11 year old shot in back by SWAT is collateral damage

[Blank Frank]

SWAT Officer Cleared in Fatal Shooting of Boy, 11,
                                                 During Modesto Raid

                                                 From Associated Press


                                                      MODESTO, Calif.--A
SWAT team officer who shot
                                                 an 11-year-old boy in
the back during a methamphetamine
                                                 raid was cleared of
criminal charges Thursday by the state
                                                 attorney general.
                                                      The killing of
Alberto Sepulveda was an accident, and
                                                 there was no that
evidence Modesto Officer David Hawn
                                                 intended to kill the
boy, said Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer.
                                                      The boy was lying
face down on his bedroom floor
                                                 when Hawn's shotgun
fired.
                                                      The Sept. 13 raid
was part of a countywide effort to
                                                 crack down on a
methamphetamine drug ring. The boy's
                                                 father, Moises
Sepulveda Sr., was arrested on charges of
                                                 conspiracy to
distribute the drug.
                                                      Lockyer said the
impact of the killing was devastating
                                                 and compelled him to
set up a committee to review
                                                 SWAT team practices in
the state.
                                                      "Unfortunately,
too many times the deployment of a
                                                 SWAT team has resulted
in the unintentional death or
                                                 injury to a peace
officer or member of the public,"
                                                 Lockyer said.
                                                      The group of
prosecutors, sheriffs, police officers,
                                                 judges and other state
and local officials is to recommend
                                                 SWAT team guidelines.
                                                      The findings of
the 15-page report by Lockyer and
                                                 Stanislaus County Dist.
Atty. Jim Brazelton mirror an
                                                 earlier investigation
by Modesto police.
                                                      Sepulveda's family
has filed a federal lawsuit against
                                                 the city, Hawn and
three other officers.