# Officer Called a Hero in Ill. Police Station Standoff



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

Officer Called a Hero in Ill. Police Station Standoff
Associated Press

SPRING VALLEY, Ill. - Investigators are calling a police officer a hero for ushering a dispatcher out of the police station to safety after a suspect beat the officer with his service weapon and then holed himself up in the station that also serves as a community center. 
The suspect, Robert S. McFadin, 31, of Granville, later fatally shot himself, said Bureau County Corner Janice Wamhoff. 

Authorities declined to name the officer injured Saturday, but family and friends identified him as Thomas Quartucci, 51. He was being treated Sunday at a Spring Valley hospital. A hospital spokeswoman declined to give his condition, but Spring Valley Police Chief Douglas Bernabei has said his injuries were not life-threatening. 

Bernabei praised the officer, saying his actions were in line with police training. 

Quartucci "was calm enough to radio for assistance," Bernabei said. "He survived, but not before making sure the dispatcher was out ahead of him." 

Spring Valley is a town of about 5,300, about 100 miles west of Chicago. 

McFadin was arrested Saturday morning for drunken driving and was released after posting bond. Police began searching for him after he allegedly confronted his estranged wife, who had filed a protection order against him, Bernabei said. 


McFadin turned himself in and while at the police station, took Quartucci's gun and attacked him. Quartucci and the dispatcher were able to make it to safety. One other person was inside the center at the time, but she was not injured. 

Authorities later found McFadin dead of a gunshot wound, officials said. 

Quartucci has been an officer for more than 20 years, his uncle Alfred Quartucci said. "He's a well-liked officer," he said. "I'm relieved that he's alive." 

There have been a few recent fatal incidents in which inmates or suspects attacked officers. 

Last Sunday, a Providence, R.I., detective was killed with his own gun at police headquarters by a suspect who was not handcuffed and managed to get hold of the weapon. 

In March, a defendant in a rape trial in Atlanta allegedly overpowered a court deputy and took her gun, then killed the judge presiding over his case, a court reporter, a deputy outside the courthouse and a federal customs agent. 

The suspects in both incidents have been charged with murder. 

On Thursday in Augusta, Ga., hospital police shot and killed an inmate who fled a medical building after overpowering a state corrections officer and taking his gun, authorities said. 

Related Story


Man Wrests Gun from Ill. Officer in Police Station; Suspect Later Found Dead
The Associated Press 
SPRING VALLEY, Ill. - A man under arrest inside a police station on Saturday wrested away an officer's gun, beat the officer over the head with it and was later found dead of a gunshot wound in the building, authorities said. 

Robert McFadin, 31, was in a holding area when he allegedly took the gun and assaulted the officer. The officer then fled with another employee, leaving the suspect locked inside the building, Police Chief Douglas Bernabei said. 

When other law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, they entered the building and found the suspect dead of a gunshot wound, Bernabei said. Authorities would not say whether the wound was self-inflicted. 

The injured officer was being treated at a hospital. 

Bernabei said McFadin was spotted early Saturday driving near the home of his estranged wife, who had filed a protection order against him. Police pulled him over and arrested him for drunk driving, Bernabei said. 

McFadin posted bond later that morning and was released, but police arrested him again when he confronted his wife later at a restaurant, Bernabei said. 

Last Sunday, a Providence, R.I., detective was killed with his own gun at police headquarters by a suspect who was not handcuffed and managed to get hold of the weapon. 

In March, a defendant in a rape trial in Atlanta allegedly overpowered a court deputy and took her gun, then killed the judge presiding over his case, a court reporter, a deputy outside the courthouse and a federal customs agent. 

The suspects in both incidents were arrested and charged with murder. 

Spring Valley is about 100 miles west of Chicago. 



And another one from Austrilia

Policeman slain with own gun
Michael Davis
April 25, 2005 


Tragedy... Constable Tony Clarke with his wife and child POLICE will investigate why a traffic officer was working alone when he was shot by the driver of a car he had found in a ditch east of Melbourne.

Senior Constable Tony Clarke, 37, married with a two-year-old son and a policeman for 11 years, had less than 20 minutes remaining on his shift as he grappled with his killer, and was then shot with his own service revolver.

Police are still trying to piece together a motive for the killing and how Constable Clarke was disarmed by his murderer. 

Victoria Police commissioner Christine Nixon said the practice of officers working alone would be reviewed following Constable Clark's death. 

"Apparently he was quite happy to do so," she said. 

"This is devastating news," she said after visiting the dead policeman's wife and child. 

"When police officers go to work, their families expect them to come home." 

The young policeman was left to die in a roadside ditch in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Launching Place, while his suspected killer, a Croydon man, 26, stole his unmarked police car and drove about 20km to Mount Evelyn. 

The man then parked the police car near the intersection of Kookaburra and Hereford roads, walked into the bush and killed himself with the police revolver. 

It is believed Constable Clarke was already dead when a passing motorist stopped to help soon after the shooting. 

A few minutes later the remainder of the dead policeman's traffic patrol crew - he was one of six working in four cars in the area - arrived. 

Assistant Commissioner Bill Kelly, who attended the scene, said there had been an "altercation of some sort" and the man had managed to get hold of Constable Clarke's revolver. 

Police would not say how many times Constable Clarke had been shot or where. 

There was a bullet hole in the rear passenger side window of the police car, and several spent cartridges were found at the scene. 

One theory is that Constable Clarke may have tried to run for his life after his killer disarmed him. 

Homicide detectives and the coroner spent several hours at the scene yesterday. Police conducted a line search and blocked off the Warburton Highway for most of the day. 

Police want to hear from anyone who might have been in the area at the time and seen the unmarked police car or the killer's early model red sedan in the ditch off the Warburton Highway. 

"It's a relatively busy stretch of road. Someone must have seen, heard or noticed something unusual," a detective said. 

Mr Kelly said it was not unusual for highway patrol officers to work alone. 

"He was a part of a four-car team in the area. Two of them had two members on board and the other two had one," he said. 

Ms Nixon said Constable Clarke was a fine man and dedicated to his job. 

She said his father had told her his son was "doing the job he wanted to do". 

The dead policeman's relatives were not available to speak to the media. 

His workmates underwent counselling. 

State Police Minister Tim Holding said the murder was a tragic day for Victoria. 

"This officer died working to make the community a safer place, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and all the members of the Victoria Police in their time of great loss." 

Police would not say if the killer had a criminal record. 

The dead policeman's commander, Senior Sergeant Ian McCallum, said last night police at the Knox traffic branch had been rocked by his death. 

"He was a real good bloke with a great sense of humour and a devoted family man," he said. 

"The sun rose and set on his wife and little bloke."


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