The Confusion of Street Engagements

[Battleunit 4]

Glendale Arizona Gunfight 20 January 2017

What Happened:  The officer (Anthony Cano) was alerted to the car because it had stolen plates.  He approaches the car and asks for ID.  The man in the car  (Abel Rodriguez) leans way forward and starts fumbling for ID, but he has a gun in his lap he is trying to hide.  He lifts the gun and shoots - you can hear his first shot as a muffled bang before the window shatters and it becomes impossible to tell shots apart.  The officer disengages from the car, moves to cover, assesses the tactical situation, then makes a covered approach to an vantage point that allows him to prevent the suspect from moving out of the car and taking hostages (who are rather moronically trying to see Officer Cano).  During the process Cano assesses his ammunition state and does a tactical reload.  Since he has rounds left in his former magazine, he retains it it the crook of his finger for  switch back if the battle continues.  Despite the suspect failing to toss away his weapon, he does not reengage and instead moves to negotiation mode in order to clear the suspect for medical treatment.  

[Battleunit 4]

Las Vegas 2017 Miguel Salas Shootout

What Happened:  Officers respond to a suspicious vehicle on 2 August, 2017 which stolen sell phones were broadcasting from.  The officers are nervous because the department has had a half-dozen OIS in the past year with two dead.  The  man Miguel Salas draws his weapon in the middle of the stop and shoots the first  officer Richard Nelson in the chest.  He also shoots Daniel Demarinis in the belt.  Daniels is able to return fire while retreating and shoot the subject.  The subject retained his pistol in hand and held off police with server brain damage until he expired from his wounds.  Of special note: a kid known on Youtube as Steven Scoots can be seen filming the incident.  Officers tell the kid to seek cover before the shooting starts.  He does, and his video captures a long shot from his hiding place.