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This is one of those tragic stories where the wrong person got hurt due to an "accidental" discharge. Surprisingly, the local TV media has not painted this situation too badly, seeming to present information in a fair manner. Strangely, this article seems to express more concern about the officer's distress than the family's.
http://www.dallasnews.com/metro/stories/386454_1Apoliceshoot_.html
Police officer kills homeowner
Burglar alarm call ends in shooting in McKinney
06/06/2001
By Ian McCann / The Dallas Morning News
Related video • TXCN coverage (Requires free RealPlayer)
McKINNEY – A 31-year-old woman was fatally shot in her home Tuesday afternoon by a police officer responding to a burglar alarm.
The officer, whom police did not identify, was investigating the alarm in the 1800 block of Meadow Ranch Road shortly before 1:30 p.m. when she saw a rear patio door ajar, said McKinney police Capt. Robert Dean.
"She called for backup and tried to enter the door," Capt. Dean said. He said the officer told investigators that the door was pushed forcefully back toward her as she tried to move through it.
"The door came back at her," Capt. Dean said, "and the gun discharged."
The bullet went through the door and struck Cathey Howard-Kalimah, who was inside the house. The bullet entered just above the deadbolt on the frame of the door and struck Ms. Howard-Kalimah in the upper chest, police said.
The shooting was the first fatal shooting involving a McKinney police officer since 1993.
"The whole thing was a tragedy for everyone," said Police Chief Doug Kowalski. "Our hearts go out to the family. Her children lost a mother, and her husband lost a wife."
Chief Kowalski added: "The officer is really hurting right now. She was upset, stressed, emotionally distraught."
He said he didn't know how the back patio door was opened but added there didn't appear to be any forced entry at the home.
Police said the officer, who has been with the department for 31/2 years, has been placed on administrative leave, which is routine in such cases. Police said that the incident will be investigated and that the officer will talk to a psychologist provided by the department.
Attorney Dick Sayles, who was retained by Ms. Howard-Kalimah's family after the shooting, said he plans to do his own investigation.
"I hope and I expect that there will be a sharing of information with the police," he said. "We haven't had an opportunity to do our own investigation. Upon the investigation, we hope that whatever is appropriate and right will be done."
Mr. Sayles said funeral arrangements are being made for Ms. Howard-Kalimah but have not been finalized.
McKinney police Chaplain Rickey Hargrave said he talked to the woman's father, who lives in North Carolina. He said he also spoke with other family members in McKinney and the officer. Ms. Howard-Kalimah had two children, ages 13 and 4.
Police said the alarm in the family's home went off about 1:23 p.m. The security company then called McKinney police and Ms. Howard-Kalimah's husband, Jeemil, who works as an insurance underwriter in Plano.
Mr. Kalimah called his wife, who worked in McKinney at the North Texas Job Corps about a mile from their home, to go home and check on the alarm.
Police said that Ms. Howard-Kalimah was the only person in the home at the time of the shooting. Capt. Dean said he was unsure what set off the alarm.
"It appears that wind could have tripped it," he said. "It could've blown open the door."
Paramedics arrived shortly after the shooting, but they could not revive Ms. Howard-Kalimah. She was pronounced dead at the scene and was taken to the Collin County medical examiner's office, where relatives identified her body, authorities said.
A neighbor who asked not to be identified said that Ms. Howard-Kalimah lived in the newly built home, off U.S. Highway 380 in northern McKinney, with her husband and two children. A small plastic slide for young children sat behind the home Tuesday afternoon.
Another neighbor said the family moved in two to three months ago. The neighbor said that the Ms. Howard-Kalimah and her husband were fluent in French.
Capt. Dean said the McKinney Police Department and Collin County sheriff's deputies are investigating the shooting and will deliver their findings to a Collin County grand jury.
Tuesday's shooting apparently was the first by a McKinney police officer since March 1995, when McKinney police shot and wounded a man who pointed a rifle at officers after four hours of negotiations.
In May 1993, McKinney Officer Bruce Keffer and Allen Officer Scott White fatally shot a man who opened fire on them during a routine traffic stop in McKinney. In April 1985, McKinney Officer Don Baker fatally shot a man who shot and wounded a fellow officer. Grand jurors declined to indict the officers in each of those cases.
http://www.dallasnews.com/metro/stories/386454_1Apoliceshoot_.html
Police officer kills homeowner
Burglar alarm call ends in shooting in McKinney
06/06/2001
By Ian McCann / The Dallas Morning News
Related video • TXCN coverage (Requires free RealPlayer)
McKINNEY – A 31-year-old woman was fatally shot in her home Tuesday afternoon by a police officer responding to a burglar alarm.
The officer, whom police did not identify, was investigating the alarm in the 1800 block of Meadow Ranch Road shortly before 1:30 p.m. when she saw a rear patio door ajar, said McKinney police Capt. Robert Dean.
"She called for backup and tried to enter the door," Capt. Dean said. He said the officer told investigators that the door was pushed forcefully back toward her as she tried to move through it.
"The door came back at her," Capt. Dean said, "and the gun discharged."
The bullet went through the door and struck Cathey Howard-Kalimah, who was inside the house. The bullet entered just above the deadbolt on the frame of the door and struck Ms. Howard-Kalimah in the upper chest, police said.
The shooting was the first fatal shooting involving a McKinney police officer since 1993.
"The whole thing was a tragedy for everyone," said Police Chief Doug Kowalski. "Our hearts go out to the family. Her children lost a mother, and her husband lost a wife."
Chief Kowalski added: "The officer is really hurting right now. She was upset, stressed, emotionally distraught."
He said he didn't know how the back patio door was opened but added there didn't appear to be any forced entry at the home.
Police said the officer, who has been with the department for 31/2 years, has been placed on administrative leave, which is routine in such cases. Police said that the incident will be investigated and that the officer will talk to a psychologist provided by the department.
Attorney Dick Sayles, who was retained by Ms. Howard-Kalimah's family after the shooting, said he plans to do his own investigation.
"I hope and I expect that there will be a sharing of information with the police," he said. "We haven't had an opportunity to do our own investigation. Upon the investigation, we hope that whatever is appropriate and right will be done."
Mr. Sayles said funeral arrangements are being made for Ms. Howard-Kalimah but have not been finalized.
McKinney police Chaplain Rickey Hargrave said he talked to the woman's father, who lives in North Carolina. He said he also spoke with other family members in McKinney and the officer. Ms. Howard-Kalimah had two children, ages 13 and 4.
Police said the alarm in the family's home went off about 1:23 p.m. The security company then called McKinney police and Ms. Howard-Kalimah's husband, Jeemil, who works as an insurance underwriter in Plano.
Mr. Kalimah called his wife, who worked in McKinney at the North Texas Job Corps about a mile from their home, to go home and check on the alarm.
Police said that Ms. Howard-Kalimah was the only person in the home at the time of the shooting. Capt. Dean said he was unsure what set off the alarm.
"It appears that wind could have tripped it," he said. "It could've blown open the door."
Paramedics arrived shortly after the shooting, but they could not revive Ms. Howard-Kalimah. She was pronounced dead at the scene and was taken to the Collin County medical examiner's office, where relatives identified her body, authorities said.
A neighbor who asked not to be identified said that Ms. Howard-Kalimah lived in the newly built home, off U.S. Highway 380 in northern McKinney, with her husband and two children. A small plastic slide for young children sat behind the home Tuesday afternoon.
Another neighbor said the family moved in two to three months ago. The neighbor said that the Ms. Howard-Kalimah and her husband were fluent in French.
Capt. Dean said the McKinney Police Department and Collin County sheriff's deputies are investigating the shooting and will deliver their findings to a Collin County grand jury.
Tuesday's shooting apparently was the first by a McKinney police officer since March 1995, when McKinney police shot and wounded a man who pointed a rifle at officers after four hours of negotiations.
In May 1993, McKinney Officer Bruce Keffer and Allen Officer Scott White fatally shot a man who opened fire on them during a routine traffic stop in McKinney. In April 1985, McKinney Officer Don Baker fatally shot a man who shot and wounded a fellow officer. Grand jurors declined to indict the officers in each of those cases.
