Opinion ID: 2716496
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Officers Almeida and Tavares's Shared Course

Text: Officers Almeida and Tavares pursued the speeding zigzagging Camry up Water Street until it reached the T intersection with Nelson Street, where the speeding driver was not able to make the turn on time, and crashed into a stone wall. The two police officers pulled up behind the Camry: Officer Almeida parked his cruiser to the rear of the driver's side, and Officer Tavares to the rear of the passenger's side. Almeida then exited his cruiser, drew his gun, and began shouting commands at the driver to put his hands up and step out of the Camry. The driver failed to comply with any of Officer Almeida's commands. Instead, he revved the engine and maneuvered the Camry in reverse between the two police cruisers. The reversing Camry hit Almeida's cruiser, and continued a couple of yards before it crashed into a telephone pole. The Camry then remained on the telephone pole for a few seconds. Officer Tavares was now the one shouting commands. He -5- approached the Camry from the front passenger side, instructing the driver to turn off the engine and get out. Officer Almeida was to Officer Tavares's right, also facing the Camry. Both police officers had their weapons drawn and aimed at the driver. The driver, again, did not comply; this time, he was looking straight at Officer Tavares with his hands on the steering wheel. Continuing to ignore the police officers' directives to turn off the car, the record reflects the driver revved the Camry's engine and accelerated forward towards Officer Tavares. Tavares then fired his weapon twice, striking the car's front windshield. One of the shots hit the driver in the upper right arm. As the Camry passed Officer Tavares on his right, and continued in Officer Almeida's direction, Tavares fired two more shots. The fatal shot entered the Camry through the front passenger window and struck the driver in the back. Officer Almeida then fired seven shots, but none struck the driver. After hitting the curb and becoming airborne, the Camry came to a complete stop. Officer Tavares immediately radioed police dispatch, indicating that shots had been fired, and that an ambulance was needed. He simultaneously approached the Camry from the rear, while Officer Almeida closed in from the front. The driver's door was open and the driver was slumped to the left of the steering wheel. Officer Tavares again yelled at the driver to turn off the car and get out, but the driver did neither. Tavares pulled the -6- driver from the vehicle and both officers began to handcuff him. Officer Tavares asked the driver several times if he had been shot. There was no response. Once the driver was handcuffed and placed face down on the ground, the officers began to check him for weapons, and noticed his labored breathing. They removed the handcuffs and began to cut his clothing to look for injuries. This was when the officers noticed the gunshot wounds. Officer Stephen McLaughlin arrived on the scene, and the three officers began to administer first aid. Officers McLaughlin and Almeida maintained pressure on the wounds and operated the ambu bag,5 while Officer Tavares performed chest compressions. Other police officers (who had been rushing to the scene when the Camry initially attempted to flee) also arrived, as did an ambulance. The paramedics took over. The driver, sixteen-year-old Anthony, was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead less than two hours later at 5:01 a.m.