Weapon Malfunction Kills Police Officer

Policeman was slain after gun jammed
Thursday, October 27, 2005
By DAVID HOLDEN
Times Staff Writer dholden@htimes.com

Witness accounts detailed at hearing in Daniel Golden death

Witnesses said Huntsville police officer Daniel Golden was shot to death after his pistol apparently jammed in a gun battle with Benito Albarran on Aug. 29 in front of a Mexican restaurant on Jordan Lane, a Huntsville police detective told a judge Wednesday.

Investigator Charlie Gray described witnesses' accounts of the slaying this way:

When the shooting began, Golden was walking backward and returning Albarran's fire. Then Golden raised his hands in the air in front of him and seemed to be pleading for a halt to the gunfire before he fell on his back and lost his pistol.

Albarran then stood over Golden and fired two shots into his face.

For the Rest of the story

So folks, when you go to the range, don't just shoot, practice your immediate action drills. If you need any suggestions, just send me an IM and I can give you some pointers and some IA drills.

Big Daddy

big daddy is right drills involving jams including stovepipes dud rounds mag failure to feed etc is a needed part of the semi auto handgun life.also much needed attention to proper cleaning of a semi auto is a big step in reducing jams--as said before i carry either a colt custom commander or a kimber pro carry in 45acp my son GREG carrys a sig 220 also 45acp all my assocaites carry sigs either 229 40s&w or sig 2340 40s&w or a sig 226 in 9mm. each weapon is completely cleaned every month even if not used and also cleaned after every use period.for practice we use reloaded ammo 6.4 grains w231 powder and 185 grain jacketed hollowed point 45acp(approx equivilant to 185 jhp remington golden saber we use when in the field) with this combo we have never had any problem.we never reuse any mags dropped for field work only target and practice--all dropped mags are collected and marked with orange stickers.all these precautions are needed to be safe and effective in the field.our bullet resistant vests are also stored in plastic boxes that have breathing slots and are made dark to keep out uv rays when not in use.use of basic knowledge and practices keep equipment in top working order and helps keep us safe.creat a chart of maintence for yourself and keep to it everthing from you handcuffs to your weapons even the security measures on you holsters(snaps, tension screws etc)and your vehicle including door locks and seat belts-include a regime of changing out batteries in your taser-stun guns-tactical flashlites and all other equipment THE BETTER YOU CARE FOR YOUR EQUIPTMENT THE BETTER IT WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU

That is the courtroom version of what happened.

The truth from police officers who arrived on the scene minutes after is this: Officer Golden repsonded to a DV call in the parking lot of the restaurant. He saw the victim all battered and bloody on the passenger side of thier car. He went to check on her. The shooter came around the front of the car casually and then simply fired 2 rounds from a .357 mag revolver at point blank range, striking Officer Golden once in the chest area, and secondly down by the femoral artery area. officer Golden did draw his Beretta 92 fs and fired 6 rounds before the weapon jammed. He then dropped the Beretta as he was falling down and immediately went for his back up in an ankle holster. Before he could draw it, the shooter then straddled the officer and emptied the remaining 4 rounds from his .357 mag at point blank range into the officer's face and head. The shooter then dropped his weapon and fled on foot into neighbouring woods where other officers quickly took him into custody. Prelimanary reports were that the first 2 rounds that officer Golden sustained were fatal. He was bleeding to death from his femoral artery wound as he was falling to the ground.

Now, because of the weapon jamming, HPD has placed the Beretta 92 fs under heavy scrutiny and there has been talk of replacing HPD's enitre police issue service weapons with an undecided new side arm.

_________________
River City Associates
Decatur, Al. 35601

Ruffin thanks for the info-the death of any LEO in line of duty is terrible-if we can save one persons life with weapon care advice all the posting and time is well spent
In my opinion the beretta 92 is another good piece but i have never cared for them personally-for me (an old fart) its single action or nada--no auto can hold a candle to the good old 1911-if kept locked and cocked in a good secure holster it is as fast if not faster on target with the first round out of the barrel than all the new fangled double actions on the market.as per saftey many good pistoleros have carried it for many years with out incident-its when amatures and untrained people use this weapon do we problems like early discharge- accidental discharge and other failure to control trigger accidents--we all know double action autos are easier to teach to non gunners and also are safer for the neopheyte.training of the trigger finger and correct mindset is way harder but like in most things most things today most depts take the easy way out--in my life as acop i have seen accidental discharges from smiths and glocks all by knowing officers but when studied all were caused by lack of trigger control

I love talking about guns when you guys have had enough just tell me to shut up

I just don't care for 9mm's. To me, they do not have enough penetration or knock-down power. A 38+p JHP is a hotter round than a 9mm.

Anyway, I carry 2 weapons: A Glock 22 .40 cal with 3 hi-cap mags (15 rds each) in a shoulder holster; then I also carry a kimber cdp .45 cal on my right hip with 2 hi cap mags. all of the bullets are jhp rounds or Speer gold dots.

In my 870 tactical I carry 5 non- lethal rounds and then 2 lethal "00" buck rounds as the last 2 to be chambered.

The shotgun rounds are staggered: rd1=bean bag; rd2=rubber buckshot; rd3=rubber slug; rd4=rubber buckshot; rd5=rubber slug; rd6=00 buckshot; rd7=00 buckshot.

I have had problems with non-factory after market mags not feeding the chamber correctly and causing hang fires or mis-fires in both my Glock and Kimber. The gunsmith I use advised me to switch to mags made by a company called Wilson. Says they make thier springs in the clips stronger, therefore there is more tension to push the rounds up properly.

I am seriously considering trading my Kimber in for a FN 5-7. I have not made up my mind yet.

_________________
River City Associates
Decatur, Al. 35601

wilson has some of the best 1911 clips ever sold - i use has clips plus stock kimber and stock colt no others period-- the key to long mag life is not to keep ithe mag loaded for extended periods--the mag spring loses some of its tension causing failure to feed--i rotate loaded clips every other week-i have about 15 clips and keep three loaded at any one time