Woman, 92, dies in shootout with police

Wed Nov 22, 7:25 AM ET

 

 

ATLANTA - A police official said narcotics officers were justified in returning fire on a 92-year-old woman they shot to death after she shot them as they tried to serve a warrant at her house.

 

Neighbors and relatives said it was a case of mistaken identity. But police said the woman, identified as Kathryn Johnston, was the only resident in the house at the time and had lived there for about 17 years.

 

Assistant Chief Alan Dreher said the officers had a legal warrant and "knocked and announced" before they forced open the door. He said they were justified in shooting once they were fired upon.

 

As the plainclothes Atlanta police officers approached the house about 7 p.m., a woman inside started shooting, striking each of them, said Officer Joe Cobb, a police spokesman.

 

One was hit in the arm, another in a thigh and the third in a shoulder. The officers were taken to a hospital for treatment, and all three were conscious and alert, police said.

 

Sarah Dozier, identified as a niece of the woman, told WAGA-TV that there were never any drugs at the house.

 

"My aunt was in good health. I'm sure she panicked when they kicked that door down," Dozier said. "There was no reason they had to go in there and shoot her down like a dog."

 

Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights leader, said Johnston's family deserves an apology.

 

"Of the police brutality cases we've had, this is the most egregious because of the woman's age," Hutchins said.

 

Hutchins said he would try to meet with Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington and would also meet with lawyers.

 

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061122/ap_on_...lderly_shootout

A true life 'O.G.'

Uh, if she fired first why are the police supposed to sit back and take it?

"My aunt was in good health. I'm sure she panicked when they kicked that door down," Dozier said. "There was no reason they had to go in there and shoot her down like a dog."

 

Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights leader, said Johnston's family deserves an apology.

 

"Of the police brutality cases we've had, this is the most egregious because of the woman's age," Hutchins said.

 

how does it qualify as police brutality when the bitch put bullet holes in three different cops?

 

dumbass, knee-jerk civil rights activists.

Idiots...

Because they invaded her home. They were not in uniform. If they never actually found any drugs they made a huge mistake.

They knocked and said "POLICE" plenty of times before entering. By the sound of it, considering the fact that she shot three of them, she knew they were coming in and thus would have known it was the police.

what if she was hard of hearing or something and doesnt hear much until she sees a bunch of dudes breaking down her door...i know its hypothetical...but still entirely possible

seriously what are the cops suppose to do? you knock on a door yelling that your the police and you get shot at after knocking the door down, anybody in that situation wouldve shot her as well.

 

the only thing you can blame the cops on is getting the wrong house which isnt exactly a small mistake in itself.

This article is a few days old and has outdated information. Police have confirmed that there WERE drugs in the house and they did get the right house because undercover officers purchased drugs out of the SAME house earlier in the day. What it sounds like in the old bat's family was selling drugs out of the house, whether she had knowledge of it or not isn't known.

 

ATLANTA ? Many people on the rundown northwest Atlanta street where Kathryn Johnston lived fortify their windows with metal bars and arm themselves for protection. Johnston, 92, was no exception. She was waiting with her gun on Tuesday night when a group of plainclothes officers with a warrant knocked down her door in a search for drugs, police said. She opened fire, wounding three officers, before being shot to death, police said.

 

Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher called the killing "tragic and unfortunate" but said the officers were justified in returning fire.

 

"You don't know who's in the house until you open that door," Dreher said Wednesday. "And once they forced open the door, they were immediately fired upon."

 

The Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights activist and spokesman for Johnston's family, said he could understand why the elderly woman would arm herself.

 

"She was afraid," Hutchins said. "This is a horrifying situation in a neighborhood where crime happens often. This incident is a result of a mix-up."

 

The officers had gone to the old woman's house with a search warrant after buying drugs there from a man known only as Sam, police said. Police issued a "John Doe" warrant on Wednesday for the arrest of Sam, believed to be in his early to mid 30s, who allegedly sold the drugs to the undercover agent. Dreher would not say how the dealer knew Johnston.

 

Investigators also said they found drugs in the home after Johnston was killed. Officer Joe Cobb, a police spokesman, said the type of drug involved would not be disclosed until it was verified by the crime lab.

 

District Attorney Paul Howard said that his office is looking into the shooting but that a preliminary review indicates the officers had a right to search the home.

 

Crime and drugs are a part of the landscape in the rough neighborhood where Johnston lived, and her neighbors said they do what it takes to protect themselves.

 

"It's the roughest neighborhood in Georgia," said 56-year-old Allen Pernel, who lives a few blocks from Johnston's home. "If she thought somebody was coming into her house, she did what any of us would have done."

 

Al Harley, a 50-year-old homeless man who hangs out in front of a neighborhood convenience store, said residents follow a sort of credo: "Don't let anyone disrespect your door."

 

The police chief said the officers had identified themselves and then forced open the door of Johnson's house of 17 years. Johnston was alone in her house, police said.

 

Bullets struck Investigator Gary Smith, 38, in the leg and Investigator Cary Bond, 38, in the arm. Investigator Gregg Junnier, 40, was hit in the leg, the face and his bulletproof vest. They were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.

 

Johnston had no children and her closest relative was a 75-year-old niece, neighbors said.

 

"She hardly came outside her home," said Tameka Walker, 28, who lives behind Johnston's house and used to visit her. "She's not a 92-year-old grouchy old woman you think she was. She's a very nice person."

 

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4355209.html

 

====================================

 

http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=88037

Reported By: Jaye Watson

Web Editor: Michael King

Last Modified: 11/22/2006 7:38:25 PM

 

Atlanta Police officials say their officers were at the correct address when they attempted to serve a search warrant at a northwest Atlanta home on Tuesday night, because it was their second visit to the same house in a matter of hours.

 

In a noontime press conference, Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher told reporters an undercover narcotics officer bought drugs from a man inside Kathryn Johnston's house on Tuesday afternoon.

 

The officers got into a shootout with the 92-year-old Johnston, killing her. Three APD narcotics detectives were wounded in the melee.

 

Dreher says after the drug buy, police obtained a search warrant and returned to the house to execute it.

 

Dreher says the police had a "no knock" warrant, meaning just that -- they did not have to knock before entering. But Dreher added his officers did announce themselves before pushing in Johnston's front door.

 

Police also said on Wednesday that they did not know a 92-year-old woman was inside the house and that it's virtually impossible in search warrant situations to know who will confront officers upon entry.

 

Dreher says his officers were in raid uniforms, that a marked patrol car was parked out front, and a uniformed police officer was in the front yard when the officers approached the house. He says that when they forced the door open, Johnston open fire hitting all three officers. None received life threatening injuries. The officers returned fire, killing Johnston.

 

Police say they did find drugs in the house which are being tested at a lab on Wednesday evening. They say they are searching for the man who sold them the drugs. They do not know if he lived with Johnston or was a relative.

 

Members of the NAACP attended the press conference and said police gave evasive answers to several questions. Dr. R.L. White, president of the Atlanta chapter, says he's not accusing police of wrongdoing, but he does want to know they did things right.

 

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard was at the press conference and said a complete and thorough investigation is underway.

 

All three officers are on paid administrative leave.

 

The officers did nothing wrong and these civil rights morons need to STFU and let the police do their job.

The old lady was a great shot.

This article is a few days old and has outdated information. Police have confirmed that there WERE drugs in the house and they did get the right house because undercover officers purchased drugs out of the SAME house earlier in the day. What it sounds like in the old bat's family was selling drugs out of the house, whether she had knowledge of it or not isn't known.

 

ATLANTA ? Many people on the rundown northwest Atlanta street where Kathryn Johnston lived fortify their windows with metal bars and arm themselves for protection. Johnston, 92, was no exception. She was waiting with her gun on Tuesday night when a group of plainclothes officers with a warrant knocked down her door in a search for drugs, police said. She opened fire, wounding three officers, before being shot to death, police said.

 

Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher called the killing "tragic and unfortunate" but said the officers were justified in returning fire.

 

"You don't know who's in the house until you open that door," Dreher said Wednesday. "And once they forced open the door, they were immediately fired upon."

 

The Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights activist and spokesman for Johnston's family, said he could understand why the elderly woman would arm herself.

 

"She was afraid," Hutchins said. "This is a horrifying situation in a neighborhood where crime happens often. This incident is a result of a mix-up."

 

The officers had gone to the old woman's house with a search warrant after buying drugs there from a man known only as Sam, police said. Police issued a "John Doe" warrant on Wednesday for the arrest of Sam, believed to be in his early to mid 30s, who allegedly sold the drugs to the undercover agent. Dreher would not say how the dealer knew Johnston.

 

Investigators also said they found drugs in the home after Johnston was killed. Officer Joe Cobb, a police spokesman, said the type of drug involved would not be disclosed until it was verified by the crime lab.

 

District Attorney Paul Howard said that his office is looking into the shooting but that a preliminary review indicates the officers had a right to search the home.

 

Crime and drugs are a part of the landscape in the rough neighborhood where Johnston lived, and her neighbors said they do what it takes to protect themselves.

 

"It's the roughest neighborhood in Georgia," said 56-year-old Allen Pernel, who lives a few blocks from Johnston's home. "If she thought somebody was coming into her house, she did what any of us would have done."

 

Al Harley, a 50-year-old homeless man who hangs out in front of a neighborhood convenience store, said residents follow a sort of credo: "Don't let anyone disrespect your door."

 

The police chief said the officers had identified themselves and then forced open the door of Johnson's house of 17 years. Johnston was alone in her house, police said.

 

Bullets struck Investigator Gary Smith, 38, in the leg and Investigator Cary Bond, 38, in the arm. Investigator Gregg Junnier, 40, was hit in the leg, the face and his bulletproof vest. They were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.

 

Johnston had no children and her closest relative was a 75-year-old niece, neighbors said.

 

"She hardly came outside her home," said Tameka Walker, 28, who lives behind Johnston's house and used to visit her. "She's not a 92-year-old grouchy old woman you think she was. She's a very nice person."

 

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4355209.html

 

====================================

 

http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=88037

Reported By: Jaye Watson

Web Editor: Michael King

Last Modified: 11/22/2006 7:38:25 PM

 

Atlanta Police officials say their officers were at the correct address when they attempted to serve a search warrant at a northwest Atlanta home on Tuesday night, because it was their second visit to the same house in a matter of hours.

 

In a noontime press conference, Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher told reporters an undercover narcotics officer bought drugs from a man inside Kathryn Johnston's house on Tuesday afternoon.

 

The officers got into a shootout with the 92-year-old Johnston, killing her. Three APD narcotics detectives were wounded in the melee.

 

Dreher says after the drug buy, police obtained a search warrant and returned to the house to execute it.

 

Dreher says the police had a "no knock" warrant, meaning just that -- they did not have to knock before entering. But Dreher added his officers did announce themselves before pushing in Johnston's front door.

 

Police also said on Wednesday that they did not know a 92-year-old woman was inside the house and that it's virtually impossible in search warrant situations to know who will confront officers upon entry.

 

Dreher says his officers were in raid uniforms, that a marked patrol car was parked out front, and a uniformed police officer was in the front yard when the officers approached the house. He says that when they forced the door open, Johnston open fire hitting all three officers. None received life threatening injuries. The officers returned fire, killing Johnston.

 

Police say they did find drugs in the house which are being tested at a lab on Wednesday evening. They say they are searching for the man who sold them the drugs. They do not know if he lived with Johnston or was a relative.

 

Members of the NAACP attended the press conference and said police gave evasive answers to several questions. Dr. R.L. White, president of the Atlanta chapter, says he's not accusing police of wrongdoing, but he does want to know they did things right.

 

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard was at the press conference and said a complete and thorough investigation is underway.

 

All three officers are on paid administrative leave.

 

The officers did nothing wrong and these civil rights morons need to STFU and let the police do their job.

yeah...personal freedoms guarenteed by the constitution are soooooo overrated...but wait wait...the woman was perfectly within her right to shoot the cops right accord? cant really have it both ways

What are bitching about?

 

Everything was done by the book.

This article is a few days old and has outdated information. Police have confirmed that there WERE drugs in the house and they did get the right house because undercover officers purchased drugs out of the SAME house earlier in the day. What it sounds like in the old bat's family was selling drugs out of the house, whether she had knowledge of it or not isn't known.

 

ATLANTA ? Many people on the rundown northwest Atlanta street where Kathryn Johnston lived fortify their windows with metal bars and arm themselves for protection. Johnston, 92, was no exception. She was waiting with her gun on Tuesday night when a group of plainclothes officers with a warrant knocked down her door in a search for drugs, police said. She opened fire, wounding three officers, before being shot to death, police said.

 

Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher called the killing "tragic and unfortunate" but said the officers were justified in returning fire.

 

"You don't know who's in the house until you open that door," Dreher said Wednesday. "And once they forced open the door, they were immediately fired upon."

 

The Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights activist and spokesman for Johnston's family, said he could understand why the elderly woman would arm herself.

 

"She was afraid," Hutchins said. "This is a horrifying situation in a neighborhood where crime happens often. This incident is a result of a mix-up."

 

The officers had gone to the old woman's house with a search warrant after buying drugs there from a man known only as Sam, police said. Police issued a "John Doe" warrant on Wednesday for the arrest of Sam, believed to be in his early to mid 30s, who allegedly sold the drugs to the undercover agent. Dreher would not say how the dealer knew Johnston.

 

Investigators also said they found drugs in the home after Johnston was killed. Officer Joe Cobb, a police spokesman, said the type of drug involved would not be disclosed until it was verified by the crime lab.

 

District Attorney Paul Howard said that his office is looking into the shooting but that a preliminary review indicates the officers had a right to search the home.

 

Crime and drugs are a part of the landscape in the rough neighborhood where Johnston lived, and her neighbors said they do what it takes to protect themselves.

 

"It's the roughest neighborhood in Georgia," said 56-year-old Allen Pernel, who lives a few blocks from Johnston's home. "If she thought somebody was coming into her house, she did what any of us would have done."

 

Al Harley, a 50-year-old homeless man who hangs out in front of a neighborhood convenience store, said residents follow a sort of credo: "Don't let anyone disrespect your door."

 

The police chief said the officers had identified themselves and then forced open the door of Johnson's house of 17 years. Johnston was alone in her house, police said.

 

Bullets struck Investigator Gary Smith, 38, in the leg and Investigator Cary Bond, 38, in the arm. Investigator Gregg Junnier, 40, was hit in the leg, the face and his bulletproof vest. They were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.

 

Johnston had no children and her closest relative was a 75-year-old niece, neighbors said.

 

"She hardly came outside her home," said Tameka Walker, 28, who lives behind Johnston's house and used to visit her. "She's not a 92-year-old grouchy old woman you think she was. She's a very nice person."

 

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4355209.html

 

====================================

 

http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=88037

Reported By: Jaye Watson

Web Editor: Michael King

Last Modified: 11/22/2006 7:38:25 PM

 

Atlanta Police officials say their officers were at the correct address when they attempted to serve a search warrant at a northwest Atlanta home on Tuesday night, because it was their second visit to the same house in a matter of hours.

 

In a noontime press conference, Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher told reporters an undercover narcotics officer bought drugs from a man inside Kathryn Johnston's house on Tuesday afternoon.

 

The officers got into a shootout with the 92-year-old Johnston, killing her. Three APD narcotics detectives were wounded in the melee.

 

Dreher says after the drug buy, police obtained a search warrant and returned to the house to execute it.

 

Dreher says the police had a "no knock" warrant, meaning just that -- they did not have to knock before entering. But Dreher added his officers did announce themselves before pushing in Johnston's front door.

 

Police also said on Wednesday that they did not know a 92-year-old woman was inside the house and that it's virtually impossible in search warrant situations to know who will confront officers upon entry.

 

Dreher says his officers were in raid uniforms, that a marked patrol car was parked out front, and a uniformed police officer was in the front yard when the officers approached the house. He says that when they forced the door open, Johnston open fire hitting all three officers. None received life threatening injuries. The officers returned fire, killing Johnston.

 

Police say they did find drugs in the house which are being tested at a lab on Wednesday evening. They say they are searching for the man who sold them the drugs. They do not know if he lived with Johnston or was a relative.

 

Members of the NAACP attended the press conference and said police gave evasive answers to several questions. Dr. R.L. White, president of the Atlanta chapter, says he's not accusing police of wrongdoing, but he does want to know they did things right.

 

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard was at the press conference and said a complete and thorough investigation is underway.

 

All three officers are on paid administrative leave.

 

The officers did nothing wrong and these civil rights morons need to STFU and let the police do their job.

yeah...personal freedoms guarenteed by the constitution are soooooo overrated...but wait wait...the woman was perfectly within her right to shoot the cops right accord? cant really have it both ways

As usual, you're not making any sense Jimmy.

Making sense out of that cat is a lost cause.

Making sense out of that cat is a lost cause.

Indeed.

Lesson here: don't shoot at police.

 

Now you know, and knowing's half the battle.

Making sense out of that cat is a lost cause.

thanks for your interesting contribution

 

Making sense out of that cat is a lost cause.

Indeed.

you pick on "civil rights morons" yet you believe every single person on this planet should be packin...a little ironic...dont ya think?

Making sense out of that cat is a lost cause.

thanks for your interesting contribution

 

Making sense out of that cat is a lost cause.

Indeed.

you pick on "civil rights morons" yet you believe every single person on this planet should be packin...a little ironic...dont ya think?

 

Every single person? That's a HUGE stretch. He (and I) want the RIGHT to 'pack' for us and for any responsible person that wants to.

The old lady was right for shooing at them I would have too! And the police were right for shooting back even if they had the wrong home, or right home like it was later discovered. So, two wrongs don't make a right, therfore you can't blame anyone.

You would have shot at police?

The old lady was right for shooing at them I would have too!

why?