Collection of Articles about Police Officers Killed by Semi-Automatic ...

LYLE DINKHELLER
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/killed/98killed.pdf
Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted 1998
A 22-year-old deputy with the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office was fatally wounded
while conducting a traffic stop in Dudley at approximately 5:40 p.m. on January
12. After calling in a speeding violation and requesting assistance, the deputy
proceeded to follow the speeding vehicle from the highway to a country road
where the suspect drove another half of a mile before stopping. When the suspect
exited his vehicle with his hands in his pockets, the deputy requested he expose
his hands and walk to the patrol vehicle. The suspect withdrew his hands, but then
he began jumping around as if he were doing jumping jacks and yelling, “Shoot
me! Shoot me!” The deputy, with nearly 3 years of law enforcement experience,
repeatedly instructed the man to walk to the patrol vehicle. The suspect then
apparently charged the deputy, and a struggle ensued during which both the
deputy and the suspect went out of sight of the patrol vehicle’s in-car camera.
Within seconds, the suspect could be seen through the camera running to his truck
where he pulled out a .30-caliber semiautomatic rifle. Though the deputy ordered
the man to drop the weapon, he allegedly opened fire on the deputy, hitting him
numerous times. The deputy returned several rounds, one of which struck the
alleged assailant, who was nevertheless able to flee the scene on foot. The victim
deputy, who was wearing body armor at the time of the incident, died as the result
of three fatal wounds including a shot to the front of the head, a shot through the
chest that circumvented his protective vest, and a shot in the rear below the
waist. On January 13, a 49-year-old male with a gunshot wound in his abdomen
was arrested and charged with Felony Murder.
http://www.odmp.org/year.php?year=1998&Submit=Go
http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=15034
Laurens County Sheriff's Department, GA
End of Watch: Monday, January 12, 1998
Weapon Used: Rifle; .30 caliber
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death
Deputy Dinkheller was shot and killed after pulling over a man on a rural road
about 6 miles north of Dublin, Georgia. During the traffic stop he called in for
backup. Before the backup arrived he was shot by the man with a rifle. He was
able to return fire, striking the suspect in the stomach. The suspect was found
during a search the next morning and taken into custody. The incident was
videotaped by an a camera in the cruiser. On January 28, 2000, the suspect was
found guilty of murder and on January 30 was sentenced to death.
Deputy Dinkheller is survived by his pregnant wife and 22-month-old daughter.
Deputy Dinkheller's son was born in early September, 1998.