Cop wrestles suspect for gun

| 05/05/2012

IMG_6250 (269x300).jpg(CNS): Police have arrested three people and recovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun after a routine stop in the early hours of Saturday morning. Officers on patrol 1am on Saturday in the Seymour Drive area of George Town stopped a white Honda motor vehicle. Suspicious of thepeople in the car, the unarmed officers search the two men and one woman and found the handgun, after which one of the male suspects ran off chased by one of the officers on foot. The second man then wrestled with the remaining officer in an effort to get his gun back, police reported. Meanwhile, an hour later, in Sheddon Road, uniform support officers were confronted with another man in possession of what appeared to be an AK47.

In the first case where unarmed cops seized a real, loaded weapon, the officer who chased the suspect who had tried to flee eventually caught the man. His colleague also managed to retain possession of the illegal weapon after a struggle with the second suspect. Fortunately, police said, no shots were fired during the struggle and no one was hurt.  The two men aged 26 and 24 years old and the woman, who police said was 21 years old, were all arrested on suspicion of possession of an unlicensed firearm and taken into police custody.

The firearm (pictured above) was seized and exhibited for further evidential purposes.
“The arrest overnight of these three individuals is a prime example of what good policing is about,” said Acting Chief Superintendent Kurt Walton. “These officers were simply on routine patrol when they spotted a vehicle under suspicious circumstances and decided to investigate. They never expected to be confronted with armed suspects. Their bravery demonstrates the level of commitment shown by our officers in the continued fight against criminality in the Cayman Islands”.  

USG officers just an hour later were also confronted with a potentially dangers situation. At about 2am the 911 emergency centre received information that a male was in possession of a machine gun in the Sheddon Road area of George Town.

IMG_6266 (300x217).jpgOfficers from the USG were sent to the location in the vicinity of Funky Tangs. On arrival they saw a male fitting the description holding what appeared to be an AK47 type machine gun (right). The officers made their presence known to the suspect and shouted to put the weapon down. The suspect turned to face the officers still holding the firearm. Officers again shouted to the suspect to put the firearm down and eventually he did as instructed.

The male was subsequently arrested but a preliminary inspection of the weapon determined that it was not a real firearm and the suspect was taken into custody on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an offence. No one was hurt and no police weapons were fired, even though the officers were unaware that the machine gun was not real.

“The level of restraint displayed by those officers in this instance is unbelievable," Walton said.  “It shows the level of training and high standards of our armed officers. They could have never known at the time that the weapon held by this suspect was not real. This could have easily had a different outcome. Again, it highlights the commitment of our officers to tackle gun crime and other criminality in the Cayman Islands”. 

Anyone who has any information regarding criminal activities, is asked to contact George Town Police Station on 949-4222, the RCIPS tip-line 949-7777 or the confidential Crime Stoppers number 800-8477(TIPS).

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  1. The lone haranguer rides again! says:

    Good work coppers!

  2. Anonymous says:

    In the United States the behavior of pointing toward police with the fake machine gun usually results in the individual being shot by the police. It has a name it is known as "suicide by cops".

  3. Anonymous says:

    Full praise to the officers involved in the seizure of the handgun,especially in confronting the suspects un-armed themselves. The guns can only be getting here one of two ways. The first is in freight shipments by sea or air. The second is in illegal landing vessels that come in by night or do package drops off the coastline. These two areas is where the future focus of policing by customs & the border patrols needs to be. 

  4. Kadafe says:

    Both gun holders were lucky that they were not shot by the cops!
    Good job guys u deserve thanks for a job well done and not being trigger happy
    Very professional!

  5. Peter Milburn says:

    A job well done.Now we just need the public to start getting info to the Police so that we can put these guys where they belong.Keep up the good work guys and girls.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Well done RCIPS!!!  Keep up the good work, but next time don't wait to see if the weapon displayed is real or not…..drop them before they drop you….We dont' need to be saving thugs….we need to save our good Policemen and Policewomen.

  7. Neo Survivor says:

    Training is the key, imo.    Contrary to [some people's] popular belief, merely being armed is not enough for our officers.    I also believe that most of our officers come from a mindset and system where armed police are not commonplace.  

    As said, the world is changing.   Cayman is changing.   We MUST give the RCIP — ALL of  them — the tools and training to do their jobs.   We can't continue to ask them to respond to events that involve firearms without them having the tools to properly respond.  

    I also believe that we need to make it easier for law-abiding citizens to arm themselves, but perhaps that's another story for another day.   One step at a time.  

    Good job RCIP.   We appreciate you and some of us understand the strains and stresses you are under to do your job in Cayman.   Please be safe.  

  8. Cayman shame says:

    Thug with imitation ak47 is lucky to be alive if the story is accurate. He would have been sawed in half in any other jurisdiction with bullets as he turned around with that weapon in his hands. Congrats officers for showing such professionalism.

    • WildBoy says:

      Not much professionalsim in that…

      This is infact as you said a different jurisdiction. They could NOT do anything else besides what they did anyway lol….

      1st. Learn Cayman Islands laws

      2nd. Dont take this comment the wrong way.

      Steve-O

       

  9. Anonymous says:

    great work and great restraint shown by officers when faced with an AK47and used thier training instaed of shooting. id have just shot him .

  10. Anonymous says:

    So, all you armchair experts and back seat crime fighters. Want to praise the ladies and gentlemen who actually do the catching bad guys thing instead of just blowing a lot of hot air? Lets see shall we.

  11. Anonymously!! says:

    There is no doubt in my mind that there is some elements out there wanting to tear our island to shreds. I just hope that the poilce will be/ are more alert on what we are dealing with here.

    I heard a caller on the talk show stating that there is an area here where the police are dared to enter certain areas, they refered to it as mafia controlled, lets hope this is not true.

    As of thursday with the armed robbery of scotia bank , I'm more convinced that there is some one trying to discredit our islands.

    I pray for all of us, especially our leaders and the police.We need a day of prayer every day, Lets start that epidemic now. Pray

  12. Mikhail Kalashnikov says:

    That looks nothing like the Avtomat Kalashnikova I designed in 1947. Have a look in Wikipedia…

    • Anonymous says:

      It looks remarkably similar to the AK47 Spetsnaz.  As one of the most widely produced weapons in the world there have been many variants made of the AK47.

      • Mikhail Kalashnikov says:

        Yeah, there is some similarity, except that the Spetsnaz is a TOY BB GUN for playing Airsoft, not a real rifle. If you go to war, don’t take the Spetsnaz. If you want to play Airsoft, then that’s your gear.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Outstanding.

  14. Anonymous says:

    This certainly highlights the dangers of confronting gun-wielding criminals armed only with words and a couple of fists. Kudos to the officers involved.

  15. Anonymous says:

    Well done and thank you to the brave officers (unarmed) who wrestled this man.  Although, it is a crying shame that unarmed officers are sent out on the streets to try to detain armed criminals.  Surely it would make more sense to have only armed officers in these operations.  

  16. Anonymous says:

    I hope that the constant critics of the police will take this into consideration. Those two officers deserve to be named National Heros more than anyone who has been in the past. That said, they should be alowed to carry tasers if not pistols.

    • Anonymous says:

      Then everyone who is simply doing their work right shold be names a National heroe. Firefighters, paramedicas, teachers, etc.  Give me a break. 

    • Duh! says:

      Read the story.  First arrest is a traffic stop – they only find the gun when they search the vehicle.  Second incident, where a suspect is thought to have a gun, they sent an armed response unit.

       

  17. I is a college student says:

    Way To Go RCIP!

  18. Neo Survivor says:

    Excellent work on both counts.   

    I hope a ballistics test is done to compare with any [fired] rounds recovered at other crime scenes.    Also hope if there are existing serial numbers are researched to discover the source of the firearm.  

    It is a testament to the professionality and training of the officers involved that both events turned out as they did.  

    Unlike many Caymanians, I am in favor of all officers acquiring training and be armed during the course of their duty.    Particularly in the first case of a traffic stop, it reads that there was sufficient reason for suspicion, and those officers were at dire risk facing armed people while they themselves were unarmed.   

    Our country is changing, and I think we need to equip our police with all tools necessary to protect themselves.  

    Happy ending.   Good work, officers. 

  19. Anonymous says:

     

    Good policing means ALWAYS expecting to be confronted with armed suspects when stopping a vehicle under suspicious circumstances.  There should be a written protocol of what Police must legally do when they stop a vehicle. When Police knows exactly what they are doing and doing it right, word "lucky" usually don't doesn't come into a play.

    I don't think bravery and commitment are part of this protocol. It is part of being a Policeman. And fighting against criminality in Cayman is a job they chose. Every day and everywhere. I don't see a reason for a praise here. 

  20. Mawga says:

    Good job RCIP!!

  21. Anonymous says:

    Arm the police……. What is it going to take before one of our officers is shot / killed. Does someone really want to make that phone call. ” so sorry for the loss of you father, mother, son, daughter”…..etc. Give them the tools to do there job. If one of these morons had the opportunity to shoot the officers could do nothing more than hit the dirt. Its a no brainer…

  22. Anonymous says:

    they could have shoot they ask later lol good work keep it up

  23. Anonymous says:

    These brave and competent members of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Force deserve our sincere congratulations.

    After so many years of less than mediocre performance, this comes as avery pleasant surprise. Wow. what a breath of fresh air.

    If this kind of performance continues, the recent constant increase in criminal activity on the Cayman Islands could well be stopped and may even be put into decline.

    Let's continue to send a strong message to our would be criminals their game is over.

    Keep up the good work

     

  24. Anonymous says:

    Just a little proof that despite the constant critics and 'naysayers' on this blog, the RCIPS are doing what we expect them to do, and making the Islands safer, they are prepared to step up to the plate.  Well done guys!

  25. Anonymous says:

    Walton, arm your guys, this could have been a total wipeout of police officers doing there job. Tell me, would any of the “brass” have the BA&&s to patrol at night unarmed and stop these jerks cruising with guns?

    As for the AK47 guy, they should have dropped him on the spot.

  26. Anonymouse says:

    Well Done.

     

    Well done to the routain patrol; we need more of these. And to the member of the public that called 911; again something we need more people to do (or 1-800-TIPS). And well done to CNS for getting this news out so quickly. I'm not sure its 'good' news but its definately not bad news either. And impressive restraint by the USG.

     

    Well Done to the Police.

    • Anonymous says:

      Actually that number is just 800-TIPS (800-8477).  Not 1-800.

      Anyone can call in tips anonymously. Calls are not answered on island.

  27. Dennis Smith says:

    Impressive. Well done.

  28. Anonymous says:

    Well done! That's the way to do it. Let's see a lot more of the same!

  29. Anonymous says:

    That pistol looks like an AMT Backup in 32ACP so it's not cheap junk like most of the previous handgun seizures, probably cost about US$400 with taxes.

    Should be recent manufacture and easy to trace back. I wonder how it got into Cayman?

  30. Anonymous says:

    Well done to both the unarmed and the USG officers. Now it’s down to the courts as usual to do their jobs. Stay focus guys and don’t become complacent, and tunnel vision. Remember your training and watch each others back. God bless you all…it’s good to see that a Caymanians is acting in the Chief Supt position and they haven’t just replaced this position with another overseas puppet.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Still unbelievable that these things are happening in Cayman.

  32. McCarron McLaughlin says:

    Great job RCIPS. Two thumbs up!!!!

  33. Anonymous says:

    Thanks RCIPS. Let's get these wanna be thugs off the streets and their "guns" too.

  34. Anonymous says:

    The truth of the matter is that these officers were fighting for their lives. You carry a small handgun like this which is only good for shooting people.

    The RCIP should really pressure these illegal gun carriers for where and how they obtained them.

  35. Anonymous says:

    Sadly our country has sunken to its lowest ebb. Cudos to the RCIPS.

  36. Anonymous says:

    Thank you all very much.

    Be safe and God bless you all.

  37. Anonymous says:

    I am pretty critical do the RCIPS in solving any crimes. However, both of these situations show great bravery and restraint by these particular officers, so my hats off to them personally Furthermore, it is a shame that unarmed officers have to confront armed situations, going into the battle at a huge disadvantage.

  38. Anonymous says:

    Enforce the law…Mandatory sentence for posession of unlicenced firearm I believe is 20 years plus $100,000 fine.

    That kind of punishment might get the attention of these low life scum ruining Cayman.

     

  39. Happy says:

    Thank you brave policemen, now lock the cell door and throw away the key.

  40. Anonymous says:

    Damn it Baines, now you're really making McKeeva look bad.lol.

  41. Anonymous says:

    What happened to the day when the reports were someone stealing out of someone's watermelon patch??!!

    Unbelievable! Cayman has caught up with the rest of the world's city gangster/criminal life.

    Thankfully no one was injured in either incident and those few weapons are off the street.

  42. Anonymous says:

    Scary, Ok if this was actually an AK47 …what then, do the officers have firearms to

    protect themselves?

    A person waves what looks like an AK47 in front of the police……!!  Shows how bold

    these guys are…not worried at all….''In the real world''   they would have been shot

    dead…waving what looked like an AK47…..pretty sad!!!!!!

  43. Anonymous 2 says:

    I simply could not breath reading this report of the two guns taken over the weekend.  What a bravery the officers displayed to tackle the man with the loaded gun.  God thanks for your protection.

    My next comments are.MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR CASE TOGETHER, because the public is tired of hearing cases being thrown out of court  for mixed up evidence.

    Next comment I hope the Judge fling the book at them and hit them in the side of their head with it.

    Thanks RCIP  a job well done, and I hope recommendations are made for you to be Honored for your bravery.

  44. Old East says:

    Now thats Good Policing!!!!

  45. Anonymous says:

    Well done RCIP.  Keep up the good work.  The training is beginning to show.  Keep training and keep professional.

  46. Soapbox Sally says:

    Great job. Keep it coming. I, for one, have had enough of these stories of armed robberies and shootings.

  47. Anonymous says:

    Well done guys. Thank you!

  48. Anonymous says:

    Well done RCIPS. Keep going.

  49. Anonymous says:

    Finally news of some good policing.

    And with such situations becoming more frequent is more evidence that more of the Police should be TRAINED and carrying firearms.

  50. Anonymous says:

    Well done, RCIP! We want to see more of this.

  51. Anonymous says:

    Now that's what I'm talking about, represent boys, cops 2 crooks 0, bout time too