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Article: Police say they fired when man pulled sword: The slain man's roommate said the officers opened fire too quickly.
- Article from:
- The Roanoke Times (Roanoke, VA)
- Article date:
- April 20, 2007
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 The Roanoke Times. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Reed Williams
Apr. 20--For the second time this year, a Roanoke police officer has shot and killed someone wielding a samurai-style sword.
John Harvey Bridges, 43, died shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday after he was shot in the torso in his apartment on Old Spanish Trail off Shenandoah Avenue in Northwest Roanoke, said Police Chief Joe Gaskins.
The chief's account of what happened in Wednesday evening's incident differs from that of Bridges' roommate, Ronald Ragland Jr., who said he witnessed the shooting.
Gaskins said that Bridges was shot while brandishing a sword and advancing on officers.
"That's a lie," said Ragland, ...