92 Year Old Woman Shot by Police

[MsNikaPooh]

Questions surround fatal shooting of woman, 92
3 Atlanta officers wounded after breaking down her door to serve warrant

By JEFFRY SCOTT, S.A. REID
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/21/06

There are more questions than answers this morning in a northwest Atlanta neighborhood where a 92-year-old woman was killed in a shootout with police on Tuesday night. Three officers were wounded in the shooting.

State Rep. "Able" Mable Thomas (D-Atlanta) on Wednesday called Kathryn Johnston's death "unfortunate" and said a number of upset neighbors and other residents called to say neither Johnston nor her Neal Street home were in any way connected to illegal drug activity, as police suggested. Kathryn Johnston was killed on Tuesday night.

Thomas said neighbors who have contacted her described Johnston as a "good neighbor" and "law abiding."

Johnston, who lived alone, allegedly fired on three Atlanta narcotics officers who broke down her front door trying to serve a search warrant. The officers were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

"The community does not want to digest that there was a 92-year-old woman in that house and all of a sudden there's a confrontation with police and now she's dead," said Thomas, whose district includes the neighborhood where the shooting occurred. "A confrontation with police and a 92-year-old woman don't go together."

Police say they followed proper procedures. Thomas hopes they did, but added: "When you see a 92-year-old being the victim of circumstances like this, we know something is going wrong."

The Rev. Howard Beckham, head of the English Avenue Neighborhood Association, said he was shocked at the news of the shooting. The community where Johnston lived borders the English Avenue neighborhood. Beckham spent a lot of time in the area as pastor of New Jerusalem Baptist Church, one block from Neal Street. Johnston's street, he said, hasn't been considered a trouble spot in terms of drug activity.

"I'm just concerned as to why they would be knocking on a 92-year-old lady's door about drugs when there are so many other doors of houses they could have been knocking on that they are well aware of," Beckham said.

Atlanta police have not released additional details of the shooting. They have scheduled an 11 a.m. news conference.

Atlanta assistant police Chief Alan Dreher, in a news conference Tuesday night, said the warrant was served at the correct address. Police still have not released the woman's name.

Sarah C. Dozier identified the dead woman as her aunt, Kathryn Johnston.

Dozier said her aunt worried about crime in the neighborhood where she had lived for about 17 years, and might have thought the police were intruders.

"Every window in her home and every door on her home has burglar bars," said Dozier. "I talked to her the other day about a 72-year-old who was raped. I know she was just scared."

Dozier said her aunt was healthy and vigorous and lived alone. She said she talked to her aunt every day and was looking forward to her annual Thanksgiving dinner at her aunt's home.

Dreher, the assistant police chief, said that as far as he knew the narcotics officers did "everything by the book. They had a search warrant, they announced themselves and knocked first." He said he did not know what name was on the warrant. The woman was the only person in the home at the time, he said.

Dreher said the incident is still under investigation and "will be for days."

He declined to say how many shots were fired and what kind of gun the woman had. Dozier said her aunt owned a pistol and she had a permit. "I don't know what kind and it was rusty, but apparently it was working well," she said.

A neighbor, Yolanda Jackson, 42, said she was sitting on the front porch of her home on Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard a block away when undercover narcotics officers, who were not in street uniforms, showed up around 7 p.m. to serve the warrant at Johnston's home, at 933 Neal St.

"I heard 'pow, pow, pow, pow,' " said Jackson. "A whole lot of gunfire, really fast." She estimated the number of shots at between 16 and 24. She said within five minutes, "about 20" police cars swarmed into the area.

A few minutes later, ambulances showed up and a helicopter was hovering over the neighborhood, which is an intown mix of dilapidated and well-kept homes, houses being refurbished and a few new infill houses.

By 8:15 p.m. police had Neal Street blocked off from the corner of Joseph Lowery as investigators went in and out of the home bringing out bags of evidence, according to neighbors, and TV news crews set up street shots.

The shooting came on the same day that the district attorney in neighboring DeKalb County announced she would ask for a grand jury to review police department investigations of 12 deadly police shootings there this year. Some of Johnston's neighbors made the connection.

"The same thing is happening here as is going on in DeKalb County," said neighbor Tony Torrance. "Police are shooting people. They aren't following procedure."

Atlanta police declined to say what they were searching for when they went to Johnston's home. Dozier said she plans to hire a lawyer to find out what really happened.

"As far as I'm concerned, they shot her down like a dog."

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/ ... pshot.html

I woke up this morning to this story. They just put out on the news for months now about people breaking into houses using Police Uniforms and stuff. And they decide to perform a no knock warrant. I mean I am not that old but I would have shot the shit out anyone coming in my door like that. They are saying that they bought drugs at her house from some guy but still in this neighborhood I would think they would know better. We are talking about the middle of one of the worst hoods here. This Hood is in Rap songs so you know its not where you want to be at any time. She probably thought it was a case of someone saying police just to catch her off guard. The shit they have been saying on this about the police following the law is bull. I mean they should have done more investigating before they even went there. I hope like hell they would have gotten enough facts to know that a 92 year old lived there before even going there. She was probably like the granny of the neighborhood and let the little boys come in and do stuff for her and shit. One of the little knuckleheads probably made a quick sale in her house and didn't even think about it.

[Dean]

Sad story, I wonder if they were at the right house and if they'd admit it if they weren't.

[Hmph]

but I just remembered that an elderly woman in NYC suffered a fatal heart attack after cops had the wrong address and busted into her apt. using tear gas and throwing her down. they were raiding for drugs. this happened a couple of years ago. and sadly, not the first incident.

but, there have also been drug and prostitution rings run by elderly persons, one was an 85 yr old grandma.

so given the jacked up social security options, more elderly are turning to organized crime.

but in this situation in ATL, "da hayle?? " is all I can say to that one. something is not adding up.

[MsNikaPooh]

Ok right before I left for the holiday the cops said that they personally bought drugs in the house. When I got back they were saying that it was an informant. Now the informant is on the news saying that they called him and said they needed to cover their asses and for him to say that he bought it. The guy is claiming that he never went inside of that house. They also have been showing her autopsy and this lady was shot 6 freakin times. Ain't no way she could have shot the cops as many times are they are saying cause 1 of the shots went through her wrist and she only had a 6 shooter. The lady was shot 6 times including a fatal shot to the heart from about 3 to 6 feet away. I am so pissed cause of 3 things.
1. They claimed to have bought drugs from a house with cameras all over the outside. No way in hell. Once you see pictures of the house all you see is security bars and no cameras.
2. They claimed they bought the drugs that morning from a guy named "Sam". That was all the investigating they did cause they went that night.
3.They put alll over the news to be careful of people busting your door down saying that they are the police and they go there plain clothes with mask on.
At least the FBI and Justice Department are looking into this. They even had the nerve to come out saying that they found a little weed in the house. Come on now . They are so trying to cover their asses. Anyway here is a story about the informant.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/a ... amn112806e

[Hmph]

this story was featured on Geraldo tonight. the more I hear about it, the more strange it sounds. but I saw how it was mentioned she shot 3 officers, but only fired one shot.

and the informant who is now in FBI protective custody spoke too. but too casually-matter of fact I might add. something about him seems shady, but he was vouched for as being reliable previously.

sad that the Atl Chief of Police is a friend of my late uncle. they were both on the New Orleans Police Dept. and Pennington is a good guy.

and even sadder that a 92-yr old woman has to sit in her house w/a gun ready to go. I hope if I live that long I'm sitting somewhere where I don't have to be strapped w/weapons to stay safe.

but this is about to explode and NJ and NY are on edge about a black bride groom shot to death on his wedding day after leaving bachelor party. 50 bullets were fired at his car after it rammed an undercover police van. no weapons were found to justify the shooting. a local radio DJ said, shoot 50 bullets?? they needed to find a vile of crack or something.

[MsNikaPooh]

Cheif Pennington was on vakay when this happened so its really not about him. But since this story has happened alot of stuff has changed. First she shot about 3 officers now its just one. then they said an officer purchased the drugs now its an informant. Sad thing is that lady probably had that house forever cause that is a civil rights historic area. Thats where Paschals and the Busy Bee, Morehouse, Spellman, Clark-AU, Morris Brown, when they burned the A thats what got burned. I mean that area went from black upper middle class to da ghetto(according to my mom) from the time she got out of Spellman in 70 with the crack movement.

[MsNikaPooh]

The Grand Jury indicted them on Murder Charges. Don't have time to post more but the FBI are still investigating.

[Hmph]

I heard this early today, meant to come back and post the update. then got immediately notified live as it was happening that Anna Nicole Smith has been found unresponsive in room.

but the shooting of this old woman is a strange situation. however same thing happened in NYC, but no charges files. the elderly lady had a heart attack when cops kicked down door of wrong apartment for a warrant attempt.