Sunday, March 22, 2009

Bad Like Jesse James - 4 Oakland Cops Killed and Others Wounded - 3/21/09


On Shabbos Afternoon (Parshas HaChodesh) in East Oakland, a "routine" traffic stop ended with two Oakland cops shot - one dead, the other wounded - and the fleeing shooter taking up a position in a nearby apartment. The SWAT team gained control of the area and went in. The ensuing gun battle left two more cops dead and others wounded, and the shooter was also killed. See here for news coverage.


Several issues are raised by these event. Apparently the shooter (26-year-old Lovelle Mixon of Oakland) was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon and there was a warrant out for his arrest. John Lee Hooker (1917-2001) once wrote a song about this guy, even though he wasn't born yet. But don't think I'm honoring this wicked man (the late Mr. Mixon), because if it was up to me he might have gotten misa for stealing a prutah. (See the Rambam, Hilchos Melachim). Dig that.