Planning Ahead: The John Schoen Incident
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Deputy Schoen recognized the tactical problems associated with
Shimpi’s residence, and immediately decided what he would do about it if attacked. How important was that to the outcome of this incident? How important is preplanning to offi cer safety and how can you im- prove your own ability to use it when needed? Click here for analysis
2. Evaluate Deputy Schoen’s door entry tactics. What could he have done to enter the residence more safely? Click here for analysis
3. Do you agree that Deputy Schoen had no other choice than to exit the hot zone as quickly as possible? What tactical advantages, if any, does exiting the hot zone provide? Click here for analysis
4. Evaluate Deputy Schoen’s use of the radio. Would it have been better for him to wait until he reached cover before trying to call for help? Why? How important is it to keep communications advised of your correct location? Click here for analysis
5. Deputy Schoen had a lot of trouble drawing his gun because of the wounds to his hands and arms, especially those to his more badly wounded gun hand. Would a backup gun have given him a better chance of defending himself under the circumstances? If so, where would have been the best place for him to carry it? How important is it to carry your backup gun at a location that makes it easily accessible with your support hand? Click here for analysis
6. Deputy Schoen had to take a shot with his handgun at a distance of approximately 100 yards. Is this an important skill for a police offi cer to possess? Why? Click here for analysis
7. In what ways did Deputy Schoen’s attitude and actions exemplify win- ning mindset? Discuss his persistence, ability to keep thinking on his feet, and ability to stay focused on the things he could do to help himself. Click here for analysis
hit—no fl inching, staggering or change in gait—as he walked away from the cruiser and disappeared into the barn. Moments later, the man came out of the barn carrying a red con- tainer, climbed up the ladder with it, and went back inside. Schoen lowered the GLOCK and sunk to his knees. A fi re truck from the local volunteer fi re department was the fi rst to arrive. With un- common courage sparked by compassion for the bloodied deputy, the crew braved the dan- ger, entered the hot zone, loaded him into the truck, and rushed him to the nearest hospital.
into fi ring position and aimed at a point about an inch above Shimpi’s head. He couldn’t use the last three fi ngers on his right hand, leaving only his thumb and trigger fi nger to grip the gun, and his left hand was almost as bad. Even holding the gun up was a struggle with his bat-
40 The Police Marksman Jan-Feb 2014
tered arms, and he had to lean back to raise the muzzle up high enough. But pulling the trigger wasn’t a problem. He fi red several times as the stunned motorist sped away in confusion and disbelief.
Shimpi showed no signs that he had been
THE AFTERMATH Meanwhile, Shimpi telephoned the dispatcher, told her he had shot a deputy and asked her to send more. As offi cers from the surrounding area poured into the scene, he barricaded him- self inside the castle-like residence and refused to come out. After a two-hour standoff , smoke began seeping from the structure, followed by fl ames that soon engulfed the entire upstairs. Shimpi was later found inside, dead from a self- infl icted shotgun wound to the head. His re- mains were so badly burned that it couldn’t be determined whether any of Deputy Schoen’s rounds had struck him. T e charred remains of a 9mm pistol (the gun he used to shoot Falco) and a semiautomatic AK-47 rifl e were also found in the rubble. Deputy Schoen had been lucky, as it is unlikely he would have survived if Shimpi had used the powerful AK-47 instead of the shotgun loaded with turkey shot. Subsequent investigation revealed that Shimpi was a paranoid schizophrenic who lived with his parents in the house where the shoot- ing occurred. He had gone off his medication some time before the incident, which had led to family problems that culminated with him murdering both of his parents. During an ar- gument with his father, Shimpi had shot him with the same shotgun he had used on Schoen. T en, when his mother, who had been out of town at the time of the shooting, returned home, he had killed her with the shotgun as well. Both parents were later found under a trash pile behind the house with a rope tied around their ankles. Drag marks and tire tracks determined that Shimpi had dragged them there behind his pickup truck. Shimpi had no arrest record, and no apparent history of violent behavior before the murders.
Schoen was treated at the hospital for shot-
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