FBI Agent Shot by fellow Agent?
DAVID PORTER, Associated Press Writer 14 minutes ago
READINGTON, N.J. - State police captured a third bank robbery suspect Friday connected to the deadly shooting of an
FBI agent who had been tracking the men.
ADVERTISEMENT
The agent's team had fired on the armed suspects outside a bank branch in Readington on Thursday, but the FBI said the suspects did not shoot back and the agent may have accidentally been killed by one of his own colleagues.
"Preliminarily, information suggests the agent may have been fatally wounded as a result of the accidental discharge of another agent's weapon during a dynamic arrest situation," the FBI said in a statement released Thursday night.
Two of the robbery suspects were captured shortly after the shooting. The third fled on foot and was arrested Friday morning in Branchburg, within a couple miles of the bank, State Police Lt. Gerald Lewis said.
Some 300 officers had been searching for Francisco Herrera-Genao, 22, of New Brunswick since the shooting. A Somerset County 911 dispatcher said authorities were tipped off Friday morning by a resident who saw someone matching the man's description.
Beverly Hardon was leaving her driveway for work when a man began banging on her car, she told WNBC-TV New York, her voice quivering as she spoke.
"He started hitting on my window, trying to get in my car," Hardon said. "I went so fast up that driveway."
The suspect was arrested minutes later nearby.
The dead agent, Barry Lee Bush, 52, had been assigned to the FBI's Newark office and had been searching for suspects believed to be responsible for at least four bank robberies, the FBI said. In two of robberies, the suspects had fired assault weapons while inside the bank, the agency said.
Pedro Ruiz, special agent in charge of the FBI's Newark office, said the suspects captured Thursday had two assault rifles and a handgun with them but didn't fire when Bush and the other agents confronted them outside a PNC Bank branch.
Investigators from the agency's Inspection Division have been assigned to investigate the shooting, the FBI said. Ruiz said he did not yet know how many shots were fired and would not elaborate on what led the agents to shoot.
The men arrested outside the Readington bank in north-central New Jersey were identified as Wilfredo Berrios, 28, and Michael Cruz, 21, both of New Brunswick. Both were to be charged with attempted armed robbery, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark said.
The FBI had started investigating Berrios, Cruz and Herrera-Genao after a March 2 bank robbery. A surveillance camera at a shopping center caught the masked gunmen abandoning a stolen Honda they had used in the robbery and getting into their "switch car," a rental vehicle that was traced to Berrios, according to the criminal complaint released by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
After his arrest, Cruz said the men were preparing to rob the Readington bank, according to the complaint. Cruz also said he, Berrios, Herrera-Genao and Efrain Lynn, 21, of New Brunswick, had robbed a bank in South Brunswick on March 16, the complaint said.
Lynn was arrested Thursday on a warrant unrelated to the bank robberies, federal prosecutors said.
It was not immediately clear if the men had attorneys who could comment. Telephone listings for the men could not be located.
Witnesses in Readington described a chaotic scene as the gunfire broke out Thursday.
Brian Agans, who works in an engine shop across from the bank, said he heard a "pop, pop, pop." He ran outside to make sure a mechanic wasn't having a problem with equipment, but instead saw law enforcement swarming.
"All hell was breaking loose. I've never seen so many police and authorities take action ever in my life," he said.
Bush joined the FBI in August of 1987, serving in Kansas City and transferring to Newark in 1991. He is survived by a wife and two grown children, the FBI said.
__
Associated Press writers Chris Newmarker, Angela Delli Santi and Tom Hester Jr. in Trenton, and Jeffrey Gold in Newark contributed to this report.
READINGTON, N.J. - State police captured a third bank robbery suspect Friday connected to the deadly shooting of an
FBI agent who had been tracking the men.
ADVERTISEMENT
The agent's team had fired on the armed suspects outside a bank branch in Readington on Thursday, but the FBI said the suspects did not shoot back and the agent may have accidentally been killed by one of his own colleagues.
"Preliminarily, information suggests the agent may have been fatally wounded as a result of the accidental discharge of another agent's weapon during a dynamic arrest situation," the FBI said in a statement released Thursday night.
Two of the robbery suspects were captured shortly after the shooting. The third fled on foot and was arrested Friday morning in Branchburg, within a couple miles of the bank, State Police Lt. Gerald Lewis said.
Some 300 officers had been searching for Francisco Herrera-Genao, 22, of New Brunswick since the shooting. A Somerset County 911 dispatcher said authorities were tipped off Friday morning by a resident who saw someone matching the man's description.
Beverly Hardon was leaving her driveway for work when a man began banging on her car, she told WNBC-TV New York, her voice quivering as she spoke.
"He started hitting on my window, trying to get in my car," Hardon said. "I went so fast up that driveway."
The suspect was arrested minutes later nearby.
The dead agent, Barry Lee Bush, 52, had been assigned to the FBI's Newark office and had been searching for suspects believed to be responsible for at least four bank robberies, the FBI said. In two of robberies, the suspects had fired assault weapons while inside the bank, the agency said.
Pedro Ruiz, special agent in charge of the FBI's Newark office, said the suspects captured Thursday had two assault rifles and a handgun with them but didn't fire when Bush and the other agents confronted them outside a PNC Bank branch.
Investigators from the agency's Inspection Division have been assigned to investigate the shooting, the FBI said. Ruiz said he did not yet know how many shots were fired and would not elaborate on what led the agents to shoot.
The men arrested outside the Readington bank in north-central New Jersey were identified as Wilfredo Berrios, 28, and Michael Cruz, 21, both of New Brunswick. Both were to be charged with attempted armed robbery, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark said.
The FBI had started investigating Berrios, Cruz and Herrera-Genao after a March 2 bank robbery. A surveillance camera at a shopping center caught the masked gunmen abandoning a stolen Honda they had used in the robbery and getting into their "switch car," a rental vehicle that was traced to Berrios, according to the criminal complaint released by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
After his arrest, Cruz said the men were preparing to rob the Readington bank, according to the complaint. Cruz also said he, Berrios, Herrera-Genao and Efrain Lynn, 21, of New Brunswick, had robbed a bank in South Brunswick on March 16, the complaint said.
Lynn was arrested Thursday on a warrant unrelated to the bank robberies, federal prosecutors said.
It was not immediately clear if the men had attorneys who could comment. Telephone listings for the men could not be located.
Witnesses in Readington described a chaotic scene as the gunfire broke out Thursday.
Brian Agans, who works in an engine shop across from the bank, said he heard a "pop, pop, pop." He ran outside to make sure a mechanic wasn't having a problem with equipment, but instead saw law enforcement swarming.
"All hell was breaking loose. I've never seen so many police and authorities take action ever in my life," he said.
Bush joined the FBI in August of 1987, serving in Kansas City and transferring to Newark in 1991. He is survived by a wife and two grown children, the FBI said.
__
Associated Press writers Chris Newmarker, Angela Delli Santi and Tom Hester Jr. in Trenton, and Jeffrey Gold in Newark contributed to this report.
0
-
Sad to hear about this. Prayers to he and his family.
Can't comment on any of the agents involved, if they were good, competent, or otherwise. If the speculation is true, at least one of them is an idiot and negligent.
An old addage seems to always hold true:
FBI = Famous But Incompetent.0 -
quote:Originally posted by lt496
Sad to hear about this. Prayers to he and his family.
Can't comment on any of the agents involved, if they were good, competent, or otherwise. If the speculation is true, at least one of them is an idiot and negligent.
An old addage seems to always hold true:
FBI = Famous But Incompetent.
Fumblin Bumbling Idiots
But seriously accidents happen. This is a most unfortunate occurrence and will probably haunt the parties involved for the rest of their lives. My prayers go out to all involved.0 -
"Preliminarily, information suggests the agent may have been fatally wounded as a result of the accidental discharge of another agent's weapon during a dynamic arrest situation," the FBI said in a statement released Thursday night.
Any one want to bet he was carrying a Glock?0 -
This is sad. A gunfight is full of panic and chaos and mistakes are made. The outcome of this exchange makes me very sad![:(]
This is an example of the risks of being an LEO. You can do everything right and do your job for many years and then one stupid mistake and your life is snuffed out![:(]0 -
It happens ... I'll still support the FBI 24/7.
Incidentally, the bad guys are now charged with murder[8D].0 -
Bad $#!t happens.[:(]
I feel bad for the agent and his family.0 -
The FBI is famous for poor gunhandling. Why should accountants, lawyers and computer geeks be armed anyway? 0 -
[:D] 0 -
quote:Why should accountants, lawyers and computer geeks be armed anyway?
I think it's fine if all of the above are armed.
They just shouldn't be using their weapons in a law enforcement role.
It was a big shootout where the bad guys didn't even fire a shot, and an FBI agent ended up dead anyway.
Now, THAT'S pathetic!!0 -
quote:Originally posted by zipperzap
It happens ... I'll still support the FBI 24/7.
Incidentally, the bad guys are now charged with murder[8D].
Yep any death during the commission of a felony is a crime. But I think the FEEB who did the actual shooting should be nailed as well0 -
According to Pat Tillmans father, he thinks it might have been FBI sniper or team of snipers who deliberatly targeted the agent because of his outspoken role against the FBI's "war on bank robbery" and because he knew too much 
0 -
My prayers go out to the family of the dead agent. I am also sure that the other members of the dead agents team are hurting right now. I do wish that people would learn to say what they mean in plain english. Just what the heck does "the accidental discharge of another agent's weapon during a dynamic arrest situation" mean. I have been through a couple of high stress training situations and the one thing that was emphasized over and over was not putting ones finger inside the trigger guard with a weapon in conditon 1 unless you were sure that return fire was both necessary and warranted. In simple english, don't put your finger on the trigger until you are going to pull it. I wasn't there and don't want to be too hard on the officer but at the very least it sounds like some re-training and/or re-assignments are in order--after a proper post shooting study is done. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by nunn
The FBI is famous for poor gunhandling. Why should accountants, lawyers and computer geeks be armed anyway?
they weren't authorized by Congress to carry firearms until 1934 although they were authorized by the Bureau to use them in a stricktly defensive way so maybe they are late bloomers lol--but since the Miami Shootout in the 80's it sure seems they have not been the best trained when it comes to shootouts or securing their weapons.0 -
====
Anyway you look at it, it is a horrible situation to have happen.
A life lost, an agent's career ruined and his life forever tortured by PTST related to this event. A family (almost certainly) without a husband and father. No way to recover or go back.
A tragice event.0 -
poor man. i feel bad thinking about his family...and the officer who would have had to tell his family, that must be one of the worst things ever to have to do.[:(][:(][:(] 0 -
1. Friendly fire is not. 2. Pay attention to the line of fire, and be somewhere else. Bad day all around.[:(] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by nunn
The FBI is famous for poor gunhandling. Why should accountants, lawyers and computer geeks be armed anyway?
I agree! A female agent was killed a few years ago by one of her fellow agents here in Phoenix. They were surrounding a house. Dippoops!
JM0 -
A tragedy. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by nunn
The FBI is famous for poor gunhandling. Why should accountants, lawyers and computer geeks be armed anyway?
+1
Ever since 9/11, the FBI has been aggressively recruiting applicants with degrees such as: computer science, chemistry, foreign languages. They've gotten away from recruiting applicants with law enforcement experience due to the war on terror... blah, blah, blah. Terrorism is now their primary concern.0 -
I don't think this just happened. Isn't this an old incident?[?]
If this is the same incident I am thinking of it was in the news almost a month back. I believe it happened around 3 April, but it did happen.
Trinity +++0 -
happens all the time, More SWAT guys are shot by their co-workers than criminals. 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
21 comments