone who doesn' think that, is niave.

Having said that, I was startled once when someone came thru the front door and to the door of my bedroom.... when everyone was "in bed". I told them to halt and I had a gun.... at which point my son yelled "DAD, IT"S ME". He turned on the light to find out I wasn't joking, but I didn't have it on him, my finger yet on the trigger, nor did I shoot him. YET. After that, whenever he came in the front door late.... I had to laugh... he would YELL OUT .. that he was home. He told me that he wanted to be sure I knew it was him.

I hope she recovers OK, and that he's not quite as quick to react next time.

[Benthic]

This incident happened in May of 2007 (look at the dates on the comments) and I'm pretty sure there was a thread on it here then.

Brian

[paramedic70002]

Basement door? Sounds more like first floor to me. But then again we don't have basements in my area for some reason.

As far as target ID, he IDed the target as an intruder, in dim light I assume. Can't say I would have not made the same call. Technically she was in the act of B&E (sort of).

My oldest is 8, I fear the times to come when he tries stuff like this. OTOH, the wife is up and down all night long while I sleep like a corpse...

[ChiWeiSz]

Yeah, my wife is worried I might cap one of our kids (or her) because I am so slow to wake up.
However, my family knows how to work the alarm system, and how it goes off, etc. So, if the alarm wakes me up - it most likely is the boogie man!!

[ccw9mm]

If as described ...

This underscores how critical it is for any defensive plan to involve ALL house members, so that all know the responses to such situations. She should have known that a lethal response would have been implemented in the dead of night with surreptitious entry. Should should have known that ringing the doorbell or calling would have allowed entry. (I understand the heat and hormones involved, but it's not worth death.)

Beyond that, I suppose one could say "know thy target." But, the target in this case was a midnight surreptitious entrant to a well-defended home.

That's what I thought too. He saw a figure in the bathroom and shot ??

You're correct that such a thing doesn't bear much resemblance to a criminal intruder. I'd like to think that, if faced with the same scenario, that I would yell out loud for the intruder to identify, particularly if I had not already accounted for all family members. Tough situation, when family is not a part of the plan or is defying the plan. They're going to have to get the ground rules straight, after this.

Personally, I'm not of the shoot-first-ask-questions-later crowd. I'd rather be a bit slower off the mark and have reasonably solid ID in a situation where I failed to know for certain that everyone was accounted for (ie, in defending an ensconced position at the end of a hallway). If I saw a silhouette in a room, I would think it simple enough to demand the person identify, while covering that room's entrance.

[ChiWeiSz]

Yeppers, this affirms that it is imperative to be proactive and involve ALL family members, even if some of the family members are a little overwhelmed at daddy's/hubby's arming himself.

[retsupt99]

If awakened at night by a potential intruder, I'll know where my wife is and the Rhodesian will also know the difference between someone known or unknown.
The intended target would have a moment of Surfire's 100 lumens staring him in the face...shortly before the bright flash and loud boom.
Knowing your target is the key here...

My grown kids already know not to play tricks on our household after dark...

[packin45]

What ever happened to target identification.

But the police are 'special'. There have been instances of LEOs shooting at sounds in the dark, even through doors and walls, and they're cleared of wrongdoing when innocent bystanders are hit. Apparently, they're held to a different standard than you and I.

[falcon1]

If as described ...

This underscores how critical it is for any defensive plan to involve ALL house members, so that all know the responses to such situations. She should have known that a lethal response would have been implemented in the dead of night with surreptitious entry. Should should have known that ringing the doorbell or calling would have allowed entry. (I understand the heat and hormones involved, but it's not worth death.)

I warn my students of just such a thing. IIRC (unless it is an urban myth), a law enforcement officer several years ago shot and killed his teenage daughter when she arrived home early (and unexpectedly) and thought it would be fun to hide in the closet to surprise him and shout "Boo!" at him. I tell my teens that, if they ever arrive home early, to have the lights and TV on and holler, "Hi, it's me!" as soon as their parents arrive home.

I hope the young woman survives and makes a full recovery.

[cvhoss]

Like others already said, old article. Here's the only update I could find.

Hoss

[aznav]

That's what I thought too. He saw a figure in the bathroom and shot ??

Anyone who has teenagers, needs to be very aware of their target and that it's not one of their friends who came over, them sneaking back in, etc. Anyone who doesn' think that, is niave.

Having said that, I was startled once when someone came thru the front door and to the door of my bedroom.... when everyone was "in bed". I told them to halt and I had a gun.... at which point my son yelled "DAD, IT"S ME". He turned on the light to find out I wasn't joking, but I didn't have it on him, my finger yet on the trigger, nor did I shoot him. YET. After that, whenever he came in the front door late.... I had to laugh... he would YELL OUT .. that he was home. He told me that he wanted to be sure I knew it was him.

I hope she recovers OK, and that he's not quite as quick to react next time.

Both my sons have moved away and I have told them, over and over, if you are coming home let us know. Even then, shout out your name when you come in the first time. My dad almost shot one of his closet friends who was drunk and trying to come in the back door at night.