Angry Dallas Dude Goes Ham on 12 Cop Cars With Sledgehammer
Earlier this week a man wielding a sledgehammer walked into the Dallas Police Department’s motorpool and started swinging. The city’s Police Association claims the man wailed on 12 cars at the Central Division station on South Hall Street in Deep Ellum at roughly 5:20 in the morning on February 4th.
The man, 58-year-old Gregory Simpson, apparently entered the police station parking lot through an unsecured gate and started hitting the first police car in sight. By the time he was stopped, he’d caused an estimated $4,900 in damage. Had he not focused primarily on windshields, that figure probably could have come up a bit. But, as breaking glass is one of life’s simple pleasures, his focus was understandable. Why he chose to vent his frustrations on parked squad cars is not, however.
According to The Dallas Morning News, Simpson’s motive remains unknown to police. Officers confronted the suspect and told him to drop the hammer after being notified by a witness that someone was outside bashing black and whites. He was arrested for “criminal mischief.”
Dallas Fire & Rescue was also called to the scene to treat Simpson, though the police report did not indicate what the treatment was for. Simpson told a detective who tried to talk to him after the incident that he wanted a lawyer.
The Dallas Police Association posted several images of the vehicles Simpson assailed and expressed a need for more secure parking lots. It also claimed to have already spent thirteen-million dollars to improve station security after a man in an armored vehicle shot up the Dallas police headquarters in June of 2015. There was also an incident in 2016 where Micah Xavier Johnson ambushed several officers with a rifle, killing five. Nine others were wounded in the attack, along with two civilians.
Around 5am this morning a suspect entered our central substation parking lot that’s STILL unsecured smashing 12 cars in total! What’s it going to take folks, Officer getting killed ? These parking lots need to be secure !!!!! pic.twitter.com/vWUGLFUlzV
— Dallas Police Assoc (@DPA_PoliceAssoc) February 4, 2018
[Image: Dallas Police Association]
Comments
Join the conversation
Yeah, the city has been saying for couple of years that they're going to secure the lots at the substations, and some money was even provided in a bond package. I grew up in Dallas, but sadly, it's turning into a real craphole. The new police chief they hired? Yep, an assistant from *Detroit*, of all places. She doesn't have a peace officer's license, and doesn't plan to get one. You can't make this shit up, folks. Cops have been leaving DPD in droves, fleeing to cities (especially Fort Worth) where the pay, and the morale, are better. Morale has been in the tank since the chief two chiefs back now (David Kunkle) retired.
Not the hero we wanted, but the hero we deserve.