Disarming Heroes
A local story, which aired on KFSM-TV this weekend, is creating quite a stir in the national gun rights circle. National writer David Codrea first reported on the account in his Examiner article here.
While the news chronicle by KFSM is lacking in many details, these facts are known:
- The Arkansas State Police stripped Wayne Irelan of his CHCL license.
- Irelan is a Purple Heart recipient, wounded in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
- The Irelans receive a small stipend from the Veterans Administration, due to Wayne’s wife Lana taking over the family finances.
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The Veterans Administration has declared Wayne Irelan mentally incompetent due to Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.
Congressman John Boozman has been contacted about this problem and promises to look into it.
"I'm very upset and will do all I can do to make sure that people with PTSD diagnosis will continue to enjoy their second amendment rights"
As stated above, many facts are still unknown. However, the government should have to go to court and prove each individual is incompetent to possess a firearm and is a violent danger to society. Painting our heroes with such a broad brush is sure to infringe upon our right to defend ourselves.
This column will report more as more facts are learned.
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I Shot Police Officer in Self-Defense
Fox 16 in Little Rock is reporting there will be no charges in the July, 2010 Diamondhead shooting, when a police officer was wounded. The Garland County prosecuting attorney’s office says charges will not be filed against homeowner Jerry Chambliss, who says an off-duty police officer attempted to run him over with a car and shot at him.
More importantly, no charges will be filed against police officer Fred Ensminger, according to Prosecuting Attorney Steve Oliver (readers may remember P.A. Oliver from an earlier shooting case). Even though strong evidence exists officer Ensminger used excessive force (at the worst running over Chambliss and then shooting at him as he retreated to his garage), the prosecuting attorney has decided not to bring charges.
The 911 call from Cindy Nelson shows no contradictory evidence in her story. There are, however many discrepancies between the evidence recovered from the scene and from witnesses in regards to officer Ensminger’s story. Ensminger says he never left his vehicle; a spent cartridge from his firearm was found on the front windshield of his vehicle. Ensminger also said Chambliss fired first; a witness heard gunshots, then a pause, then more gunshots from a different firearm. This account from the witness matches Chambliss’s report which says he was struck by Ensminger’s truck, then he ran to the garage as he was being shot at by Ensminger.
Public pressure will surely come to bear on the Garland County prosecuting attorney’s office to charge Ensminger, especially since Ensminger’s past is coming to light. Ensminger shot a suspect in 2005 while an Alexander law enforcement officer, but was later said to be justified in the shooting. Months later, he was fired from the Shannon Hills police department for an alleged assault. He resigned from the Alexander police department in 2006 after being arrested for assaulting his girlfriend.
Both of today's stories may make an Arkansan wonder; why are we taking the guns away from heroes, especially when our most trusted public officials are shooting at us?
911 Call from Cindy Nelson
911 Call from Officer Ensminger
Related story:
Garland County shooting raises legal questions
Comments
It does not stand to reason that the entire Diamondhead incident occurred without the commission of a prosecutable act. This is a disgrace to the citizens of this state- and most especially to the overwhelming majority of LEO's who are respectable officers.
The prosecutor should also be tried for covering up what is an obvious criminal act by an out of control officer. The officer is bad enough but the prosecutor needs to be charged, disbarred if found guilty, and sent to prison for their part in an offical coverup.
Posecutor Steve Oliver stated on a news interview that he felt in his "heart", Ensminger was doing the right thing. I am shocked that someone can follow me home, I believe in road rage, run over my husband injuring him, shoot at us while we are retreated into our home, lie about every detail ( all lies proven by wittnesses or evidence) and have no charges pressed against him. Read the book "Call 911 and die". Our days of living in the imaginary world of protection under the law are over, and I submit that all citizens should investigate the facts before it is to late for them.
Sorry, Nathan, if "...the overwhelming majority of LEO's ... are respectable officers" this dirty cop would be in the slammer so deep he'd wish he could be promoted to The Man In The Iron Mask.
COP and Prosecuter need to be cellmates definitely. Difference is, If I had had to shoot the cop; he'd be dead.
I'm flabbergasted at the comment made by the Diamondhead 911 operator to the defender's wife: "He wasn't shooting, ma'am, he is a policeman". I suppose the operator would know, of course, having been on the scene while manning her 911 post. The operator's tone seemed pretty callous, particularly for the job in question.
"Ensminger shot a suspect in 2005..."
"...fired from the Shannon Hills police department for an alleged assault. He resigned from the Alexander police department in 2006 after being arrested for assaulting his girlfriend."
And where are the good cops to watchdog these "few bad apples"? Helping him write his reports and having a beer with him after their shift.
*Who* can't be trusted with guns?
The prosecuter is practicing selective and illegal application of the law. It isn't up to him to decide what to look into. He is suppose to follow the law and so is the officer, who has an established pattern of bad actions. Perhaps others writing here are right , both individuals need to be jailed. The officer and the prosecuter. The citizen didn't do anything wrong.
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