Police Fend off Samurai Sword Attack with "Batshield"
The Philadelphia Inquirer
It was the sword-swinging samurai versus Batman.
No, this is not an early Halloween tale. It was a police call this weekend in Upper Darby. And (spoiler alert) Batman won.
Just after midnight Sunday, the Delaware County 911 emergency center received a call from a man who said he was suicidal and had covered his rowhouse apartment with gasoline. He was armed with
More..knives and a crossbow.
Police said they determined that the call came from George Henry Rogers, 36, of Dayton Road in Upper Darby. When police arrived there, Rogers' mother told them that her son was barricaded in his first-floor bedroom, according to court documents.
"He basically said he was going to burn the house down and kill any cops that tried to come in, and he was going to kill himself," said Michael J. Chitwood, Upper Darby superintendent of police.
After attempts to talk with Rogers were unsuccessful, Officer Dan Lanni used a Baker Batshield, which is made of Kevlar, to protect himself as he forced open the door that Rogers had blocked with furniture, Chitwood said.
The shield is shaped like a large bat, with wings that fold around the user.
Rogers attacked Lanni with a samurai sword, hitting the shield with enough force to bend the blade, according to court papers.
Chitwood said his department has two Batshields, which cost about $1,000 apiece, will stop most firearm projectiles, and are available to officers on the street at any time.
After Rogers struck the shield a number of times, and refused police orders to lie on the floor, Lt. Mike Kehrle used a Taser to subdue him, according to court documents.
"He fell like a sack of potatoes," Chitwood said, adding it was the perfect use of a Taser. "We used less-than-lethal force with the Tasers, and it worked."
He said it was lucky that Lanni was not injured and lucky that Rogers was not shot and killed by police during the incident.
The sword confiscated from Rogers was adorned with a skull wearing a German World War II helmet on the end of the handle.
Police said they found a crossbow, a hunting bow, arrows, a large sword, throwing knives, and smaller knives on the bed.
All the weapons were legal to own, Chitwood said.
Rogers was taken to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby for evaluation and was released. He was charged with attempted murder, assault, and other crimes and was being held in Delaware County Prison. Less..
Added: Oct 21 2009 In: news_politics
Recorded on: Oct 18 2009
By: bravo61 
- Views: 1169 |
- Votes: 1 |
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- Comments: 13
Comments - sort by newest to oldest
they should have hit him with a .45 HP P and be done with the roach.
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "troggiesanonymous" (R)
The man was probably just furious about being duped into bying all that chinese made garbage weapons at the swap meet.
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "kamotz" (R)
did he wear all black and dress up like one ?
he wasnt a ninja
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "Getzlaf15" (R)
That's no samurai sword. It's a cheap Chinese stainless steel piece of garbage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N4hprpRJhM
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "Coldkiss86" (R)
one hell'va arsenal there...nazi
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "Smasher4ya" (R)
hey, let's not be making fun of the guy's arsenal...
there's some seriously sharpened aluminum weaponry on that table....
side note.. the bat shield was sort cool, but if I saw that on the street ... ?
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "2daloo" (R)
Robin hood !
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "beagle28681" (R)
my thoughts exactly
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "Fishsticks" (R)
Pistol crossbow was the model sold by the Edge company (mail order knife & non-gun weapons distributors) for $19.95 in the 1990s. I bought the $100 model from the same catalog.
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "Zeaux" (R)
A taser is less-lethal, not "less-than-lethal".
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "Stranger456" (R)
Im disappointing that they didnt shoot him.
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "Awsomatic" (R)
Great job officers!!
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "Captain Canuck" (R)
they were doing an artistic dramatization of WWII ...
good job guys
Posted Oct-21-2009 by "yaleoo"