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twitterMetro identifies man shot by officer after traffic stop
Friday, Oct. 30, 2009 | 5:46 p.m.
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Metro Police identified the man who was shot by an officer Thursday afternoon as 31-year-old Raymond J. Duensing.
An officer conducting a patrol on Cheyenne Avenue near Michael Way stopped a vehicle after seeing it commit several traffic violations, police said.
As the officer approached, he asked the man in the vehicle to get out, then the man became agitated and didn't comply with the police commands, authorities said.
The man ran west on Cheyenne and officers went in foot pursuit of him, police said. A Taser didn't stop the man from running.
Police say Duensing tried to pull a handgun from his pants pocket. At that point one officer fired, hitting Duensing several times, police said.
Duensing was taken to University Medical Center's trauma unit, where he was listed in critical but stable condition, police said.
The identify of the officer is being withheld for 48 hours, per department policy. The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave.
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So metros gonna produce this handgun? People have been shot by metro officers for having cell phones,basketballs and all kinds of other things that they "thought" was a gun and if they have nothing then thay"ll just say they "thought" they had a gun.Metro officer dies going 70 mph and no seatbelt but its cause he swerved to miss a car pulling out,,so wheres the car and driver? Hookin a metro cop up to a lie detector should be commen practice in this town.
A 19 year old girl Bradni Burke was a witness and said the 31 year old man shot in the back didn't pull a gun. Metro refused to speak to her when she tried to report it to officers on the scene. Other media outlets have this story, why not here?
Wow! I'm guessing that the suspect was outrunning all the cops so they had to stop him one way or another. Most likely shot from the back while trying to run away. There is no shame to let one get away to save a life for committing traffic violations.
Hey, wasn't this guy a libertarian candidate for congress last year?
To: lucygoosie
I've been always reading the comments without participating, but tonight after reading your most fair phrase: "a metro cop up to a lie detector should be commen practice in this town"; I decided to sign for registration just to tell you that this phrase it's the most fair for all of us. The phrase of the innocents. thank you.
An officer conducting a patrol on Cheyenne Avenue near Michael Way stopped a vehicle after seeing it equip for blogging about metro's speeding without lights, these posts are not nice police said.
As the officer approached, he asked the man in the vehicle to delete the post then the man became agitated and didn't comply with the police commands, authorities said.
Police say Duensing tried to pull a email from his inbox. At that point one officer fired, hitting Duensing several times, police said.
I could not resist this spoof!
It's a serious matter a man being shot in the back. If he didn't have a gun then this cop needs to go to jail.
Perhaps the policeman gave the suspect the option of auto de fe or arrest and the perp opted for the 1st choice.
Fools never learn they just sit at home and complain!
So what do you call the person who sets at home and complains about the fools who set at home and complain?
Staying away.
i bet you ANYTHING the guy had a criminal background.
if so, i say "thanks" to the cop for cleaning up the city a little.
Yea,,just line em all up and shoot em in the back,the shoplifters,jaywalkers,the kids caught smokin a joint or drinken a beer in the park and the illegals (last I read there was about 200,000 of em) line em all up and shoot em. Problem is that if ya do that your left with people that justify lining up everybody with any kind of a criminal record and shooting them in the back.
Law enforcement violates more laws on a daily bases in America than any other organization without being prosecuted.
: (
OMG...if this is the same guy I know, he's an attorney I've worked with lots of times in the past. Haven't seen him around lately, though. Wild!!!
Las Vegas Sun,
Please do a complete investigation of this and give us, the public, the facts.
If the witness is right, and the officer lied, then I expect the DA to do the right thing and charge him with attempted murder with a deadly weapon. I am sure they can find other charges, since they are so good at stacking on anything that even smells like it might stick.
"Police say Duensing tried to pull a handgun from his pants pocket."
Here's the beginning of the "qualifying statement". Stay tuned as the facts are slowly spoon fed about circumstances.
Yesterday the gun and a knife were visible around the belt area. At least that was the way it read. Now the "gun" is in the pants pocket.
"At that point, the officer saw that the man had a gun and possibly a knife in his waistband, police said." (Same link as below)
You think maybe there was something in his pants pocket that made him want to run? Something other than a gun? How many episodes of "Cops" do you have to watch to recognize a pattern? If dude was going to shoot at a cop, the gun would have been out when the officer approached the fist time.
The officer had somehow gotten his name and gotten information back on him.
"and learned the man might have been wanted on a warrant." (http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct...)
Wasn't this a rental car? Seems, I remember reading that somewhere.
"Capt. Randy Montandon said a patrol officer saw a man driving a silver Pontiac rental car make an illegal turn at Cheyenne Avenue and Jones Boulevard about 2:24 p.m. The officer then witnessed the driver make several illegal lane changes, Montandon said.
Montandon said the officer pulled the man over on Cheyenne near Michael Way. The situation escalated when the officer did a records check on the man and discovered he was the subject of an outstanding warrant for misdemeanor violations." (http://www.lvrj.com/news/lv-officer-woun...)
This spoon feeding is exactly how it is done. Little by little. You forget what they said yesterday and accept today's fact as the whole story.
I hope I'm wrong.
Running Man, rent it.
Ya build em a brand-new outdoor shooting facility and they still want to practice on the public?
; )
lucygoosie, mrtmtrvlr, unclegig, Harley, geezelouise, destructo_mutt -- I'm with you guys on this.
"If he didn't have a gun then this cop needs to go to jail."
whats_in_the_box -- actually, this victim is at liberty to keep and bear arms. What matters is he didn't pull it on the cop, or point or even brandish it. This cop wasn't threatened. It appears more like the predator's natural instinct to chase down then kill fleeing prey.
What needs to be kept in mind here is what that badge each police officer wears represents -- a show of the People's authority. It is NOT a license to kill, it comes with certain very heavy responsibilities, the first being loyalty to the Constitutions each swore to support, uphold, etc. That includes the 14th Amendment's promise no one will be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process. COPS LIKE THIS ARE THE REAL CRIMINALS.
killerB said...
"actually, this victim is at liberty to keep and bear arms. What matters is he didn't pull it on the cop, or point or even brandish it. This cop wasn't threatened."
...this victim may or may not be at liberty to keep and bear arms; none of know the status of his weapons permits. But that's irrelevant(much like ole killerB himself); he does not have the right to disobey the officer's lawful commands, which he did by fleeing. And we don't know whether the cop was threatened or not, because we weren't there. The officer, who was there, says that the suspect reached for a handgun in his pants; that is a threat to the officer and that is why this victim was shot. I can tell you before this even goes to the police board for investigation, and it most certainly will, that this is justifiable.
enteaser
Did you bother to read the article and the posts?
According to all accounts I have read, (see previous post) there was no mention of any kind of weapon until the guy was running. So what did this guy do? Verbally threaten the cop?
Too many trigger happy officers.
The only thing this officer will be reprimanded for, is that he didn't kill the guy.
mutt,
Yes. I'm not sure what exactly you disagree with me; it seems like we're saying the same thing?
I'm not sure I understand. If he was running and left his car, why not just confiscate his car and then make his ass come get it? Why chase Dumb ass? You got his address, his car...basically his identity and life history. Trust me...he would have been in your office within the hour yelling and hollering.
Make your lives easier.
Has anyone stop to think, perhaps the suspect was the one who feared for his life, which is why he ran in the first place.
We know high-speed police chases endanger citizens, how is shooting at a suspect any less dangerous. Once you pull-off a round there is no control where it will stop.
Did they find GSR on his cloths other than where he was shot?
Was the suspect intoxicated?
What was the distance from the car and from the Officer when the shots were taken?
One shot in the leg at what range?
One shot in the back at what range?
Do the individuals know each other, or have mutual friends?
Shouldn't IA be investigating this shoot, not homicide, unless (they hoped) he wasn't supposed to live?
Free advice: don't run from the police. Obey their commands.
"Free advice: don't run from the police. Obey their commands."
saltydawg -- you left out "Get shot anyway. Everybody believes their version of the events, not the witness."
Witness accounts are almost NEVER accurate. Plain and simple, dont run from the police unless you want trouble. Its not rocket science people.
geenab65,
An earlier story said that it was a rental car.
This just goes to show that people in Nevada can't drive or obey police commands. Thinking you are above the law gets you in this situation. He had warrants for his arrest so he wasn't "innocent". He tried to flee and got shot... plain and simple. I agree the officer done the right thing.
Why, if you are being stopped for a traffic violation, would you feel the need to run? Obviously you were aware of the warrants for your arrest. So...let's see. You flee. You have warrants. The officer is aware of your warrants. RED FLAG! Maybe, just maybe, you can't be trusted? Most likely not. If it looks like you have a weapon or you are reaching for a weapon, you can bet your butt that I would shoot too. And so would you in the same situation should you be that officer.
That officer has every right to protect himself and the community...including the cop haters. If you were in the officers shoes, you would have shot too. Give these officers that protect the community a break. Who's to say that this guy...attorney or not...couldn't shoot back at the officer and hit YOU in the line of fire. Would you be complaining about that officer then? I think not.
The LVMPD Academy is a very strict academy. It is one of the toughest in the country. It's not easy to get on with LVMPD. You can't just call them up and say "I need a job" and they give it to you. It's a long process of background checks, lie detector tests, etc.
Please stop trying to conduct an inquest based on news articles. You will never get all of the facts that you need to make a reasonable judgement.
I read in the RJ that this guy is a lawyer.
WAY TO GO, METRO! Consider moving the shooting range to just outside the Regional Justice Center and you could include some live-fire drills on the bottom-feeders skulking around there.
Even if the guy had a gun. He still would have had to stop running, turn and shoot. Unless any of you believe that someone can shoot behind themselves with any kind of accuracy while running away? At the very least the guy would have had to fully present the gun and turn his head while running to get a shot off. This would allow the officer to actually see a weapon before ASSUMEing he had a weapon.
Just sayin'
destruct_mutt,
Tell your story to the metro officer who about ten years ago was shot in the face by a person who was running away.
LVN8tive -- you seem to suggest just because one metro officer got shot a decade ago that's the license for THIS officer to shoot THIS man in the back? Get real! Get over these cops are some kind of benevolent guardian force ever watching over us, ever catching the bad guys, always the good guys. They represent ONLY the public authority WE gave them to keep the peace. And they are ultimately accountable to us -- We the People. They must do it within the limits of Constitutions first, then the positive laws. When they step outside that authority they're no longer cops, they're criminals of the worst kind.
Our troops shoot fewer civilians, in a war zone, in a year, than the cops in this metropolitan area.
They understand the circumstances of the job they willingly pursue.
This is like a soldier going to battle and expecting to never be hurt.
No one wants to die but there are certain jobs which put you at a greater risk of that happening.
It would be so much easier for our troops to go through a village in Afaghanistan and shoot everyone that "appears" to be a threat but that is not allowed any more than this should be allowed.
This lack of respect for human/ civil rights and life should bother any reasonable person.
I remember a man being shot on a freeway in San Diego County around '89 because he was waving a cement trowell.
In any job you take precations to protect yourself but in the end, accidents happen.
Should we cut out a heart, to prevent a heart attack?
Remove a stomach, to prevent stomach cancer?
No just don't RUN when you are being arrested...it's that simple!
Metro has way too many weaklings on their force. They are incapable of handling the simplest of tasks and resort to shooting citizens in the back. They lack the mental ability to understand the value of seat belts and driving at speeds where one can control a motor vehicle.
Metro needs to get rid of the idiots and hire some adults.
I found this at an actual news website...http://www.lvrj.com/news/friend-identifies-man-shot-by-police-68202707.html
Police said Duensing then fled and was unsuccessfully Tased and shot several times after he reached in his front pocket for a .45-caliber handgun. Police also said Duensing reached for a large folding knife.
"He was Tased. He did tell me that," Duensing's friend said. "I think when the officer Tased him, it scared the crap out of him. I don't think he expected to be Tased over a traffic stop."
Yep he was running for his life from a dumb cop who pulled him over for going thru an intersection in a right turn only lane. This moron cop then tased him for that.
I hope this attorney hangs Metro out to dry.
How much longer do we have to put-up with such unprofessional Police?
Why didn't the guy just comply? If it's a bad stop go to IAD and file a complaint. What, he's going to get a ticket for illegal lane change? Go to court and fight it.
People don't run from the cops for that unless they got warrants, got stuff in their car they shouldn't or are very stupid. This guy sounds like he was very stupid.
If you don't comply and reach into your pockets, expect to be shot. That's the way it is.
There is never really any reasonable discussion on these forums. It's usually the same cop, government, life hating trolls that post bile. It's possible to but just not with this usual crowd.
He was running to Glenn Lerner's office, call 877-1500, the heavy hitter,one call that's all!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All libertarians are nuts, we need to give Metro Magnums.
We have secured evidence that LVMPD officers are aware false warrants are issued by the Eighth Judiciary.
LVMPD PIO is disconnected from the community because the community knows this also.
Killerb and destruct_mutt,
unless either of you were at the scene you have no idea what happened. You are taken a poorly written article and accepting it as truth.
LVN8tive -- quite the opposite. Can't speak for the mutt, of course, but as citizens we ALL have a duty to question the use of our authority, particularly when it's used with lethal intent.
On the poorly written article, that we agree on -- unless that's all Manning could come up with from her sources.
mred -- your post shows you are beneath contempt. A man was shot in the back on the public's trust in that badge wearer. Making light of another's execution says just about all that needs to be said about you.
LVN8tive - Actually, I am taking 3 "poorly written" articles of which in the 2 from the Sun, the "facts" changed or were at least not fully presented from one day to the next. As I pointed out above.
Just keep this whole conversation in mind when or if you get pulled over and you reach for the glovebox to get your registration and insurance papers as the officer approaches your door. Will the cop imagine that you are retrieving a weapon? Whatever you do, do not appear nervous.
I really don't agree that this punishment fit the crime. Who made this officer the judge, jury and almost executioner. What ever happened to due process?
No information yet on what the warrant was about.
"Spoon Fed"
No handgun, no case!
No further infromation about this incident. I guess we are waiting for the "official" story to come out.
Way to dig.