Un-armed Black Man Shot by Modesto Police Officer

I will be speaking about this incident tonight 8/8/06 at 5:30pm at the Modesto City Council Meeting located in the Basement Chambers of 1010 10th Street - Please attend and voice you defiance to this Officers actions.

Contact me too -

Robert Stanford
LocalBlack
"A Civil Rights Organization"
(209) 496-2363



Man shot by officer in north Modesto
Roommate called police, saying he was punched, hot coffee poured on him














By CHRIS TOGNERI
BEE STAFF WRITER


Last Updated: August 8, 2006, 08:31:45 AM PDT


A Modesto police officer shot a man late Sunday after the man attacked two roommates at a north Modesto group home, officials said.
The officer shot Mellorn Johnson, 37, of Modesto. Johnson underwent surgery for his wounds and was in serious condition at a hospital Monday night, Sgt. Craig Gundlach said.

Police did not release the officer's name.

The shooting occurred at 3500 Longbridge Drive, north of Standiford Avenue between Tully and Carver roads.

Authorities received a 911 call from Thomas Souza, 39, at 10:30 p.m., Gund-lach said. Souza whispered to dispatchers that Johnson had assaulted him, with his fists and by pouring hot coffee on him, Gundlach said. Souza said he was bleeding from his face and neck and was hiding in a closet.

Souza told dispatchers Johnson had a knife and was still in the house, Gund-lach said. At least six people lived there.

When three officers arrived, the dispatcher asked Souza if he could escape, Gundlach said. When Johnson went into the back yard, Souza, who is disabled and walks with a cane, hurried out the front door.

As Souza fled the house shouting for help, Johnson, described as 6 feet 2 inches tall and about 250 pounds, followed.

Officers ordered Johnson to stop, but he charged them, Gundlach said. He did not have a knife. One of the officers shot Johnson in his stomach and shoulder. The two other officers, Suzy Switzer and Kelly Blair, did not shoot.

Investigators later found a knife inside the home, Gundlach said.

The officer who shot Johnson was placed on administrative leave, a standard practice for officers involved in shootings, Gundlach said.

Witnesses and friends said that before the shooting, Johnson had been drinking alcohol while he watched the Oakland Raiders preseason football game on television.

Johnson was among those living in the group home, which is run by Jerry Smith of Heart to Heart Ministries.

Smith said he owns about four group homes in Modesto, for people "nobody else wants to help," including the mentally disabled and homeless.

Smith said the police should have been less confrontational.

"I think it could have been done with a Taser," Smith said. "How can a drunk man be a threat? … He had too much to drink, he made a wrong decision. I don't condone that. But I just don't see how an unarmed man can be a threat."

Smith does not think the of-ficer who shot Johnson "had malice in his heart," he said.

"I don't think he woke up in the morning and said he was going to shoot someone," Smith said. "I just think preservation of life is so important. Justice should be served, but it doesn't have to be lethal."

Gundlach said the officers had little time to react. He did not know if the officers had Tasers, but said that in some situations a Taser is not effective.

"It was a rapidly developing course of events, and the officers were forced to make quick decisions," he said.

Johnson, from Oakland, is an ex-Marine, Smith said. Johnson had lived in the home for one year with no problems.

Gundlach could not say if Johnson has been convicted of any crime, but he has been booked at least once at Stanislaus County Jail.

A man who identified himself as "Ed" said Johnson is "nor-mally peaceful." Ed said he lived in a nearby group home, also run by Smith, on Kingsland Lane.

Johnson may face criminal charges on suspicion of assaulting his roommates, Gundlach said.

Shawn Gassett, 35, another roommate, told police Johnson threw him on a table after assaulting Souza, Gundlach said. Gassett told officers Johnson had a large knife during the assaults, Gundlach said.

Monday morning, Smith moved the remaining residents to other group homes in the city. He said the residents were traumatized by the shooting and no longer wanted to stay there.

Bee staff writer Chris Togneri can be reached at 578-2324 or ctogneri [at] modbee.com.