According to the FBI, “An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area” (1). When you think of an “active shooter” these days, you most likely think of a guy in a school or a Walmart walking into a building and continuously firing rounds at people with the intent to harm or kill. Unfortunately, that’s a fairly common occurrence these days. This, however, is not the only way a person can be classified as an active shooter.
The FBI issued an Active Shooter Study: Quick Reference Guide which analyzed 160 active shooter incidents between the years 2000 and 2013 in the US. This study showed that 9.4% of the incidents occurred in an open space, and 15.6% of them took place in more than one location (2).
This means that a person roaming the streets (open area) wielding a firearm, shooting (actively engaged) at random people as they move (multiple locations) would definitely fit into the category of an active shooter. Now place that person in a vehicle, and that ups the ante quite a bit: a suspect can cover much more ground and potentially injure or murder many more people.
This is what happened in Blackwell, OK, on May 20, 2019. Blackwell Police Department Lieutenant John Mitchell responded to a call of a suspect in a white truck that was firing shots out of the vehicle in multiple locations around town (3). When the truck was located, the suspect exchanged gunfire with pursuing police, shooting at them multiple times. According to Lt. Mitchell’s attorney, Gary James, the suspect had also shot at her mother and another citizen during her shooting spree (4).
Lt. Mitchell ended the threat of the suspect’s (later identified as Micheal, pronounced “Michelle” Ann Godsey) solo rampage. He shot the violent fleeing felon and potentially saved many lives in the process.
Fast forward almost exactly six months, and here’s how Lt. Mitchell is rewarded for his bravery in this traumatic incident: He has been indicted by the Oklahoma State grand jury, facing ten years in prison for second-degree murder.
My friend, I wish I could tell you this is a joke, but unfortunately it isn’t. This is an actual, serious event occurring in our country. A police officer, sworn to protect and serve his community, ended the threat of an active shooter on the streets of said community, and now he is facing PRISON.
No. No, this is not an acceptable outcome. This is not the way we honor a hero, not the way we treat our law enforcement for keeping us safe.
What would happen if Godsey had killed her mother or the other citizen when she targeted her bullets at them, or any other people randomly in her line of fire at any of the locations at which she shot? Would we still be seeing this disgusting display of anti-justice for the Lt, or would he then be recognized as the hero he is?
Here’s the thing. There are reasonableness standards set in this great nation for law enforcement use of force for a reason. This is what the responding officers knew: A suspect in a white truck had fired at people multiple times in multiple locations and was now firing at police. The end. As far as they knew, she had succeeded at murdering her targets or other people and was continuing on to do more damage. As far as they knew, the suspect was trying to kill the pursuing police (which makes sense, seeing as how she shot at them multiple times during the pursuit, why else would she be firing at them?).
So, reasonably, an officer would be justified in (and, actually, expected to) end the threat any way he can, including shooting and killing her.
With all these facts in mind, the only questions I have are…WHAT? What in the actual hell? What is that jury thinking? HOW? How is a murder charge actually being considered? How is this nation in a place to even have this be a possibility, much less possibly become a reality. WHY? Why is there such an intense, burning desire among so many people to ruin police officers’ lives? Why would anyone be against an officer ending the threat of an active shooter? WHERE? Where is the support? It took four days for this story to reach me in Washington State. FOUR DAYS! How is that possible in this technological age? Where is the leviathan cry of outrage across the nation about this beyond ridiculous insult to our nation’s law enforcement?
This indictment isn’t acceptable. Lt. Mitchell can not go to prison for doing his job and potentially saving one or more lives. The law enforcement profession and civilian homeland protection will be negatively impacted and changed forever if the Lieutenant gets any punishment for this incident (by the way, he was cleared of any wrong doing by an internal affairs investigation (4)).
Please join me in voicing your opinion on this matter and supporting Lt. Mitchell, which will ultimately result in affecting all LE. The case is being handled in Stephens County, OK by District Attorney Jason Hicks. Write to or call the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, who is investigating this case (5). Or to the Oklahoma State Attorney General, Mike Hunter. Or the Chief Judge for the US District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, the Honorable Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti. Or all of the above. (All of these contacts will be listed at the end of this article.)
I know there is support out there for Lt. Mitchell, I know that. But it appears as though he is going to need some MAJOR advocacy in the coming months.
I’m with Blackwell Police Department Lieutenant John Mitchell. Are you?
Contact information:
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation
6600 North Harvey Pl
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
Phone: 405-848-6724
Oklahoma State Attorney General Mike Hunter
313 NE 21st Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Phone: (405) 521-3921
The Honorable Judge Timothy DeGiusti
US District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
200 NW 4th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Phone: 405-609-5000
Resources:
- FBI. (n.d.). Active Shooter Resources. Retrieved November 26, 2019 from https://www.fbi.gov/about/partnerships/office-of-partner-engagement/active-shooter-resources
- FBI. (n.d.) Active Shooter Study: Quick Reference Guide. Retrieved November 26, 2019 from https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/as-study-quick-reference-guide-updated1.pdf/view
- Rowen, Sharon. (2019 May 20). UPDATE: Two Officers Involved in Blackwell Shooting; Deceased Identified. Retrieved November 26, 2019 from KayNewsCow https://kaynewscow.com/2019/05/20/officials-at-the-scene-of-an-officer-involved-shooting-in-blackwell/
- Clay, Nolan. Grand Jurors Return Murder Indictment Against Blackwell Police Lieutenant. Retrieved November 26, 2019 from The Oklahoman https://oklahoman.com/article/5647836/grand-jurors-returns-murder-indictment-against-blackwell-police-lieutenant
- Gerian, Charles. (2019 May 22). Suspect Dead After Shootout With Police. Retrieved November 26, 2019 from Blackwell Journal-Tribune https://www.blackwelljournaltribune.net/articles/10778/view
This is the first I am even hearing about this!! Outrage and disgust are just my initial response. I will be writing to the powers that be. Thank you, Leah. God bless. ♥️🙏🏻💙🖤💙
I live in Oklahoma and had not heard about this and my son is a police officer. Count me in. I will spread the news as much as I can and will definitely be writing all of the listed people above.
Thank you so much, I appreciate your support and I’m shocked that you live there and hadn’t yet heard! I hope you and others can send the message loud and clear that we won’t tolerate our officers being treated like this.
Air Force Cop here. It would be interesting to read the transcript of the indictment, as to what evidence was given to the Grand Jury. My other thot would be, how many rounds of ammo does an officer carry, while on duty? And for what weapon? I’m thinking, (sorry) if he has 60 rounds, generally speaking that is 4 magazines with 15 rounds each. Then he would have had to reload at least three times, while being shot at. Then if he does actually fire 60 rounds, he is now out of ammo.
Lt. Mitchell’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 18th at 2 p.m. We need to create a “flash mob” to show support.
YES…I agree!!
I live in Blackwell and personally know Lt. Mitchell. I stand behind him 100% from being railroaded by a DA who is out to feather his own political bed.
I have personally been dealt with by this officer!! I do have a criminal history but I also have a right to voice as well !! He has never done me any wrong me and him just don’t get along period but I would stand in front of a jury anyday to voice how wrong this is and he does need help with this deal . I know in my heart without a doubt he is innocent of this charge he has done our small town very well and cleaned allot of the trash out this is interfering with his job and it’s not right he did what had to be done period . I hit my knees and pray for God’s help here to clear this man .
Kirt, what a wonderful comment. Thank you so much for sharing. You absolutely do have a right to a voice, and it’s just a shame that more people with common sense like you seem to have don’t speak out more. Keep up your prayers- sounds like he’s going to need them.
Point blank I would stand in any corner and fight for and with this officer.
If I’m not mistaken Blackwell PD, OSBI and FPO have all investigated this and called it a justified shoot
Officer Mitchell has done alot of dirty and crooked crap that alot of people either don’t know or just want to know the truth about him. And alot of the citizens of Blackwell keep trashing him for his past allegations and it’s frustrating but at the end of the day for this particular case he’s done nothing wrong. I would of done the same thing he has done.
Without the police being willing to step in and protect us who is there? The mentally ill, disgruntled, terrorist, drug dealers, etc have guns they are more than happy to put to use. It is time the public stood up for our police and protect them from the corrupt politics happening in this country. I stand with the police. God bless each and every one of them.
Why did Kay County’s spineless liberal DA recuse to allow another DA to come in and do his dirty work? Brian Hermanson has a history of hanging people out to dry and bringing in other DA’s to give him a cover and it would seem to me that is what is going on here.
Mitchel works for the 8th District Attorney the case had to be passed to another prosecutor
The Kay county D.A had been working with officer on a task force. What I dont understand is why didnt the D.A make the decision himself.
I don’t know either. All I could find about it is that he had to recuse himself. Unsure why.
This is ridiculous. This disgusting news has reached OKC this morning. We have 54 members of OKC/Norman surrounding areas..two being city councilman getting ready for arrival by Thursday to march. We are appalled by the news of Officer Mitchell facing trial for murder. Prayers for him, his family and fellow officers.
This sounds like racism. Was the suspect black and the cop white? Was the jury black? If all the above is true, sounds like blacks being racist towards whites.
What!! I cannot believe citizens can let this happened. We have police to protect us. We need to protect them, when they are doing their job. Think!! How will they feel if they were being shot at and had no help around. Thank God for our police force and putting their lives on the line for us. Please protect our police, I have a son that is an officer and very proud of him. He has a family too! He chose this job because he cares , not because he had to. That is why he is a Godly man, that goes to church every Sunday. Please protect our police officers , who are doing their jobs. Pray that Officer Mitchell will released from this big mistake. Do not take away our good officers doing their job. God Bless him and his family.