Police officer justified in deadly shooting of robber,carjacker after brief pursuit

**kellyhound** · #1 ● 06-22-2008, 02:09 PM

JUNE 19TH, 2008 A Caldwell police officer has been cleared in the shooting death of a robbery suspect last week.

A Burleson County grand jury no billed Caldwell Police Officer Cougan Hignight and Police Chief Paul D. Lilly of the shooting death of a man suspected in a grocery store robbery and a subsequent carjacking.

Last week, 36 year old Louis Avrin of Caldwell, was killed after police say he robbed a Brookshire Brothers Grocery Stores, then led officers on a high speed chase.

Police say Avrin wrecked his vehicle then fired and hit Officer Hignight, who was chasing him.

Police say they’ve dealt with Avrin before, for they classify as ‘mental issues.’

**chris** · #2 ● 06-22-2008, 02:47 PM

You know, why is this asshole robbing a grocery store in the first place. What a fucking tard. Second, you can see plain as day him lifting the gun to shoot the officers. They were completely justified in wasting this asshole.

**kellyhound** · #3 ● 07-06-2008, 05:23 PM

Friday, June 20 2008 Caldwell
Police said Avrin walked into the Brookshire Brothers on Texas 36 in Caldwell around 5:15 p.m. Avrin appeared calm in the series of surveillance videos from the grocery store.

Wearing a baseball cap, striped shirt, khaki shorts and tennis shoes, Avrin can be seen in the video wandering through the store for several minutes, even waiting in line behind customers at the office before going into a back room and pulling his gun from his shorts, then pointing it at store manager David Gilbert and two female employees.

He told the employees that he had 16 bullets and would use them all if they didn't cooperate, police said.

Avrin ordered the three employees to lie face down on the floor before Gilbert stood to begin emptying money into a bag.

Customers can be seen passing outside the office, apparently unaware of what was happening just feet away.

Five minutes later, Avrin is seen walking briskly toward the store's exit. Once in the parking lot, police said, he carjacked a woman's vehicle, beginning the pursuit that ended when he was shot him three times.

One bullet struck his left hip, another skimmed across his face and nose, and the third bullet went through the back of his neck, police said. He died at the scene.

The video shows bullets breaking windows and bouncing off the vehicle in rapid succession.

It was unclear which bullets came from which officer, investigators said, because both men were using department-issued .40-caliber Glock handguns and ammunition.

Police have said Avrin had a criminal history and may have had mental issues but have been unwilling to discuss his previous run-ins with authorities. Court records show he had at least one felony arrest for drug possession.

Still coping

Caldwell detective Sgt. Charles Darling was off-duty on the day of the shooting but saw Hignight and Lilly chasing Avrin's vehicle and followed in his vehicle. He reached for his weapon when he heard shots break out, but never fired his gun, he said.

Having to take the life of another individual can't be explained to someone who has not been in that situation, he said.

Darling said Thursday that Hignight and Lilly have been affected by the shooting and it's been difficult for the entire department. But officers are pulling together with the community's support, he said.

Hignight was put on paid administrative leave pending the investigation, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings, and has not returned to work. He was treated for his injuries at St. Joseph Regional Health Center and released several hours later.

It was unclear whether Lilly has been on leave.

Through police department representatives, both declined to comment.

While the criminal investigation is over, Texas Ranger Frank Malinak, who led the inquiry, said Thursday evening that he was preparing his final report for authorities.

"We seem to be living in a more violent time and as a result, local law enforcement just has to be on guard with every call that they make," said Malinak, who has investigated 15 to 20 police-related shootings in his career. "The police officer, although it's unfortunate that he was shot, he was extremely lucky because of the [suspect's] firearm malfunction. If that magazine had not come loose from the gun, he could have fired 15 shots as fast as he pulled the trigger, and that police officer would have been right there in his sights."