Wrongfully-raided victim: 'They said they'd blow my head off'
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SPANAWAY, Wash. -- Pierce County deputies thought they were storming a house full of drug dealers and gang members.
Instead, they terrified an elderly woman and her daughter, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. Now, the county faces a lawsuit.
The sheriff's office says the SWAT team made a mistake a year and a half ago when the team raided the home of 78-year-old Marlene Stivers.
Stivers says she jolted up in bed when someone smashed her window.
"In the morning -- bang! -- glass goes out. It's all over me, all over the floor," she said. "And (there was) a bright, bright light shining in my eyes."
Then she saw rifles pointed straight at her head.
"Yes, they said they'd blow my head off if I moved," she said.
Stivers' adult daughter, who is bedridden with multiple sclerosis, screamed from the other room: "What's happening?"
That's when the deputies realized they made a big mistake, according to Stivers, who has filed a lawsuit against the county claiming emotional distress.
"I'm terrified every night (thinking) they're going to come back and do it all over again," she said. Aside from a 20-year-old traffic ticket, Stivers says she's never been in trouble with the law.
It turns out the SWAT team meant to raid the home next door to Stivers' in search of guns and gang members.
In response, the Pierce County Sheriff's Department says deputies never went inside Stivers's home, and only one deputy went up to her window. The department apologized and said it would pay for the damage to her home.
"Well, they gave me $600-some, the SWAT team did," Stivers said.
And when it comes to raiding the wrong house, sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said, "The right house was targeted, but one deputy made a mistake himself and it was dark."
But that's of little consolation to Stivers.
"I've just been so upset," she said. "(I am dealing with) my high blood pressure, and I can't do what I used to do because I'm so worked up from everything. I'm so scared they're going to come back again."
Stivers would not specify the exact amount she is seeking in damages, but said it is near $50,000.
Instead, they terrified an elderly woman and her daughter, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. Now, the county faces a lawsuit.
The sheriff's office says the SWAT team made a mistake a year and a half ago when the team raided the home of 78-year-old Marlene Stivers.
Stivers says she jolted up in bed when someone smashed her window.
"In the morning -- bang! -- glass goes out. It's all over me, all over the floor," she said. "And (there was) a bright, bright light shining in my eyes."
Then she saw rifles pointed straight at her head.
"Yes, they said they'd blow my head off if I moved," she said.
Stivers' adult daughter, who is bedridden with multiple sclerosis, screamed from the other room: "What's happening?"
That's when the deputies realized they made a big mistake, according to Stivers, who has filed a lawsuit against the county claiming emotional distress.
"I'm terrified every night (thinking) they're going to come back and do it all over again," she said. Aside from a 20-year-old traffic ticket, Stivers says she's never been in trouble with the law.
It turns out the SWAT team meant to raid the home next door to Stivers' in search of guns and gang members.
In response, the Pierce County Sheriff's Department says deputies never went inside Stivers's home, and only one deputy went up to her window. The department apologized and said it would pay for the damage to her home.
"Well, they gave me $600-some, the SWAT team did," Stivers said.
And when it comes to raiding the wrong house, sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said, "The right house was targeted, but one deputy made a mistake himself and it was dark."
But that's of little consolation to Stivers.
"I've just been so upset," she said. "(I am dealing with) my high blood pressure, and I can't do what I used to do because I'm so worked up from everything. I'm so scared they're going to come back again."
Stivers would not specify the exact amount she is seeking in damages, but said it is near $50,000.
It's unfortunate you sleep with a pistol in your hand. Sounds sad.
Maybe you can keep yourself and your family safer by locking up your gun.
Remember, a gun owned by a homeowner is 43x more likely to be used to kill someone who lives in the home than anyone else.
@Aware
The Resistance didn't say he SLEPT with a "pistol in his hand", that's your own hyperbole.
Funny thing about statistics, they can be skewed to favor either side..
I've slept with a 357 under my extra pillow and another pistol, within easy reach,  wedged beside the box-spring, for almost 2 decades.. TA-DA I haven't accidentally shot anyone. In fact, I've only drawn it once when a window was shattered.. It wasn't an intruder and I quickly ascertained that fact & put the gun away.Â
I feel more safe knowing I have the TOOLS to defend myself & my family members in my home and so do they. My mother recently moved in with my son & I and she feels VERY safe knowing I can protect us all. Â I have a husband but he's gone for 30-60 days at a time so without the guns (and he bought them for me, bless his heart), Â I would be at the mercy of the rural Sheriff's response time. Where I'm at, that could be 30+ minutes, maybe longer.Â
I don't like that time frame at all- I'm not going to be a victim and neither will anyone in my house. I'm defending my own!Â
This is what happens when someone gets "Swatted". A very scarey situation. I'm afraid I would be a fatality if that were to happen at my house since I would come flying out of my bed at the sound of breaking glass with my pistol in my hand.Â
I realize that mistakes happen, but I also know that adrenalin can cloud your judgement. Swat team conversation; "Everybody ready to take down the mofo drug dealers? Lets kick some gangbanger butts." Small oversight failing to verify they had the right house.
Make the them pay. Maybe next time they will verify they are at the right address first.
Â
So, it was dark at night? That's the excuse?
If you keep making a big fuss out of this, they might come back lady. There is a lot of "swatting" going on where people call for swat teams on unsuspecting victims, so I doubt if most police agencies feel bound to compensate "collateral damage victims." Just be glad no one got hurt and hopefully they got all the drug dealers out of your neighborhood.
@The Voice of Reason I like how "the voice of reason" starts out with a threat and ends with telling the victim she should be happy for their incompetence.Â
This comment has been deleted
@feral So should stupidity but I don't see that happening anytime soon either..Â
Seems cheap for this stupid mistake.
It's clearly her own fault for living in a house zoned for drug dealers.Â
I'm sorry, but an old lady and her middle-aged daughter? LOL, that's a scene from a Hollywood comedy! Just picture it for a moment... Haha.
sue the hell out of them... this is b.s. and is becoming more and more common. mistake like this isnt a mistake it is outright stupidity. makes me think of these futureistic movies where people have no rights and police and gov. have complete control and can break down your door just for the hell of it.. movie?? hell this is not the future and not a movie this is everyday now this chit is happening..
Sometimes I think they intentionally hire guys with low IQ's for SWAT teams as often as these kind of mistakes happen across this country.
Yup... they want to take guns away from lawful people but keep morons like this armed...??? Yeah...
Yikes! My heart goes out to this poor woman and her daughter. Some things you just can't afford to be wrong in. Based upon the information provided in the article I would say the police department should simply pay the money and offer free counseling services to her and her daughter. Mistakes happen, but we always have to pay for those mistakes to make them right. I can't imagine how terrifying this must've been for them. Thankfully no one was shot and killed during the raid.
Ok guys how hard is it really to get the right house if your going to kick down doors and bust out windows. I respect our police but really the guy that botched this should be fired. You can't do that kind of thing without 100% assurance you have the correct house...
the portland police did the same thing to a guy in SE Port. They screwed the address up it was supposed to be NE and they busted in a door in the SE. the owner thought crooks were breaking in and grabbed a gun. Cops shot him in the head.
If they pulled that at my house I would probably end up getting shot as would my dogs. I believe those officers made a terrible mistake. Not just a little mistake. As a 72 year old "Lady" I know it would bring me up out of bed with a gun in my hand and my very large dog would be after the person breaking in. And if I lived through it I would sue the he** out of them.
If McDonalds puts onions in your sandwich when you ask them not too. People go ballistic so why is the police breaking into a home OK. This was a break in, since it was not the right house.
@Yamhill354 Yep I could end up dead two since my response would have been armed unless it was real clear it was the police. I really don't understand the need for these night time raids over just busting the guys when they come out of the house for a run to McDonalds...
what a crock  crap! let  us sue everyone. i can tell you that some ambulance chaser came to her. 50k for that?? poop happens!! like someone else said, its been a year and a half! be glad that they gave you  the money for the window. now shut your pie hole and get over it!
@prissypatty30 Ya come back and tell us that after it happens to you...
And what happens when they break into an old lady's home and she pulls a shotgun on these thugs? Well, that's where the following practice targets come into play, designed to desensitize Law Enforcement:
http://www.infowars.com/dhs-supplier-provides-shooting-targets-of-american-gun-owners
http://www.infowars.com/dhs-contractor-apologizes-for-selling-shooting-targets-of-children
Cha-ching goes the lawsuit ATM as she tries to file a lawsuit against the police. If all did was shine lights in, damage a window, and then back off, that's not $50K emotional distress. If that were the case, any person who was ever handcuffed, questioned, and then released would be suing for thousands of dollars in emotional distress.
@pdxd"In the morning -- bang! -- glass goes out. It's all over me, all over the floor," she said. "And (there was) a bright, bright light shining in my eyes."
Then she saw rifles pointed straight at her head.Â
"Yes, they said they'd blow my head off if I moved," she said.Â
After reading the article twice I must support Mrs. Stivers claim. Seems there is a bit of CYA going on here. $600 for the damage nothing for the emotional issues.
In the Portland area a claim like this would be worth $$$$$$$$$ plus life long medical care for both and major repairs to the home.
Step up Sheriff your SWAT made a mistake own up to it.Â
@FreerideNOTÂ I think she meant that the actually members threw in cash cause they felt bad. Not that the department did. Just a guess at reading it the way she implied. Like they passed around a hat and emptied their wallets.
Dominos came to my house last night with a large pepperoni, olive, & mushroom, with a 2 liter of Pepsi, then wanted money from me. They were supposed to go to my neighbor accross the street. Seems this 'wrong address' thing is not an isolated incedent.
@UselessOpinion you name says it all
@UselessOpinionÂ
Yeah but you would expect the police to be a little more careful about verifying they have the right house than the Pizza dude. LOL
@ HenryBowman- ROFL. AgreedÂ
@cwpholder In NY, that 2 liter of soda would get you arrested. Courtesy of the maniac mayor.
@UselessOpinion  Domino's? Now, THAT'S terrifying!
So, according to the police, the one guy was able to stand over the 78 year old and, at the same time, make it into her daughters bedroom and make her scream too?  Hum.  Very talented officer.  I hope she wins her lawsuit. Can't believe that was the answer they concocted as a reply to her story.  Doesn't even make sense.
Wait, that didn't sound right.  LOL.  Okay, never mind. . .
Ginny Burdick must be in her office jilling herself off at the idea of sending police into people's home and threatening to blow their heads off.
@Playanekes "jilling herself off" odd at first but then makes sense as goofy as it sounds !
@Playanekes Still having them ginny fantasies.??Â
@uknow2Â @Playanekes No, but I bet she is.
Hmmm...The sheriff's office says the SWAT team made a mistake a year and a half ago when the team raided the home of 78-year-old Marlene Stivers.
It took her THAT long to find a lawyer who'd take the case?
@disgustedman More likely is the county has been dragging their feet getting the case information to her attorney. Probably hoping she'd just give up and drop the case.
@disgustedman Probably more like some ambulance chasing attorney going through courthouse files looking for potential victims. Its a numbers game, the more frivolous lawsuits you file, the better your chances on hitting pay dirt now and again. Deep pocket syndrome.
Sounds like it, or at least someone that would work on a contingency without having her pay filing fee's, etc.
Law Enforcement and Justice System are Oxymorons in this Country! More like Revenue Seekers and Revenue Collectors. LE is no longer there to protect you, they are there to make the local Government Revenue. They catch a Bad Guy once in a while to justify thier existance and Budget but 95% of thier work is to collect money through the Courts.
"And when it comes to raiding the wrong house, sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said, "The right house was targeted, but one deputy made a mistake himself and it was dark."
NO - the wrong house was targeted. If it were the right house targeted, this wouldn't have happened. Blame it on the dark, but I think he just failed to do the proper due process on this job.Â
She should get a lot more than 50K. One would think that when a bunch of adrenaline junkies go into a house with loaded guns and safeties off they would take the time to get the right house.
Then when they went to the right house they found nothing.
Sounds like an epic fail on the part of police. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8jphxpi1ro
PAY THE LADY! And be dang glad that's all she's asking for.. 50,000 is NOT that much.. This lady isn't looking to win the lottery she is looking for punitive damages for their MISTAKE! The only way to make sure they don't keep repeating mistakes like this is to hit 'em in the wallet.Â
Pay up!Â
@cwpholder You pay for it, I don't want to. Thats way too much for this type of thing. They're capitalizing on it for financial gain.
@Tellitlikeitizz Â
I'd like to see you say that after it's YOUR house that gets mistakenly raided by the SWAT team in the middle of the night.Â
In response, the Pierce County Sheriff's Department says.. It's full of shiat and are a bunch of liars.Â
How does (1) one officer go to the wrong house? What is that officers name? Nice job trying to unload the whole fiasco on him. You people royally screwed up and all you can do is make excuses and try to justify your incompetence.
@axpmanI agree. Here's a less painful way (for the taxpayers) to face this:
1) Identify the officer(s) involved.
2) Terminate them.
3) Seize their pension(s) and turn the funds over to this woman and her daughter.@HenryBowman @axpman Ding, ding, ding.. We have a winner folks..Â
LOVE that idea!Â
@axpman So they ARE republicans...I knew it
@uknow2 @axpman Nope. The Republicans aren't the ones trying to create a special state agency allowing officials to do warrantless searches of your home. ie, Police State. That's HB3200, forwarded by Democrats.
At that point, all you have to do is find somebody's address, call from a pay phone and tell the state that some lady has fifty AR-15s in her home, and when they raid the place and there's nothing there, we will be reminded of who caused it.Â
I promise, it'll be the BEST ANARCHY EVER.
@Social Glimpse Even the Jews in Germany early on refused to believe Hitler was a bad guy.. well up until he started taking their guns, destroying their livelihood, and ultimately killing them in concentration camps.Â
The fact of the matter is this kind of stuff can, and is happening. Sometimes the hoax caller gets arrested, most times not. Living in denial doesn't it make it any less real.Â
@Social Glimpse @Playanekes @uknow2 @axpman Wow.
Wipe the foam of your chin, fool. I imagine you haven't read HB3200 yet and couldn't comprehend it if you did.Â
Not sure why you keep talking about swamp gas. I'm from Portland. That must be something you came up with while you were huffing paint.
@Playanekes @uknow2 @axpman See that swamp gas is leaking all over the place again, your speech to incite  acts has a pattern and besides your own volatile blood pressure, cowards always like to get someone else to light the fire, your libertarian views aside, your true motive is anarchy, and so you really are criminal, you should hide in the swamp.
@axpmanÂ
Nods vigorously! Yep.. EXACTLY!Â