Off-Duty Cop Shoots Motorist in Road Rage Incident

[Greenday]

Off-Duty Cop Shooting

I don't know how big of a deal this is being made in Maryland (Where it happened), but it's gotten a lot of discussion on NJ101.5.

From what I've heard on the radio, the off-duty cop (Joseph Walker) was driving his family somewhere through Maryland. At some point, he cut off another driver. This caused some road rage and some crazy driving between both drivers. From what Walker has claimed, he pulled over to make sure everything was okay with his vehicle and family. The other vehicle pulled over and the other driver got out of the car and started advancing on Walker and his family. Walker identified himself as a police officer and pulled his gun out. Harvey (The other driver) continued advancing on him, yelling racial slurs and threatened to kill Walker AND Walker's family. When Harvey wouldn't stop and was only six feet away, Walker fired into Harvey's chest, fatally wounding him.

Walker is charged with first degree murder (Though he can be found guilty of lesser charges). I personally think first degree murder would be a travesty. Even second degree. IF Walker's story is true, he was defending himself and his family from being brutally assaulted and/or murdered making it pretty clear self-defense. He tried to get the other guy to stop but apparently Harvey didn't care that Walker was a cop and was armed. You just don't threaten to kill an armed cop and his family while the cop is holding a loaded gun pointed at you.

[Andara Bledin]

Considering that he was originally held for second degree murder and manslaughter, and they returned with an indictment for first degree murder, I think that Harvey Jr's passenger might have told a story that differed significantly from what Walker told the responding officers. The possibility of other witnesses is also high.

It's interesting to note that the passenger is not named and the only news reports come from select statements he made to the police, but one of those was that Walker pointed a gun at "them" and not just at Harvey Jr.

It would be interesting to see how this falls out since there are witnesses on both sides of the altercation, but considering that neither party appears to be sympathetic - both drivers were apparently engaged in a penis waving engagement with their vehicles - this is unlikely to be covered much at all once the next big thing hits the front pages.

[Duelist925]

Thats a big IF GD and I have trouble automatically believing the man who pulled the trigger, regardless of his police status. I would like to see some outside views on it, though that might not be possible. Like Andara said, I find it very interesting that he was held for one charge, and then booked on a larger on.

If Walter is telling the truth, he should likely be let off on a self defense defense. I would like to hear the full story from Henry's passenger's POV however.

[Greenday]

Thats a big IF GD

I know. Walker's side of the story is the only one I've heard so far and when it's the shooter's story, I tend to not give it much weight. There's a lot of motive there to lie.

[s_stabeler]

yeah, IF walker is telling the truth, it's more or less straight self-defense. However, I agree that we don't have enough information to be sure, and with the charges upgraded to first-degree murder? there's something fishy going on here.

[Gravekeeper]

First degree is pretty unusual considering the alleged circumstances. There has to be something else in the witness testimony.

From what I can dig up:

1) The officer was not permitted to carry his firearm at the time because he was out of his state of jurisdiction.

2) It started when the officer allegedly cut off the victim forcing him to swerve off the road to avoid a collision. After which he followed the officer's vehicle and yelled at him. Then they both started trying to swerve at each other. The passenger in the victim's car stated that the officer then responded by pointing his gun at them while they were driving.

3) The officer says that the victim was yelling racial slurs.

4) Both the victim and his passenger got out of the car and the officer got out of his. I assume heated words were exchanged. The passenger did not approach the officer. The officer went back to his van to retrieve his gun.

5) The passenger states he heard one shot and saw the victim get struck in the leg. Followed by several more shots at which point he ran for cover.

6) Two witnesses state that the victim was acting in an "aggressive" manner and that they saw him "lift his left leg up by his shorts" ( The first shot struck him in the thigh so that would make sense. )

5) A third witness stated there was more than 3 shots fired and that some of the shots were fired after the victim had already fallen from the leg wound.

6) The passenger also stated he heard more than 3 shots following the initial shot.

7) Its difficult to argue self defense / a threat to his family when the officer voluntarily pulled over to allow this confrontation to begin with.

I would say yes, this is a stupid road rage incident on both sides. But the victim was only spoiling for a scuffle with the cop. I doubt he had any intention of beating up 3 children in a minivan. The fact the cop was not allowed to have his firearm, and went back to his vehicle to retrieve it reflect poorly. As does the testimony of multiple shots being fired after the victim was wounded by the first round.

I'm sincerely curious as to what the wife and children's witness testimony is, as I'm guessing there's something else in there that really bumped this up to first degree.

[HYHYBT]

I'm just glad this didn't happen in Texas or Florida.

[Bloodsoul]

From what I understand events such as this (among others) are why a lot of cars in Russia have cameras (it's how we got so much footage of that meteorite back in February).

[Greenday]

From what I understand events such as this (among others) are why a lot of cars in Russia have cameras (it's how we got so much footage of that meteorite back in February).

That'd never work in America. All the cries about it being an invasion of privacy and how it's probably stealing data from your car to tell the government if you are speeding.

[Andara Bledin]

That'd never work in America. All the cries about it being an invasion of privacy and how it's probably stealing data from your car to tell the government if you are speeding.

I totally plan to put my own camera on my own car sometime in the future. But having it mandated would be utterly not cool and counter-freedom.

[Greenday]

I totally plan to put my own camera on my own car sometime in the future. But having it mandated would be utterly not cool and counter-freedom.

Yea, but you can't exactly abuse it like the government could.

[Gravekeeper]

Everyone in Russia has a dash cam because insurance fraud is incredibly rampant in Russia. If you check Youtube there's tons of videos of people "falling" in front of the car and otherwise trying to get hit. Often times with hilarious over acting ( Like throwing themselves onto the hood of a stationary vehicle ) then pretending their mortally wounded.

Here's a nice compilation. -.-

[Greenday]

Everyone in Russia has a dash cam because insurance fraud is incredibly rampant in Russia. If you check Youtube there's tons of videos of people "falling" in front of the car and otherwise trying to get hit. Often times with hilarious over acting ( Like throwing themselves onto the hood of a stationary vehicle ) then pretending their mortally wounded.

Here's a nice compilation. -.-

Holy crap. This is horrific.

[Aethian]

I wonder how many of them do get mortally wounded but don't know it till they drop down dead.