commentary by Patrick H. Moore
We’ve all heard of bad odds but the odds in Saturday’s shootout between 107-year-old Pine Bluff, Arkansas man Monroe Isodore and the Pine Bluff SWAT team were ridiculous. Isodore, who is now deceased, never had a chance. The showdown was triggered when police were called to his home on Saturday afternoon and informed that Isodore had apparently threatened two people at the house by pointing a weapon at them.
Officers had the pair leave the home for their safety. They then approached a bedroom where Isodore was holed up. According to Pine Bluff Lt. David Price, when the officers announced who they were, Isadore shot through the door but did not hit them.
The officers retreated to reconnoiter. Supervisors and additional help were called in. The superiors started negotiating with Isadore and the negotiations continued when SWAT officers arrived at the home, which is about 45 miles southeast of Little Rock.
SWAT officers inserted a camera into Isodore’s room and saw that he had a handgun. Lt. Price stated that when it was clear that the negotiations weren’t working, SWAT officers released tear gas into the room from outside a bedroom window. The SWAT officers then entered the home, made their way to the bedroom and threw a “distraction device” into the room. Although it’s unclear what exactly the “distraction device” was, it apparently inspired Isodore to once again begin shooting at the officers, who then fired back killing the old man.
No officers were injured in the incident, which is under investigation.
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Drew Petrimoulx of Arkansas Matters. com writes:
A 107-year-old man was killed during a shootout with the Pine Bluff SWAT Team Saturday afternoon.
On Sunday there was shock, sadness and anger in the community where Monroe Isadore lived. Witnesses say Pine Bluff Police showed up in force at a home off 16th Avenue after reports that Isadore had pointed a gun two people. The police have stated that Isadore fired at them on three separate occasions Saturday before SWAT members shot and killed him.
“I’m in shock today,” said Larry Smith, who attended church with Isadore at New Direction Baptist.
Police say after the first time Isadore fired at them, they backed off and tried to coax him out peacefully.
“He couldn’t hear,” Smith said. “Somebody should’ve told the [police] he couldn’t hear.”
Friends say Isadore was also legally blind. After police deployed gas and a distraction device, they believe Isadore must have been confused.
“For that to happen and like that… had to be,” Smith said.
People in the community who knew him say Isadore was a God-fearing man who grew vegetables and gave them away at church.
“That’s the kind of man that our police department killed,” said Pine Bluff resident Gary Wilson.
Police say the shooting is being investigated, but neighbors believe the situation could have been handled differently.
“I think it should’ve been handled a better way… bottom-line,” a Pine Bluff resident named Canada said.
The Pine Bluff Police Department are expected to comment on the case today. Meanwhile, concerned members of the community will hold a town hall meeting at 6:00 pm Monday at the Pine Bluff Community Center.
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Well, there are two sides to every story but it does seem that once the other residents had been evacuated from the house, law enforcement could have just waited Isodore out. Sooner or later the old man would have either fallen asleep, expired from the tear gas, or left the room on his own accord at which point he could have been apprehended by tasing him or otherwise incapacitating him.
I imagine there will be further developments in this unusual case.