Taking Down a Criminal with a Rifle from a Moving Motorcycle

Usually, we have reasons to highlight when cops get something really wrong. Today, I’d just like to highlight a case with an absolutely awesome sheriff’s deputy who really did some good for people today. This video is most of the finale of an incident near Denver that (allegedly) included 4 carjackings/attempted carjackings:

That motorcycle you see fly by on the right around 1:34 with the gun extended as soon as it passes the passenger vehicle and the officer who (off camera) jumped off that bike and chased the suspect, got him to drop his rifle, and then took him down with his bare hands, is the father of one of my dearest college pals – the very woman who actually introduced me to firearms. I’m so happy that he’s okay, and not at all surprised by it. She’s made of awesome, so clearly her parents must be, too.

17 thoughts on “Taking Down a Criminal with a Rifle from a Moving Motorcycle”

  1. So what, he was just riding by and saw dude with a rifle trying to carjack people? Good for him.

    Why did the person stop for him? I’ve got news for people. Don’t wave a rifle at me and try to get me to stop for you. I’ll probably run you over first and sift the remains for positive ID later.

    1. They had been in the area going after these people, but it seems he just got there first when the guy was spotted on the interstate. I haven’t checked the details this morning to see if they released more about exactly how it unfolded.

  2. I’ve played Grand Theft Auto – always funny to me in the game that you can walk into traffic with a weapon and people will stop for you.

    1. Well, since several people slowed down and nearly stopped for him, I’d say they got it partially right. :)

  3. lol. I missed it the first time. That is some Dirty Harry shit. Great.

    (of course, from your headline I thought the cop had the rifle on the motorcycle. THAT would have been something.

    1. Yeah, that headline is too ambiguous and needs rewriting. Perhaps “motorcycle taking down a rifle armed criminal”?

  4. I love that people come out to help the bike cop once he’s got the guy on the ground. “Excuse me Officer, you appear to be subduing a meth crazed s—bag. May I assist you?” “If you would, citizen, please sit on this meth crazed s—bag’s legs, and Thank You for your civic duty!”

    I like a bit less that subsequent officer show up just in time to point rifles at each other and everyone else in the area. Still, overall a good outcome for everyone but the guy whose garage door got shredded. Really, S—bag? You can’t open the door?

  5. whats the backstory here? Like the origina incident, particulars of the suspect, etc?

    1. From what I gathered in updates early this morning, there was a traffic stop and the guy just took off after the officer went back to check his license. They either abandoned or crashed that car, carjacked some tourists, crashed their car, and then took off on foot. The woman gave up pretty quickly when the guy ditched her and went off on his own. He then tried to steal some dump trucks and walked over to the house at the start of the video where he tried to steal a truck before he broke in and stole the SUV that he sortof crashed in a ditch before getting out on foot and trying to carjack the people on the interstate. When I checked, they still had not released any information about his identity, so I’m not sure they know much about the motivation.

  6. Remember, kids – you might be able to outrun a police cruiser or a bike.

    But you can’t outrun the helicopter or the radio.

    1. (Also, wise moves there at the end. Drop the gun and backpack before the cop even tells you to, put your hands up, move away from them.

      “Got better things to do today than get shot.”)

  7. I watched the video yesterday and dreamed about it last night, really. That sort of drama in real life, complete with local news camerawork, is so much more powerful than the staged movie shoot-outs. Really intense to watch and something you can never un-see. Compliments to law enforcement for subduing that bad guy.

  8. It was scary when Officer #4 ran up (3:01) flashing everybody with the muzzle of the rifle he was carrying. Hopefully that was the perp’s, and hopefully the officer cleared it when he picked it up off the pavement, but that was still a pretty severe Rule #2 violation.

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