...but I am sure they want to find out exactly why the shooter opened fire on and fatally shot Virginia State Trooper Chad Dermyer, at a Greyhound bus terminal just the other day. Knowing exactly what set Brown off may help avoid, or at least anticipate,
future confrontations of the same sort and thus increase officer survival.
It has been reported that the suspected shooter, James Brown III , who was subsequently shot by other troopers and later died, had 143 rounds of unspent ammunition on his person and an arrest and conviction record for violent crimes.
As to Brown's motive(s), I think his mother probably made a lot of them quite clear when she reportedly told a reporter:
"He had a lot of anger about the police in the past,"
and:
"He said he would never go back to prison again... he would fight it out with them."
and:
"He pretty much thought he wanted to be infamous... in terms of having a showdown,”
and:
“He always praised those people who got into shootouts with police."
Besides those statements being evidence that Brown was apparently no choir boy, it was reported that:
"Brown previously had been charged with crimes ranging from cocaine possession to murder, serving prison time for domestic battery and aggravated battery of a pregnant woman."
Trooper Dermyer had been at the station while taking part in a practical training exercise. Brown possibly engaged Trooper Dermyer in casual small talk and then pulled out a handgun and shot him to death. Trooper Dermyer, for whatever reason, was reportedly not wearing body armor at the time. (Source for all of above except Brown's photo.)
One never knows when one's time is at hand and it pays to remain alert. Yet, even if Tropper Dermyer was on his toes, it is easy to get the drop on someone in a situation like that. To me it seems as if Brown set out that day with the execution of a police officer on his mind but unless he left behind some sort of evidentiary documentation to that effect we may never know.
Of course, the shooting could have all been coincidental to the police training and incidental to Brown being up to other criminal activity. I imagine it quite possible that when he saw the troopers at the bus station, he may have believed they were there to arrest him for criminal activity he had planned to commit, or was engaging in at the time, and had no clue the troopers were there only on a training exercise. Combine that with the reported statements from his mother, especially this one: "He said he would never go back to prison again... he would fight it out with them." and you can easily see his immediate motive. It is sad a sad truth that those in law enforcement face the potential of unexpected threats like this each and every day and that things like this happen, so looking into the shooter's exact motives, possibly may help prevent another such tragedy.
If the shot that killed Trooper Dermyer was to his torso, then it is a pity if he in fact was not wearing his body armor as reported. Not knowing where he took the fatal shot one cannot determine if that had any part in his demise but if it did then all others in LE should heed a lesson from it: your body armor is a crucial part of your equipment - wear it. Those in LE need to take every reasonable and practical legal precaution to protect themselves. Please understand, I am not faulting Trooper Dermyer - it was in no way imaginable that anyone was in the wrong except Brown; I merely am reminding others in LE that wearing their vests could be lifesavers.
Trooper Dermyer had recently been transferred to an anti-terrorist unit. He was a trooper of some renown despite his way too short career. In 2015, he stopped a woman for a traffic violation and although he believed her to be acting normally, he had what amounted to a gut feeling that something was very wrong during the stop. He eventually searched the trunk of the woman's car and discovered the body of her long missing son. She eventually was charged with murder. Then, earlier in 2016, Trooper Dermyer and another trooper "...became mini celebrities when they helped rescue a lost dog running through interstate traffic in Hampton. Jeffrey Corbin, the dog’s owner, said Dermyer’s easy going personality helped reshape Corbin’s view of police" (source).
The words 'Good Cop' seem to fit him well. Sadly he no longer will grace the citizenry of Virginia with his good ethics and determined excellent police work.
My heart felt condolences to the family of Trooper Dermyer.
Two other people were also wounded because of this encounter and I wish them full and speedy recoveries.
As for Brown, if he was in fact the shooter who killed Trooper Dermyer, I think the only good side of this is that Brown was killed and thus he never again will be able to commit acts of violence.
All the best,
Glenn B
future confrontations of the same sort and thus increase officer survival.
 |
| Trooper Dermyer left behind a wife and two children. |
It has been reported that the suspected shooter, James Brown III , who was subsequently shot by other troopers and later died, had 143 rounds of unspent ammunition on his person and an arrest and conviction record for violent crimes.
As to Brown's motive(s), I think his mother probably made a lot of them quite clear when she reportedly told a reporter:
"He had a lot of anger about the police in the past,"
and:
"He said he would never go back to prison again... he would fight it out with them."
and:
"He pretty much thought he wanted to be infamous... in terms of having a showdown,”
and:
“He always praised those people who got into shootouts with police."
 |
| Brown reportedly had a long arrest record (source). |
Besides those statements being evidence that Brown was apparently no choir boy, it was reported that:
"Brown previously had been charged with crimes ranging from cocaine possession to murder, serving prison time for domestic battery and aggravated battery of a pregnant woman."
Trooper Dermyer had been at the station while taking part in a practical training exercise. Brown possibly engaged Trooper Dermyer in casual small talk and then pulled out a handgun and shot him to death. Trooper Dermyer, for whatever reason, was reportedly not wearing body armor at the time. (Source for all of above except Brown's photo.)
One never knows when one's time is at hand and it pays to remain alert. Yet, even if Tropper Dermyer was on his toes, it is easy to get the drop on someone in a situation like that. To me it seems as if Brown set out that day with the execution of a police officer on his mind but unless he left behind some sort of evidentiary documentation to that effect we may never know.
Of course, the shooting could have all been coincidental to the police training and incidental to Brown being up to other criminal activity. I imagine it quite possible that when he saw the troopers at the bus station, he may have believed they were there to arrest him for criminal activity he had planned to commit, or was engaging in at the time, and had no clue the troopers were there only on a training exercise. Combine that with the reported statements from his mother, especially this one: "He said he would never go back to prison again... he would fight it out with them." and you can easily see his immediate motive. It is sad a sad truth that those in law enforcement face the potential of unexpected threats like this each and every day and that things like this happen, so looking into the shooter's exact motives, possibly may help prevent another such tragedy.
If the shot that killed Trooper Dermyer was to his torso, then it is a pity if he in fact was not wearing his body armor as reported. Not knowing where he took the fatal shot one cannot determine if that had any part in his demise but if it did then all others in LE should heed a lesson from it: your body armor is a crucial part of your equipment - wear it. Those in LE need to take every reasonable and practical legal precaution to protect themselves. Please understand, I am not faulting Trooper Dermyer - it was in no way imaginable that anyone was in the wrong except Brown; I merely am reminding others in LE that wearing their vests could be lifesavers.
Trooper Dermyer had recently been transferred to an anti-terrorist unit. He was a trooper of some renown despite his way too short career. In 2015, he stopped a woman for a traffic violation and although he believed her to be acting normally, he had what amounted to a gut feeling that something was very wrong during the stop. He eventually searched the trunk of the woman's car and discovered the body of her long missing son. She eventually was charged with murder. Then, earlier in 2016, Trooper Dermyer and another trooper "...became mini celebrities when they helped rescue a lost dog running through interstate traffic in Hampton. Jeffrey Corbin, the dog’s owner, said Dermyer’s easy going personality helped reshape Corbin’s view of police" (source).
The words 'Good Cop' seem to fit him well. Sadly he no longer will grace the citizenry of Virginia with his good ethics and determined excellent police work.
My heart felt condolences to the family of Trooper Dermyer.
Two other people were also wounded because of this encounter and I wish them full and speedy recoveries.
As for Brown, if he was in fact the shooter who killed Trooper Dermyer, I think the only good side of this is that Brown was killed and thus he never again will be able to commit acts of violence.
All the best,
Glenn B
4 comments:
Why were the troopers conducting a "training" exercise by stopping random shitheads in the bus station? That's a disaster waiting to happen, and it didn't wait too long.
In my 31-year LE career, I never heard of conducting training by stopping "real" people in a "real" place. "Training" exercises should be conducted in a "training" environment, using role players, not in a real-life bus station. However realistic the training is, the officer always has in the back of his mind that this is not for real, it's just training. If the trooper wasn't wearing his vest, that's probably why.
I don't remember ever training in public like that either. Have no clue why that would have been done because as you pointed out it was a disaster waiting to happen and it did not wait long.
Hi Boomer,
I concur with ol' 1811, "Training is done in a training environment" not the real McCoy!! You start parading around the General Public "brandishing" loaded Fire Arms like these jokers and I will tell you Pal "YOU" are the Target!! Training eh?? Yeah right!
Got Gunz....OUTLAW!!!,
III%,
skybill-out
Hi SkyBill,
I cannot be sure from the scant info they gave but it sounds more like they were stopping and interviewing people. They obviously stopped the wrong guy, a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and a good amount of ammo, who also probably thought he was being targeted for an enforcement action, and who previously stated something to the effect he would shoot it out with police instead of being arrested. While this having been some sort of in the field training that led to complacency on the part of the troopers (not wearing body armor seems to be evidence of that)I did not see anything suggesting they were walking around weapons in hand although it could have been that way. Regardless, why would that be a reason for anyone to open fire. There are scores of armed law enforcement and national Guardsmen at Penn Station in NY, all armed from what I have seen. The state troopers and MTA police officers are often armed with long guns. No one has fired upon them because there has been no reason to think the officers were posing any imminent threat, illegal or legal, to anyone. At least though, some of the facts of this case seem fairly apparent - the guy was dead set on having a shootout with cops, he was a convicted violent felon, he was armed with a handgun and a decent amount of ammo, he drew on the officer and fired killing him. I think there is no excusing or explaining what he did by implying the officers would have been wrong to have been armed and possibly holding weapons or by implying that it was anti-RKBA sentiment on the behalf of the trooper(s) that led to this shooting. Of course though, I say that based only on the little bit of info on it I have seen to date.
All the best,
Glenn B
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