Double-You-Tee-Eff #102

Chattanooga police fired 53 shots at suicidal man to subdue him; doctors count 43 bullet wounds


The Chattanooga Times Free Press is reporting six police officers fired 59 bullets to subdue a suicidal armed man last month.

A preliminary autopsy report shows Alonzo A. Heyward, 32, had 43 bullet holes in his body.

Police say the use of force wasn't excessive.

"When we are trained to shoot, we are trained to shoot until we subdue the threat," said Lt. Kim Noorbergen, police spokeswoman. "We are not trained to shoot to kill, as many people think."

Heyward was pointing a shotgun at his face outside a fast-food restaurant on July 18 when approached by police. Officers followed Heyward to his home on Seventh Avenue, continually asking him to disarm, but Mr. Heyward didn't comply, police have said.

On Monday, Chattanooga police released an audio recording of the encounter. One neighbor is heard telling officers that Mr. Heyward had been threatening to kill himself all day and had been drinking.

Police say that once on the porch at his house, Mr. Heyward pointed his weapon at them. They shot him with a stun gun. When that didn't work, the officers resorted to deadly force.

Six officers were placed on paid leave after the shooting.


Sooooooo... rather than let the dude kill himself, the police decided to kill him for attempting to kill himself? Yeah, that makes sense... good job Chattanooga Police Force... 43 bullets is ALWAYS needed to subdue a motherfucker... SMH...