U.S. police kill suspected robber carrying plastic-pellet gun and man recording incident for TV show 'Cops'

Al Jazeera
Thu, 28 Aug 2014 08:54 UTC

© Associated Press

Stills released by police showed the suspect carrying what turned out to be a pellet gun

A robbery suspect carrying a plastic-pellet gun and a crew member with the TV show "Cops'' were shot dead by police during a response to a restaurant hold-up in Omaha, Nebraska.

The TV worker died despite wearing body armour at the incident on Wednesday, while police said the suspect was shot after he fired what officers said looked and sounded like a real handgun.

The suspect, Cortez Washington, 32, was shot as he tried to escape the Wendys restaurant and died outside. The "Cops" crew member, Bryce Dion, a sound technician, was hit while Washington was fleeing, said police chief Todd Schamaderer.

Comment: First, they can't tell the difference between a pellet gun and a real one, then they shoot a bystander. Should these men be armed?!

Dion, 38, was wearing body armour, but a single bullet hit his arm, "slipped into a gap in the vest'', and entered his chest, Schmaderer said.He said the "Cops" crew - Dion and a cameraman - went to the restaurant with two officers who responded to a request for help from another already at the scene.

He rejected suggestions that police had over-reacted as "absolutely ridiculous".

Schmaderer said he accepted the invitation from "Cops" to film in Omaha in the name of transparency, and regretted what had happened.

Comment: It is indeed transparent what took place.

"Personally, I will live with this forever. If I'd have known that this would happen, of course, I wouldn't have done it."

"Cops'' films police on duty and captures intense moments such as arrests, raids and chases. According to its website, the programme has been filmed in at least 140 US cities and three foreign countries.

John Langley, the president of the company behind "Cops", said the crew had been filming all summer in Omaha and had only one week left in the city.

Comment: If the crew was filming, it means they have everything that took place on film, so why don't they release it? We won't be able to hear from Cortez Washington, but his family says that the cops used excessive force:

Omaha police officers were running and gunning to make compelling TV when they sprayed bullets at an armed robbery suspect, killing him and a 'Cops' crewman ... so claims the dead suspect's family.

TMZ spoke with one of Cortez Washington's relatives ... who believes the officers used excessive force Tuesday night -- and were "hyped up" to put on a good show when they responded to the Wendy's.

As we reported ... 'Cops' sound supervisor Bryce Dion died after getting hit by friendly fire from Omaha PD during the shootout with Washington -- who was holding a Wendy's employee at gun point.

Washington's firearm turned out to be a pellet gun -- modeled after a real semi-automatic pistol -- and his family thinks officers should have recognized it wasn't a lethal weapon before they unloaded more than 20 rounds. One family member told us, "With everything going on in Ferguson, you think they would use other options."

The relative also said they don't buy Omaha PD's claim Cortez started the shootout by firing two rounds.