Chargers' Foley shot three times by off-duty cop

[Walter Cronkite]

Chargers linebacker Steve Foley was shot by an off-duty policeman in front of his suburban home early Sunday morning. Coach Marty Schottenheimer said the wounds were not life-threatening.

"All we're worried about is that he's OK," Schottenheimer told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Sheriff's officials said the early-morning shooting occurred after the off-duty Coronado police officer followed a suspected drunken driver weaving in and out of traffic at speeds up to 90 mph on a highway. Authorities said the driver nearly collided with several other vehicles.

The officer attempted to stop the vehicle at least three times, but Foley drove away, sheriff's officials said. During one of the stops, Lisa Maree Gaut, a passenger in the vehicle, yelled at the officer, authorities said.

The shooting occurred after Foley got out of the vehicle and began walking toward the officer, sheriff's officials said. Gaut got behind the wheel and drove next to Foley in the direction of the officer, the officials said.

The officer identified himself, authorities said, and warned Foley he was armed. He fired a warning shot, at which point Gaut steered the car at the officer, sheriff's officials said.

"The officer fired two rounds at the vehicle," sheriff's Lt. Dennis Brugos said. "The male then came at the officer and put his right hand by his waistband and the officer fired at him."

Paramedics were called to the suburban San Diego neighborhood at 3:47 a.m. and transferred a trauma victim to Sharp Memorial Hospital, according to a fire department dispatcher.

Hospital spokeswoman Kathy Gambito said she did not have any information on a patient named Steve Foley.

"My understanding is he was shot three times in front of his house by an off-duty officer and that he's in surgery," Foley's agent, David Levine, told The Associated Press.

Sheriff's officials wouldn't say how many times Foley was shot. Coronado police also declined to give any information about the off-duty officer.

Gaut was taken to a sheriff's station. It wasn't immediately known whether she would face any charges.

Team officials confirmed the shooting but declined to provide details.

"We'll try to provide more information as it becomes available," team spokesman Bill Johnston said in a statement. "Right now all of our thoughts are with Steve."

Foley, who played at Northeast Louisiana from 1994-97, has played eight seasons in the NFL, for Cincinnati, Houston and San Diego. He signed with the Chargers in March 2004. That year he set career highs with 10 sacks and five forced fumbles.

The shooting came eight days before the Chargers were scheduled to open the season at Oakland, and was the second time in four months that Foley has been involved in an incident with police.

Foley was arrested April 21 on charges of resisting arrest after police said he scuffled with officers. He also was booked on charges of battery on a police officer and public drunkenness.

The district attorney's office said recently it was not pursuing charges against Foley in that incident.

Source: AP

[Short Irish Guy]

Foley is stupid...

[The Real]

Foley is stupid...

Granted Foley is stupid for driving drunk, but he didn't know that was a real Cop. It was 3:30 AM. He probably thought somebody was trying to jack him. I would of done the samething.

[Short Irish Guy]

Granted Foley is stupid for driving drunk, but he didn't know that was a real Cop. It was 3:30 AM. He probably thought somebody was trying to jack him. I would of done the samething.

The officer attempted to stop the vehicle at least three times, but Foley drove away, sheriff's officials said. During one of the stops, Lisa Maree Gaut, a passenger in the vehicle, yelled at the officer, authorities said.

The shooting occurred after Foley got out of the vehicle and began walking toward the officer, sheriff's officials said. Gaut got behind the wheel and drove next to Foley in the direction of the officer, the officials said.

The officer identified himself, authorities said, and warned Foley he was armed. He fired a warning shot, at which point Gaut steered the car at the officer, sheriff's officials said.

-----------------------------------------

Fucking savages these days...no respect for the police.

[The Real]

The officer attempted to stop the vehicle at least three times, but Foley drove away, sheriff's officials said. During one of the stops, Lisa Maree Gaut, a passenger in the vehicle, yelled at the officer, authorities said.

The shooting occurred after Foley got out of the vehicle and began walking toward the officer, sheriff's officials said. Gaut got behind the wheel and drove next to Foley in the direction of the officer, the officials said.

The officer identified himself, authorities said, and warned Foley he was armed. He fired a warning shot, at which point Gaut steered the car at the officer, sheriff's officials said.

-----------------------------------------

Fucking savages these days...no respect for the police.

Like I said before the cop was not in uniform, he was not driving a cop car. How would anyone know he was a real Cop? Because he said he was? Man that's the oldest trick in the book. Foley thought he was getting jacked.

And why in the world did the pig shoot him 3 times? All he had to do is shoot him in the leg or tazer him.

[Short Irish Guy]

And why in the world did the pig shoot him 3 times? All he had to do is shoot him in the leg or tazer him.

...because, child, when a perp steers his vehicle at an officer then deadly force is justified. Reading comprehension is fun...

[Flying High]

The key phrase here is "off duty police officer". The off duty officer is solely resposible for this incident escalating to the point of a shooting. At what point did he call for an on duty police officer who would have been in a police cruiser, wearing a uniform, and would have been easily identified as a police officer rather than some one possibly impersonating one.

[Short Irish Guy]

The key phrase here is "off duty police officer". The off duty officer is solely resposible for this incident escalating to the point of a shooting. At what point did he call for an on duty police officer who would have been in a police cruiser, wearing a uniform, and would have been easily identified as a police officer rather than some one possibly impersonating one.

"The officer identified himself, authorities said, and warned Foley he was armed. He fired a warning shot, at which point Gaut steered the car at the officer, sheriff's officials said.

"The officer fired two rounds at the vehicle," sheriff's Lt. Dennis Brugos said. "The male then came at the officer and put his right hand by his waistband and the officer fired at him.""

Where's the personal responsibility on Foley considering he tried to run down a person who identified him as a police officer and gave Foley every opportunity to surrender?

[Kellie-Girl]

...because, child, when a perp steers his vehicle at an officer then deadly force is justified. Reading comprehension is fun...

Ya, I'm sure internal affairs will agree with that one.

This incident is very unfortunate and one that should not have happened. Without arguing who was at fault or not there are some questions I hope will be raised in the coming days like how does an off duty police officer take it upon himself to travel almost 30 miles out of his jurisdiction without calling for backup or the very least local police support? I am not taking away from the fact that the person he was attempting to bring to justice might be in violation of local mv statutes for not pulling over but was it worth pulling a gun and shooting a person? I think not. There is no justification for the shooting and when all of the facts come in I just hope justice won't be so blind as to overlook that the officer in question here went way beyond the call of duty to prove a point.

Did he run the plates and they came back scofflaw? Not likely. This officer needs a gun like Iran needs nuclear weapons. The real tragedy here is someone's life and career are on the line. To my understanding alcholism is an illness and people are treated for it. Ths would be the first I heard of shooting people for it. Again, what about backup and the local law enforcement. Why were they not called in?

There are protocols and procedures for doing things and if I were this person's supervisor I would not be patting him on the back and telling him what a good job he did regardless of what story he told about what took place at the scene. I would be interested in knowing why he drove so far without calling in backup and local jurisdictional support since he obviously thought something strange was going on.

Pulling a gun on someone and saying you're a police officer, does not neccessarily mean you are. I hope Foley sues his ass off.

[Short Irish Guy]

I hope Foley goes to jail for attempted murder of a police officer. He should be made an example of...

[Walter Cronkite]

Chargers place LB Foley on non-football injury list

The Chargers officially ended the season for starting outside linebacker Steve Foley by placing him on the non-football injury list Monday, a day after he was shot near his San Diego home by an off-duty police officer.

By going on the non-football injury list, Foley will not be able to collect his $1.65 million salary this season, which consists of a $775,000 base and an $875,000 roster bonus. Players placed on the non-football injury list usually don't collect their salary because the injury isn't related to the football field.

This was a particularly tough decision for Chargers general manager A.J. Smith, who signed Foley in 2004 in what was the start of building one of the NFL's top and most feared 3-4 defenses. Foley, who turns 31 next Monday, has 29 starts as a Charger and is considered one of the leaders on the team.

Smith issued a brief statement Monday afternoon saying, "Steve's health needs to be his number one priority. Football is secondary now. Steve needs to focus on his recovery."

The Chargers general manager has been gathering medical information for the past 24 hours to determine Foley's status for the season.

Though the injuries weren't considered life threatening, Smith had to determine Foley's ability to play this season. He decided Monday afternoon that the season was over for a Chargers linebacker who had 14 sacks over the past two seasons.

"It's a personal matter," Smith told ESPN.com. "This is a personal matter for Steve Foley, his family and his attorney. They are handling the matter. They are the first ones who deal with us."

It has been Smith's policy on non-football matters to let the agent and attorney handle the initial work and then offer the organization assistance.

"If it is an off-the-field matter this is how we deal with it," Smith said. "This has been consistent with us. If it is an on-the-field matter in a game or a practice, then we are the front-runners."

At 3:30 a.m. Sunday morning, Foley's vehicle was ordered to pull aside by an off-duty policeman who claimed Foley was weaving through traffic at speeds up to 90 miles per hour. After a brief pursuit, Foley stopped and got out of his car, approaching the officer.

According to the police reports, the officer pulled out a gun and ordered Foley to stop. Foley then got back in his car and drove toward his home. After getting out of the car again, Foley moved toward the officer. Warning shots were fired by the off-duty officer. Two shots were fired at Foley's vehicle when a female companion reportedly revved the engine and drove toward the officer. After Foley reached into his pants with his right hand, the officer fired at Foley.

For the Chargers, the loss of Foley for the year is a major setback, but the team will have to rely on a deep corps of linebackers to get through the season without him.

"Steve is an intregal part of our defense, and of course it hurts," Smith said. "But you don't moan and grown and complain about it. This is a tough world we live in and sometimes life delivers a blow and knocks you down. So what are you going to do about it. You get up and regroup and get after it again. And that's what we will do."

The Chargers will probably give Shaun Phillips the starting job on the other side of Shawne Merriman because of Foley's season-ending injury.

"To be honest right now," Smith said, "At this moment, all I care about is Steve Foley's well-being."

Source: ESPN.com

[Pyro]

I hope Foley goes to jail for attempted murder of a police officer. He should be made an example of...

You can't read can you?

The shooting occurred after Foley got out of the vehicle and began walking toward the officer, sheriff's officials said. Gaut got behind the wheel and drove next to Foley in the direction of the officer, the officials said.

How in the world could charge Foley for attempted murder? Gault was driving toward the punk ass cop, not Foley. I suggest you get hooked on phonics.