The fact that you are a gun owner, and an upstanding citizens, does not mean that you will not be mistaken as a criminal by the police. The following is an unfortunate incident, and the man should be happy to be alive. The conclusion of the investigation is controversial, but then again this is law enforcement. Please read the article and view the video and chime in with your thoughts.
In their complaint in Maricopa County Court, Anthony and Lesley Arambula say an armed intruder "crashed through the front window" of their home on Sept. 17, 2008 and ran into one of their son's bedrooms.
Anthony, worried about his son who was still in his bedroom, says he "held the intruder calmly at gunpoint" and called 911.
Phoenix Police officers already in the neighborhood heard the crash of the Arambulas' window. When they approached the house, Lesley says, she told Sgt. Sean Coutts that her husband was inside holding the intruder at gunpoint. Lesley says Coutts failed to pass on that information to the two other officers.
Inside the house, the Arambulas say, Officer Brian Lilly shot Anthony six times in the back while he was still on the phone with the 911 operator - twice when he was on the ground.
The officers ran into the bedroom after Anthony told them, "You just killed ... you just killed the homeowner. The bad guy is in there."
The complaint states that Officer Lilly "admitted that it was only after Tony was laying, bullet-ridden, on the ground that he assessed the situation. The 911 tape continued to record what happened even after Officer Lilly unloaded his weapon into Tony, including Officer Lilly's post-shooting, one-word 'assessment': '****.'
"Tony believed he was going to die; the 911 tape records his plaintive goodbye to his family: '... I love you ... I love you.' Then Tony made what he believed was a dying request to the officers; he did not want his young family to see him shot and bloodied. Officers callously ignored his request and painfully dragged Tony by his injured leg, through the home and out to his backyard patio, where they left him bloodied and shot right in front of Lesley, Matthew and Zachary."
The Arambulas say the officers later dragged Anthony onto gravel, then put him on top of the hot hood of a squad car, and "drove the squad car down the street with Tony lying on top, writing in pain."
According to the complaint, Lilly can be heard on the 911 tape telling Coutts, "We ****ed up." Lilly says on the tape that he did not know where Anthony's gun was when he shot him and that he "opened fire because he heard loud noises and saw someone who looked like he might be the 'Hispanic' male they were pursuing" before getting to the Arambulas' house, according to the complaint.
The complaint states: "Sgt. Coutts knew that officers has just shot up and likely killed an innocent homeowner and the husband of Lesley, with whom he had spoken before entering the home, instead of the armed intruder. Sgt. Coutts was quick to commence the cover-up of their terrible mistake. Sgt. Coutts asked Office Lilly where Tony's gun was at the time Officer Lilly had opened fire on Tony. Officer Lilly admitted that he did not know where Tony's gun was: 'I don't know. I heard screaming and I fired.'"
Lilly later told a police internal affairs investigator that Anthony had pointed his gun in his direction, "in the 'ready' position," the complaint states. But Anthony Arambula says he was facing away from the officers, who could not have even seen his gun.
The complaint continues: "Still not knowing that he is being recorded n the 911 tape, Sgt. Coutts interrupted Officer Lilly's admission and apology with his assurance that the cover-up would commence: 'That's all right. Don't worry about it. I got your back. ... We clear?'"
After the shooting, the Arambulas say, the Phoenix Police Department treated them "like suspects in a drug bust," denying Lesley, Michael and Zachary information about Anthony's condition and denying friends and family members access to him at the hospital.
Anthony Arambula survived, but continues to suffer pain, which he expects will last for the rest of his life.The City of Phoenix and Officer Dzenan Ahmetovic also are named as defendants. The Arambulas seek punitive damages for gross negligence, civil rights violations, failure to supervise, excessive force, deliberate indifference to medical needs, false arrest, and emotional distress. They are represented by Michael Manning with son Morrison Hecker.
PHOENIX (CN) - A homeowner says a Phoenix police officer shot him six times in the back during a 911 home-invasion call, and the 911 tape recorded the officer's partner saying, "That's all right. Don't worry about it. I got your back. ... We clear?" The family says the officers were not aware that the 911 call was still recording as they spoke about covering up the shooting.
In their complaint in Maricopa County Court, Anthony and Lesley Arambula say an armed intruder "crashed through the front window" of their home on Sept. 17, 2008 and ran into one of their son's bedrooms.
Anthony, worried about his son who was still in his bedroom, says he "held the intruder calmly at gunpoint" and called 911.
Phoenix Police officers already in the neighborhood heard the crash of the Arambulas' window. When they approached the house, Lesley says, she told Sgt. Sean Coutts that her husband was inside holding the intruder at gunpoint. Lesley says Coutts failed to pass on that information to the two other officers.
Inside the house, the Arambulas say, Officer Brian Lilly shot Anthony six times in the back while he was still on the phone with the 911 operator - twice when he was on the ground.
The officers ran into the bedroom after Anthony told them, "You just killed ... you just killed the homeowner. The bad guy is in there."
The complaint states that Officer Lilly "admitted that it was only after Tony was laying, bullet-ridden, on the ground that he assessed the situation. The 911 tape continued to record what happened even after Officer Lilly unloaded his weapon into Tony, including Officer Lilly's post-shooting, one-word 'assessment': '****.'
"Tony believed he was going to die; the 911 tape records his plaintive goodbye to his family: '... I love you ... I love you.' Then Tony made what he believed was a dying request to the officers; he did not want his young family to see him shot and bloodied. Officers callously ignored his request and painfully dragged Tony by his injured leg, through the home and out to his backyard patio, where they left him bloodied and shot right in front of Lesley, Matthew and Zachary."
The Arambulas say the officers later dragged Anthony onto gravel, then put him on top of the hot hood of a squad car, and "drove the squad car down the street with Tony lying on top, writing in pain."
According to the complaint, Lilly can be heard on the 911 tape telling Coutts, "We ****ed up." Lilly says on the tape that he did not know where Anthony's gun was when he shot him and that he "opened fire because he heard loud noises and saw someone who looked like he might be the 'Hispanic' male they were pursuing" before getting to the Arambulas' house, according to the complaint.
The complaint states: "Sgt. Coutts knew that officers has just shot up and likely killed an innocent homeowner and the husband of Lesley, with whom he had spoken before entering the home, instead of the armed intruder. Sgt. Coutts was quick to commence the cover-up of their terrible mistake. Sgt. Coutts asked Office Lilly where Tony's gun was at the time Officer Lilly had opened fire on Tony. Officer Lilly admitted that he did not know where Tony's gun was: 'I don't know. I heard screaming and I fired.'"
Lilly later told a police internal affairs investigator that Anthony had pointed his gun in his direction, "in the 'ready' position," the complaint states. But Anthony Arambula says he was facing away from the officers, who could not have even seen his gun.
The complaint continues: "Still not knowing that he is being recorded n the 911 tape, Sgt. Coutts interrupted Officer Lilly's admission and apology with his assurance that the cover-up would commence: 'That's all right. Don't worry about it. I got your back. ... We clear?'"
After the shooting, the Arambulas say, the Phoenix Police Department treated them "like suspects in a drug bust," denying Lesley, Michael and Zachary information about Anthony's condition and denying friends and family members access to him at the hospital.
Anthony Arambula survived, but continues to suffer pain, which he expects will last for the rest of his life.The City of Phoenix and Officer Dzenan Ahmetovic also are named as defendants. The Arambulas seek punitive damages for gross negligence, civil rights violations, failure to supervise, excessive force, deliberate indifference to medical needs, false arrest, and emotional distress. They are represented by Michael Manning with son Morrison Hecker.
14 comments:
This is such a sad story. I think it's absolutely unbelievable that the police officers were cleared after being so obviously trigger happy. The Arambula's lawyer says that this is a notable police department, but even they have their bad seeds or the occasional mishap. The officer more than likely didn't do it on purpose but the treatment of Anthony Arambula afterward was horrible also. If I was his wife witnessing that it would have been a bad night for everyone. Punishment is a part of life. That police officer should simply admit wrongdoing and suffer the consequences. Who knows, he might have a more promising path in life. LC1736
Khadeeja: the fact that these officers were caught in the act and in their attemp to coverup the mistake, causes me to question our justice system and the police as it relates to this incident. It is clear that had it not been for the 911 recording, the words of the officers would have been all the justice system would have needed to validate the actions of the officers involved. It sadens me that exercising our Constitutional right, may lead us to being the victim, especially by the force in which we employ to help protect those rights.
It's a sad story,there is no doubt the police involve in that shouting should be punish for what they did to the victim and family but, oalso for liying while they been recorded.it is also sade for people who think that the police can help them but, it turn that sometime they more damage than a criminal.
j.s 7920
This is really a sad story its horrible that there are alot of similar cases like this because of trigger happy police and they get of scott free...3013
This is really a sad story its horrible that there are alot of similar cases like this because of trigger happy police and they get of scott free...3013
You mean to tell me that there is mere evidence showing or basically revealing the wrong doing of these officers, and the punishment is washed away. In any case that I come across or read upon in newspapers, it always comes down to one thing in my book: racial profiling. Depending on the situation and who is involved is the determination of the consequences and in most cases the innocent or the ones who are deprived of their knowledge in their case are the ones who have to suck it up and deal with the consequences rather the ones who are at fault. It’s a disgrace, corruption will never die on politics nor in law enforcement. --K.C.
This is a very sad story and the police offiers should be punished to the fullest extent. They should of acted like police officers and helped instead of acting like animals and assuming. From what the wife said about the police trying to cover everything up and having them on the recorded line. That should of been enough evidence for anyone to believe that they were wrong.
Darnell This is what civilians go through in everyday life, police officers are always justified despite the fact that evidence clearly shows they are guilty. The officers were in fact wrong and went unpunished, meanwhile an innocent person is injured in the process. This incident forces people such as myself to question whether or not police officers job is to protect and serve. They serve but to whom do they protect, in this case THEMSELVES!!!
the whole situation was a big mess. i hope the family of anthony would be able to recover from this huge mess. and also the two police officers are dwelt correctly.
I have heard of so many similar storys with police officers who were trigger happy! its really sad that sometimes these things happen but i do feel that the police officer should stand up fopr what he did and take the consenquences because he was wrong no matter what!! some poloce officers need a reality check!
MJ 1483
Now this is really truly a shame that there are police officers on the force like this. If a person heard someone on the phone with the 911 then how is that the person is a criminal. Then to add insult to injury your going to shoot him multiple times in the back then drag him outside and traumatize his family. This is how one knows that when one is a police officer then one sticks to the code. Because when that man said that they had messed up and the other officer stated that i got your back don't worry about it. This says that one was going to cover it up and make it look like he was some random street hoodlum. They drove with him on top of the car to make this point. I hope that one is severely punished for their heinous antics.
LC9671
Wow that is crazy. Not only did they shot the wrong man they shop him twice and dragged him around. Smh. SK
That is sad story that is two times wrong police action all police have to be shame about that
This is a prime example of how cops continue to cover cops until they the most reliable evidence is put forth. They should be a shamed of themselves. If there was never a 911tape no one would of ever have believed this family. Oh the power and personal gain these officers hold. Can you say losers... RSI-3774
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