Guest blog: Neighbor to apartment where officer shot
Below is an entry provided by Karlina Howard, who identifies herself as a tenant of the man who has been arrested in connection with an officer's death last week.
Here it is. She also provided pictures of her apartment, ransacked by police, that show the rooms and possessions in total disarray. We'll try to get the pictures up tomorrow.
Here is her story:
"It brings me such sadness that an officer's life was taken during the raid that took place on the block of Cascade early Thursday morning. I have been so confused due to the fact that I haven't a clue to why my apartment had been raided ...
I left my house at 6:40 AM on Thursday October 18th in which I was actually running a little behind schedule. I am a full time financial aid officer as well as a student studying Criminal Justice. I was in my Juvenile Procedures II class when all this took place however during my passing class to Criminal Law II something told me to look at my phone.
I had several missed calls from my son's father indicating that my apartment had been raided. I left class immediately to come home. When I got home I was in tears to see my house upside down, my kitchen had be demolished and all my box products had been opened and thrown.
My bedroom in which I share with my two year old had been torn apart as well. What they were searching for to my knowledge now was drugs.
I have never participated in any sort of drug substance in my life. My 17 year old daughter's room searched as well and still nothing found.
When asked why my apartment was searched I was told "guilty by association." I am rarely home due to my schedule and when I do come home I am studying. I am a kind person so therefore I do speak to my neighbors when I see them.
My neighbor's apartment was searched and because I associate with her meaning that I talk with her and when her husband cooks they offer me a plate of food after a long day at work and school. I am at school from 7:30 to 11:00 and then I go right to work from 11:00 am 8:00 PM. Not to mention I also have two online classes that I am taking as well.
I do not have time to hang out and I surely don't participate in any kind of drugs. I barely have time for my youngest child so what little time I have I enjoy spending it with him.
As a result of all of this I have decided to move although it is not in my budget at this time I am left with no choice. I fear for my family's lives at this point now as well as others.
Because I am a single parent I must make sacrifices and do whatever may be necessary to protect my children. This year we will not have a Christmas thanks to all of this that has taken place. Every little penny that I have saved over the year will do directly towards a new place that I will feel comfortable not fearing that there will be another drive by shooting or my apartment raided again for being guilty by association.
None of this makes sense, all of this seems as if it is a bad dream that I am hoping to awake from! I am attaching photos of what my apartment looked like once I arrived home.
It is quite sad how someone can just come into your home and destroy what you have worked so hard for and show NO remorse whatsoever. I truly feel for everyone that is going through this. Our children definitely do not need to see this for they our are future!"
Sincerely,
Karlina Howard
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Andrew Edwards. E-mail Andrew here.
Thank you for providing first-hand graphic evidence to all the struggling young single moms in the world that it's best to stay with family until you can properly make it on your own. Choosing to live with an absconded crack dealer and the fun freedom that seemed to afford you has surely been something you now see came at a very high price.
Hopefully, many people - not just young single mothers - will learn from the tragedy that took place where you decided to shack up with your jailbird crack dealer "life partner" and your child.
Hopefully, many people will suddenly understand, it isn’t wise to move in with strange men from out of state. It isn’t wise to move in with strangers, period. As nobody will ever need to tell you, yours and your neighbors again: It isn’t wise to move in, period.
Lesson learned: Stay home. Finish your education. Then, when the time is right, start your adult life with something more meaningful than raging teenage hormones to bring to the rented bedroom, er, negotiating table.
May God have mercy on the Carerra family.
May the lessons enlightening you in the balance of your life be less painfully tragic for innocent third parties.
May your stated goal of making a safe and sane home for your child be this year’s beautiful Christmas present ~ who could ask for better than that? ~ become reality.
Not all single mothers are afforded the opportunity to go home. You, No excuses, have no idea why Ms. Howard is trying to make it on her own.
What we do know is that Ms. Howard IS furthering her education. Something not all single mothers attempt. I applaud her and her efforts.
You seem to think that the suspect was a room-mate of Ms. Howard. She was not living with the suspect. She was living in the same complex. From all accounts the suspect was living under an alias. How could Ms. Howard know this? I am sure that these were the best accommodations she could afford at the time. She is obviously an involved, caring mother.
Ms. Howard has obviously determined this isn’t where she wants to continue to raise with her family. At least she has saved money and is using it to better her situation. Once again, many single mothers would not have these options.
While I empathize with her situation, at least she will know that her family is in a safer situation this Christmas. I would encourage her to check with her local churches. I am sure one would be able to assist her with Christmas for her son.
My deepest sympathies go out to the Carerra family.
Let's look at this from another perspective. Take any picture from any of the IE daily's showing SWAT officers before, during, or after this unfortunate incident and compare them with pictures of our servicemen fighting in Iraq. Hard to tell the difference.
What is not hard to see is that the same tactics used by the military are being used by our police and that is wrong. It is not working in Iraq and one can hardly say it is working in our neighborhoods.
It is time to stop the insanity, on both sides. The solution starts in the home with the inculcation of strong values and discipline. It similarly must start in the mindset taken by our law enforcement community in realizing that when you enter a community prepared to do battle, a battle is what you most likely will get.
It is unfortunate that another human being has lost their life but if the officer's had foregone the use of flashbang grenades, had not been carrying assault rifles which are much more difficult to secure when in close quarters with a suspect might the outcome have been different, unequivically yes. This was a tactical error by law enforcement as much as it was anything else. Preaching to single mothers while failing to hold law enforcement similarly accountable for their actions will do little or nothing to stem the tide of violence that plagues our neighborhoods.
It seems to me that the problem lies with "Confidential Informants" The neighbors house being raided was wrong information. There are many studies going on right now about the use of "CI'S". Bottom line, they lie! They have to. You see they "OWE" the cops 3 busts before they are free to go. The police have become so dependent on "CI'S" and the information they provide.
Doesnt the killing of this officer really come down to his checking out the "CI'S" info? Apparently they did not.The neighbors house was raided and destroyed based on incorrect info. Now this woamn and her family are moving because she has been "Raided". I dont blame her. Having a swat team(big burley men") destroy your home, find nothing and then they dont even say they are sorry truly shows the disrespect that these officers have for the public.The community should rally around her and help her feel safe and help her move.
The so called "Give me three, then your free" policy that SB police/sheriffs partake in has been outlawed due to the information given has proven time and agian to be wrong.
This is a sad situtation for all involved. The police, the man being charged, and the community.
Before police start raiding peoples home, they should have better info. I dont think they understand how "intrusive, terrorizing and humilating it is to be raided" and if they dont find anything...not even an apology. Who are they really Protecting and Serving?Why did they have to destroy her home?Why were they Tasering this man in his home? They gained entrance. Why use "excessive force" If the cops gun went off and killed his partner, why charge the man who they were raiding?To charge him is too easy.There are many at fault here. The Narc officer "Working the CI", the officer for not having his gun on a safety,and the suspect.