Irish Family's heartbreak over son's US shooting

[Irish Alan]

19/03/2009 - 14:35:32

The heartbroken family of a young Dubliner shot dead by a police officer in America today revealed they will never get justice for his killing.

Andrew Hanlon was hit five times at close range by a powerful Glock 21 pistol - the final bullet entering his body as he fell to the ground.

An inquest heard Andrew was unarmed and barefoot when ex-officer Tony Gonzalez opened fire.

Andrew’s heartbroken mother Dorothea Carroll wept as she said all she wanted was to be with her 20-year-old son in his final moments and an apology.

“He died alone on a dark street with nobody who cared around him,” said Mrs Carroll outside Dublin County Coroner’s Court in Tallaght.

“I think about that often. My son lying on the side of the street in a pool of blood dying.

“If I could have that one moment back with him that would mean the world to me, that one moment to put my arms around my son, but none of that is possible.”

Andrew was shot dead by former police officer Tony Gonzalez on June 30 last year in the town of Silverton, south of Portland, in the state of Oregon.

Marion County District Attorney’s Office maintained Mr Gonzalez came across Mr Hanlon when he responded to a 911 burglary call.

Andrew’s stepfather Justin Carroll told the inquest the young man – who was barefoot and unarmed – had been banging on the door of the house shouting ’let me in’ and was not trying to break in.

Mr Carroll said friends who had been with Andrew 20 minutes earlier said he was in good spirits, but for some reason he became extremely agitated and went to the house.

“There’s a suspicion he was being chased. But nobody can say if it’s true or not. Only Andrew,” he added.

Police were called to the scene by the frightened homeowners but Andrew was around 100 yards away from the property when an officer spotted him.

“The printout from the radio conversation between dispatch and officers confirms Officer Gonzalez was aware Andrew was unarmed,” said Mr Carroll.

Mr Carroll said witnesses claimed to have heard Officer Gonzalez confront Andrew, who was five meters away, and warn him ’do you want me to shoot you?’

“He was in the process of getting down,” said Mr Carroll.

“Officer Gonzalez said something else. Other witnesses said him heard ’do you want me to shoot you?’ (again) at which point Andrew seemed to straighten up and step forward. The officer fired seven times.”

Mr Carroll said five bullets hit Andrew as he moved out from between two cars.

He maintained the officer was an ex-cage fighter, martial arts expert and was around four times the body mass of his stepson.

“Even if Andrew was not complying with what the officer said his actions were excessive,” added Ms Carroll.

After the shooting, Mr Gonzalez was placed on administrative leave but was later cleared by a grand jury of wrongdoing. He resigned from the force in August.

But in December, the former police officer was jailed for more than six years after pleading guilty to four counts of sex abuse.

Mr Hanlon was living illegally in the US after his holiday visa had expired with his sister Melanie Heise, who remains in Silverton.

The inquest heard she believed her younger brother had begun to have psychological problems, but Mr Carroll insisted he was a normal homesick 20-year-old.

State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy said two bullets had entered Andrew’s left arm and lodged in his lungs, with a third hitting his back left shoulder.

The final bullet struck him in his lower body as he was falling to the ground, she said, and went up through his liver, lung and ribs.

Mr Carroll said an autopsy in the US showed a fifth bullet grazed the back of Andrew’s neck.

Dr Cassidy recorded the cause of death was due to gunshot wounds to his trunk.

“Any one of these gunshots would have been sufficient to kill him, not just knock him down,” added Dr Cassidy.

Dublin County Coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty directed the jury to return an open verdict.

Outside the hearing Mrs Carroll revealed she had hoped the inquest would bring some closure as the family cannot take legal action against the officer.

“I understand there could only be an open verdict but I just wanted anybody to say to me the shooting of my son is wrong, that’s all I want,” continued Mrs Carroll, from Sandyford, south Dublin.

“The culpability, there is none. We’re not going to get justice for Andrew. Tony Gonzalez will never do any sort of time for my son’s death.”

http://www.thepost.ie/breakingnews/irel ... umhmheyoj/

[Juan Kosoff]

Very sad to read this and for a moment very angry, but then we have the same in england. e.g a columbian and the met.
Condolences to his family rip.

[westerby]

Very sad to read this and for a moment very angry, but then we have the same in england. e.g a columbian and the met.
Condolences to his family rip.

No, he was a Brazilian, mate. But I hear what you're saying.

That Irish Mum is right, there won't be any justice for that lad's death.

[beer monkey]

A trigger happy incident...seven shots fired, what was that all about..? that 'cop' should not of been out on the streets with a loaded gun...sounds like he was untrained and unhinged..panick mode set in, if a perp was coming at him with a weapon i could understand it...but from whats been reported it was differant.

Dr Cassidy recorded the cause of death was due to gunshot wounds to his trunk.

[Laemthong]

Very sad to read this and for a moment very angry, but then we have the same in england. e.g a columbian and the met.
Condolences to his family rip.

No, he was a Brazilian, mate. But I hear what you're saying.

That Irish Mum is right, there won't be any justice for that lad's death.

Yes poor Mr. De Menezes but different circumstances. Given that is was just after the London bombings, CO19 thought Mr. De Menezes posed a real threat. A very unfortunate incident.

It seems this gun toting American policeman shot first and asked questions later. Unfortunately their cowboy mentality means they draw weapons first, shoot to kill and then think.

Condolences to this poor young Irish chap's family.

[westerby]

Makes you wonder how he got into the Police Service.

[beer monkey]

slipped through the net i guess....certainly a wrong un, armed and dangerous.

[laphanphon]

fine example of protect and serve. glock 21 is a 45 cal. at worst and completely incompentent, one shot would of been ridiculous enough, and would of been more than enough to immobilize him, if not kill him anyway. at least the a-hole went to jail for something, hope they treat him nice. here they like sex abuse in jail.

don't people shoot at legs and tires anymore. unload then ask questions, wee bit excessive

[LoongLee]

Given enough facts and witneses, and even though it wouldn't bring the young man back, I can't believe a "Wrongful Death" civil suit will not come.

[beer monkey]

Don't people sue the ass (millions of bucks)off other people in the states...can't they do the same...be it police or who's ever feet it falls at....lets face it if some one can sue Mac D's for selling them a HOT apple pie..then i am sure it will work on this case.

[cryptic]

Appears to be justified from the above report. A grand jury cleared the ex-officer of any wrong doing.

[Irish Alan]

Appears to be justified from the above report. A grand jury cleared the ex-officer of any wrong doing.

Unarmed illegal immigrant Irish guy versus armed cop... Yeah I suppose you are right! He got what he deserved eh?

[LoongLee]

This is a strange one, and the area mentioned of Portland, Oregon is as liberal, left wing as they come, and not necessarily "pro-police". I have to wonder what exactly was presented to the Grand Jury? For them to clear the officer of "any" wrong doing is amazing. What's the chance the Irish newspaper is taking a local parochial view of this? I'm just not sure all the facts are in the above report. If the facts can be disputed in a court of law, the city and the officer will be held accountable.

[LoongLee]

Irish Allen,,,,, I guess some of us are just unwilling to take reporters and the news media at face value, but want the test of time and all the facts to come out before crucifying someone, even a cop. I don't think that's too much to expect, is it?

[Irish Alan]

This is a strange one, and the area mentioned of Portland, Oregon is as liberal, left wing as they come, and not necessarily "pro-police". I have to wonder what exactly was presented to the Grand Jury? For them to clear the officer of "any" wrong doing is amazing. What's the chance the Irish newspaper is taking a local parochial view of this? I'm just not sure all the facts are in the above report. If the facts can be disputed in a court of law, the city and the officer will be held accountable.

The officer held accountable? By the time he is out of prison for his sexual abuse conviction that will be highly unlikely.

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[Irish Alan]

Irish Allen,,,,, I guess some of us are just unwilling to take reporters and the news media at face value, but want the test of time and all the facts to come out before crucifying someone, even a cop. I don't think that's too much to expect, is it?

The cop that did the shooting is in a jail somewhere getting 3 square meals per day... No doubt he will get out on parole and blend back into society as if nothing had happened. The only ones crucified are the family of the dead man.

[LoongLee]

Irish Allen, there's nothing to prevent the court case from proceeding immediately , as soon as the family starts it. Time does not need to wait for him to be out of prison. As a former police officer, he might not make it out of prison anyway.........

[beer monkey]

Appears to be justified from the above report. A grand jury cleared the ex-officer of any wrong doing.

Unarmed illegal immigrant Irish guy versus armed cop... Yeah I suppose you are right! He got what he deserved eh?

Yes and for the non-wearing of shoes...that must be justified, it really must. .
Again ..the cop should NOT of been in Uniform, he was not fit for the job.
Maybe a Tazer,Baton....???
Armed + Dangerous X-cage fighter....V's... Unarmed bearfooted scared young lad.

“The printout from the radio conversation between dispatch and officers confirms Officer Gonzalez was aware Andrew was unarmed,” said Mr Carroll.

Maybe cyptric read another report....where it said the victim was not shot 5 times at close range and not 7 times in total....maybe the other report didn't report that the Victim was unarmed and the cop was told by radio that he was armed.

But in December, the former police officer was jailed for more than six years after pleading guilty to four counts of sex abuse.

A + D plus a Sex Pest too.

[laphanphon]

the DA's detailed report of grand jury investigation. justified, not sure, but a little bit clearer, the officer didn't just see and shoot. though, like i said earlier, don't people shoot at legs and tires anymore. going to remain undecided, and have to side with grand jury. though i think i may or hoped if in same, would have handled it something like that differently, that's obviously a mute subject. i got a gun on you, i'm backing up and your still coming, hmm, decision decision. only he knows if he feared for his life and it's justified.

a long report, so i didn't copy and paste, but fairly thorough.
http://wweek.com/wwire/?p=12604

[Laemthong]

Appears to be justified from the above report. A grand jury cleared the ex-officer of any wrong doing.

Unarmed illegal immigrant Irish guy versus armed cop... Yeah I suppose you are right! He got what he deserved eh?

A bit harsh Irish.

the DA's detailed report of grand jury investigation. justified, not sure, but a little bit clearer, the officer didn't just see and shoot. though, like i said earlier, don't people shoot at legs and tires anymore. going to remain undecided, and have to side with grand jury. though i think i may or hoped if in same, would have handled it something like that differently, that's obviously a mute subject. i got a gun on you, i'm backing up and your still coming, hmm, decision decision. only he knows if he feared for his life and it's justified.

a long report, so i didn't copy and paste, but fairly thorough.
http://wweek.com/wwire/?p=12604

Shoot at legs and tyres? Maybe in the movies my friend. One aims at the greater body mass (torso) and that is to kill... One doesn't shoot to injure a possible assailant. He must go down. Hard to know what was in the policeman's head... As I said before just shoot first and ask questions later.