Three armed gunmen enter the Root Café with rifles drawn

[Shawn Cresante]

No, it's not a chapter from the newly released James Bond movie [spoiler]he dies at the end[/spoiler].

This bizarre event actually happened today, November 12 2021, around noon, at the Root.

I've gathered from third-party hearsay that two men were having a heated verbal exchange of words outside and one of them threatened the other with a weapon. At that point, another person called the police to report this, and they showed up in force with weapons drawn. Then, a number of police entered the Root and searched the premises. Without consulting any staff, or asking for any permission, and acting as if they were in hot pursuit of an armed suspect, they entered the basement and pointed their service weapons at the workers. After securing the area they question a white male and left without further incident.

These are the facts I have. This narrative is limited until I obtain further documentation via records requests.. None of the workers thought it wise to record the incident (with due regard for their safety, they were afraid to pull out their cellphones from their pockets).

I was an still am disturbed by the lack of buzz surrounding this incident. As mentioned before, there is no civilian video of what transpired, nor did I record the witnesses while the memory was fresh on their minds, nor did I call up any of our local municipal representatives immediately afterwards with ire and concern on my mind.

I hope to see the narrative around this incident become both more well-known and more clear, because it seems to highlight some disturbing shortfalls in the LPD's practice of community policing, crisis management, de-escalation tactics, soft people skills and investigatory methods.

I would like to believe that trust in the police, and trust of the police in citizenry, are two sides of the same coin that ensure a peaceful society. Actions like this shatter and betray that trust. The police officers involved in this incident failed to display professionalism and a regard for human life, and it's quite possible they have breached their own policy. This action was over the line, and some accountability is in order. But then again, I wasn't there, so I'm only trying to pick up the pieces and open up the narrative about excessive force and police accountability. I don't think that's too much to ask for in such a progressive city.

[ryan costa]

i have never seen a policeman with a rifle.

[Richard Baker]

If I understand what is posted, three LPD officers entered the business with handguns drawn without any recon or questions outside, entered the business and failed to do again before they went down to the basement pointing their weapons at employees who were working there.

There are some serious safety protocols the officers abused, unless the Lakewood Police Department views everyone as a terrorist. Total absence of recon and instead of having their weapons at the ready position, they pointed them at the employees in the basement. No one including police officers should ever, ever point a gun at another human being unless they observe an immediate threat to their life. Anything could have happened, somebody is startled moves their hands, or someone reaches for a cell phone resulting in an adrenaline high officer's reflex action pulling the trigger without time to process the threat. An innocent person gets shot and dies, because the officer will double tap the trigger as trained. In the end the officer will face criminal charge of manslaughter, that will effect the lives of two families due to his carelessness and not following 101 firearm safety rules.

The owner or employees of the Café should make a formal complaint at the next council meeting making it public record that won't disappear. Lakewood Police officers don't wear body cameras with the expectation of the motorcycle cop. I would also suggest the City Council authorize the purchase of body cameras and require them to be worn by all uniformed officers. This will assist the police administration in assuring that officers in the department conduct themselves in a professional manner and don't endanger the lives of the residents.

[Matthew Lee]

I find it odd that there has not been any mention of this anywhere else on social media. It definitely might have happened but so far everything is a rumor and, IMHO, shouldn't jump to any conclusions yet.

[Dan Alaimo]

I was waiting for something more definitive about this before commenting. It sounded sketchy and out of context.

[Shawn Cresante]

Here are the newest updates: there were about 7 police officers in the root at one time, only one had a rifle, and it was brought to high ready position once very briefly.

The other party involved was across the street near the bus-stop/starbucks and was part of a group of high-school students out with either their principal or teacher. Both parties on each side of the confrontation allegedly flashed gang signs and made threatening gestures at each other.

Nobody was arrested, nobody was taken out in cuffs. This invovled a group of local high-schoolers on the street, nothing to do with the bus.

Attached is the dispatch call and a copy of the police report.

[ryan costa]

That sounds like a stressful situation. Policeman have to respond to the information Dispatchers give them.

I have only had guns drawn on me once.
It happened a few years ago.
I was sipping a bottle of Dairymens milk at the gazebo at the Estabrook park in Cleveland. (I recommend Dairymens milk: it is delicious and nutritious).
Three law enforcement vehicles rush in. I do not remember if they were an admixture of municipal, county, or state highway patrol.
Anyways, I have five to seven law enforcement officials pointing guns at me from a few feet away. I put my hands up and cooperated with them.
We established that my backpack contained potatoes, onions, and broccoli purchased at the Discount Drug Mart store across the street. Then we all went home.
This took about ten minutes. (discount drug mart may suit many of your basic grocery needs. https://discount-drugmart.com/)
Some joker called in the dispatchers as a joke. or some paranoid crank called in the dispatchers because they are an asshole.

so, try to get along with the police.
That's it for the inspirational story of the day. Dammit Ryan!