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Two officers involved in shootings, one man dead
Incidents first of type for Williams cops since 1992

Less than a week after the first shooting involving a Williams Police Department officer since 1992, another ‹ this one fatal ‹ occurred right on the grounds of the WPD station Sunday.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., WPD Officer Chee Burnsides ‹ with the department since December 2004 ‹ arrested a 39-year-old Williams resident, Roger Heath Jensen, for suspicion of driving under the influence involving an all-terrain vehicle in the 400 Block of East Route 66. According to reports, Jensen was transported to the WPD, but once there, attacked the officer inside the station.

The officer discharged his service weapon and Jensen was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries sustained in the shooting.

Det. Lt. Rex Gilliland of the Coconino County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division ‹ investigating the incident ‹ said that Jensen had been handcuffed and that when the fight insued, it lasted a long time. Sources at the WPD say that the man was cuffed from the back, but managed to swing is arms around to the front and attack Burnsides from behind.

"In the process of the altercation, the officer did attempt to control him (Jensen) by non-lethal means, specifically a Taser," Gilliland said, adding that the device was apparently ineffective for unknown reasons.

Gilliland also confirmed that, aside from a dispatcher, Burnsides appeared to be the only regular officer present at the time of the incident.

No details have been released on how many times Jensen was shot and where he was struck, but both Gilliland and WPD Det. John Jamison confirmed that Burnsides suffered numerous superficial injuries to his face, head and hands, including bite marks. He has since been treated and released.

"The officer was in absolute fear of his life, bottom line," Jamison stressed.

Reports confirm that Jensen had been given a breath-analyzer test that indicated his blood-alcohol content to be 0.12 percent ‹ 0.04 percent above the legal limit ‹ and that the man did have a history of drug and alcohol-related issues.

Gilliland said that an autopsy was performed on Jensen Monday and that toxicology results are pending.

Jan. 30 shooting

On Jan. 30, WPD Officer Robert "Rocky" Hernandez, on loan to the Flagstaff-based Metro unit, was forced to fire at a man during a difficult arrest.

According to a Flagstaff Police Department release, Hernandez was in the process of contacting and confirming the man, identified as Randy Scott Riggins, 36, of Flagstaff, in an undercover fashion. Riggins was to be arrested on an outstanding felony warrant.

Once Hernandez verbally identified Riggins, two marked police cars arrived, evidently surprising Riggins. Hernandez drew his service weapon to assist with the arrest, but while doing so, Riggins attacked the officer and both became engaged in what the release calls "a violent physical fight."

During the struggle, Hernandez discharged his weapon twice, striking Riggins once in the shoulder. Riggins was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment of a non-lethal injury, and was then transported to Coconino County Jail the next day on counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, and felony failure to appear.

Riggins is currently being held on a $42,500 bond.

Counseling, investigations

Meanwhile, as is required by law, both officers are on paid leave pending the outcome of standard criminal and internal investigations.

Hernandez, a Williams resident since 2001, graduated from police academy training in December of the same year. He worked with the WPD as a patrol officer and school resource officer until June when he was assigned to Metro.

WPD Officer Rob Krombeen said that the last shooting involving a WPD officer discharging a weapon at a suspect occurred in 1992.

While shootouts are a common occurrence on television and in the movies, real-life shootings are often far more traumatic, even for experienced officers. After such an incident, it is not uncommon for people to display cognitive, behavioral, emotional and physical stress-related symptoms. For that reason, it is also standard procedure to offer counseling to officers involved in shootings.

"One of the things we've found most helpful is to do it immediately after the event, prior to the person going home," says Commander Kurt Braatz, a counseling coordinator with the Coconino County Detention Facility, who uses the example of a car accident to relate the issue of stress. "If you've ever been in a traffic accident, then you know the next couple of days, you're nervous driving, when you drive through the same intersection, it brings back what happened, you're more hesitant, you're more cautious Š there's so many things you can imagine going on."

Hernandez could not be reached, but Krombeen says he's doing fine.

"As with any officer-involved shooting, the post-traumatic stress can be extreme, but Rocky is doing very well, in good spirits, and we're trying to minimize the stress and impact the incident will have on him," Krombeen said.

The criminal investigation for the Jan. 30 incident ‹ conducted by the FPD ‹ has been completed and Hernandez has been cleared of any wrongdoing. No word has been received on the progress of the internal investigation, being conducted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Much of the same support is being offered for Burnsides, whose situation is even more intense because of the fatality involved.

"Chee (Burnsides) is hanging in there. He's doing as well as can be expected," Jamison said. "It's hard to even imagine how this is affecting him."

The WPD has the DPS also investigating the Feb. 5 shooting. Gilliland said his department hopes to have their investigation complete and to the county attorney's office within a week.


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