17 year veteran of the Winston-Salem Police Dept. Sgt. Howard Plouff was shot this morning outside of the Red Rooster bar. He is still in critical condition at Baptist. Keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

prayers sent, very sorry to hear that

What was the circumstances surrounding the shooting?  Seems like a lot of officers have been getting shot since the start of the year (across the US; not just in NC)

At present it is not clear at least from listening to the public media what the circumstances were. It appears that there was a big private/semiprivate party attended by a bunch of the W-S State University students at the Red Rooster just down the road from here and it got out of hand. Some of the on camera witnesses indicate that a bouncer started firing shots. Local sherriff deputies working the hustle called for police backup when the mess got out of hand. Howard was evidently one of the first to 10-23 and then the story pretty much goes blank. The investigators still have the place closed down (haven't been down there to look in the past couple of hours). It is a big crime scene including a parking lot full of cars and the Benz dealership which is next door. They were still holding some of the 'patrons' on the premises this afternoon for questioning. As of the last news report he is still in critical condition.

The stats from the PD on calls associated with that bar are to say the least, lengthy.

for the local folks, what is Red Rooster like?  I've never been, and hate to see violence in the peaceful town I grew up in....


Prayers to the officer and his family!

RIP, Sarge.

Plouff leaves behind his wife, Joyce, and two children -- ages 9 and 11. His wife is a teacher at Southwest Elementary School.

www.wxii12.com/news/11092469/detail.html



WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- A Winston-Salem police officer who was shot in the face Friday morning while responding to a call at a local bar has died. Meanwhile, the search continues for a culprit.

Sgt. Howard J. Plouff, 41, a 17-year veteran of the Winston-Salem Police Department, died Friday night at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

"This is a tragic loss for the family of Sergeant Plouff and our police family. We ask that you keep Sergeant Plouff's family in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time," the police department said.


Authorities said the shooting occurred at about 2 a.m. as Winston-Salem police officers arrived at the Red Rooster Club in response to a call for help from Forsyth County sheriff's deputies.

Deputies were working off-duty security there when several fights started within the club and spilled outside.

Amid crowds of people outside, shots were fired and one struck the officer.

"As soon as the fight broke out, they turned off the music and turned on the lights," witness Miguel Cuadra told WXII 12's Angela Pellerano.

William Bruce and his friends said they were stuck inside during the melee and were doused with mace.

"The most scary thing was when they were spraying pepper in the club. I thought I was going to die. The whole thing was scary," one witness said.

Bruce and his friends were forced to stay inside the club for 12 hours. Cuardra and Fortez slept in their cars. They said people weren't allowed to leave the scene.

No arrests have been made.

Plouff leaves behind his wife, Joyce, and two children -- ages 9 and 11. His wife is a teacher at Southwest Elementary School.


The incident occurred outside the Red Rooster Club in Winston-Salem.



Plouff received a medal of honor in 2003 for saving a woman's life. It happened after a woman called criminal records and threatened to kill herself. Several officers, including Plouff, were dispatched to the scene just in time. Four other officers received similar medals of honor.

Plouff is the first Winston-Salem officer to die in the line of duty since February 1995. Officer Stephen Amos II was shot while on a call at the Hill Top Ridge Apartments on Brownsboro Road.

Friday's incident forced road closures in the area and affected school bus routes. Buses from schools such as Jefferson Middle and Meadowlark Elementary had trouble making their routes, officials said. There were no official school delays issued by Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Winston-Salem Police Department at 773-7700 or Crimestoppers at 727-2800.

It would probably be best if I hold my tongue.

Prayers sent for the family, damn shame

Blackops_1.

eta- I hope they fry the walking meatsack that did this when they catch him/her.

Damn, I went to bed early and woke up to this. RIP sarge. Another sad sad day in Winston. I hope they catch the bastages and hang em by their genitals.

Prayers sent to the family...

God bless him.

Max

prayers sent from copdills and members of clover police dept

So sorry to hear about the loss.

www.civpol.org/portal/html/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=382

Hey here are two poems that were passed around after an officer back home passed away a couple years back. They seemed appropriate for the situation.

prayers will be sent out to sgt and his family.

Dan

Deepest condolences and sympathy to the family and department.

It will be interesting to see what develops with this terrible tradgedy.  WSS has already started distancing themselves from what occured, as the majority of the patrons were students from the school that night attending somesort of organized event rumor has it...