Officer Involved Shooting - Critical Incident

 

An unavoidable function of professional policing is contact between the police and public. The Expert Ken Williams is no stranger to the rigors, split-second decisions or the unexpected dangers associated with policing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2004, Commonwealth v. Richard Smith - Mr. Williams, as a detective, assisted Brockton patrol in a high speed pursuit of a felon wanted for burglary at night of a city business. During the pursuit the felon rammed his car into Mr. Williams’s unmarked police cruiser. The affiant continued to pursue the defendant. The felon then drove down a dead end residential street. Once he reached the cul-de-sac the felon drove his car up the front lawn towards the backyard and then came back out to the road surface on the opposite side of the home. The affiant did not follow the felon. Williams parked his cruiser on the road and ran diagonally across the cul-de-sac anticipating the felon would stop his car and a foot chase would ensue. Instead, Williams heard the roar of a car engine and the car being driven by the felon wouldn’t stop and if it struck Williams who was now in front of its path of travel the felon would of caused Williams to suffer serious bodily injury or worse death. Mr. Williams reasoned his life was in jeopardy upholstered-pointed-shot the felon who refused to obey commands to stop. The split second decision by Williams to escalate to the Use of Deadly Force was thoroughly investigated and determined to be a justified. Most importantly is immediately following this shooting Mr. Williams rendered aid to Mr. Smith. Police must switch to a community caretaker and have empathy immediately following the de-escalation from an imminent fear of death threat. Mr. Smith survived.