Shooting in Thornton at Walmart?

[OneGuy67]

The problem was not knowing who a shooter was and coming up with armed citizens in the process and going through the process it takes for several officers to stop, detain, and find out who this person was during the initial response. No one knew who the shooter was or where he had gone at the time, hence delaying a search of the actual suspect. That is what they are saying.

No the investigation was delayed because they were trying to clear the building and area. No one knew where the shooter actually was so an investigation can't really start until the scene is safe. Nothing like reviewing video and getting blasted by the bad guy to make a bunch of people that have no idea how this works happy. No two witnesses ever tell the same story.

And the media has been doing their best to make TPD look like a bunch of assholes from the start.

To elaborate on what Kev said, when you have several hundred people that are all in a heightened state of emotions, and you are one of the first officers there and are trying to ascertain who the shooter is, what they are wearing and you have other officers making entry into a very large building, and you have people who saw and heard different things, it is confusing. Now add that some of the witnesses say they saw this person or that person who also had a weapon and it creates inaccurate information in the beginning that needs to be vetted out. You may have had only one suspect who shot, but there may be others who are part of the criminal act who may have changed their mind or were doing something else.

The security room in which the video is located at isn't accessible by law enforcement alone. They would need to find in the mass of people someone who has access to the room and access to the video. Again, more time and you sure as hell aren't going to take a civilian into a building that hasn't been cleared.

It is obvious that Thornton PD had never trained or planned for a contingency where they would encounter or have to process multiple armed citizens post-event, and are actively using said citizens as a scapegoat for bumbling the initial investigation.

Were there no:

- cameras looking directly at the shooting scene that could immediately reviewed? This was the checkout area, not the antifreeze and oil aisle.

- witness discriptions of the person doing the ACTUAL shooting?

- contemplation that the guy waiting around after the event with a personal weapon is probably NOT your suspect?

Sorry- Usually I am pretty loathe to criticize law enforcement, but this just smells and the media is lapping it up.

Given that there is no ongoing gunfire or confirmed threat, a group of armed LEO can't specifically​ secure the video room and begin reviewing tape until the ENTIRE crime scene location has be secured? That sounds like a page from the pre-Columbine tactics book of combat ineffectiveness.

You think the media is trying make TPD look bad? That's nothing compared to their smear campaign against the armed citizens.

Most agencies do not actively train on scenarios in which there would be multiple CCW people in it. The topic will be discussed at agencies now, I'm sure.

The initial response was not "bungled" at all. The PD handled it in as well of a manner, given the event, circumstances, known information and manpower as that of any other agency. The investigation flowed smoothly. The PD quickly asked for assistance from a number of agencies and utilized that assistance in a judicious manner. The suspect was identified by PD people and assets were deployed. Tips came in all night long and LE responded to each of them. A lot of people were interviewed, search warrants were written and executed and family members of victims had to be notified and consoled.

The information provided that led to identifying the suspect and where it came from, I am not going to comment on. The PD briefed both assisting agencies and the public as quickly as possible. You can't make the assumption the suspect would flee or stay in any event. An example of that is the suspect who attempted to blow up the Netherland PD. He was across the street and was evacuated out of the area by law enforcement before they realized he was the suspect. Holmes was in no hurry to leave after shooting up the theater.

From a review of topics you have started on COAR and statements you have made, it is obvious you are an avid supporter of CCW and appear to be very defensive of any statement that might be considered negative to that activity. The members here on COAR do seem eager at times to Monday night quarterback law enforcement and have done so on many occasions and have caused a number of law enforcement members to stop posting and coming here. There are two people on COAR who responded to this event Wednesday night. For you to say they "bungled the initial investigation" is disingenuous, insulting and not based on the facts.