Fateful day unfolded like a ‘Cops’ episode

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

WENATCHEE — Josh Ray always sleeps with a gun next to him. "I just feel safer," he says. Early Monday morning, he felt he had to use it to defend himself.

The 25-year-old Wenatchee man says he was just falling asleep on his living room couch when "my door flew open and there was a man standing there in the doorway and he said, 'Freeze, police.' "

Ray, who says he is an avid viewer of the television reality show "Cops," was not buying it.

"I kind of got real scared and I jumped in the air and put my hands up but it took me only a couple of seconds to know that this guy's not a cop," Ray said. "I know from watching that show that if police are coming to someone's house, they announce themselves before they boot the door open, not afterwards."

The next few seconds would culminate in the wounding of Ray, the death of the man at the door, Scott D. Bates, and possibly the solving of three armed robberies at Wenatchee area pharmacies. Wenatchee police say they suspect that Bates was involved with those robberies, one of which was committed with an accomplice. Wenatchee police cannot confirm what happened inside the residence before they were called.


http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090410/NEWS04/704109960

[FrogBlastTheVentCore]

1. Quite a lucky fellow

Of course, police are NOT required to announce their presence before booting in a door.

Apparently the scotus believes preserving evidence is more important than either party's welfare.

[Hoopla Phil]

2. I've read a number of stories over the last couple of years

where home invasion robberies are being carried out by thugs masquerading as cops. Very disturbing.

[jazzcat]

3. Yikes!

Yikes!

[chibajoe]

4. That was probably

one of the most poorly written articles I've ever read.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

5. I'm sure you can find a link to the editor.