Gavin Eugene Long, the alleged mass murderer of police officers in Baton Rouge yesterday, was a “sovereign citizen” and “MOOR,” according to a bizarre filing in his name last year with the recorder of deeds in Jackson County, Mo.
CBS News reported Long, a Kansas City native, claimed to have been in Dallas after the July 7 ambush murders of five police officers there by Micah Xavier Johnson.
“Sovereign citizens” form an irrational belief that laws to not apply to them. African Americans who may self-identify as “sovereigns” sometimes express an affiliation with Moors or Moorishness. Long, killed after reportedly ambushing police, was African American.
Officer Jesse Hartnett survived an ambush by a suspect who claimed he was inspired by ISIS, police said. Photo source: Philadelphia Police Department, via Twitter.
Philadelphia police officer Jesse Hartnett has miraculously survived a late-night ambush in which a man who allegedly claimed allegiance to ISIS fired at least 11 shots at him and reached inside the patrol car to fire.
The FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security immediately became involved in the probe, Police Commissioner Richard Ross Jr. said. Hartnett, 33, a five-year veteran and former member of the Coast Guard, reportedly was hit at least three times at about 11:40 p.m. Thursday while in uniform and while operating a marked patrol car in West Philadelphia.
Hartnett, seriously wounded, still pursued his attacker and returned fire, Ross said. The commissioner called the attack “absolutely evil.”
The incident drew immediate comparisons to the horrifying and fatal ambush of two New York police officers in 2014. The New York attacks were dubbed assassinations, and Ross said Hartnett’s attacker tried to assassinate him.
“This alleged intentional act of violence against an officer seeking to help a fellow citizen is horrifying and has no place in Pennsylvania,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement.
Tyler Scott Testerman. Source: Aberdeen Police Deparment, via Facebook.
This is Tyler Scott Testerman, a 21-year-old man suspected of shooting an Aberdeen (Md.) police officer in the face early today. A manhunt ensued, and police announced the capture of Testerman minutes ago.
The shooting of the officer in a wooded area led to the closure of Aberdeen schools today, police said.
wbaltv.com has identified the officer as Jason Easton, a 10-year veteran of the force. The officer survived the shooting and was flown to a trauma center in Baltimore.
Easton was hit by several projectiles, suggesting a shotgun was used. Early in the investigation, police have not specifically identified the weapon.
Here is what Aberdeen police said at 8:30 today, prior to the capture (italics added):
Officer Shot in Face; Suspect At Large
Aberdeen, MD – On Friday, December 04, 2015, at approximately 2:27 AM, the Aberdeen Police Department responded to the 500 block of Ohio Court in reference to a suspicious circumstance. The initial investigating officer made contact with a complainant in the backyard and began to gather facts about the complaint. Next, a white male appeared from the wood line and fired a shot, striking the investigating officer in the face with 6-8 projectiles.
Maryland State Police Medevac responded and transported the officer from the scene to Maryland Shock Trauma. The injured officer is a 10 year veteran assigned to the Patrol Division, Midnight Shift. He is currently undergoing treatment for injuries sustained as a result of the incident.
Investigators responded quickly to the scene and identified Tyler Scott Testerman, W, M, DOB [deleted by PP Blog], as the alleged shooter. Testerman had already fled the scene on foot. Lastly, an immediate manhunt ensued that enlisted the support of the Maryland State Police and Harford County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives are actively following up on leads developed as to whereabouts of Testerman.
Aberdeen Public Schools have been closed today, and should resume normal operations on Monday, December 7, 2015. Traffic on Baltimore Street is not affected at this time.
The Aberdeen Police Department encourages anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Tyler Testerman to contact the Aberdeen Police Department at 410-272-2121. Prepared By: Sgt. C. William Reiber
This police car was hit by a hail of gunfire outside of Dallas Police Headquarters this morning. Source: Dallas Police Department, via Twitter.
DEVELOPING STORY: (2nd Update 1:22 p.m. EDT U.S.A.) An attack on Dallas police involving gunfire and bombs occurred early today at about 12:27 a.m. local time. The attack occurred outside Jack Evans Police Headquarters. The occupied building, which was hit by gunfire, is named after a former Dallas mayor and businessman.
A police car outside was shot at and rammed by the suspect vehicle, which appears to be a blue van that may have the protections of armor and bullet-proof glass. One or more pipe bombs in a “bag” were found outside headquarters and exploded when picked up by a robot, police said.
It initially was believed from witness statements that multiple suspects were involved in the attack, but developing information suggests it was a lone gunman/bomber. No police officer has been injured so far, authorities said.
After being shot at, Dallas police shot back, and a chase ensued. The chase, police said, led “south of Dallas to the parking lot of a Jack in the Box at 121 South Interstate 45 Service Road in Hutchins.” Another gun battle occurred there, police said.
At approximately 4:35 a.m., police fired a .50 caliber weapon into the vehicle to disable it, the department said. It is possible the suspect is dead, police said moments ago on Twitter.
There has been no contact with the suspect in over 4 hours – believe it likely that he is deceased #DallasPDShooting
One of the knives: Source: Boston Police Department.
At 5 a.m. yesterday — two hours before he died in the Boston neighborhood of Roslindale — Usaamah Abdullah Rahim called David Wright of the Boston-area community of Everett, according to an FBI affidavit from a member of Boston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Wright, 25, also is known as Dawud Sharif Wright and Dawud Sharif Abdul Khaliq, the office of U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts said.
During the 5 a.m. call, according to the FBI affidavit, 26-year-old Rahim told Wright he was going to “go after” the “boys in blue” and that he “planned to randomly kill police officers in Massachusetts either yesterday (June 2) or today (June 3).”
A little more than a year ago, while feting the Boston Red Sox at the White House for winning the 2013 World Series, Obama reminded the audience once again of the valor on display by police during the Marathon bombing. He noted that Officer Richard Donahue of the MBTA Transit Police was shot and nearly killed in a battle with the terrorists and was fighting back from his injuries.
Despite the Marathon attacks against innocent human beings — and despite the fact the police are the thin blue line that protects society — Rahim apparently wanted to kill Boston-area cops. And Wright, according to the FBI affidavit, apparently had so little regard for the lives of police officers that he instructed Rahim to wipe his smartphone and computer to make sure the plan was not detected.
Wright now has been charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice. A day earlier, in Roslindale at 7 a.m. outside a CVS pharmacy, Rahim allegedly approached cops and the FBI “while brandishing his weapon, and he was shot by law enforcement.”
There are reports that Rahim worked at the store as a security guard.
As alleged in the complaint affidavit, Rahim, a 26-year-old private security officer, was planning to engage in a violent attack in the United States, and had purchased three military-style fighting knives and a sharpener in furtherance of this plan. In intercepted calls between Wright and Rahim, the men discussed a knife attack on an individual not named in the complaint, and suggested that the target was to be beheaded and have his/her head placed on his/her chest. According to the complaint, such beheadings are a tactic of some foreign terrorist organizations which use such killings in propaganda videos.
The implication, of course, is that Rahim had been inspired by ISIS and/or the beheadings carried out by the terrorist group. America and other nations have been on guard for such gruesome aggression — and police are the first line of defense.
Before shifting focus to police, Rahim had talked about “beheading” a person in another state.
CNN is reporting tonight that the planned victim was conservative Blogger Pamela Geller.
As CNN reported: “Geller drew national attention last month after an off-duty police officer working security thwarted an attack at her organization’s contest for Prophet Mohammed drawings in Garland, Texas. She’s president of the American Freedom Defense Initiative, which includes subsidiary programs Stop Islamization of America and Stop Islamization of Nations.”
The probe also extends into Rhode Island, according to the FBI affidavit. That’s allegedly because Rahim met with Wright and an unidentified third person on a beach during “inclement weather.” The date of the meeting was May 31, just days after Rahim had acquired three knives on Amazon.com and a device to sharpen them.
Here’s how the affidavit describes the knives:
An Ontario Spec Plus Marine Raider Bowie fighting knife. “The Marine fighting knife Rahim purchased is 15 inches long when opened, contains a 9.75” blade, and weighs 22.4 ounces.”
A second Marine fighting knife.
An Ontario Knife SP6 Spec Plus Fighting Knife 8325. “The SP6 Spec Plus Fighting Knife Rahim purchased is 13 inches long and has an eight inch blade.”
Shortly after the 7 a.m. 5 a.m. (June 6 edit) conversation yesterday with Wright, according to the affidavit, “Rahim was on a public street in the Boston area, when he was approached by Boston Police Officers and FBI special agents. [Rahim] took out one of the knives he had purchased from Amazon.com when he saw the officers and agents. One of the officers told [Rahim] to drop his weapon and [Rahim] responded, ‘you drop yours.’
“[Rahim] then moved towards the officers while brandishing his weapon, and he was shot by law enforcement.”
Rahim also called Wright on May 26. This from the affidavit (italics added):
Later in the conversation, Wright told Rahim something was “like thinking with your head on your chest.” Both men then burst out laughing. Based upon my training, experience, and involvement in this investigation, I believe this is a reference to the practice of some foreign terrorist organizations to be head targets and place their heads on their chests in propaganda videos.”
Multiple media accounts coming out of North Central Florida say the Marion County Sheriff’s Office learned of a plot to attack the Eustis Police Department today with a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.
The alleged plot apparently was foiled over the weekend. A news conference reportedly will be held at 2:30 p.m. EDT today. The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that two arrests have been made and that 22 weapons, black powder and drugs were found during a police action. The WFTV video below shows Eustis Police Chief Fred A.M. Cobb making early remarks.
Eustis is a small city of about 19,000 in Lake County, which borders Marion County. The city’s website says the police department has 45 sworn officers and 15 additional employees. The Marion County Sheriff’s office is based in Ocala.
BREAKING: Marion Sheriff’s office says they busted a plot to attack the Eustis PD today with rocket propelled grenades. #FOX35.
The Los Angeles Police Department went on tactical alert late last night after two patrol officers in a squad car reportedly were targeted by rifle fire. Neither officer was hit, and returned fire.
In a separate incident earlier on Sunday, Pasco County deputies in Florida reportedly also were shot at — this as they sat in patrol cars parked at Northside Baptist Church in Dade City. Neither officer was hit.
Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward of up to $3,000 for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the unknown suspect(s) in this case, the organization said on Facebook.
At 2:47 p.m. Saturday, New York Police Department officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were very much alive. They were seated in their cruiser in Brooklyn. It was parked curbside.
No one knows what they were talking about or thinking about. They expected to return to their loved ones after work, though. Liu, 32, was a newlywed; Ramos, 40, was married and had two sons.
Neither officer would live to see 2:48. Police Commissioner William Bratton — on national TV Saturday — said Liu and Ramos “may never have actually even seen their assailant — their murderer.”
That’s because Ismaaiyl Brinsley, the assailant and murderer, ambushed them. He did so after announcing his intent on Instagram and apparently even publishing a photo of the gun he intended to use. This he did after shooting his ex-girlfriend in Maryland earlier in the day.
Any two cops would do.
Officer Rafael Ramos.
Brinsley, 28, “walked up to the police car,” Bratton told the New York public and the American people. “He took a shooting stance on the passenger side and fired the weapon — his weapon — several times through the front passenger window, striking both officers.”
“They were, quite simply, assassinated — targeted for their uniform, and for the responsibility they embraced to keep the people of this city safe,” Bratton said.
By yesterday it had become clear that using Instagram to announce his plan to execute two police officers — or, as he put it, “Putting Wings On Pigs” — would not be enough. Seconds before he ambushed Liu and Ramos he reportedly told passerby, “Watch what I’m going to do.”
After shooting a human being in Maryland and killing two others in New York, Brinsley then took another human life: his own.
BULLETIN: (6th Update 9:51 a.m. ET U.S.A.) A gunman who reportedly targeted the headquarters of the Austin Police Department and other government buildings in an overnight attack in Texas has been shot dead.
Austin Assistant Chief Raul Munguia has told reporters that the suspect appears to have used a vehicle that contained an improvised explosive device. Because the suspect was wearing a vest of some sort, there is concern that it could be armed, too.
A bomb squad was dispatched.
Early reports suggest the other buildings included the federal courthouse in downtown Austin and Mexico’s consulate.
Austin is the capital of Texas. Police and first responders were targeted in an attack last week near Tallahassee, Florida’s capital.
Picture of four bullet holes that shattered the glass of the guard shack on the back side of the federal courthouse pic.twitter.com/bFVnUgXRCe — Erin Cargile (@erincargile) November 28, 2014
A media briefing will be at 9 a.m. re: this mornings shooting @ the Waller Creek Bldg. located at 10th and the west frontage of IH-35.
From NBC News, quoting a person who observed part of the incident (italics added):
“[The shooter] was in full gear so he didn’t seem like a civilian, but there was no writing on any of the equipment,” the restaurant server said. “It seemed like he was wearing a bullet-proof vest and he was wearing a helmet with a clear visor over his face.”
Chief Cathy L. Lanier. Source: Washington Metropolitan Police Department
An ax-wielding man attacked a police officer driving a marked car at 3 a.m. today in an ambush, the Washington Metropolitan Police Department is reporting via Twitter and Facebook under the signature of Chief Cathy L. Lanier.
The officer was not injured by the ax, but was injured in the “attempted apprehension,” the department said. “He will be OK.”
“The axe shattered the [car] window,” the department said, noting the suspect escaped after struggling with the officer.
Police described the suspect as a “black male, 6’-1” to 6’-2” with a stocky build.”
Investigators have leads, the department said.
News of the attack in Washington came just a day after a Pennsylvania man accused of gunning down a state trooper in an ambush and seriously wounding another trooper was arrested after a 48-day manhunt.
The Washington attack occurred in the Fifth District. The department’s website says the Fifth District is in the northeastern quadrant of the city and includes a “diverse mix of neighborhoods, including Brookland, Ivy City, Trinidad and Woodridge.” The National Arboretum is situated in the district.
Here is the full statement of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department as published minutes ago on Facebook (italics added):
By now, I am sure most of you have heard that we had an officer attacked by a person with an axe, while patrolling in his marked police car around 0300 hours this morning in the Fifth District. Most importantly, however, the officer did not sustain injuries from the axe. Rather, his injuries resulted from an attempted apprehension, and he will be OK.
Specific to this attack, the Fifth District officer was on patrol when he noted a suspicious person and went to investigate the situation. The suspicious person avoided the officer by entering an alley. The officer then entered the alley in his marked car and was ambushed by the person with the axe. The axe shattered the window, but did not strike the officer. The officer gave chase and caught up with the suspect, but after a brief struggle, he was able to escape.
As of now we have a general lookout for a black male, 6’-1” to 6’-2” with a stocky build. We have several leads that we are following up on at this point, but the investigation continues.
Lately, we have been putting out a lot of information to the force in regard to remaining vigilant at all times. While we do not have any information at this point on the motivation surrounding today’s attack, this situation underscores the need to always maintain a very high level of situational awareness while we are working. Recent incidents targeting uniformed law enforcement officers in Quebec, New York City, and now to one our own here in Washington, D.C. are reminders that we must always be ready for any eventuality. I encourage all members to maintain a high awareness of your environment, and to always notify the dispatcher of the location when investigating or entering suspicious situations.
Chief Lanier.
By now, I am sure most of you have heard that we had an officer attacked by a person with an axe, while… http://t.co/yAppay1gu2
