Exercise 13-8 Editing a longer story
This may take some time. Read this story carefully and note any
questions you have about it. You may want to discuss these with
your instructor. Edit the story so that it conforms to AP style.
Make sure you deal with other problems in the story.
A Midville policeman shot a criminal during a struggle
early Tuesday, then had his weapon turned on him before the
suspect fleed and was overpowered by two other officers, police
said.
Officer David Stuart shot Anthony Douglas, 31 of Duval
Street, in the left side as they grappled over Stuarts .357-
caliber handgun pistol behind a house in the 1000 block of
Cherokee Street early in the morning shortly after 2 a.m., police
said.
After being shot, Douglas continued to fight and Stuart
fired again but missed, police said. Douglas then managed to take
Stuart's eapon and pointed it at the officer before running off,
police say.
The suspect was found moments later hiding near apartments
several blocks away on Murray Hill Court, said police spokesman
Tom Regan. Two officers nabbed him, Regan said.
Douglas apparently discarded the deadly weapon after
leaving Stuart, Regan said. Investigators found it in a yard near
the scene of his altercation with the officer, he said.
Douglas a convicted felon who was released from the
penitentiary in December and was listed in stable but guarded
condition Tuesday evening at Springhill Memorial Hospital, a
spokeswoman declared.
Stuart was scratched during the confrontation, but the
spokeswoman said that between the suspect and he, neither was bad
hurt. It was difficult to tell who's injury was worst.
Douglas will be charged with first-degree robery because
he took Stuart's weapon by force, Regan said. He likely will face
more additional charges, the spokesman insisted.
Stuart, a five-year veteran, will be assigned to
administrative duties until the departments shooting examination
team finishes its review, Regan said. The special group of
officers investigates any use of deadly force by officers.
The reviews of any fatal police-involved shooting is
routinely sent to the district attorney's office, Cashdollar
said. He said a report on Tuesday's shooting must be sent to
District Attorney John Johnson Jr.
No one is more interested than him in such shootings,
Tyson said. Such inquiries have only one purpose getting at the
truth, he added. The district attorney spoke like he would look
into the matter personally.
Tuesday's chase-and-struggle began shortly after 2 a.m.
when Stuart, patroling Duval Street noticed an older model Dodge
600 parked in Baumhauer Park, police said. When Stuart turned his
marked cruiser around to check out the car, the vehicle drived
off in a hurry with its lights off, police said.
Stuart confronted Douglas at gunpoint as he leaped out of
the passengers side of his car, but Douglas grabbed the weapon,
police said. Douglas broke away and ran around the side of a
house, where Stuart again met him with his gun drawn from his
holster, police said.
Douglas grabbed the gun and tried to move it toward
Stuart's face, according to police. Stuart forced the gun down
and fired a shot, hitting Douglas in the side, police said. The
scuffle continued, however, and Stuart tripped over an air-
conditioning unit, losing control of his gun, police said.
Douglas picked up the weapon, pointed it at Stuart and ordered
him to flee, police said. When Stuart slipped, Douglas ran off,
police said.
Thompson and officer Tim McDonald spotted Douglas moments
later near apartments in a cul-de-sac on Murray Hill Court, Regan
said.
Reagan said he was ``not aware'' that investigators had
found anything illegal in Douglas's vehicle. The investigation,
however, is continuing. The spokesman added that he did not know
what affect such a finding might have or whether a jury might be
adverse to such evidemce.
