April 11, 2015
Christian Family Band Engages Arizona Police in Walmart Parking Lot
[From article]
A Cottonwood police video released Friday appears to show an officer shooting a man who was laying on the asphalt in a Walmart parking lot after fighting with a downed officer.
Cottonwood Police Chief Jody Fanning said that Enoch Gaver, 21, had disarmed Sgt. Jeremy Daniels and had shot him in the leg. He said Gaver was still armed with Daniels' gun when Officer Rick Hicks started hitting him with a baton.
After Hicks determined the baton had no effect, he resorted to shooting Gaver to death, Fanning said.
Hicks also shot and wounded David Gaver, who also had been on top of Daniels and had charged towards Hicks, Fanning said.
[. . .]
Photos: YAVAPAI COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Peter Gaver, Ruth Gaver, Nathaniel Gaver and Jeremiah Gaver were arrested in the brawl.
The incident began when a female Walmart employee tried to use a women's restroom and was prevented from doing so when she was pushed out of the way.
Nathan Gaver told police that his mother, Ruth, was using the restroom, and that he and his brother Jeremiah were guarding it.
Police are seen in another video snippet arriving at the scene, where a large group of people are standing near a Chevrolet Suburban. The brawl ensues almost immediately after the third and fourth officers arrive.
Fanning said he still does not understand why the Gavers chose to fight his officers, rather than simply speaking to them. He said the likely outcome of the call would have been a misdemeanor citation with no one going to jail if the Gavers had not escalated the incident.
[. . .]
The officers and the Gavers are seen punching each other on the video. At some point, an officer attempts to use a stun gun to bring the Gavers under control, but that appears to have little effect.
After Daniels is seen on the ground, struggling with one of the Gavers, Hicks is seen using the asp to strike the man. Later, Hicks pulls out his gun. The video captures the flash from the gun's muzzle.
But even the fatal shooting doesn't end the brawl. Additional officers arrive on the scene and fight with other members of the Gaver family to bring them under control.
Five Gavers were arrested by police and booked into the Yavapai County Jail on a variety of charges, including aggravated assault on a police officer, hindering prosecution and resisting arrest.
The family was well-known in Boise, where at least three members played in a Christian band outside an Albertson's supermarket, where they would post a sign with a Biblical verse. The band was known as Matthew 24 Now, an apparent reference to the Second Coming.
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