Tuesday, July 20, 2010

OK. Gangbangers aren't the only ones who can't hit shit. California shootout (video with expert local commentary).



So here we have a shoot-out involving a convicted felon, who is described in one story as "unemployed" and "frustrated at being unable to find a job and 'left-wing politicians,' according to his mother." Later this description is further refined in another story into the ever popular short-hand "anti-government."



"Anti-government." Isn't that what the Tea Parties and militias are? The perp, seen above, is described thusly:

Williams has an extensive criminal history, and is currently on parole after being convicted of two felonies. Criminal records show he has been convicted of assault, a hit and run, property destruction, theft and driving under the influence. He was drunk and driving with a suspended license at the time of the incident, they said.


Yup, sounds like a typical Tea Partier militiaman, I'm sure. (Voice dripping sarcasm.)

OK, so watch the video above with two neighborhood guys giving expert local color commentary and understand that shoot-outs are definitely confusing affairs, especially to those who are exchanging shots. On the other hand, the fact that CHP fired as many shots as they did to so little immediate result makes you wonder if they're doing the "gangsta grip" too.

The only thing that can be said for their collective marksmanship is that it was better than the perps, who apparently killed a lot of glass and nothing else. Of course the fact that he was drunk probably didn't help. And the cops' excuse was . . . ?

Anyway, watch the video. The commentary is a hoot.

Mike
III

Wild morning shootout between gunman, CHP hospitalizes three
By Jennifer Courtney July 18, 2010

(6/18) — 21:43 PDT — OAKLAND — An anti-government 45 year-old parolee — armed with three guns and wearing body armor — engaged 10 California Highway Patrol officers in a frightening overnight gun battle on Highway 580 in Oakland early Sunday morning that witnesses said lasted more than 30 minutes.

The gun battle left the parolee, identified as Byron Williams of Groveland, California, a town near the western edge of Yosemite National Park, wounded by CHP gunfire and sent two officers to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries after they were hit by shattering glass during the shootout.

A witness recorded video of the shooting incident and posted it onto YouTube. Twitter user MannyBlack recorded dozens of gunshots exchanged by Williams and the Highway Patrol from his Oakland Avenue apartment.

Cars backed up on Westbound Highway 580 in Downtown Oakland Sunday morning. Twitter Photo by @bjsunlove

According to the CHP, officers used a loudspeaker to direct Williams off the freeway after they observed his white Toyota Tundra pickup truck speeding and swerving erratically in the westbound direction at approximately 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

Williams pulled over to the shoulder of the freeway near Grand Avenue. According to authorities, when CHP officers approached the vehicle, they saw several firearms, including a handgun and rifles.

The officers began retreating back to their patrol car as Williams opened fire on the officers, who radioed an emergency call for back-up, the Highway Patrol said.

Ten CHP officers returned fire and wounded the man, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest. He was transported to Highland Hospital in Oakland and is currently listed in serious but stable condition.

Officials said Williams has an extensive criminal history, and is currently on parole after being convicted of two felonies. Criminal records show he has been convicted of assault, a hit and run, property destruction, theft and driving under the influence. He was drunk and driving with a suspended license at the time of the incident, they said.

Dozens of officers responded from throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties to the CHP call for assistance.

About 60 gunshots were fired in all in an altercation that witnesses say lasted about half an hour.

Interstate 580 was closed in both directions until about 8 a.m., when all eastbound lanes were opened. Later in the afternoon the freeway was again closed on both sides because authorities suspected the vehicle might have contained explosive devices.

“Due to the potential threat to public safety it is important to shut down both sides of the freeway,” California Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Trent Cross explained.

The hard closure resulted in extensive traffic congestion through the Oakland area. Traffic on the Nimitz Freeway through Oakland was especially heavy because of drivers seeking an alternate route around the freeway crime scene.

Eastbound 580 was shut down at the Interstate 980 interchange, and westbound 580 was closed at Highway 13 to allow the Alameda County Sheriff’s Dept. bomb squad to investigate items in the Toyota truck.

Investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation were also called in to start their own probe Sunday afternoon.

On request from Oakland Police Homicide investigators, the bomb squad detonated several suspicious items that were removed by a robot. Other items, including a white binder with the word “CALIFORNIA” printed on its cover, were also removed from the truck.

CHP confirmed later that no explosive devices were found in the truck.


All lanes of westbound 580 were reopened after 9:30 p.m. Sunday evening. Traffic is now flowing smoothly in both directions, and the incident should not affect Monday morning commuters through the area.

16 comments:

rexxhead said...

Love it!

Cops are shouting "Turn your lights off!" at motorists and probably threatening them with sudden death for non-compliance... All cars sold in CA have DRLs - daytime running lights - essentially headlights that NEVER shut off while the engine is running.

Luckily none of them felt that headlights were a threat to officer safety or there could have been real dead people involved in this fiasco.

Dakota said...

Where the hell was this guy going with guns and wearing a bulletproof vest? Sounds like maybe they got lucky to pull him over before he got to his destination.

How the hell do they know he is anti government .... maybe anti establishment .... or is that the new catch phrase for anyone with a gun.

These guys will never win any awards for running a video camera under stress for sure but it was interesting. Night time firefights are always hair raising events anyway.

pyrewyrm said...

I'm impressed to some extent the level of understanding the two guys exhibit in what's going on. Further more, they continue to re-evaluate their supposition throughout... I'll take two for scouts...

Defender said...

In quick succession: "The POLICE are running, man!" and "That's a SK." (semi-auto SKS, originally mistaken for an AK-47.)
The California Highway Patrol seems to be much better at disarming unsuspecting homeowners after a disaster in New Orleans, huh?

Anonymous said...

Not much of a video, but its confirmation of the event nonetheless.

These situations are very likey to start happening more and more around the country as gangs feel more and more emboldened...just a matter of time and the clock seems to be ticking a bit faster these days.

This is what happens when the real criminals are not dealt with properly the first time, and when the good people are disarmed.

Never EVER give up your guns....if you don't have one, get one. If you can't get one, MAKE one...or two or three.

If this is going on in suburban Kalifornia, imagine what's going on in rural southern AZ?

I've got to get a good night vision scope...or two!!

Toaster 802 said...

we have a shoot-out involving a convicted felon, who is described in one story as "unemployed" and "frustrated at being unable to find a job and 'left-wing politicians,' according to his mother." Later this description is further refined in another story into the ever popular short-hand "anti-government."

This is the new broad brush to paint the "enemies" of ObotOne with. Sone to be ratcheted up to "terrorist", so that all those nice laws the bigots thought were just for Muslims will be unleashed on "anti-Demo-rat" types.

Welcome to the new 1000 year Reich.

Anonymous said...

Just curious,

But if CHP confirmed that "no explosive devices were found in the truck", exactly how did the bomb squad "detonate" anything?

Sounds like either stupidity or more outright lying by the MSM not to state that the bomb squad really just "blew up" several things.

Chris

Anonymous said...

Conflation. Simply that, conflation.
Criminal ==> anti-government
TEA Party ==> anti-government

Soon it will be:
TEA Party ==> Criminal

B Woodman
III-per

illspirit said...

I think the video and the linked/quoted stories are from two different shootouts.

Steve said...

Expert commentary: "Its in our neighborhood bru". ROFLMAO!
But seriously, the commentary was better from these brothers than that one normally gets from ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, CNN etc. I give 'em two trigger fingers up!

EMWONAY said...

Lol. I was listening to the gun fight and the commentary thinking that it was a shoot out between rival gangs or something.

Just one more reason why people should be armed. There are houses everywhere. Someone in one of these houses had to have had a better angle on the shooter than the cops did. Lol. After coming to figure out what happened,'the good citizen would probably end up getting shot by the police anyways. You know "civilian+gun=bad".

Anonymous said...

"Lol. I was listening to the gun fight and the commentary thinking that it was a shoot out between rival gangs or something."

Your thinking appears to have been correct.

Mickey Collins said...

Good thing convicted felons can't possess firearms, or somebody might have gotten hurt.

Defender said...

Rexx, I remember reading about some U.S. troops in Iraq who killed a family stopped at a checkpoint because their Mercedes had such lights. Plus, some cars' lights will remain on for up to a minute if you turn off the ignition, a feature to light your way to your front door.
When they have military troops helping cops enforce domestic laws, things could get REAL ugly. You do in the field what you train to do on the range.

Anonymous said...

Used to live about two blocks away. Brings back memories. Anyone know what weapons the perp actually had? Despite the "expert commentary" that information apparently remains unknown.

Dennis308 said...

I´v got a couple of commits here that I´ll put together.

The voices of the LEO´s sound almost to the point of panic. It won´t take much to have them run home and see to their own families welfare when TSHTF and I won´t blame them.

Now If One drunk Man can cause this much mayhem. Imagine what a well coordinated Five Man Fire Team, or a Couple of Teams could do.

And Do the so called Progressive/Socialist/Collectivists
really think that These Police will Protect them.

And Today's Police are good at coming in the middle of the night with superior fire power and numbers and pretty much doing what they please,but I wonder how they can handle those same tactics used against them. Or do they think it cannot happen to them.

I have piece of advice for any LEO´s that are paying attention clean your ranks or find another line of work. ¨Your¨ Brothers in Arms have with impunity, Killed and Tortured(with taser and mace)Children,Grand Mothers,Innocent Men and Family Pets. And don´t try to explain that YOU didn´t do those things. If you are there or not and permit other Officers to do as they wish and do nothing it IS the same as the doing.Ladies and Gentlemen of Law Enforcement a day of reckoning IS Coming. Do you think Joe Public will forget? Sleep well tonite while you can,that day is not here yet at least I don´t think so. But hey, I have been wrong before.

Dennis
III
Texas