[Tom357]

You've probably heard there was a suicide by cop up in Fairfax, VA, yesterday. An 18-yr old kid, out on bail, took a rifle and two pistols, and went to the police station. Two officers were critically wounded and one of those died. The news here is making a big deal of the fact that she was a female officer and that she was a mom.

We just had a male officer shot in a suicide by cop, last week, here in Chesterfield. His death received a lot of coverage, but not the same kind of coverage. And I find myself wondering why?

Both were police officers, shot in the line of duty. Why is it a bigger deal because she was a female and a mom? Why isn't it the same when a father dies in the line of duty? It is no less a tragedy for the children or the surviving spouse. Why does the story lead with the fact that she was female, and not that she was an officer? Somehow it seems sexist and does not respect the fact that she was as much an officer as any of her male counterparts, but that's just me.

This is the third suicide by cop that I know of in the past week in our state. A guy was shot the other day after a carjacking and high-speed chase when he refused to drop his weapon and said he would shoot anyone who approached. It turned out to be a fake pistol. The police have no choice, but I wish there were some way to spare them the tragedy of such senseless acts.

 

[QKShooter]

My equal sympathy to all family members who have suffered tragic losses. :usflag:

Suicide By Cop....what a sickening cowardly way to exit this world.

This country loses a full pint of life~blood every time any Police Officer get killed.

Concerning why one would get more media attention than the other would require trying to understand the media.
Something I could never understand.
Why does one missing child get endless national media attention & so many other missing kids never a single word about them going missing?
Who knows.

 

[rstickle]

According to the news up at this end, a third officer was wounded slightly. The female detective that was killed was a 9 year veteran of the force.

Officer Fatally Shot Outside Police Station
Slaying Is 1st in Line of Duty in Fairfax; Gunman, 18, Is Killed After Opening Fire

By Tom Jackman and Lisa Rein
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, May 9, 2006; Page A01


A Fairfax County police detective was killed and two officers were wounded yesterday afternoon after a gunman opened fire with high-powered weapons in the parking lot of a police station during a shift change, law enforcement officials said.

The gunman, who was awaiting trial on carjacking charges in Montgomery County, was killed during the ensuing shootout with police, the officials said.

Police and county officials identified the slain officer as Detective Vicky O. Armel, 40, a nine-year veteran who was assigned to the Sully District station in Chantilly in western Fairfax where the shooting occurred. Her husband is also a Fairfax detective. The couple has two elementary school-aged children, neighbors said.

It was the first fatal shooting of a Fairfax officer in the line of duty in the department's history.

One of the wounded officers was in critical condition last night, police said. The other was being treated for minor injuries and will be fine, said Mary Ann Jennings, a police spokeswoman. A civilian suffered a minor laceration during the gunfight.

This incident also showed all of the local network affiliates at their "best". Those idiot "talking heads" spent a minimum of 70 out of 90 minutes saying NOTHING since the information wasn't released till after their programs were done. I got so PO'd I sent emails to all 3 stations.

 

[Bud White]

That to bad for all the police involved in this stuff lately


I would guess that reason they made such a big deal about it being a woman is there still not a lot of them on the police force compared to men .

At least i don't see a lot as compared to Men officers and the piss poor media has gotten bored talking about male officers dying in the line of duty here something new we can twist a Female officer Killed in line of duty bet we can thrown in a lot of anti gun stuff to appeal to moms everywhere

 

[Slider]

Per. Rush, The drive by meda cannot be understood nor should it be!

Realy sad when any GG gets killed. what ever the sex.

 

[Prospector]

Let me first say that my heart goes out to All PD, LEO, Military, Firemen, EMT and others who lay their life on the line as a job/duty. As for more media exposure when the fallen is female. I don't have qualms with that, you see, I'm still quite old-fashioned in many ways....male-chauvanist-pig? Maybe, but I was brought up during perhaps a more Chivalrous time when opening doors and lending a supporting arm were the "norm". When as a young boy I once got in a pushing/slappin match with a little girl in the neighborhood, my Dad emblazoned an eternal rule on my butt! I've never forgot it and I have zero tolerance for those who don't know the same rule.

A bit long-winded here, but I choose to keep females back up on the pedestal, where they belong !

 

[falcon1]

My condolences to the family and friends of the slain officer. To all of those slain in the line of duty, rest in peace.

 

[P95Carry]

Thx for the info Tom - I had heard about it but no details.

Sad indeed and yes, I guess more often than not the ladies in LE get reported more often, as has been mentioned, perhaps because they are minority numbers. That aside any loss of any LE is equally tragic - and this sounds like a bad do altogether.

What a tragic waste - condolences to all the family and friends - and brother officers.

 

[ssssthesnake]

i feel for her loved ones and they want to train police to shoot to wound all the restrictions may be the reason the police delayed shooting back pepare for a major backlash from the antis

 

[ron8903]

RIP Sister:frown:

 

[HotGuns]

Sucide by Cop.

One of the most dangerous situations there is and it is often a no win situation for everyone involved.

You usually have a person in a highly agitated state of mind, often on drugs or alcohol and often with no hope. Even if they arent on any drugs, the stress alone will impare their thought process. They see no way out...and they just want to end it.

Some dont want kill themselves, they want someone else to do it for them. Others could care less and just want to go out in a blaze of glory and take as many as they can with them.

In this story, it sounds like the guy wanted to go out BIG.


I can think of 3 cases here in the last year in this town alone. Its becoming more and more common and its always a big mess when the cops shoot...even when perfectly justified and compelled to do so.

In this case an officer lost her life. The fact that she was a Mom that left a kid behind adds just a little bit of senationalism to the story, a human element the the news media thrives on because they can...whether it is right or not matters not as they are not accountable to anyone.

The whole thing is discusting.:rant:

 

[srfl]

My prayers to the victims (and families) of this madman.