Conffederate
Confederate

June 09, 2011

The Blood of Patriots

jose-guerena-rifle

U.S. Marine veteran Jose Guereña was killed when Pima County Sheriff Dupnik’s poorly trained deputies gunned him down in his home. They fired 71 shots.

This picture of his blood-spattered limited edition AR-15 rifle, with the safety on, comes from a series of news photos (h/t SayUncle) of the Guereña home, that shows police fired uncontrolled volleys of bullets from near ground level to ceiling height in one of the most clear-cut cases of excessive use of force I've ever seen.

Jose Guereña was hit 20 times and was still alive when the police stopped shooting, according to his wife. The cops denied him medical care, refusing to let paramedics enter the home for 1 hour and 14 minutes, by which time Jose Guereña was dead.

Posted by Confederate Yankee at June 9, 2011 11:35 AM
Comments

It infuriates me to see pictures of guns, ammo, and body armor pictured as if they are evidence of criminal intent. In most places in the USA, it is perfectly legal for Guerena to have all of those.

What isn't in the pictures: the evidence of drug conspiracy that the SWAT team went there to get in the first place.

Posted by: Professor Hale at June 9, 2011 12:15 PM

The firearm was legal until he pointed at the police, Professor.

BTW, I agree. One would think most of the intricacy should be with the investigators and/or prosecutors who created & applied for the warrant and maybe even the Judge who approved it, if erroneous at all.

The facts & truth will eventually emerge and maybe explain the investigation.

Posted by: Buck Turgidson at June 9, 2011 01:43 PM

The firearm was legal until he pointed at the police, Professor.

And we have only their word for that too, with no living witnesses to refute their testimony. How convenient.

It is an unfortunate fact of life that to a man leaving the Arizona daylight and walking into a house with the lights off, A man with a gun looks just like a man pointing a gun at you.

Also, it is strange that after the shooting, they had time to wait for a robot to enter the house, but before the shooting, they couldn't wait and let the robot go in first.

Also, you will notice they took pictures of the .45 pistol even though it was not pointed at any police. Therefore, it was as unrelated to the days events as was the TV set.

Posted by: Professor Hale at June 9, 2011 01:50 PM

["And we have only their word for that too,..."]

As in many other police shooting across this land. Does that mean if no independent witnesses are available, the event is always suspect? How convenient, Professor.

If this battle hardened, highly trained Marine believed it was a home invasion at 9am, why did he NOT shoot? I would have! From the sound of the siren to before the door opening, Guerena was able to wake up, retrieve his shoulder weapon (which I'm sure was within arms reach at his nightstand - with kids in the house) and assume a fighting position in the hallway, in how many seconds?

I don't know Professor, I have many speculative questions. We may have to wait for the Grand Jury review, which I believe is a requirement involving police shootings in AZ.

Posted by: Buck Turgidson at June 9, 2011 03:53 PM

Buck, who said he was "I'm a fighting position"? Can you find what link that is in the statement of Dupnok's killer clowns?

I can find the lines where they stated he fired at them. Which he didn't.

I can find the lines where they swore that they spent "at least a minute" clearly anouncing in english and Spanish that the police were outside and had a warrant. Which they didn't.

So you believe your little fantasy and I'll believe the video and the physical evidence.

Posted by: Kevin at June 9, 2011 08:05 PM

Does that mean if no independent witnesses are available, the event is always suspect?

DUH!

Do I really need to explain this?

If I shot a police officer would they just take my word for it that I had a really good reason?

Posted by: Professor Hale at June 9, 2011 09:02 PM

What this has thought many people is to shoot first. It is the only chance you have to survive masked men with guns smashing through your door.......

Posted by: rumcrook at June 10, 2011 02:51 AM


Really Kevin? You're one of those who wish to wait until ALL the physical evidence is examined and ALL the sworn statements are complete and the investigation results done, to be reviewed by the state attorney and grand jury?

Good for you.

Posted by: Buck Turgidson at June 10, 2011 06:50 AM

["Do I really need to explain this?"]

Only if you don't have an answer, Professor.

Usually there is other evidence in addition to 'being there', as in the Houston brothers here in TN, when they killed a on-duty deputy and his ride-along. The brothers 'stated' that the deputy tried to assassinate them and there was no evidence to the contrary, so they walked. There was no "living (autonomous) witnesses" in that one either, much like O.J.'s case and many, many more I'm sure.

As Alonzo Harris use to say, "It's not what you know, it's what you can prove".

Posted by: Buck Turgidson at June 10, 2011 09:56 AM

I might be swayed by the argument that "in the heat of the moment" all those supremely-well-trained SWAT officers felt their lives were in imminent danger, so it's possible they can claim some kind of justification for shooting over 70 rounds at this poor homeowner; but after that, once their target was "down" and known to be wounded, I simply *DO NOT* understand why they refused to let the medics near him for over an hour.

PS- It also seems to me that, if (as I've read elsewhere) there had been prior "home invasions" by armed illegals in that area, the SWAT team might have considered using a different technique than "bust down the door and assume nobody has a gun". That sounds like a recipe for disaster; and certainly "disaster" is what this crew wound up creating.

Posted by: A_Nonny_Mouse at June 11, 2011 06:36 PM