Elderly couple hurt in raid on wrong house

Indy · 03-23-06, 10:20 PM

HORN LAKE, Miss. (AP) -- An unidentified elderly Horn Lake couple were hospitalized Thursday after police burst into their home thinking it housed a methamphetamine laboratory.

The incident occurred Wednesday about 4 a.m., said police Capt. Shannon Beshears. Beshears said it was the right address but the wrong house.

Beshears said a heavily armed Tactical Apprehension Containment Team stormed the house.

"We had good information from a reliable source that had been backed up by a purchase of narcotics linked to the address. However, when we arrived at the designated address, there were two houses on the lot. We hit the larger of the two houses.

"It was the wrong house," Beshears said. "The house was totally dark and the TACT members went through to the bedroom looking for the suspects."

A man and a woman - both in their 80s - were injured as TACT team members secured the house although no drugs were found. There were children in the house also, but they were not awakened, Beshears said.

Beshears said the woman received a dislocated shoulder and the man received bruised ribs. Both were taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto, but both asked police not to identify them.

"When we went to the second house on the lot, we found a methamphetamine cook under way and we made an arrest of a woman in connection with that illegal operation," Beshears said.

Police charged Sonseeaharay Lyn Fells, 36, with manufacturing a controlled substance. She was being held in the DeSoto County Jail in Hernando under a $100,000 bond.

Police Chief Darryl Whaley said a full investigation would be made into the operation to determine what happened when officers confronted the elderly couple. He said he believes his officers acted correctly and followed procedures when they entered the first home.

"Obviously, a mistake was made and it was regrettable," he said. "But, I stand by my officers. I think they acted properly."

Beshears said William Clinton Pruitt, 41, also was arrested on a charge of manufacture of a controlled substance and sale of a controlled substance. He was being held under a $200,000 bond.

Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...03-23-18-58-10

**chris2001** · 03-23-06, 10:26 PM

UH OH someones ass is grass.

**Retdetsgt** · 03-23-06, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by Indy

"We had good information from a reliable source that had been backed up by a purchase of narcotics linked to the address. However, when we arrived at the designated address, there were two houses on the lot. We hit the larger of the two houses.

*************************

Police Chief Darryl Whaley said a full investigation would be made into the operation to determine what happened when officers confronted the elderly couple. He said he believes his officers acted correctly and followed procedures when they entered the first home.

"Obviously, a mistake was made and it was regrettable," he said. "But, I stand by my officers. I think they acted properly."

Brilliant!

They arrive, aren't sure which house is the right one so they GUESSED! Some tactical unit.

What a bunch of morons, there is absolutely no excuse for that.

Somebody's ass needs to be grass for that. I wouldn't trust that chief to run a daycare center. If there are two house on the property, you damn well better learn from the snitch which is the right house or back off until you know.

Indy · 03-23-06, 10:45 PM

RDS - what're your thoughts on two elderly people getting injured like that? Now I know "everyone is a suspect" but 80+ yrs old with a meth lab? It seems a bit like officers manhandling children. Makes you wonder what level of force was really necessary in a situation like this.

**Prometheus** · 03-23-06, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by Indy

RDS - what're your thoughts on two elderly people getting injured like that? Now I know "everyone is a suspect" but 80+ yrs old with a meth lab? It seems a bit like officers manhandling children. Makes you wonder what level of force was really necessary in a situation like this.

Old people can be crooks, too. And old people can shoot as well.

Indy · 03-23-06, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Old people can be crooks, too. And old people can shoot as well.

....a dislocated shoulder on an 80 something year old female.....?

Bearcat06 · 03-23-06, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Old people can be crooks, too. And old people can shoot as well.

Perhaps....but these idiots fucked up big time and are going to be paying out some big bucks....

They just need to figure out how many zeros they need to put at the end of the check......

**Daynathepayna** · 03-23-06, 11:29 PM

Dumfucks!

**lcsodre108** · 03-24-06, 12:09 AM

Apparently they weren't taught the basics of search warrant preparation. Describe the exterior of the residence to be searched, preferably with photos to back it up. Our judge won't even consider a search warrant without a description of the house, especially a nighttime warrant

**Retdetsgt** · 03-24-06, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by Indy

RDS - what're your thoughts on two elderly people getting injured like that? Now I know "everyone is a suspect" but 80+ yrs old with a meth lab? It seems a bit like officers manhandling children. Makes you wonder what level of force was really necessary in a situation like this.

That I can't comment on because I don't know what the old people did when the cops entered. It's the fact they hit the wrong house to begin with that is just plain dumb.