Andrew Ward: Iraq War Veteran Opens Fire On Police In Lynn, Indiana

LYNN, Ind. — An ex-Marine who served in Iraq has been charged with three counts of attempted murder of a police officer after firing on police.

Authorities say 26-year-old Andrew Ward of rural Lynn fired four shotgun blasts at three officers Friday night at a rural farm house. No officers were hurt.

After that weapon and another malfunctioned, officers used a stun gun to subdue Ward. He was being held without bond Sunday. He also faces preliminary charges of criminal recklessness, battery and intimidation.

Relatives say Ward was discharged from the Marines last month and is seeking disability veterans benefits for anxiety and post-traumatic-stress disorder. An older brother who also served in Iraq killed himself in 2003.

Lynn is about 65 miles east of Indianapolis.

Comments

[keritail]

The article leaves out some information:

http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20091011/NEWS01/910110343

I'm from Lynn, his family is friends with my family. I understand that many with PTSD self-medicate with alcohol but not everyone with PTSD break into their sister's house, assult a teenager and threaten to kill them. Try to look at this without a political lens to color your perception and just see it as the sad story it is.

[stagebandman]

Just like the anti-choice deal, neocons care only about people when it suits them. Once they've outlived their usefulness, either by being born or by completing their tour of duty, the repubs want nothing to do with them. I've been reading and responding to the current story about Dylan Klebold's mother (the Columbine incident), and there is just such a large amount of mental illness that goes undiagnosed. I'm hoping that the health care bill will provide some much needed mental health care, as well.

[CRUMBOWSKI]

YES! Awesome!

Finally..someone goes after those that DESERVE IT..hey..you witness enough Police Brutality..and VIOLENCE is not really an ISSUE for you...what do you THINK is going to happen?

Here's GORE VIDAL..discoursing on the VERY REAL POSSIBILITY..of a POLICE STATE Emerging out of all this FEAR..

http://www.prisonplanet.com/gore-vidal-%e2%80%98we%e2%80%99ll-have-a-dictatorship-soon-in-the-us%e2%80%99.html

Send in the BOYSCOUTS..did you KNOW..BOYS­COUTS..are being "TRAINED" to "fight terrorists"..which are 'Defined" as VETERANS..and IMMIGRANTS!

http://www.prisonplanet.com/homeland-security-trains-scouts-to-fight-terrorism.html

The "Police" have become a PARAMILITARY DEATH SQUAD...With ZERO INTEGRITY....ZERO "HONOR"..and literally...ZERO "Regard" for the "Constitut­ions"..bot­h State..AND Federal..that they 'SWORE" to uphold...this is the root of their UTTER LACK OF "HONOR"!

If one is capable of PUTTING ASIDE a "SOLEMN OATH" as it suits them..well..then they are WITHOUT "HONOR"..

Witness the DAYLIGHT ABDUCTION of a "G-20" Protestor..NO charges..NO badges..just CAMMO WEARING THUGS PUSHING THIS KID INTO An UNMARKED CAR! Witness..Police WITH the MILITARY..using "SOUND CANNONS" at a POLITICAL PROTEST!?! Uhhh..1ST AMENDMENT?..ANYONE? REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES­?..FREEDOM OF SPEECH?

http://www.prisonplanet.com/no-hoax-g20-officials-admit-protester-kidnapping.html

Go ahead..RAT­IONALIZE..­.APPEASE! Anything to avoid ADMITTING to yourself..that its become..THIS BAD...because if you ADMIT it..then you might have to "DO SOMETHING"..and we can't have that?

[Carl Caroli]

A dirty litte secret that the neo-cons and war mongers don't want to tell you is that VA hospitals have never been good at treating mental disorders acquired in combat. Look at the Viet Nam vets - so many live on the streets or have dropped out of society. The macho, testosterone ladled armed services for the most part consider mental issues a personal failure on the part of the soldier.

[Carl Caroli]

War. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.

[stagebandman]

HOO!

[RomeoMD25]

Iran has zero ability to produce a nuclear ICBM capable of traversing the Atlantic ocean. They are no threat to us, period. They have no incentive to attack us, and it would be suicidal for them to go to war with Israel.

Iran is a poverty-stricken third world country run by power hungry megalomaniacs. Why bother? Let's use our own oil. I really could care less about what happens in the Middle East. The dollar is about to collapse. Our leaders are fools.

[urfree2speak]

It has been reported that a vet having returned from Iraq...filed for and recieved a "v.a. pension" or was in the process of filing claim...attacked civilian persons and police ..although it was without a weapon...applied for and was returned to "duty" in said Iraq. Texaka Texas/Arkansas.

[SiberianRat]

This is but one example of the multitudes of damaged young people we have because of the neocons and their lies.

[ericmiami]

As a Vietnam combat vet, I concur.

[HopeGrenade]

He was SEEKING VA care. Chances are this guy was having a hard time getting it. Lucky no one got killed. You put a person through the kind of horror one sees in the marines and then cut them off from the help they need. It's a perfect recipe for creating a murderer.

[urfree2speak]

Hmm...first you "attack" then u spew ...some statement about this vet...the problem is the WHOLE system.

[urfree2speak]

Conclusion: V.A. hospitals ...and workers are struggling without proper funding to stem the "tide " of vets affected mentally. V.a. hospitals are being "over ran" with current patients and returning vets.
v.a. is changing ...slowly...very slowly..but the v.a nor the nation has made sufficient progress in the area of mental health....laws and rights of persons affected by these diseases and disorders!
Most people "make fun" of person suspected of mental disorders! in the year of our lord 2009 persons and veterans are treated like second class citizens in this country. There is no serious "push" to protect and advocate on behalf of persons affected by mental health problems....oh, yes we have buses that let down to assist the physically disabled. we have special phone services for the "hearing impaired and the blind" you cant park in the front of stores..."­handicappe­d only" but MENTAL HEALTH? you hear "are you off your meds? used as an insult...or shes crazy! every time I hear an advocate say we are all "law abiding citizens...YEAH until you "go berserk" and shoot somebody! so the returning vets are in for a .rough ride...indeed and they must be prepared for all of the insults they will hear...they must be prepared to hold their heads up high and "ignore " the cruel insults made by their fellow "sane" citizens ...they will see and hear these insults everywhere..even on this site....need I say more.

[missmanners]

This man is suffering.

If you can't see that, you should be ashamed.

Where are all folks that were driving around with "Support the Troops" on their bumpers?

[urfree2speak]

When these vets get home with all of the side effects...from over extended tours....and are ran thru the ...V.A. system and all of those important bureaucrats in that system..they (vets) would be better off staying in "country" V.A. hospitals and the "new" programs for returning vets...(some headed by individuals that have never seen combat or military service) Most of the problem these brave stressed out vets are going to face...is perception! The minute his or her community/v.a hospital /police etc..gets wind that the vet has "mental problems" their goos is cooked.
Currently a lot of vets are segregated in v.a. facilities­...(baseme­nts etc) these brave vets are "hidden" from public view and are pumped full of "antipsychotics" by cold ...methodical ...people(mental health) most whom have unseen tentacles that reach to big pharma..ie stocks...research (ongoing) it stinks to high heaven!
the hospital administra­tors,staff­..and sadly ..their elected representa­tives...cr­ack cruel jokes...hospital (Va. security ) intent on "being cops" are now attacking vets in hallways and hauling some off to jail.
Sadly ..there is no safe place for some of these returning vets.

[HopeGrenade]

You probably shouldn't attack the VA unless you know what you're talking about. Should it be mandatory that a doctor seeing a vet should have seen military service? The mere proposing of such a requirement is not only ludicrous but reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the medical profession.

The problem with the VA is it is underfunded and staffed with the cheapest labor available, mostly medical students who just want to get to their higher-paying private practices. If the VA had even a fraction of the budget of the DoD, we'd see some real care.

But don't blindly flail at everyone. It just makes you sound ridiculous.

[urfree2speak]

Who are you to lecture me? I did not "attack" anyone.....you are "attacking" I have research to substain..the facts that v.a has failed to adequately treat vets with certain disorders ...v.a. stays in the news...some v.a "doctors" do research for pharma on v.a. property..­.returning vets will have a hard time..in that system...as for you..perhaps you spoke to soon...to.­..fast,,,,­,and it made you look "silly"

[Kaviraj]

You forgot to mention the "vaccines" they are pumped full of and which are 99% "experimental". Big Pharma has been granted immunity in case something happens. That "something" is exemplified in their PTSD, which is not only from combat, but for a great deal from these "experimental vaccines". Often the VA is blamed, while in reality Big Pharma is using soldiers as human guinea pigs. It is about time that is exposed for what it is.

[FloresdelaHoz]

I give credit to the courages Police for not using deadly force.

[urfree2speak]

Its only going to get worse...my bet is they will get the same treatment as the Vietnam Vets got....loooong prison terms......lots of Thorazine,,,,or some big pharma research farm (V.A. Hospital Mental Health)

[Tony Childress]

say what you will. But there is no excuse for what this man did.If we give him a pass then this I'm an Iraqi war vetdefense will sweep the nation. As the old saying goes...... To each man according to his deeds. The country was warned about these types of things rememner when the republicans were bashing homeland security for warning of this type of activity from our returning vets. To me personally I just see this as another reason not to trust the government, when people like newt gingrich and micheal steele tslk about not trusting the government I guess this is what they mean.

[Kaviraj]

You have obviously no idea what you are talking about, so we shall forgive your insensitive remarks.
If you had the faintest clue what these soldiers are going through BEFORE even seeing combat - experimental vaccines full of cr@p being the first - you would not be talking like that. Then comes combat and the horror of seeing your best mates killed, maimed and torn apart comrades and civilian victims. I wonder what you would turn into after such experience and you should contemplate it yourself, before making ignorant comments.

[TFlint]

None of that stands as an excuse for shooting at police.