Dan Jennings: Boulder City’s Thin Blue Line

Published in the Boulder City News on 27 October 2005:

The heroic actions of three of Boulder City police officers on the night of September 30th demonstrate what a chaotic and violent world we live in and how fortunate Boulder City is to have such outstanding police officers. When Officer Michael Barth stopped a vehicle driving erratically on Nevada Way, he had no warning that the passenger was a convicted felon, armed with a handgun, and was wanted by the Nye County Sheriff’s Office for attempted murder. Fortunately, police training dictates that we always prepare for the worst scenario and never assume that any traffic stop is routine.

Officer Barth cautiously approached the vehicle, as he has for hundreds of such traffic violators during his career, and assumed a safe position while interviewing the driver and her passenger. Officer Barth, a chief petty officer in the United States Coast Guard Reserve and veteran of the Iraq war, felt something was amiss by the passenger’s demeanor and claims of never having a driver’s license or identification card from any state. The felon provided a false name, and Officer Barth returned to his vehicle and wisely requested a back-up.

Officer Michael Daniel and Officer Scott Pastore, both detecting a hint of concern in Barth’s radio traffic, quickly arrived in their patrol car. Officer Daniel, a former Wyoming state trooper, is Officer Pastore’s field training officer. Officer Pastore is a former BCPD reserve officer and third generation police officer. They approached the suspect vehicle in a tactically safe manner with Officer Pastore approaching the passenger’s side. What followed is every police officer’s nightmare.

The suspect quickly exited the vehicle and placed his handgun against Officer Pastore’s neck. Officer Pastore, face-to-face with the gunman, deflected the gunman’s aim with his forearm and wrestled with him as the gunman, with his firearm now behind Pastore’s head, began shooting at Officers Daniel and Barth. Officer Pastore dropped to the ground and drew his firearm just as he was taught to do by Officers Daly and Ebert during academy training.

One, possibly two, of the gunman’s rounds struck Officer Daniel on his duty belt. The kinetic energy of the bullet(s) striking Officer Daniel’s belt knocked him down, but only for a second. Officer Daniel quickly recovered into a tactical shooting stance. With the gunman still firing indiscriminately, Officers Daniel and Barth, without hesitation and being dangerously exposed to the shooter just a few feet away, heroically and valiantly defended themselves, nearby pedestrians, and passing motorists by returning fire rapidly and accurately.

The mortally wounded suspect fell to the ground in front of Officer Pastore, who covered the suspect with his drawn firearm until BCFD paramedics arrived on the scene a few minutes later.

I arrived approximately 25 minutes after the incident. Most off-duty BCPD officers were either en route or already present. Lieutenant Monahan, the commander of the LVMPD homicide unit, was on the scene shortly thereafter with what seemed to be a small army of detectives and crime scene investigators.

Upon completing their investigation, detectives and crime scene analysts alike praised the BCPD on the actions of the three officers involved in the shooting and the actions of those of us who responded to secure the scene and assist with the aftermath.

After a few hours of collecting witness statements and running small errands, I was told I could go home. As with the other police officers on the scene, I was running on adrenaline and knew I would not be able to sleep even after waiting to see Daniel, Barth, and Pastore. We all needed reassurance that they were all right and did not mind waiting until the LVMPD detectives, some of the most professional officers I have ever had the pleasure to work with, were through with their interviews.

Those of us who had waited so patiently at the scene hugged each officer as they separately arrived minutes apart. A small band of modern centurions at two o’clock in the morning on what was now a quiet city street, hours earlier the scene of a fierce gun battle between courageous officers and a segment of evil now permeating the fabric of our society. We were thankful that our comrades had survived a deadly firefight but each of us knew that it could have been one of us. This is what is known as camaraderie. John Stuart Mill was correct when he said, “Life has a certain flavor for those who have fought and risked all that the sheltered and protected can never experience."

Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to tell you that if this was a training scenario and the officers knew beforehand the actions of the assailant, they could not have responded any better to this terrifying incident. Officer Michael Barth, Officer Michael Daniel, and Officer Scott Pastore all performed heroically with uncommon valor. The citizens of Boulder City should be proud to have such extraordinary warriors “walking the beat” in their city.