Here are a couple articles about the latest State Police shooting, courtesy of the Hurherald, and one from the Marietta Times. Once again, WV’s “finest” at their best. It is about time that we as citizens come to realize that there is something WRONG, stop discounting these stories as being fabricated, stop assuming that the State Police would NEVER lie about such things! It is time for us to put our foot down in regards to “investigated by the State Police’s internal review department.”
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TROOPER KILLS JACKSON MAN WHO HAD ATTEMPTED SUICIDE
(09/03/2007)
A Jackson County man was shot and killed by a state trooper late Saturday night, the agency said he refused to drop his weapon.
Dead is Michael Fisher, 35, who tried to commit suicide earlier this summer by jumping into the Ohio River after his 4-year-old daughter and 16-month-old son drowned.
WTAP-TV News says members of Fisher’s family are giving a much different account of the shooting than the State Police, asking “Was Michael Fisher murdered by a state trooper?” a claim given by family members.
Fisher was steering a small boat that collided with a barge in heavy fog near Ravenswood. Killed in the accident were his children, Samantha and Jesse Fisher, and sister-in-law Jennifer Posten.
Two days later, Fisher jumped from the William S. Ritchie Jr. Bridge after negotiating with police for 45 minutes, he survived the 75-100 foot fall.
State Police say an unidentified trooper was responding to an un-related call and heard gunshots coming from the Fisher residence on Windale Ridge near Ripley.
In an official statement by Sgt. S. E. Wolfe of the State Police, “The trooper gave several lawful commands to have him drop his weapon and an altercation ensued, which resulted in Mr. Fischer sustaining fatal gunshot wounds that led to his death.”
A report on WTAP-TV said Dustin Haynes, a witness, said the trooper first shot Fisher three times. “Michael hit the ground and the cop got out of the car and shot him three more times.”
Fisher’s family says he was in the front yard firing off some shots into the air when a state police trooper came up the driveway, according to TV-13.
The family said Fisher was “letting off steam” by shooting the gun in the air.
The Charleston Gazette reported father-in-law Johnny Haynes said “He didn’t mean to hurt nobody.”
Jill Fisher said when her husband realized a State Police cruiser was approaching the house, he “slung the gun” to his right before walking toward the trooper with his hands in the air.
Her nephew, 15-year-old Dustin Haynes, alleged that the trooper started firing his gun at Fisher even as his vehicle was still moving, according to the Gazette.
“How hard is it when you throw your hands up, you don’t have to unload a clip in a man,” said Michael’s wife Jill . “Especially when there’s a 10-year-old and 15-year-old standing behind me saying don’t shoot, don’t shoot,” she said.
Dustin Haynes and Jill Fisher allege the trooper then left the cruiser and stood over Fisher, shooting him three times at point-blank range.
“Six [bullets] went in him and three hit the house,” Jill Fisher said.
The trooper involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave while State Police complete an internal investigation.
FAMILY CLAIMS TROOPER IS “COLD BLOODED KILLER” – State Police Say Man Refused To Drop Gun
(09/04/2007)
A Jackson County family is disputing the WV State Police’s version of how a 35-year-old man was shot and killed late Saturday night, calling the officer “a cold blooded killer.”
Jill Fisher, wife of Michael S. Fisher, contends he was unarmed and had his hands in the air when he was shot by a State Policeman who was on his way to another call.
Fisher had apparently been shooting a gun up-in-the-air.
In an official statement by Sgt. S. E. Wolfe of the State Police, “The trooper gave several lawful commands to have him drop his weapon and an altercation ensued, which resulted in Mr. Fischer sustaining fatal gunshot wounds that led to his death.”
Fisher told media “That stupid son-of-a-bith (officer) was trigger happy,” admitting Fisher had been firing-off a gun into the air, which caught the attention of the officer.
Mrs. Fisher contends her husband had been shot and was on the ground when the officer shot him three more times.
She said he had thrown down the gun and everyone was hollering for the trooper not to shoot.
Family members said the trooper, without flashing lights or sirens on the patrol car, unlatched a gate and drove up a one-eighth mile driveway to the residence.
“He didn’t even put his car in park,” according to Fisher, who said the shooting was also witnessed by her two children and a nephew.
Family members are contending nine shots were fired by the trooper, including three shots that hit their house.
“If the cop thought he was in danger, he should have backed off down there some place,” said Johnny Haynes, “He should have presented himself and asked if (Michael) had a gun.”
This summer Fisher had been in a boat on a foggy Ohio River when he collided with a barge, killing his children, Samantha, 4, Jesse Fisher, 16 months, and Jennifer Posten, 33, his sister-in-law.
Two days later Fisher. attempting suicide, jumped off the William S. Ritchie Jr. Bridge at Ravenswood, surviving a 100-foot fall.
The case is is being investigated by the State Police’s internal review department.
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Tuesday, September 04, 2007
— Time: 8:05:38 AM EST
The family of W.Va. man disputes state’s account of shooting
By Jess Mancini and Jody Murphy, Special to The Times
FAIRPLAIN, W.Va. — A man shot by a trooper Saturday night was killed ‘‘in cold blood,’’ the wife said Monday, disputing the state’s version of the incident.
Jill Fisher said Michael S. Fisher, 35, was unarmed and had his hands in the air when he was shot by the unidentified West Virginia State Police trooper. Mrs. Fisher said after her husband had been shot and was on the ground, he was shot three more times.
‘‘That stupid son of a bitch was trigger happy,’’ Mrs. Fisher said of the trooper.
Fisher was killed at 11 p.m. Saturday by a trooper responding to gunfire from the Fisher’s Windell Ridge Road home.
State Police on Sunday issued a statement saying Fisher refused to put down the gun when repeatedly ordered by the trooper.
The trooper didn’t say anything other than identify Fisher as the man in the boating accident, Mrs. Fisher said. Fisher was involved in a boating accident on June 23 on the Ohio River that killed his two daughters and sister-in-law.
Dustin Haynes, 15, the Fishers’ nephew, also said the trooper made only that statement when he got out of the car to confront Fisher. According to Haynes, the trooper said, “You’re the one who killed those kids.’’
Haynes said he was about three feet away from Fisher when he was shot.
The shooting also was witnessed by the Fishers’ two children, Mrs. Fisher said.
A daughter, Alexis Haynes, 10, said Fisher fired a shot in the air before dropping the gun, the trooper got out of the car and that’s when the shooting started.
‘‘That police officer shot my dad,’’ Alexis said.
Mrs. Fisher said no shots were fired when the trooper was on the property. Mrs. Fisher, who was standing near her husband, said he had thrown down the gun before the trooper arrived and everyone was hollering for the trooper not to shoot.
The trooper, without flashing lights or sirens on the patrol car, unlatched a gate and drove up the near-eighth of a mile long driveway to the home and got out of the car, Mrs. Fisher said.
‘‘He didn’t even put his car in park,’’ Mrs. Fisher said.
A shot from the trooper struck Fisher, which put him on the ground, Mrs. Fisher said. The trooper stood over Fisher and fired three more shots into him, emptying his weapon, Mrs. Fisher said.
Fisher, who didn’t speak but was crying, was still breathing, said Mrs. Fisher. Mrs. Fisher said she attempted CPR on him, but was moved away from him by other officers who arrived at the house.
“I said ‘You … up old boy. You done killed my husband,’” Mrs. Fisher said to the trooper. “He said ’Yes, ma’am, I did.’”
Mrs. Fisher said she was manhandled by the police officer, handcuffed and put in a cruiser.
Johnny Haynes, Mrs. Fisher’s father, who was called by his grandson a few minutes after the shooting, also said he was manhandled by the officers and ordered to leave. He said he arrived 15 to 20 minutes after the shooting.
The family is speaking to a private detective and a lawsuit is planned, he said.
‘‘You better believe it,’’ he said.
Nine shots were fired by the trooper, Mrs. Fisher said, including three shots that hit the house.
“He is a cold-blooded killer,” Mrs. Fisher said of the trooper.
Fisher was piloting the boat on the Ohio River under dense fog. The boat collided with a barge, killing his children, Samantha, 4, and Jesse Fisher, 16 months, and Jennifer Posten, 33, his sister-in-law.
Fisher, distraught over the accident, attempted suicide two days later by jumping off the William S. Ritchie Jr. Bridge. He survived the 100-foot fall.
Mrs. Fisher said her husband often fired his gun on their 10-acre property, even before the boating accident. She said she also fires guns on the property.
State Police Sgt. S.E. Wolfe of the Jackson County detachment Sunday said the trooper ordered Fisher numerous times to drop the large caliber revolver. The trooper, who was in the area on an unrelated incident, feared for his life and shot Fisher, Wolfe said.
A deputy sheriff also responded and officers performed CPR on Fisher, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Members of the Fisher family all dispute that, saying no law enforcement personnel attempted any lifesaving measures on Michael Fisher.
“I was the one saving him,” Mrs. Fisher said. “They didn’t try giving him CPR. I had his airways open. I was breathing in his mouth. He had tears rolling down his face and I told him I loved him.”
Calhoun Underground 