Student Attacks Police Officer with Bat; Is Shot and Killed

[gopherpuckfan]

Fresno Student Shot, Killed by Police Officer After Bat Attack

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

FRESNO, Calif. —
A police officer shot and killed a 17-year-old high school student Wednesday after authorities said the teenager clubbed the officer with a baseball bat on the packed, urban campus.


The officer fired at the student shortly before noon, after the Roosevelt High School sophomore allegedly came from behind and struck the officer in the head with a crude wooden baseball bat, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said.

The officer fell down dazed, and reached for the gun in his hip holster, but the clip fell out.

As the student came at him a second time, the officer grabbed a secondary weapon — a semiautomatic handgun he carried as backup — from his ankle holster and fired one or two rounds, Dyer said. The student reportedly died within a few minutes.
"The officer was fortunate that he was able to defend himself," the chief said. "This officer had a secondary weapon that very likely could have saved his life."

The cause of the attack was not immediately known, and the officer did not know the student, Dyer said. There was no history of prior run-ins between the teen and the officer, who has been assigned to the school by the police department for the last three years, he said.

Police did not immediately release the identities of the officer or student, who was described as a Fresno resident who transferred to the school in January. The teenager was 6 feet tall and 250 pounds — larger than the officer, authorities said.

The officer was released from a local hospital Wednesday afternoon after being treated for a two-inch gash on the right side of his head, police said. He will be placed on administrative leave while the department reviews his conduct, Dyer said.

At least five students and a probation officer on campus witnessed the incident directly, but no one else was injured in the shooting, police said.

The campus was locked down for several hours as detectives combed the white school buildings and interviewed witnesses.
An automated system called all parents in the district to notify them of the shooting about three hours after it occurred, and parents of Roosevelt High School students received a second message stating that all students and staff were safe an hour later.

"The school district obviously is very saddened by this tragedy on campus, however our students on campus are safe," said Ruth Quinto, acting superintendent of Fresno Unified School District.

"There certainly will continue to be support provided to all of our students here on the campus and, in particular, any witnesses to this tragedy."

Six extra district psychologists will be sent to the school Thursday to counsel students and staff, said district spokeswoman Susan Bedi.

By 2 p.m., students were allowed to leave the campus gates, where they found a crowd of nervous parents and family members waiting.

Dana Vasquez, a 14-year-old freshman, was on her way to gym class when the situation erupted in an outdoor hallway between two buildings.

"I just saw a bat swinging in the air and heard a gunshot and then I just started running," Vasquez said. She was visibly shaken when she left the school holding her mother's arm.

Ray Mendez, a volunteer at the school, said he was speaking to a remedial English class when he heard a loud popping sound outside the classroom.

"That's went I went down and saw the young man lying there and the officer was bleeding from his head. This was a real shocker. We try to prevent these kind of events at all costs," Mendez said.

Silvia Carrillo, whose daughter is a sophomore at Roosevelt High, said the shooting did not seem justified.

"My son and my brother went to school here too, and nothing like this ever happened. I think this wasn't enough for him to kill the kid," she said.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Not justified????????????? Are you fucking kidding me? What color is the sky in your world, Silvia??

[213th]

She's from cali, go figure.

[lewisipso]

Wonder what she would have done?

[gozling]

she probably would have him go hug a tree for a day for therapy.

[Ducky]

She wanted the officer to shoot the bat out of his hand, of course.

Intentional, blind stupidity pisses me off.

[CTR man]

This is not far from me. I was reading this at lunch while at work today. I was appalled to say the least.

http://www.modbee.com/state_wire/story/272737.html

Relatives: Fresno student killed by cop was depressed

By GARANCE BURKE , Associated Press Writer
last updated: April 17, 2008 04:35:33 PM

FRESNO, Calif. —

Relatives of a Fresno high school student who was shot to death after he attacked a police officer with a baseball bat questioned the department's version of events Thursday, and said the depressed teenager never received the help he needed from teachers and school administrators.

Jesus "Jesse" Carrizales, a 17-year-old sophomore, died Wednesday of a single bullet to the chest, fired by a school resources officer, Junus Perry, whom Carrizales had ambushed in a crowded outdoor corridor. The first officers to reach the scene also found a small butcher knife protruding from Carrizales' pocket, police said.

Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said Thursday that the 6-foot-tall, 250-pound teen sought out the violent confrontation, which he called "a case of suicide by cop."

Police said there were no prior clashes between Carrizales and Perry, who spent the past three years assigned to Roosevelt High School by the police department.

But it wasn't the first time Carrizales had a run-in with police. In 2005, while in middle school, the student was cited for concealing a small knife in his backpack, Dyer said. Relatives said the knife belonged to a friend.

The next year, however, Carrizales' 10 brothers and sisters noticed he had become withdrawn, and the family decided he would do better at an alternative school where he could pursue independent study. He was prescribed Lexapro and Geodon, drugs used to treat depression and bipolar disorder, and in January he transferred to Roosevelt High, said his sister Elisa Ortega.

"He was a boy who needed help," said Ortega, 27, said as she made funeral arrangements Thursday afternoon. "He was depressed and he was on medication and the school knew it, so maybe they could have treated things differently."

Thats it, blame it on the school. He should have been kept in home schooling and had his medications monitored by his family.

Carrizales' family said the officer didn't have to shoot the teen, and questioned authorities' version of events.

"He never said he wanted to die or anything close to that," Ortega said. "They didn't have to kill him. The Taser guns, the batons they have, that should have been enough to calm the situation down."

Dyer said after Carrizales surprised the officer from behind and struck him in the head with the 21-inch bat, Perry feared for his life.

Give me a break. The boy obviously outweighed the officer. When are people going to realize that when an officer is attacked in a way such as this, they will automatically take the threat to the next level. They will do whatever it takes to be able to neutralize the threat and go home at the end of their shift. Tazers and batons against a baseball bat in full attack mode. Get real!

The officer fell down dazed, and reached for the gun in his hip holster, but the clip fell out.

As the student came at him again, yelling obscenities and raising the bat above his head, Perry grabbed a secondary weapon - a semiautomatic handgun he carried as backup - from his ankle holster. He fired one round and hit Carrizales in the chest, Dyer said.

The student reportedly died within a few minutes, before paramedics arrived on scene.

"It is unfortunate that the officer was put in a position where he had to take a student's life," Dyer told reporters Thursday. "Had he not defended himself there could have been further tragedy."

At least five students and a probation officer on campus witnessed the incident directly, police said. No one else was injured.

Fresno Unified School District spokeswoman Susan Bedi said a confidentiality agreement kept her from commenting on Carrizales' history in local schools, and on students' "individual plans."

His siblings described him as a lighthearted aspiring chef who preferred to play video games with his young cousins rather than take part in adult conversations.

"He was more of a kid himself. He was a momma's boy," said another sister, Irene Ortega, 25, speaking outside her mother's modest Fresno home. "We just want to know what happened before that incident to see what made him do what police say he did."

Perry is recovering at home after being treated for a 2-inch gash on the right side of his head, Dyer said. He is on administrative leave while the department reviews his conduct in Fresno's fifth officer-involved shooting this year.

Carrizales' relatives said police have refused to tell the family where his body is being held while they investigate the shooting.

As the first bell rang Thursday morning, students hurried to class filing between security guards posted every 100 yards.

A bouquet of red and white roses was strapped to a chain link fence near the spot where Carrizales died.

What about the officer? He has to live with the fact that he had to kill someone. Doesn't he deserve some consolation? I feel that he didn't have a choice in the matter.

"It feels weird to be back on campus," said Chase Hayes, a 16-year-old sophomore. "We still don't know anything about what happened. Everybody was text messaging each other yesterday in class trying to figure out what was going on."

The campus was locked down for several hours Wednesday as detectives interviewed witnesses. An automated system called all parents in the district to notify them of the shooting about three hours after it occurred, and parents received a second message stating that all students and staff were safe an hour later.

Six extra district psychologists were sent to the school Thursday to counsel students, teachers and administrators, and 16 additional police officers were making rounds in the area.

"We are proud of how our students and staff handled the situation yesterday," said Ruth Quinto, acting district superintendent. "It has been our focus to provide any necessary support."

Alejandra Murillo, a 15-year-old sophomore, said she felt too anxious to go back to school Thursday, so stayed at home with her mother and grandfather.

"All the teachers' aides were just going to be asking us what happened and we weren't going to pay any attention to the lessons," she said. "It was enough just being there yesterday. I still don't think he needed to kill the guy."

Hey kids, How about we put you in the same situation? What would you do?

[CTR man]

http://www.modbee.com/state_wire/story/271306.html

Police: Fresno student killed by cop wanted to die

By GARANCE BURKE , Associated Press Writer
last updated: April 17, 2008 01:12:55 PM
FRESNO, Calif. —

A 17-year-old high school student who was shot and killed after he attacked a campus police officer with a baseball bat wanted to die that day, authorities said Thursday.

Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said investigators strongly believe Jesus "Jesse" Carrizales sought out the violent confrontation that led to his death Thursday morning, and called the incident "a case of suicide by cop."

Dyer said there were no prior run-ins between the Roosevelt High School sophomore and Officer Junus Perry, who had been assigned to the school by the police department for the last three years.

But Dyer said officers had cited the teen three years ago for concealing a butcher knife in his backpack while he was still in middle school. Investigators also suspect a 9-inch knife found outside the office building where Carrizales fell to the ground belonged to him.

"It is unfortunate that the officer was put in a position where he had to take a student's life," Dyer told reporters Thursday. "Had he not defended himself there could have been further tragedy."

Perry shot Carrizales after the student surprised the officer from behind and struck him in the head with the crude wooden bat, Dyer said. Police described Carrizales as 6 feet tall and 250 pounds - larger than the officer.

The officer fell down dazed, and reached for the gun in his hip holster, but the clip fell out.

As the student came at him, yelling obscenities and raising the bat above his head, the officer grabbed a secondary weapon - a semiautomatic handgun he carried as backup - from his ankle holster. He fired one round and hit Carrizales in the chest, Dyer said.

The student reportedly died within a few minutes, before paramedics arrived on scene.

Carrizales's family said the officer didn't have to shoot the teen.

"He's the baby of our family, and they took him away," his sister Elisa Ortega, 27, said Thursday outside her mother's modest Fresno home. "They didn't have to kill him. The Taser guns, the batons they have, that should have been enough to calm the situation down."

Wrong, he took himself away.

Ortega said police have refused to tell the family where Carrizales' body is being held while they investigate the shooting.

Carrizales had transferred to Roosevelt High in January, after experiencing a brief depression while he was doing his classwork at home with the help of a district teacher, Ortega said.

His siblings described him as a lighthearted aspiring chef who preferred to play video games with his young cousins rather than take part in adult conversations.

"He was more of a kid himself. He was a momma's boy," said another sister, Irene Ortega, 25. "We just want to know what happened before that incident to see what made him do what police say he did."

At least five students and a probation officer on campus witnessed the incident directly, police said. No one else was injured.

Perry was released from a local hospital after being treated for a 2-inch gash on the right side of his head, Dyer said. He will be placed on administrative leave while the department reviews his conduct in Fresno's fifth officer-involved shooting this year, police said.

As the first bell rang Thursday morning, students hurried to class filing between security guards posted every 100 yards.

A bouquet of red and white roses was strapped to a chain link fence near the spot where Carrizales' died.

"It feels weird to be back on campus," said Chase Hayes, a 16-year-old sophomore. "We still don't know anything about what happened. Everybody was text messaging each other yesterday in class trying to figure out what was going on."

The campus was locked down for several hours Wednesday as detectives interviewed witnesses. An automated system called all parents in the district to notify them of the shooting about three hours after it occurred, and parents received a second message stating that all students and staff were safe an hour later.

Six extra district psychologists were sent to the school Thursday to counsel students and staff, and 16 additional police officers were making rounds in the area.

"We are proud of how our students and staff handled the situation yesterday," said Ruth Quinto, acting superintendent of Fresno Unified School District. "It has been our focus to provide any necessary support."


Information from: The Fresno Bee, http://www.fresnobee.com

[Five-0]

If these "they didn't have to kill him types" were in this situation we would be reading their obituaries now. There parents and classmates would be crying and demanding that the police (namely the officer in question) be held responsible for not protecting them from this DEADLY THREAT.

[Lazy Fed]

Good shoot to me. I would have done the same, the officer was left with NO OTHER CHOICE!!!Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery for the officer!!!

[Ducky]

whom Carrizales had ambushed in a crowded outdoor corridor.

At least five students and a probation officer on campus witnessed the incident directly, police said. No one else was injured.

Crowded corridor, but only 5 students have come forward as having seen anything. Why is this no surprise?

And a side note:

The next year, however, Carrizales' 10 brothers and sisters...

Holy shit lady, it's a vagina, not a freaking clown car!

[CTR man]

And that is exactly what the officer did. Protect them from a DEADLY THREAT. I am sorry that the boy died, but they can't have it both ways.

[keith720]

It's too bad the kid had to die, but evidentially his parents and the school never taught him not to attack an officer! The school should be glad they have an SRO that does their job and protects the students and the teachers, regardless of their ideology.

[121Traffic]

It's stories like this that really hurt the shitbags' credibility when they bitch about an "us vs. them" mentality.

[10-42Adam]

Just goes to show the importance of a backup weapon. Nice job done by the Officer, sounded like that kid wanted to go...

[Cidp24]

Picture this- Same kid walks up and whops Carrillo's child, husband, or other loved one from behind with a baseball bat, knocking them silly. The kid approaches to take another swing and a nearby LEO shoots him before he can swing. What would her comment be then?

[Xiphos]

"My son and my brother went to school here too, and nothing like this ever happened. I think this wasn't enough for him to kill the kid," she said.

Ah, the next chief justice of the 9th Circuit Court.

[depusm12]

Sounds like a justifiable shooting to me. Prayers and thoughts for the officer.

[armsmaster270]

That shoot is about as justified as you can get but too bad they broadcasted to the world where the officer carry's his backup.

[Wolven]

I agree...if situation was reversed (another kid attacking in the same manner) they would have wanted to know why the officer didn't shoot the kid..and why he used a taser instead. You can't have it both ways. Being a LEO does not take away the officer's right to protect himself so he can go home at the end of the day.

A justified shooting. Don't see it any other way. Speedy recovery for the officer involved.