muleskinner
08-03-2002, 03:19
A day of mourning for Minneapolis police
David Chanen and Howie Padilla
Star Tribune
Published Aug 3, 2002 SHOT03
The call came over the squad car radio. A woman with a handgun was heading to her apartment in south Minneapolis Thursday night and relatives were concerned for her safety.
Police officer Melissa Schmidt didn't have to respond. It wasn't in her precinct and other officers were already on their way.
Melissa Schmidt
But the woman, 60-year-old Martha Donald, lived in Horn Terrace, part of a complex Schmidt patrolled as a member of the department's public housing unit.
Authorities with knowledge of the case described the events that ended with both women dead in a hospital:
When Schmidt arrived shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday, Donald was calm and cooperative, allowing officers to search her car. Nothing was found, but police looked into her purse and discovered bullets.
Donald was now urging Schmidt and officer Tammy Friestleben to let her use the bathroom. She was patted down before they escorted her inside the small, two-stall facility on the first floor.
Map of area
Then, sources say, Donald pulled a handgun that had been concealed between her buttocks, lunged out of the stall and fired a shot about 7:40 p.m. that hit Schmidt.
Shots were returned by both officers, but it was unclear whose shots killed Donald.
A stunned and mourning department struggled to understand why Donald pulled the trigger.
"We get a lot of comfort from our fellow officers," said Lt. Kris Arneson, who grew up near Schmidt in Wisconsin. "Something like this is always in the back of your mind. You prepare for it, but this is very hard."
Schmidt died following surgery at Hennepin County Medical Center. Inspector Sharon Lubinski said officers felt somewhat out of place as they gathered at the hospital Thursday night, hoping Schmidt's condition would improve.
Rybak, Olson announce officer's death
Jeff Wheeler
Star Tribune
"There was a serious sense of helplessness among them," she said. "As police, we're orientated to take action and fix things. When we feel helpless the one thing we can do is show up at the hospital and give support."
Donald was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The shooting is being investigated by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. Friestleben, 37, is on paid administrative leave, which is standard department procedure in such a case. If Friestleben feels like she needs more time to recover, arrangements could be made, Lubinski said.
"We want to make sure she has time to heal and get centered again," she said.
Martha Donald
The last officer to die in the line of duty was Jerry Haaf, 53, who was shot at the Pizza Shack restaurant in 1992 as he read a newspaper with his back to the door.
Schmidt, 35, had worked for the department's crime prevention program before volunteering to join the unit dedicated to public housing issues. Officers do everything from resolving conflicts between neighbors to drug enforcement.
But police said Friday that the women's deaths didn't have any connection to the fact that it happened in a public housing complex.
But rather, it began when police received a call about Donald from a relative who said Donald had a gun, Lubinski said. Police went to talk to the relative shortly after 7 p.m. and were told that Donald was heading to Horn Terrace at W. 31st St. and Blaisdell Av. S. Schmidt heard the call and was on her way.
Donald's car was found in the complex parking lot. Lubinski said that shortly after police arrived at the parking lot, the call came over the radio that things were under control.
"The woman was very cooperative," she said. "There didn't seem to be any indicators that things might go awry."
Police gather near the Horn Towers.
Marlin Levison
Star Tribune
Sources who know about the case said that Donald's purse was searched either outside or in the building lobby before she went into the bathroom and she was patted down beforehand, but no gun was found under her tight-fitting clothes. Another officer with Schmidt and Friestleben asked if they needed help when Donald was taken to the bathroom, but they said things were under control, the sources said.
Shortly thereafter, the officer heard shots fired in the bathroom. It's unclear how many shots were fired. Schmidt and Donald both had guns in their hands when the shooting ended, sources said. They said it appears Donald fired first.
"Officer Schmidt did all she could do to make herself as safe as possible," said Sgt. John Delmonico, president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis. "She was just responding to a citizen's call for help."
Donald wasn't under arrest because officers didn't find a gun, sources said.
Even if a suspect is under arrest, Lubinski said, it isn't uncommon for officers to escort suspects -- especially cooperative ones -- to the bathroom when they ask. When Schmidt and Friestleben went with Donald into the two-stall community bathroom, a male police officer, whom Lubinski identified only as a veteran of the department, stood close by.
Schmidt was wearing a bullet-resistant vest, but she was shot in area between her waist and the bottom of the vest. Sgt. Ron Bellendier, who trains Minneapolis police officers, said they aren't required to wear bullet resistant vests, but it is suggested. When new recruits come through training in October, he said, he will try to use whatever information can be gathered from Thursday's shooting to help them learn.
"Something like this really brings a bit of reality to the job," he said. "But all of our officers know, something like this can happen their first day on the street."
Volunteered for job
All officers in the public housing unit wear the vests, said Lt. Jeff Rugel, who leads the unit. Horn Terrace is part of three buildings that mainly house senior citizens. The complex isn't considered a crime hotspot, he said.
The public housing unit, started in 1993, is funded by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. The Police Department's public housing unit has a day and night shifts, each staffed by a sergeant and five officers. The unit added the night shift when Schmidt joined this year.
"We did a test program before we started the night shift to see how it would work, and Melissa volunteered," Rugel said. "The people in housing really liked the work she did and hoped she'd sign up when the shifts became available. She volunteered, and I was very glad to have her."
The unit patrols 40 high-rise buildings and 915 houses that are home to 8,900 people, he said. Officers are assigned to specific properties, where they follow up crime reports, check on safety issues and handle other tasks. They also work hand-in-hand with residents, he said.
"They may knock on a door if they hear a loud stereo before it becomes a 911 call," he said. "Officers approach every situation carefully. In any call involving a gun, officers will respond with caution, no matter what unit they are in."
Members of the unit spent time together Friday. Peer counseling was offered, but "each officer will have to work out Melissa's death in their own way," Rugel said.
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak made two visits Friday to the complex where the women were killed, knocking on doors and expressing his sorrow over the deaths. In the lobby of one of the buildings, Rybak crouched to talk to older residents who were seated.
"One of the things I've been saying is that this is a special building, where great things are happening," he told two women. "Now, is there anything I can do for you?"
At an outdoor news conference a few minutes later, Rybak said that while both deaths were acknowledged in discussions with residents, "a police officer does something special -- standing between us and harm's way."
Rybak said he planned to attend Schmidt's funeral Tuesday in Bloomer, Wis., where she grew up and served as a police officer.
Rybak also said that he and City Council President Paul Ostrow had discussed acknowledging the tragedy with a moment of silence during National Night Out events Tuesday in Minneapolis.
Rybak said he would speak at the Horn complex and elsewhere during the night that emphasizes neighborhood bonding to fight crime. Ronald Merrill, 61, who has lived there six years, said, "Anybody would be worried because of what happened."
"The policewoman was very nice," he said. "I've seen her solve problems just by talking to people."
Donald, he said, would ask him if he knew of any storefronts for sale, because she wanted to open a ribs restaurant. Merrill described her as generally polite, "but if you rubbed her the wrong way, she could get cross."
Officials with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority also visited the towers, distributing a statement from executive director Cora McCorvey, who expressed "deepest sympathy and condolences to families, friends and colleagues of both victims."
McCorvey noted Schmidt's death "with particular sadness."
"She was dedicated to her role as a law enforcement officer to not only protect and serve, but to do so for some of the community's most vulnerable residents," the statement said.
In honor of Schmidt, the flag at City Hall was at half-staff Friday. Gov. Jesse Ventura proclaimed that flags at all state buildings in Minnesota will be flown at half-staff Monday and Tuesday.
"It's a horrible tragedy for all of us," said Minneapolis police Capt. Mike Martin. "When an officer is killed, it brings it home that it could have be any one of us. Melissa chose to put her life on the line every day."
Wendy Devore, who worked with Schmidt on the Fifth Precinct's Deaf Safe program, said she remembered Schmidt as someone who tried hard to make a connection with the community, but who was a stickler for the rules.
"My first reaction was that something must have gone terribly wrong," Devore said Friday. "Melissa was the one who would concentrate on officer safety all the way through. Even when it came to routine policing, she followed the rules, absolutely."
-- Staff writer Nolan Zavoral contributed to this story.
-- David Chanen is at dchanen@startribune.com
David Chanen and Howie Padilla
Star Tribune
Published Aug 3, 2002 SHOT03
The call came over the squad car radio. A woman with a handgun was heading to her apartment in south Minneapolis Thursday night and relatives were concerned for her safety.
Police officer Melissa Schmidt didn't have to respond. It wasn't in her precinct and other officers were already on their way.
Melissa Schmidt
But the woman, 60-year-old Martha Donald, lived in Horn Terrace, part of a complex Schmidt patrolled as a member of the department's public housing unit.
Authorities with knowledge of the case described the events that ended with both women dead in a hospital:
When Schmidt arrived shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday, Donald was calm and cooperative, allowing officers to search her car. Nothing was found, but police looked into her purse and discovered bullets.
Donald was now urging Schmidt and officer Tammy Friestleben to let her use the bathroom. She was patted down before they escorted her inside the small, two-stall facility on the first floor.
Map of area
Then, sources say, Donald pulled a handgun that had been concealed between her buttocks, lunged out of the stall and fired a shot about 7:40 p.m. that hit Schmidt.
Shots were returned by both officers, but it was unclear whose shots killed Donald.
A stunned and mourning department struggled to understand why Donald pulled the trigger.
"We get a lot of comfort from our fellow officers," said Lt. Kris Arneson, who grew up near Schmidt in Wisconsin. "Something like this is always in the back of your mind. You prepare for it, but this is very hard."
Schmidt died following surgery at Hennepin County Medical Center. Inspector Sharon Lubinski said officers felt somewhat out of place as they gathered at the hospital Thursday night, hoping Schmidt's condition would improve.
Rybak, Olson announce officer's death
Jeff Wheeler
Star Tribune
"There was a serious sense of helplessness among them," she said. "As police, we're orientated to take action and fix things. When we feel helpless the one thing we can do is show up at the hospital and give support."
Donald was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The shooting is being investigated by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. Friestleben, 37, is on paid administrative leave, which is standard department procedure in such a case. If Friestleben feels like she needs more time to recover, arrangements could be made, Lubinski said.
"We want to make sure she has time to heal and get centered again," she said.
Martha Donald
The last officer to die in the line of duty was Jerry Haaf, 53, who was shot at the Pizza Shack restaurant in 1992 as he read a newspaper with his back to the door.
Schmidt, 35, had worked for the department's crime prevention program before volunteering to join the unit dedicated to public housing issues. Officers do everything from resolving conflicts between neighbors to drug enforcement.
But police said Friday that the women's deaths didn't have any connection to the fact that it happened in a public housing complex.
But rather, it began when police received a call about Donald from a relative who said Donald had a gun, Lubinski said. Police went to talk to the relative shortly after 7 p.m. and were told that Donald was heading to Horn Terrace at W. 31st St. and Blaisdell Av. S. Schmidt heard the call and was on her way.
Donald's car was found in the complex parking lot. Lubinski said that shortly after police arrived at the parking lot, the call came over the radio that things were under control.
"The woman was very cooperative," she said. "There didn't seem to be any indicators that things might go awry."
Police gather near the Horn Towers.
Marlin Levison
Star Tribune
Sources who know about the case said that Donald's purse was searched either outside or in the building lobby before she went into the bathroom and she was patted down beforehand, but no gun was found under her tight-fitting clothes. Another officer with Schmidt and Friestleben asked if they needed help when Donald was taken to the bathroom, but they said things were under control, the sources said.
Shortly thereafter, the officer heard shots fired in the bathroom. It's unclear how many shots were fired. Schmidt and Donald both had guns in their hands when the shooting ended, sources said. They said it appears Donald fired first.
"Officer Schmidt did all she could do to make herself as safe as possible," said Sgt. John Delmonico, president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis. "She was just responding to a citizen's call for help."
Donald wasn't under arrest because officers didn't find a gun, sources said.
Even if a suspect is under arrest, Lubinski said, it isn't uncommon for officers to escort suspects -- especially cooperative ones -- to the bathroom when they ask. When Schmidt and Friestleben went with Donald into the two-stall community bathroom, a male police officer, whom Lubinski identified only as a veteran of the department, stood close by.
Schmidt was wearing a bullet-resistant vest, but she was shot in area between her waist and the bottom of the vest. Sgt. Ron Bellendier, who trains Minneapolis police officers, said they aren't required to wear bullet resistant vests, but it is suggested. When new recruits come through training in October, he said, he will try to use whatever information can be gathered from Thursday's shooting to help them learn.
"Something like this really brings a bit of reality to the job," he said. "But all of our officers know, something like this can happen their first day on the street."
Volunteered for job
All officers in the public housing unit wear the vests, said Lt. Jeff Rugel, who leads the unit. Horn Terrace is part of three buildings that mainly house senior citizens. The complex isn't considered a crime hotspot, he said.
The public housing unit, started in 1993, is funded by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. The Police Department's public housing unit has a day and night shifts, each staffed by a sergeant and five officers. The unit added the night shift when Schmidt joined this year.
"We did a test program before we started the night shift to see how it would work, and Melissa volunteered," Rugel said. "The people in housing really liked the work she did and hoped she'd sign up when the shifts became available. She volunteered, and I was very glad to have her."
The unit patrols 40 high-rise buildings and 915 houses that are home to 8,900 people, he said. Officers are assigned to specific properties, where they follow up crime reports, check on safety issues and handle other tasks. They also work hand-in-hand with residents, he said.
"They may knock on a door if they hear a loud stereo before it becomes a 911 call," he said. "Officers approach every situation carefully. In any call involving a gun, officers will respond with caution, no matter what unit they are in."
Members of the unit spent time together Friday. Peer counseling was offered, but "each officer will have to work out Melissa's death in their own way," Rugel said.
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak made two visits Friday to the complex where the women were killed, knocking on doors and expressing his sorrow over the deaths. In the lobby of one of the buildings, Rybak crouched to talk to older residents who were seated.
"One of the things I've been saying is that this is a special building, where great things are happening," he told two women. "Now, is there anything I can do for you?"
At an outdoor news conference a few minutes later, Rybak said that while both deaths were acknowledged in discussions with residents, "a police officer does something special -- standing between us and harm's way."
Rybak said he planned to attend Schmidt's funeral Tuesday in Bloomer, Wis., where she grew up and served as a police officer.
Rybak also said that he and City Council President Paul Ostrow had discussed acknowledging the tragedy with a moment of silence during National Night Out events Tuesday in Minneapolis.
Rybak said he would speak at the Horn complex and elsewhere during the night that emphasizes neighborhood bonding to fight crime. Ronald Merrill, 61, who has lived there six years, said, "Anybody would be worried because of what happened."
"The policewoman was very nice," he said. "I've seen her solve problems just by talking to people."
Donald, he said, would ask him if he knew of any storefronts for sale, because she wanted to open a ribs restaurant. Merrill described her as generally polite, "but if you rubbed her the wrong way, she could get cross."
Officials with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority also visited the towers, distributing a statement from executive director Cora McCorvey, who expressed "deepest sympathy and condolences to families, friends and colleagues of both victims."
McCorvey noted Schmidt's death "with particular sadness."
"She was dedicated to her role as a law enforcement officer to not only protect and serve, but to do so for some of the community's most vulnerable residents," the statement said.
In honor of Schmidt, the flag at City Hall was at half-staff Friday. Gov. Jesse Ventura proclaimed that flags at all state buildings in Minnesota will be flown at half-staff Monday and Tuesday.
"It's a horrible tragedy for all of us," said Minneapolis police Capt. Mike Martin. "When an officer is killed, it brings it home that it could have be any one of us. Melissa chose to put her life on the line every day."
Wendy Devore, who worked with Schmidt on the Fifth Precinct's Deaf Safe program, said she remembered Schmidt as someone who tried hard to make a connection with the community, but who was a stickler for the rules.
"My first reaction was that something must have gone terribly wrong," Devore said Friday. "Melissa was the one who would concentrate on officer safety all the way through. Even when it came to routine policing, she followed the rules, absolutely."
-- Staff writer Nolan Zavoral contributed to this story.
-- David Chanen is at dchanen@startribune.com