The Wadley, Ga., police chief defended the action of his officers Saturday, a day after one of them -- who is also a Richmond County school policeman -- fatally wounded a man who came at him with a knife.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into the death of Jerry Conner, who was shot by Cpl. Patrick Paquette, a part-time officer in Wadley and a Richmond County Board of Education officer.
"Cpl. Paquette had to make a decision at some point during the incident to use deadly force to protect himself and fellow officers from bodily harm or death," Chief Wesley Lewis said in a statement. He said his department is saddened by the incident.
"My prayers and condolences are with the family in their loss of a loved one," he said.
According to Chief Lewis, officers were sent to a house at North Main and Smith streets about 4:30 p.m. Friday in response to a domestic dispute report.
When they arrived, Mr. Conner, whose age and address are unknown, approached two officers with a knife and began arguing with them, according to Chief Lewis. Cpl. Paquette was among three officers called in for backup.
Chief Lewis said the officers told Mr. Conner to drop his weapon. He refused and began to approach Cpl. Paquette and the other backup officers with the knife. Cpl. Paquette then shot Mr. Conner, who was taken to Jefferson County Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
The GBI will investigate and the results will be turned over to the District Attorney's Office. Cpl. Paquette was placed on administrative leave, the chief said
Cpl. Paquette's job status in Richmond County is unclear. Phone calls Friday and Saturday to Superintendent Dana Bedden and Public Safety Director Julia Porter-Stein were not returned.
Cpl. Paquette, an officer at Tubman Middle School, was praised by Principal Wayne Frazier, who said Saturday his connection to the students and the community is unmatched.
"He has a good feel for the community," Dr. Frazier said. "When students misbehave, unless it's an emergency situation, he goes straight into counselor mode. He's very proactive."
Phone calls to a cell phone number for Cpl. Paquette were not returned Saturday night.
Reach Stephanie Toone at (706) 823-3215 or stephanie.toone@augustachronicle.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
What is a "good" feel?
(J)ubalearly, why don't you address Dr. Frazier directly at "fraziwa@boe.richmond.k12.ga.us" to obtain an answer to your question?
Why do RCSS police work one and two extra jobs? Pay those RCSS employees and contractors who do the work; eliminate those who only show up at "work."
I have always been on the side of law enforcement. But five or six officers and a man with a two inch blade on a pocket knife, doesn't sound like time to kill the man. Why not negotiate or all six officers take him down. Why not just leave and let him calm down. I would not want the officer that shot this man having anything to do with my children. I think it is time Wadley considers retraining or replacing all of these officers and maybe the chief also.
Getalife, why don't you apply for the job. Anyone that pulls out a knife in a domestic dispute or any other time can use it no matter the size of the blade. Come back later and the other person could be dead. The man should have not pulled out the knife and should not have gotten so upset that he couldn't control his actions. Anytime you pull a weaponin an arguement you are subject to this kind of action to protect everybody.
i think he could've mace the guy..police have taking the law to a whole new level they will kill and curse you out for no reason..i think ppl join the police force for all the wrong reasons.
I encourage all of you Naysayers to apply for a job in Public Safety. Then you can come back and be a Monday morning quarterback.
Agreed, Getalife. Five officers could have done better. Interesting that it is the Richmond Cty officer who felt it necessary to execute a kill shot.
Hey get a life the size of the knife is never mentioned -- thought you could read better than that.....
IT is so true that the officers should have done there duty, On the news it was stated that the victim was tazed once and then he got up. My question is if he was tazed why not taze him again until he was disarmed. Not only that why shoot him three times why not shot to disarm him in the leg or are not in the chest. I know the area in which this incident happend and there is no use for the violent action that was taken for this man's life. The police in this area have gotten out of control. The cheif is only acting cheif and he still portrols as if he were a regular officer. Not only that this is the second time in 5 years that someone on the force in Wadley has fired shots and killed someone. The departemt is surley corrupt and someone really needs to check them out. Investigate there is alot going on down there in that small town. I pray for the family and also the citzens of Wadley.
Kiddspur, I saw the report on the 12 news and they stated it was a 2 inch blade on the knife. The chronicle is not the only news source in this area.
I don't envy the life of a law enforcement office. I realize they have to make quick decisions. But in this case it was not like the man had an assault weapon. Why not taser him several times or mace him. He was someones husband and father, he didn't deserve to die for being drunk and pulling a knife.
Kiddspur, go to the following link for the channel 12 report.
http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/42453092.html
I wonder if the officer drove his RCBOE cruiser to Wadley, or did he drive his Wadley cruiser to Augusta every day? It really is strange that the dead guy obviously had his knife out in front of two officers for quite some time and the problem only escalated after Paquette and two more officers showed up. I really don't understand why five people with Tasers and Billy clubs, can't deter one person. I guess we will not be issueing Tasers anymore because they are ineffective and would be a waste of money. Personally I would like to see anyone that can withstand Tasering.
Yeah, a two inch knife can't kill ya, and a few box cutters cant down four airplanes.... let the report take place. Place judgement later.
Speaking of reports, why does it take so long to make them public? What happened to the Elmore report? Shouldn't it be public by now?
I wondered was the victim black? I am from Oakland, Calif were the spotlight has labeled;cop killers.
This victim is obviously a non-minority. How ignorant must one be? But let's keep up the chant,"police killed man because police feared for his life" and this was "good kill" and "we" know an outstanding officer would never kill a man without good cause. Ha! This officer has major problems and watch how the facts unfold to the average citizen. Some eyes are gonna be opened on this one.
If this had been a private citizen defending himself, no one would be complaining one bit. At least the neighbors didn't congregate and throw rocks at the cops. I wonder if there'll be a memorial to the fallen? When the guy holding the knife is threatening your family, I wonder if you'll share the same "protect the violent offender" mentality.
getalife, maybe they could have shot him in the kneecaps or something to stop him. I can't judge that, I wasn't there and do not know the severity of the threats against the officers. But I do know you are completely off your rocker with your statement, why not just leave and let him calm down. Are you serious??? So he can pull that knife in a drunken state on an innocent person and possibly hurt or kill them??? Are you fricken nuts??? That comment alone says your opinion should be taken with a grain of salt and that your comments are ment nothing more than to be a cop basher and care nothing about safety of innocent people from p.o.s's with deadly weapons!!
TakeAstand, never a cop bash-er and I do worry about innocent people. When I said leave, I meant they could back off, give the situation some space and see if he calmed down. Yes a two inch knife can hurt or kill I guess and box cutters can take down a plane, but to kill a man without trying more than one taser shot does not show any respect for a life. I thought most law enforcement officers were trained and if there were six of them there as reported in several news stories, they could have taken him down.
I guess I'd like to ask everyone here a question who have already judged this officer, whom they don't know. If this was your father, your brother or your husband at a scene where a man, who was obviously violent enough for the first on scene officers to need more back up, started to run at him with a weapon, regardless of size, with intent to harm or kill him, what would you hope that he would do? Would you tell him to take a chance and wait to see if one of the other officers would save him by tasering him, which very well could not affect him depending on how intoxicated he was, or would you tell him to defend himself by any means so he could come home to his family safely? I feel very deeply for the family of the man who's life was taken, but I can guarantee that the officer in question's family was very happy that he came home that night. I don't understand how people can pass judgement so harshly on someone who had about 2 seconds to decide whether it was that man or his own life. Had things been reversed and this officer HAD gotten stabbed everyone would be asking why he didn't shoot the man!
For heavens sake, he was one man with a two inch knife blade against six trained law enforcement officers with tasers, pepper spray and guns. Get real.
getalife, you're so right. A two inch blade would never kill anyone. How could he possibly be worried about himself? He surely should have solely been thinking about the drunken, violent man that had obviously already harmed someone, being that it was a domestic abuse call. Why don't you get real?
Officer Paquette is a fine Officer both in Wadley and with the RCBOE. Yes, it is ashame this officer and others must work 2 jobs to put their lives on the line for us at mere pittance of pay and then have to listen to ill informed citizens second guess every decision they make. I suppose you would prefer they handle is just like the many other officers have that have died during domestic disputes. Yeah, back out of the situation as one suggests and then the suspect kills the victim in the house and again you would blame the police. They are in a no win situation with some and take risks every day to protect each and every one of us. This officer had to make an immediate decision to protect himself, other officers and those who called upon him for help within the house. It is tough enough for officers such as Officer Paquette to do their job and make these tough decisions but the second guessing from those who know nothing of law enforcement just doesn't cut it. This man was attacking persons and police, failed to stop, failed to stop after being tazed and ultimately paid the price for HIS actions, not the actions of the officer. Tough Call - Right Decision!!
Asitisinaug, I completely and 100% agree. Very well put! I love how people can make quick judgements and accusations without knowing the entirity of the situation. Thank you.
I am so glad some people are speaking up for Officer Paquette. I had somehow missed this article, and only saw the ones on Channel 6 and 12. When he worked at our school, he used good judgment, was level-headed, observant, honest, intelligent and reliable. The incident is being properly investigated, and I am hopeful that the findings will be satisfactory to all. I am sorry for the loss of the family, but the knife-wielding man's own actions seem to have led to this sad result.
officer, i commend you, you made a decision in the best intrest of you, your partner and your family. all the man had to do is drop the knife, i don't care if the blade was .02 inches long, it was a weapon. if he was in the kitchen cutting vegtables, then it is a kitchen utensil, but to branish the knife and move towards policeman that have guns drawn, thne the victim deserves what he received, i feel sorry for his family but the safest thing to do is follow instructions, if he would have done that chances are he would not have gotten shot