Shackled Bank Robbery Suspect Fleeing in Van Shot by FBI
Earlier today, Steven Boyd, an alleged bank robber, was handcuffed and in leg shackles in the backseat of an FBI minivan alone. The FBI special agents left the vehicle running with the keys in the ignition because it was “frigid” outside. Mr. Boyd took control of the vehicle and was shot in the chest by Special Agent #2 because he allegedly tried to run over Special Agent #1. If Boyd was in the vehicle alone, escaping, what was there to gain by running over Special Agent #1?
The press release states that the FBI is continuing its investigation into how Boyd got control of the vehicle. Well, perhaps he climbed from the backseat into the front seat put the minivan in drive and tried to drive away in an attempt to escape. No details were given about why Mr. Boyd was in the van alone, where the agents were standing or what they were doing while Boyd was moving around in the van or if the van had GPS .
Of course, I wasn’t there but Special Agent #2, who was there, commented he shot because he feared for his partner’s safety. It would be interesting to see photos of the bullet hole in the van. Was Boyd shot in the chest from the front or the back? Was Special Agent #1 really in danger or was this incident just really going to be embarrassing? Losing a shackled bank robber along with an FBI vehicle could potentially affect one’s long term career goals.
Again, I wasn’t there, but a man was shot. Just because the man shot was accused of a crime at the time he was shot doesn’t mean he automatically isn’t a victim. Just because the shooter was a “man in blue” doesn’t automatically make that shooter innocent.
Unrelated, but in the same theme, a Chicago Police Officer from the Narcotics Division shot a man while executing a search warrant earlier today. I noted while reading this article that it did not say that the man shot was the subject of the warrant. I also found it notable that while it said the police were allegedly “confronted” by a man with a gun that they mention recovering a gun from the scene as opposed to recovering the gun from his person. Fingerprinting that gun might be helpful, although, I can tell you from experience that it rarely happens outside of homocide cases.
