92-Year-Old Killed As Police Burst Into Her Home
Niece Says Woman 'Gunned Down Like Dog'
ATLANTA -- A 92-year-old is dead in what her family called a case of mistaken identity.
Was it the right address? Police said yes. But neighbors and relatives of the elderly woman shot to death by police said they believe there must have been a mistake.
Police said the woman, identified by relatives as Kathryn Johnston, was shot to death after she wounded three plainclothes officers trying to serve a drug warrant at her house
The woman's niece, Sarah Dozier, said that she bought her elderly aunt a gun to protect herself and that her aunt had a permit for the gun. Relatives said they believe Johnston opened fire because she was frightened by the officers, who were not in uniform, barging into her home.
Her relatives said Johnston had lived in the house for about 17 years.
"They kicked her door down talking about drugs, there's no drugs in that house. And they realize now, they've got the wrong house," Dozier said. "I'm mad as hell." Officials said they had the correct house and that the warrant they had was legal.
Dozier said there were never any drugs at the house. She said the woman probably "panicked" when police forced their way into the home. She accused police of shooting her aunt down "like a dog." Dozier said she bought the house for her aunt and installed bars on the window to protect the elderly woman.
Atlanta Police Asst. Chief Alan Dreher said at a news conference Wednesday that an undercover officer made a drug purchase at Johnston's address late Tuesday afternoon from a male suspect. Officers were able to obtain a search warrant after that.
Dreher said as the officers were executing the search warrant, the officers announced themselves and then forced open the door. Officials said the warrant was a "No Knock" warrant -- meaning that the officers did not knock before forcing open the door, but they did announce themselves.
Dreher said the officers had a legal warrant before they forced open the door. He said they were justified in returning fire when they were fired upon.
Dreher said as soon as the officers forced open the door, Johnston shot at the officers and the officers returned fire to protect themselves. One officer was shot 3 times -- once in the leg, on the side of the face and once in his bulletproof vest. One officer was hit in the leg and another hit in their arm.
The plainclothes Atlanta Police officers were transported to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment. All are expected to recover.
All officers are on paid administrative leave pending an investigation -- as is common.
Officials said they have not made any arrests in the case and they have not located the male suspect. Dreher said suspected narcotics were recovered from the home but police are awaiting lab results to confirm that.
Dreher said a marked patrol vehicle was parked in front of the residence and the word "Police" was written across the front and back of the narcotics team's vests. He also said only a matter of minutes passed between when officers arrived at the scene and when they forced open the door.
Dreher referred to the incident as a, "tragic and unfortunate incident."
http://www.nbc5i.com/news/10379029/...l=dfw_12pm&tmi=dfw_12pm_1_12100411222006&ts=H
Niece Says Woman 'Gunned Down Like Dog'
ATLANTA -- A 92-year-old is dead in what her family called a case of mistaken identity.
Was it the right address? Police said yes. But neighbors and relatives of the elderly woman shot to death by police said they believe there must have been a mistake.
Police said the woman, identified by relatives as Kathryn Johnston, was shot to death after she wounded three plainclothes officers trying to serve a drug warrant at her house
The woman's niece, Sarah Dozier, said that she bought her elderly aunt a gun to protect herself and that her aunt had a permit for the gun. Relatives said they believe Johnston opened fire because she was frightened by the officers, who were not in uniform, barging into her home.
Her relatives said Johnston had lived in the house for about 17 years.
"They kicked her door down talking about drugs, there's no drugs in that house. And they realize now, they've got the wrong house," Dozier said. "I'm mad as hell." Officials said they had the correct house and that the warrant they had was legal.
Dozier said there were never any drugs at the house. She said the woman probably "panicked" when police forced their way into the home. She accused police of shooting her aunt down "like a dog." Dozier said she bought the house for her aunt and installed bars on the window to protect the elderly woman.
Atlanta Police Asst. Chief Alan Dreher said at a news conference Wednesday that an undercover officer made a drug purchase at Johnston's address late Tuesday afternoon from a male suspect. Officers were able to obtain a search warrant after that.
Dreher said as the officers were executing the search warrant, the officers announced themselves and then forced open the door. Officials said the warrant was a "No Knock" warrant -- meaning that the officers did not knock before forcing open the door, but they did announce themselves.
Dreher said the officers had a legal warrant before they forced open the door. He said they were justified in returning fire when they were fired upon.
Dreher said as soon as the officers forced open the door, Johnston shot at the officers and the officers returned fire to protect themselves. One officer was shot 3 times -- once in the leg, on the side of the face and once in his bulletproof vest. One officer was hit in the leg and another hit in their arm.
The plainclothes Atlanta Police officers were transported to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment. All are expected to recover.
All officers are on paid administrative leave pending an investigation -- as is common.
Officials said they have not made any arrests in the case and they have not located the male suspect. Dreher said suspected narcotics were recovered from the home but police are awaiting lab results to confirm that.
Dreher said a marked patrol vehicle was parked in front of the residence and the word "Police" was written across the front and back of the narcotics team's vests. He also said only a matter of minutes passed between when officers arrived at the scene and when they forced open the door.
Dreher referred to the incident as a, "tragic and unfortunate incident."
http://www.nbc5i.com/news/10379029/...l=dfw_12pm&tmi=dfw_12pm_1_12100411222006&ts=H
