Monday, April 12, 1999

Replaying a shooting

A news story about an extraordinary effort by state troopers to understand the circumstances of a racially charged police shooting.






ON TURNPIKE, OFFICIALS TRY TO REPLAY SHOOTING
A 13-MILE STRETCH WAS CLOSED FOR HOURS. INVESTIGATORS WENT OVER VERSIONS OF EVENTS IN WHICH TROOPERS WOUNDED THREE MEN.
BYLINE: Howard Goodman, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
SECTION: SOUTH JERSEY; Pg. B01


In silver shadows on the strangely stilled roadway, the minivan backed toward the squad car. A man jumped away, fell to the pavement with a gun drawn, scrambled to his feet, stumbled again, darted out of the way.

His partner readied to fire at the van as it nudged the police car, pushing it backward to a grassy strip left of the shoulder while curving slowly backward across three lanes toward the concrete median barrier.

Forensics expert Henry Lee ordered it done again. And again.