Article published November 07, 2009
Man shot by Toledo police after shootout outside West Toledo bar
BLADE STAFF
A 28-year-old Toledo man, shot by police as he pointed his handgun at them, was in critical condition in Toledo Hospital Saturday, authorities said.
Alvin Tate, of 4423 Cape Lane, was shot three times by two Toledo police officers following a shootout with other bar patrons outside the Big Shots Bar on West Central Avenue at 2:10 a.m., Police Chief Mike Navarre said.
Chief Navarre said the two officers who fired the shots will be on administrative leave several days while the incident is reviewed.
'By all accounts it appears those officers acted in self-defense,' Chief Navarre said. He said Mr. Tate's condition was 'extremely critical.'
Another man, Michael Lawson, was treated at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the lower calf. Police are not sure why Mr. Lawson, 30, 2721 Glenwood Ave., was shot, and he is not considered a suspect.
According to the chief, police officers were watching the bar at 931 West Central Ave. from an unmarked car parked in a vacant lot about 100 yards away, because of a history of trouble at Big Shots.
They saw Mr. Tate emerge from the bar arguing with two other people. He went to a car parked on Albion Street where he apparently retrieved a gun and then began firing in the direction of the bar where a crowd had gathered.
Police immediately drove up behind Mr. Tate's car as he started running into a nearby vacant lot. They ordered him to drop his weapon but he turned and pointed it in their direction, the chief said.
Two of the officers fired a total of 10 shots, hitting him twice in the upper torso and once on the wrist. The officers are Sergeants Daniel Raab and William Shaner, both 37. Also involved in the response was Officer Kevin Dumas, 37, although he did not fire any shots.
The chief said Mr. Tate's 9mm semi-automatic handgun had capacity for 17 rounds, but had only two when it was examined, indicating that up to 15 shots were fired. Chief Navarre said police believe two or three others in the crowd were firing back at Mr. Tate.
Suron Jacobs, 37, owner of the Big Shots building, said he has appealed to the police to allow him to hire off-duty officers to guard the establishment, especially at closing time.
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'This was a very chaotic situation with a lot of gunfire going back and forth. There were a lot of rounds recovered,' Mr. Navarre said. He said none of the other shooters have been identified.
Chief Navarre said the city has tried to have the bar's license non-renewed by the Ohio Division of Liquor Control without success. He said he will probably attempt again to have city council petition the liquor commission to deny the bar license renewal.
'This bar has been a problem bar, one that we've had incidents in the past involving guns and shots being fired,' Mr. Navarre said.
Suron Jacobs, 37, owner of the Big Shots building, said Saturday he has appealed to the police to allow him to hire off-duty officers to guard the establishment, especially at closing time.
Chief Navarre said he does not allow officers to work in bars where the department has objected to renewal of the liquor license, calling it a conflict of interest.
The gunfire occurred about one month after a bar shootout at a Westwood Avenue bar in which many shots were fired but no one was believed injured. Two men have been arrested.
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