December 18, 2009 in City

Man who police say threatened officers arrested

Associated Press

Courtesy of Idaho Department of Correction photo

BOISE — The U.S. Marshals service has taken 21-year-old Shawn Michael Buroker into custody in Asotin County, Wash.

Buroker is on probation with the Idaho Department of Correction and department officials said he reportedly threatened to kill the law enforcement officers that he believes killed his father in Spokane eight years ago. (Read the 2002 story.)

Buroker was sentenced in January to three years probation for conspiracy to commit burglary in Nez Perce County. He moved to Washington state in March under an interstate supervision agreement.

19 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

Roger_Young on December 18 at 10:37 a.m.
Am I correct that his father suffered 8 (multiple) gun shot wounds to his lower back while he was being held down?
andrewz on December 18 at 11:35 a.m.
@Roger_Young: I’ve posted a story from 2002 that goes into Ira Shawn Buroker’s death:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2002/jan/04/police-release-name-man-killed-shooting/
“An autopsy showed Buroker died at the scene of eight bullets in his lower back and a shoulder, [Police Chief] Bragdon said.”
SarahF on December 18 at 12:25 p.m.
Shot while trying to shoot police officers does not make the father innocent no matter where the bullets ended up, people. Let’s not forget the father was fighting with and trying to shoot public servants when he died, yeah?
Then again, where I come from, we respect the people who keep us safe, and expect them to empty the magazine. Maybe I’m the weirdo here, but thank you officers… I’m happy you went home safe after that shift.
Roger_Young on December 18 at 12:46 p.m.
Yep SaraF “Bragdon said patrolmen Alan Edwards and Gene Baldwin were attempting to arrest Buroker after he behaved suspiciously and refused to keep his hands out of his pockets at an East Sprague parking lot”
Thats a good enough reason to kill someone. “behaving suspiciously”. Probably the same reason Otto Zehm was killed.
SugarShane on December 18 at 1:03 p.m.
Well SarahF I guess where you come from, cops arent famous for killing innocent people.
SarahF on December 18 at 1:24 p.m.
It’d be nice if you could spell my name right while attempting to insult me, or responding to my comment.
But then, you don’t seem to appreciate the fact that most people manage to get around Spokane just fine without getting into a shootout with the cops. They’re not vicious, they’re not mean, they’re protecting the public, even if you are too blind to see that.
If you pull a gun on a cop, you deserve whatever they give you, including eight or more rounds. End of story.
MrNatural on December 18 at 1:33 p.m.
…I believe the term they (police) use is: “Sufficiently weakened for capture”
Regardless, having an occupation that routinely involves the agitated, inebriated and anxious has a fatal downside to it…and I admit it is too tough for me to do
SugarShane on December 18 at 2:14 p.m.
SarahF, that is fine for most people. What most posters are upset about is the killing or shooting of innocent persons in or around Spokane. Your logic seems to follow that of death penalty supporters in that, yes we kill a few innocent people, but its worth it because of the benefits to society. Im sorry, but I dont share your views. If you commit murder, you should be locked up, be it intentional, or accidental. No more double standards for police.
“If you pull a gun on a cop, you deserve whatever they give you, including eight or more rounds. End of story. “
And I suppose if your a cop, and you murder a civilian, then he was probably acting suspiciously and deserved what he got, and you should be off the hook.
Fixer on December 18 at 2:25 p.m.
“…and expect them to empty the magazine.”
“If you pull a gun on a cop, you deserve whatever they give you, including eight or more rounds.”
I have a problem with the mentality that the police should be able to shoot someone as many times as they like.
“Using sufficient force to neutralize the threat” and “shooting to kill” may seem like semantics, but the difference is quite real. If a police officer fatally shoots an individual, so be it, but there has to be a line between justifiable and excessive force.
biasedopinion on December 18 at 2:52 p.m.
For god’s sake put in the whole quote. It REALLY does make a difference.
“Buroker resisted, and the three wound up wrestling on the ground. Bragdon said Buroker fired one shot from a single-action Ruger .22-caliber revolver while face down on the ground with an officer slightly above him on each side.
The chief said Buroker cocked his gun again and tried to push himself up with one hand, but Baldwin and Edwards moved back slightly and opened fire within seconds. An autopsy showed Buroker died at the scene of eight bullets in his lower back and a shoulder, Bragdon said”
Orange on December 18 at 3:38 p.m.
Another delightful string of comments without knowledge. Of course started by Roger Young.
Side note: From what I do know, Thank you for cleaning up Spokane SPD. You’re doing a awesome job.
lewis8457 on December 18 at 4:04 p.m.
if the police are allowed to shoot at will then what do we have courts for lets just let the cops shoot who ever they want and when it becomes your turn well, that is the way it goes when one class of people can murder others with no cost.
those like myself that are against our police being cop judge and executioner are saving all of us from martial law. if the cops had their way they would carry body bags in the trunks of their cars.
the only thing wrong with your way of thinking what if it is you or a loved one on the ground still OK to put 8 bullets in your back? so be it blam, blam, blam, blam, blam, blam, blam, blam.
Fixer on December 18 at 4:34 p.m.
@screwball -
Let’s say an person shoots at a police officer. The cop fires a single round and kills the person. The use of force was enough to stop the threat, and is completely justifiable. Tragic, yes, but unfortunately it happens.
However, if the cop empties a magazine into that person, he or she is no longer trying to stop the threat. The cop is trying to kill the person. That’s when the use of force becomes excessive, and is equivalent to murder.
The distinction needs to be clear in the cop’s mind before being handed a badge and a gun.
BitofBacon on December 18 at 4:42 p.m.
Who says the police are shooting at will? The guy was lying on the ground shooting and the cops are supposed to do what? Take a round before firing back? And think about this- the magazine in their weapons hold 14 rounds plus one in the chamber. That would be a total of 30 rounds available to them in their weapon. They didn’t empty a magazine, they neutralized the threat.
And Roger, didn’t you post something about people not judging before knowing all the facts when you commented on the guy who beat the dog by city hall? I guess your comments don’t apply to cops.
maria on December 18 at 5:04 p.m.
Idaho played by the rules with this guy, unlike how Arkansas did not with the Lakewood, WA cop-killer. Good job, Idaho!
Roger_Young on December 18 at 5:56 p.m.
Why stop at 8 bullets? wasn’t 7 good enough?
One has to know a bit about Spokane Police History. For about 16 years there was never a single complaint filed, yet when Chief Bragging Dumb left, we have had what, a whole slew of Police misconduct.
Under the previous Chief, nothing was investigated and swept under the carpet.
Orange’s neck is leaking. Someone duct tape it for him.
BitofBacon on December 18 at 7:53 p.m.
And you’re the one who’s going to teach us about history at the SPD? Cite your source for no complaints filed under Chief Bragdon-can’t do it, can you? Let’s face it Roger, you have zero credibility. ZERO
JBlim on December 24 at 2:26 p.m.
Sometimes it’s hard to know when to believe the police. They seem to have a culture, or maybe it’s a cop cult, that says lying is OK to protect themselves. Look at this guy “assault” a cop. That’s what the cop claimed anyway. The kid on the bike would be in jail if it weren’t for this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkiyBVytRQ
Autumn_Twilght on September 16 at 2:34 p.m.
I find it hard to believe that my dad would actually be dumb enough to fire a ruger .22 when he’s face down on the ground, oh yeah and wasn’t he in the car just a minute ago people? lol. My dad is the type of person that if he wanted to pull the trigger he would’ve hit something and got away. Also he was trying to win me back from fostercare so he wouldnt have shot at police officers.
If you believe there are bad cops out, like me, then you would believe bad cops lie as well.