'Cops' Crew Member Killed by Officers While Show Films Armed Robbery

[thoughtomator]

https://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/yahoo-tv/...173502495.html

A staffer on the long-running television crime show Cops was shot and killed Tuesday night, reportedly by gunfire from local police, while videotaping an armed robbery in progress in Omaha, Nebraska, that also left the suspect dead.

According to Deputy Chief David Baker of the Omaha Police Department, the incident took place at a Wendy's restaurant at around 9:20 p.m. CT, in the vicinity of 42nd Street and Dodge.

Initial reports said the TV crew member, later identified by Langley Productions (which produces Cops) as audio technician Bryce Dion — had been critically injured. The news of his death broke Wednesday morning, as first reported by the Omaha World-Herald and local NBC affiliate WOWT. The Omaha PD has declined to name the victims or release any further details pending an afternoon press conference, at which Cops creator John Langley is expected to speak.

More than 30 shots were fired, all by officers, according to law enforcement sources that spoke with the World-Herald and WOWT, implying that Omaha police killed both the suspect and the crew member. No officers were injured.

"We are deeply saddened and shocked by this tragedy and our main concern is helping (Dion's) family in any way we can," Langley Productions said later Wednesday morning in a statement. "Bryce Dion was a long term member of the Cops team and a very talented and dedicated person. We mourn his passing. An investigation is ongoing and we are cooperating with local authorities."

View photo
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Photo from the scene of the shooting taken by WOWT reporter Brian Mastre (Twitter)

Photo from the scene of the shooting taken by WOWT reporter Brian Mastre (Twitter)
Law enforcement sources told the World-Herald that the suspect, a parolee from Kansas, had an Airsoft gun on him, which is not an actual firearm.

"The suspect in the armed robbery has been declared deceased," Baker said. "We ask for your patience in this matter."

According to Baker, the suspect held up a Wendy's employee at gunpoint and demanded cash before walking outside to find police waiting for him. The suspect was wounded and taken to Nebraska Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.

The suspect was described as wearing a "black hoodie and a white bandana" in a police radio call posted by @MeanStreetsOMA on Twitter. The Cops crew member was described as a white male in the police call.

Shot by cops - no shots fired by the suspect.

Karma is a bitch. May this police state propagandist rot in the Hell that is surely his destination.

[juleswin]

This happened a couple of blocks from my apt. At first the news were reporting that robber shot the camera man. This surely wont help with their mission of winning hearts and mind.

The department had hoped that the TV show’s filming of Omaha police in action would improve relations with community members.

In explaining in June why the department was planning to allow the show to film Omaha police work, Schmaderer said he was proud of his department.

“(I) want the professionalism of our officers on display for the city and world to see.”

[squarepusher]

Too bad they killed the suspect so they can't charge him with murder for killing the cameraman.

[fisharmor]

I guess after 25 years of filming corn-fed morons chasing black guys minding their own business in their underwear out of their houses and into the street to tackle them, they decided to film something more daring.

[phill4paul]

Will probably get more traction than Aiyana Jones did.

[phill4paul]

Too bad they killed the suspect so they can't charge him with murder for killing the cameraman.

Exactly. They should be able to file posthumously and of course seize any assets.

[NorfolkPCSolutions]

Listening to the radio on the way home from work, KFAB afternoon "news" show...police were responding to a disturbance by a white lady nearby, got the call that a black dude was in Wendy's and up to no good...officers arrive, fire 30 shots in a dining room filled with civilians...shoot the perp, who bleeds out in the back parking lot...and manage to get the sound guy somewhere his bulletproof vest didn't protect...headshot? Thirty rounds, hit the perp once, twice, three times, I don't know, but thirty shots and they nailed the sound guy in the face?

Militarized police gonna militarize

oh btw the perp had a $#@!ing BB GUN! Christ almighty, the radio guy was talking about how the BB GUN had a "report," so the cops were justified in firing 30 shots in a Wendy's. I hope they fire the cops, at the very least. I thought I understood the folks in Ferguson before...now, I know I do. Too close to home.

[Anti Federalist]

oh btw the perp had a $#@!ing BB GUN! Christ almighty, the radio guy was talking about how the BB GUN had a "report," so the cops were justified in firing 30 shots in a Wendy's. I hope they fire the cops, at the very least. I thought I understood the folks in Ferguson before...now, I know I do. Too close to home.

[NorfolkPCSolutions]

Yeah, I know. Riiiight...not gonna happen

[Suzanimal]

RIP Bryce Dion

A crew member with the “Cops” television show was fatally struck by police gunfire as Omaha officers confronted a robber — who also was fatally wounded — at a midtown restaurant, law enforcement sources said Wednesday.

The World-Herald has learned that at least 30 shots were fired at the Wendy’s near 43rd and Dodge Streets. Officials said it appears the only shots fired came from police.

The robbery suspect apparently had an air gun, a type of BB gun that looks like an actual firearm. He apparently was a prison parolee from Kansas, law enforcement sources said.

The crew member has been identified as Bryce Dion. Dion, 38 was from Lawrence, Massachusetts, but lived in Santa Monica, California. He worked on numerous TV series as a sound mixer and assistant cameraman.

In a statement, Langley Productions, which produces "Cops," said: "We are deeply saddened and shocked by this tragedy and our main concern is helping his family in any way we can. Bryce Dion was a long term member of the Cops team and a very talented and dedicated person. We mourn his passing. An investigation is ongoing and we are cooperating with local authorities."

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer identified the robbery suspect as Cortez Washington, 32, during a press conference that began at 2:30 p.m.

http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/offi...a4bcf6878.html

[phill4paul]

Is this a joke? Because f*ck him and the copsucking production company he rode in on.

[TheTexan]

Cops can't save everybody, I guess. :/

[John F Kennedy III]

30+ shots fired and all by the cops....who are the aggressors again?

[Spikender]

RIP Cortez Washington.

[PaulConventionWV]

Cops are taught to empty their clips virtually every time they commit to shooting someone. That's why they always fire an absurd amount of shots off. Because apparently the only way to prove in a courtroom that you were pants-$#@!tingly scared such that you shot in self-defense is to fire every single shot in your gun. Seriously, this is what you're supposed to do. If you only fire one shot, people will call it cold-blooded murder. If you fire every shot, even if you do it deliberately in anticipation of a court case, you are deemed to have been scared enough to call it self-defense.

Now, it's important to note that this doesn't happen when there's an active shooter on the loose. The cops will conserve their ammo when confronting a known violent criminal so that they don't end up without ammo when they need it most. But if they're going to shoot down Joe Schmeaux petty thief or even just a regular mundane in circumstances that might be questionable, you can bet your ass they will fire an excessive amount of bullets every single time so that they can claim they did so in a state of panic over their own safety.

Which leads to what you see here: collateral damage.