Shot Peoria officer paralyzed from chest down
Weigt talks with family; 'investigative lead' turns self in

Brent Whiting
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 20, 2005 03:55 PM

A Peoria police officer who was shot and wounded Saturday is paralyzed from the chest down but has full use of his arms, authorities said Tuesday.

"The recovery process for such an injury is tremendous, and the family asks for the public's continued support and prayers," said Mike Tellef, a Peoria police spokesman.

Tellef said the medical condition was disclosed at the request of relatives for Officer Bill Weigt, 31, who remains in serious but stable condition at John C. Lincoln Hospital - North Mountain.

Earlier, police filed court appears showing marijuana has emerged as a motive in a Saturday slaying that led to a shootout in which Weigt suffered the crippling chest wound.

The injury occurred during an early-morning gunbattle with Damon Hicks, 27, who was shot dead by other officers.

In booking documents, police said Hicks was killed after he and Hassain Hennix, 23, of Avondale, went to a Peoria home looking for marijuana.

Police allege that Hicks killed Ruben Cruz Hernandez Jr., 21, and fled in a car and later was killed, while Hennix fled from the neighborhood on foot.

Hennix was arrested Monday on charges of murder, kidnapping and burglary. During a court appearance Tuesday, his bail was set at $500,000.

Weigt, who is married and a father of four, has been on the force for about 18 months.

The officer, who was wearing a protective vest, was shot in the chest but the bullet missed the vest, Tellef said. At nightfall Saturday, more than 100 police officers, relatives and other well-wishers gathered at the Phoenix hospital for a candlelight vigil in support of the officer.

Karen Ashley, a deputy Peoria police chief, described Weigt as a well-respected officer with a sense of humor.

Ashley described the shooting as "a tragic day for the Peoria Police Department," saying it marked the first time a that a Peoria officer has been shot.

No Peoria officer has been killed in the line of duty since the city was incorporated in 1954. Mayor John Keegan, reached in Hawaii, said the city offers full support to Weigt and his loved ones.

"Our prayers go out to him and his family," Keegan said.

The 100 Club, a group that supports slain and injured Arizona law officers, is accepting contributions for Weigt.

Checks can be mailed to the club at 5033 N. 19th Ave., Suite 123, Phoenix, AZ 85015. The account number is 487153.


Hopefully the officer recovers, prayers sent.

I hope the officer recovers to the best possible level.

Nevertheless, this was not caused by marijuana, it was caused by criminal activity.

Quoted: Nevertheless, this was not caused by marijuana, it was caused by criminal activity.

Yup.

I've smoked a little weed, and the only damage I did was to a big bag of Oreos. God help whoever stood in the way of those. Luckily, no one got hurt.

Quoted: Shot Peoria officer paralyzed from chest down Weigt talks with family; 'investigative lead' turns self in Brent Whiting The Arizona Republic Dec. 20, 2005 03:55 PM A Peoria police officer who was shot and wounded Saturday is paralyzed from the chest down but has full use of his arms, authorities said Tuesday. "The recovery process for such an injury is tremendous, and the family asks for the public's continued support and prayers," said Mike Tellef, a Peoria police spokesman. Tellef said the medical condition was disclosed at the request of relatives for Officer Bill Weigt, 31, who remains in serious but stable condition at John C. Lincoln Hospital - North Mountain. Earlier, police filed court appears showing marijuana stolen guns have emerged as a motive in a Saturday slaying that led to a shootout in which Weigt suffered the crippling chest wound. The injury occurred during an early-morning gunbattle with Damon Hicks, 27, who was shot dead by other officers. In booking documents, police said Hicks was killed after he and Hassain Hennix, 23, of Avondale, went to a Peoria home looking for marijuana. Police allege that Hicks killed Ruben Cruz Hernandez Jr., 21, and fled in a car and later was killed, while Hennix fled from the neighborhood on foot. Hennix was arrested Monday on charges of murder, kidnapping and burglary. During a court appearance Tuesday, his bail was set at $500,000. Weigt, who is married and a father of four, has been on the force for about 18 months. The officer, who was wearing a protective vest, was shot in the chest but the bullet missed the vest, Tellef said. At nightfall Saturday, more than 100 police officers, relatives and other well-wishers gathered at the Phoenix hospital for a candlelight vigil in support of the officer. Karen Ashley, a deputy Peoria police chief, described Weigt as a well-respected officer with a sense of humor. Ashley described the shooting as "a tragic day for the Peoria Police Department," saying it marked the first time a that a Peoria officer has been shot. No Peoria officer has been killed in the line of duty since the city was incorporated in 1954. Mayor John Keegan, reached in Hawaii, said the city offers full support to Weigt and his loved ones. "Our prayers go out to him and his family," Keegan said. The 100 Club, a group that supports slain and injured Arizona law officers, is accepting contributions for Weigt. Checks can be mailed to the club at 5033 N. 19th Ave., Suite 123, Phoenix, AZ 85015. The account number is 487153. Hopefully the officer recovers, prayers sent.

ETA: the mention of marijuana is merely news sensationalism.  The same thing could have happened if the perp was dealing in stolen cars, weapons, crack, you name it.  

Set it in 1928, substitute "gin" for "marijuana," and only willful stupidity will keep you from recognizing where the danger originates.

So next are you're going to blame the gun?z

Quoted: Set it in 1928, substitute "gin" for "marijuana," and only willful stupidity will keep you from recognizing where the danger originates.

Amen!

You are really reaching on this one.

drugs

In actuallity, it was the drugs illegal nature that created the problem.

atleast they killed that sack of shit...

Quoted: atleast they killed that sack of shit...

You could be next.  I'm sure that you think he deserved his fate.

I think I'll wait for the rest of the story.

People are far more harmful than marijuana.

It wasn't the Pot, it wasn't the gun,

IT WAS THE PERSON.

It so funny you blame the weed in your title but not the gun or immigration status of the perp.  

This si the same bullshit the liberal try with gun control.

Bad people do bad things good people do good things.  Whether they smoke pot or own guns does not make them good or bad, their actions do.

Well, guardian855, there seems to be a clear and consistent pattern with the responses.  Not that one sentence in the article really explains much, anyway.

Just FYI, every major study of the subject in history agrees that if marijuana has any real connection with violent crime, it probably reduces it. Marijuana is a tranquilizer so it tends to make people more easy-going and passive. Not like alcohol which really does induce violence.

Also, if someone commits a crime like that, then you don't need a drug law to arrest them, do you? Same as with alcohol, which is responsible for far more of these kinds of crimes than all the illegal drugs combined.

So why not make alcohol illegal? Far more Law Enforcement Officers are killed by people on alcohol than marijuana.

Why isn't alcohol illegal? Because of Prohibition that's why! The only reason you have the ability to drink legally is because the MOB kicked the shit out of the Federal Government's rights tromping ass.

There is no "harmless" drug, but I think pot is far less damaging than alcohol will ever be. Anyone that has ever lost a friend to a drunk driver can attest to that.

Besides you can always tell who the pot smokers on the road are. Their the ones drving 10 mph in a 35 zone, while munching on a Wendy's double cheeseburger and drinking a frosty.

Another casualty in the "War on Drugs"

My prayers go out for Officer Weigt and his family, but I'm going to have to go with the "Gin in Prohibition" argument on this one. I quit the Narcotics Task Force the week after my son was born. I realized then that I could get my family hurt over laws that did not bear enforcement.

Say what you want to, but you need to go watch the movie "Traffic" with an open mind (or you could just become a cop and work as a Narc for about 5 years) and you'll see that the "War on Drugs" really has very little to do with drugs and everything to do with political control.

Quoted: In actuallity, it was the drugs illegal nature that created the problem.

He had a willing seller, he just chose to rob him instead. Why wouldnt he also rob the quickie-mart for the same product if legalized?

Marijuana did not cause this crime.  But it certainly shoots holes in the theory that all pot heads are non-violent.

Quoted: Just FYI, every major study of the subject in history agrees that if marijuana has any real connection with violent crime, it probably reduces it.

Just apparently not in this case.

Quoted: So why not make alcohol illegal?

In my state both Alcohol and marijuana are decriminalized and heavily regulated.  Alcohol violations carry much tougher penalties than marijuana violations.

I have NEVER seen anyone smoke Pot and then go out and commit a crime.
it just doesn't happen. the only thing that does happen is the Fridge becomes an empty vessel and the couch becomes a  permanent place of rest.

Crack will make you kill someone.
Booze will ugly women doable.
Heroin will make you think you can take apart the TV.
Meth will make homeless and toothless.


Pot will make you eat cookie dough.

Hmmm i would choose the cookie dough

Quoted: Quoted: In actuallity, it was the drugs illegal nature that created the problem. He had a willing seller, he just chose to rob him instead. Why wouldnt he also rob the quickie-mart for the same product if legalized? Marijuana did not cause this crime.  But it certainly shoots holes in the theory that all pot heads are non-violent.

When people refer to a pothead, they susally mean the pacifist hippy that smokes it all the time, not the guy dealing it.  Not to say that this guy didn't smoke, but that would be speculation either way.  So no, no holes in the theory with the information provided thus far.

Quoted: Quoted: In actuallity, it was the drugs illegal nature that created the problem. He had a willing seller, he just chose to rob him instead. Why wouldnt he also rob the quickie-mart for the same product if legalized? Marijuana did not cause this crime.  But it certainly shoots holes in the theory that all pot heads are non-violent.

We covered this before. In motivation, it isn't any different than the St. Valentine's Day Massacre or any number of other prohibition murders. Remember how homicides skyrocketed during alcohol prohibition?  The motive is money, not marijuana.

Quoted: Quoted: So why not make alcohol illegal? In my state both Alcohol and marijuana are decriminalized and heavily regulated.  Alcohol violations carry much tougher penalties than marijuana violations.

That didn't answer the question. Why not make alcohol illegal? It causes more of these problems than all the illegal drugs combined.

Note that the question has nothing to do with the current state of affairs in your local area.

Quoted: Quoted: Just FYI, every major study of the subject in history agrees that if marijuana has any real connection with violent crime, it probably reduces it. Just apparently not in this case.

OK, let me be perfectly clear. The USE of marijuana has nothing to do with violent crime. The MONEY involved in the black market can be a cause of crime.

How come nobody is blaming guns?

Quoted: How come nobody is blaming guns?

somehow that's a different argument altogether, no matter how much it isn't so.

Quoted: I have NEVER seen anyone smoke Pot and then go out and commit a crime.

- a joke, right?

The anti-weed crusaders here are just closet liberals who propogate stereotypes in hopes of banishing personal privacy.

Marijuana causes crime like flies cause garbage.

HS1

I am one of the biggest pot haters here but I have to admit that pot had nothing to do with what happened here. Those two involved were just shitheads to begin with, whether they were looking to buy pot or steal a car.

Quoted: We covered this before. In motivation, it isn't any different than the St. Valentine's Day Massacre or any number of other prohibition murders. Remember how homicides skyrocketed during alcohol prohibition?  The motive is money, not marijuana.

Exactly. People who commit crimes with drugs involved arent really commited those crimes because of the drugs, but because of the money that those drugs are worth.

Money is a great motivator for a great many things, both good and bad.

Some people say money is the root of all evil. However money is just another lifeless item that can do nothing on its own. If anything people themselves are the problem.

But government is never going to pass a law banning people, even if it is for the children. But people are stupid and they will try to pass other laws banning other things, for the children.

Quoted: Quoted: We covered this before. In motivation, it isn't any different than the St. Valentine's Day Massacre or any number of other prohibition murders. Remember how homicides skyrocketed during alcohol prohibition?  The motive is money, not marijuana. Exactly. People who commit crimes with drugs involved arent really commited those crimes because of the drugs, but because of the money that those drugs are worth. Money is a great motivator for a great many things, both good and bad. Some people say the love of money is the root of all evil. However money is just another lifeless item that can do nothing on its own. If anything people themselves are the problem. But government is never going to pass a law banning people, even if it is for the children. But people are stupid and they will try to pass other laws banning other things, for the children.

Yup if it was worth less and easier to get (legalized) people wouldnt rob each other for it.   Im sure the object your stealing already being illegal makes it a more attractive target too.   You can't exactly call the cops and tell them someone broke in and stole your sack.    Well,..   you can...  

Quoted: Quoted: In actuallity, it was the drugs illegal nature that created the problem. He had a willing seller, he just chose to rob him instead. Why wouldnt he also rob the quickie-mart for the same product if legalized? Marijuana did not cause this crime.  But it certainly shoots holes in the theory that all pot heads are non-violent.

Because pot is expensive because it is illegal. You don't hear about people being murdered over cigarettes very often. (Granted I'm sure it HAS happened, just extremely rare. Making drugs legal clearly would not resolve ALL drug related violence, just most of it.)

Thank you to those who showed compassion in their posts.

My prayers and thoughts are with the officer and his family.  

guardian855=

Did marijuana pull the trigger?

Quoted: But government is never going to pass a law banning people

Germany did...

Quoted: Another casualty in the "War on Drugs" My prayers go out for Officer Weigt and his family, but I'm going to have to go with the "Gin in Prohibition" argument on this one. I quit the Narcotics Task Force the week after my son was born. I realized then that I could get my family hurt over laws that did not bear enforcement. Say what you want to, but you need to go watch the movie "Traffic" with an open mind (or you could just become a cop and work as a Narc for about 5 years) and you'll see that the "War on Drugs" really has very little to do with drugs and everything to do with political control.

Hear, hear!!  Someone's using their brain.   Too bad more aren't.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: In actuallity, it was the drugs illegal nature that created the problem. He had a willing seller, he just chose to rob him instead. Why wouldnt he also rob the quickie-mart for the same product if legalized? Marijuana did not cause this crime.  But it certainly shoots holes in the theory that all pot heads are non-violent. Because pot is expensive because it is illegal. You don't hear about people being murdered over cigarettes very often. (Granted I'm sure it HAS happened, just extremely rare. Making drugs legal clearly would not resolve ALL drug related violence, just most of it.)

Pot is pretty cleap in states in the vicinity of mexico. Alaska is expensive. ~5x the price in Alabama.

Back the to subject, Marijuana didn't cause crime. People did.

Quoted: Quoted: So why not make alcohol illegal? In my state both Alcohol and marijuana are decriminalized and heavily regulated.  Alcohol violations carry much tougher penalties than marijuana violations.

that's all well and good, but in my state (where this happened coincidentally) pot offenses are very harshly punished, some to the point where a ticket at your house is a felony at mine. Had pot been for sale at a liquor store or something like that I really doubt this would have happened.

Quoted: Pot is pretty cleap in states in the vicinity of mexico. Alaska is expensive. ~5x the price in Alabama.

not quite true. While pot CAN be cheaper here than in Alaska, it is because the pot from Mexico sucks. Good pot is actually cheaper in canada and Alaska than it is in the southern states. Mexican weed is about $60 for an ounce and Canadian is about $300 (kkep in mind, these are prices from my highschool days, which wasn't very long ago, but could still be way different now). But the majority of potheads I knew smoked the canadian stuff.

Quoted: I hope the officer recovers to the best possible level. Nevertheless, this was not caused by marijuana, it was caused by criminal activity.

+1 People do the same shit drunk or over a couple dollars.

I think weed is for idiots but blaming weed excuses the criminal.

Quoted: I hope the officer recovers to the best possible level. Nevertheless, this was not caused by marijuana, it was caused by criminal activity.

Back to the basics for you.   Marijuana IS criminal activity.  Yes this was caused by marijuana.  Which is............criminal activity!  

Don't kid yourself.

Quoted: Quoted: I hope the officer recovers to the best possible level. Nevertheless, this was not caused by marijuana, it was caused by criminal activity. Back to the basics for you.   Marijuana IS criminal activity.  Yes this was caused by marijuana.  Which is............criminal activity!   Don't kid yourself.

jaywalking is illegal too. So you are saying if somebody was jaywalking and shot and killed somebody else, it is because of jaywalking.

Quoted: I knew it wouldn't take long to bring out our resident doper appologist.  Just what we need.  Dope and guns.  What a wonderful combination.

what we need is fucking discipline. If some douchebag can't have a few drinks or a joint and be in control of themselves then they shouldn't do it. If people didn't try to be so helpless we wouldn't need laws prohibiting guns or dope.

you seem to live up to your tag of "Site JBT" if you think that someone should be locked up for ingesting a certain "evil" type of plant.