"Taking My Best Shot" by TEE Shots (Senior Writer Tom Embrey)

Taking My Best Shot

June 4, 2010

"Don't shoot yourself in the foot."

Sage advice from my family when I told them I was going to shoot a gun for the first time during week 5 of 7 in the Southern Pines Citizens Police Academy.

Chewing gum and walking has, as times, been difficult, so, I can see where one might think twice about giving me a gun with live ammo around other people.

Thankfully, had never really had much of desire to shoot a gun -- real or not -- since the age of 12. And I don't remember having the chance to shoot a gun in my adult life.

Thursday was different.

Week five of CPE academy found the class at the LEO shooting range with a chance to fire some live rounds at stationary targets.

I was psyched for the opportunity to experience something new; stoked to see what if felt like to fire a weapon. And, more importantly, I was eager to see how many times I could hit the target, and, more importantly, miss my feet.

We each shot a handgun and one or two others. (Sorry no descriptions here, don't want to give away any secrets to the bad guys).

Extremely interesting. And made more enjoyable by our helpful and professional instructors.

And a little more difficult that I expected. Especially firing a weapon with a bullet-proof vest on.

After time on the range we had some pizza and experienced first-hand a simulated raid by the SP Police Special Response Team.

Sorry, again, but I can't talk in too much detail about what I saw, but suffice is to say that the gear was first-rate and the team was quick, precise and skillful.

It was, as Darth Vader says, "Most impressive."

As part of the on-going mock CSI component to the class, we obtained a warrant and searched the home of the janitor.

As a reminder, A few weeks ago we discovered a crime scene in the break room/kitchen of the Public Works building. The building's janitor reported he came to work and found the victim, who had a stab wound to the heart after an apparent card game.

We found a bloody knife, a red rag with a missing corner that had "#1 Blood" written on it, and bloody footprints at the scene.

In subsequent weeks we found footprints outside and took a cast of them, collected fingerprints from a wine bottle and the knife, all in an attempt to gather enough information for a warrant.

What we know so far: The victim died at the hospital and the person he was playing with lawyered up and isn't talking. The janitor has a prior arrest on drug charges and has a known gang affiliation with the Crips-- a rival gang of the Bloods.

The shoes we found at the scene are size 15 Nikes. Fingerprints from the wine bottles are from the victim and the other card player. Prints obtained from the knife belong to the janitor.

During the mock search of the janitor's home we discovered a pair of NIkes and a piece of red cloth.