Marana Arizona police officer likely saved this suspect’s life
I was all ready to go ‘here we go again’. This story led ABC World News. In these times where it seems police have been brutally killing or attacking many citizens, mostly minorities, the fingers were getting ready to put out yet another excoriation of the mounting numbers of really bad cops. Could this officer have acted differently? Yes. But in examining the tape ‘differently’ likely meant many police officers gunning this suspect down as it is evident from the tape that the suspect, Mario Valencia, had shot a presumably loaded gun into the air.
Doing a little research solidified that second look rather quickly. Tucson News Now reported the following.
Officer Michael Rapiejko (Source: Marana Police Dept.)
Then, in a decision that Marana police Chief Terry Rozema says probably saved Valencia’s life, officer Michael Rapiejko drives his cruiser onto the sidewalk and rams Valencia. …
According to Marana police, Valencia was fleeing from the Walmart at 8280 N. Cortaro Road, near I-10, where he allegedly had stolen a rifle at about 9 a.m. on Feb. 19. The pursuit came to an end outside nearby Continental Ranch Self Storage at 5650 W. Coca Cola Place, where Rapiejko hit the suspect with his cruiser. Valencia had already been intercepted by police in the vicinity of the post office at 5800 N. Business Park Drive, where he pointed the rifle at his head multiple times and threatened suicide before fleeing again and firing the gun in another direction.
Tucson police were also at the Marana scene. According to Marana police, Valencia allegedly abandoned a stolen vehicle at the store.
Police were investigating whether Valencia was connected to the three earlier incidents in Tucson. …
As far as I am concerned based on the information thus far, this incident may have broken the recent cycle of reported bad encounters with the police.While this may seem an extreme act it is quite a bit better than a human being pumped full of bullet holes.