Man tried to kill police officer who arrested him on Drugs with traps and...a fucking WWII rocket la

[timothy80]

[quote]
MURRIETA, Calif. — A Southern California jury on Monday convicted a man of attempted murder in a string of bizarre attacks on police that included improvised booby traps and the firing of a World War II-era bazooka at a police station.

Nicholas John Smit, 41, of San Jacinto, was found guilty of four counts of attempted murder of a police officer, all of them for orchestrating attacks against the same Hemet police detective who had arrested him on a drug charge, Riverside County district attorney’s spokesman John Hall said.

In one instance, natural gas was rerouted into the office of a gang task force and rigged to explode. In the bazooka attack, a training rocket was fired from the roof of a nearby market and started a small fire.

“He’s almost like a movie-type villain, who’s just very, very flawed,” Deputy District Attorney Daniel DeLimon told The Associated Press after the verdict.

The bold attacks began in late 2009, putting police officers on edge and unsettling the desert community of Hemet, about 80 miles southeast of Los Angeles. At first, a motorcycle gang was blamed, but its members were cleared.

DeLimon called the attacks “anonymous and frightening.”

“It was a very difficult time for the Hemet Police Department,” he said.

The attacks stemmed from Smit’s anger at Detective Chuck Johnson, who had arrested him earlier in 2009, prosecutors said.

On Dec. 7, 2009, Johnson discovered a booby trap outside his Hemet home. It consisted of a board lined with nails connected to a trip wire that led to his unmarked police cruiser. The nails were barbed and smeared with fecal matter.

Over the next six months, members of the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley Gang Task Force — of which Johnson was a member — were targeted in eight more suspicious incidents, including arsons and attempted shootings.

“Mr. Smit was very angry about being arrested and made repeated efforts to target and eliminate Detective Johnson,” DeLimon told the jury during the trial.

Smit’s attorney, Bob Gazley, said his client was incapable of launching sophisticated attacks against the detective, calling the attacks and the community outrage a “perfect storm of coincidence” that left Smit wrongly accused.

Jurors deliberated for five days after a five-week trial in Murrieta. They convicted Smit of 11 felonies, including conspiracy and assembling a booby trap. He faces multiple life terms in prison at his sentencing, scheduled for Dec. 2.

The jury was deadlocked on a 12th charge — the attempted murder of a different detective, in which Smit was alleged to have placed a homemade gun on a police entry gate that fired but missed when the detective opened it.

When the jury told Judge Mark Mandio of the impasse, he made the rare move of allowing each side to argue its case again for 10 minutes each, and had the jury continue deliberations, but they still couldn’t reach a verdict.

Prosecutors would decide whether to retry Smit on the charge, Hall said. [/quote]

The question is, How the FUCK did he get that rocket launcher?

[Coldmute]

[QUOTE=timothy80;33278322]The question is, How the FUCK did he get that rocket launcher?[/QUOTE]Reenactment group most likely.

[Unclejimmema]

[QUOTE=timothy80;33278322]The question is, How the FUCK did he get that rocket launcher?[/QUOTE]

Its not that hard to get a launcher. The ammunition on the other hand is extremely controlled and expensive beyond any point in purchase it.

[Alec W]

Hahahah I live in Murrieta.

[Miya]

Insert TF2 Soldier joke here

but seriously what. i wanna know how he got a WWII RPG and Ammo.

[Alec W]

[quote]In one instance, natural gas was rerouted into the office of a gang task force and rigged to explode. In the bazooka attack, a training rocket was fired from the roof of a nearby market and started a small fire.
[/quote]

This dude fits the stereotype of criminal over here.

There are a lot of wealthy people here in Murrieta / Temecula that aren't right in their minds, so this doesn't surprise me.

[Zeke129]

[quote]On Dec. 7, 2009, Johnson discovered a booby trap outside his Hemet home. It consisted of a board lined with nails connected to a trip wire that led to his unmarked police cruiser. The nails were barbed and smeared with fecal matter.[/quote]

I think one of these got me in Skyrim one time

[Charlievrw]

[QUOTE=Zeke129;33279114]I think one of these got me in Skyrim one time[/QUOTE]
You could say that about anything.

[RearAdmiral]

You all keep asking about the rocket launcher, but the bit that stuck in my mind was

[quote]a board lined with nails connected to a trip wire that led to his unmarked police cruiser. The nails were barbed and smeared with fecal matter.[/quote]

Edit: Har, didn't read thread. Zeke129 quoted this like two posts above me. :v:

Still messed up though.

[Swilly]

[QUOTE=Wii60;33279050]Insert TF2 Soldier joke here

but seriously what. i wanna know how he got a [B]WWII RPG[/B] and Ammo.[/QUOTE]
The correct word is Bazooka or Panzershreck/Faust.

[RearAdmiral]

-Oh Holy Goodness My Automerge-

I got ninja'd by someone correcting us on what to call the big explodey rocket tubes.

[Coolkiddo]

How the hell does he get the blueprints and materials for this shit.

[Provost]

[QUOTE=lolo;33279998]How the hell does he get the blueprints and materials for this shit.[/QUOTE]

The Pink Elephants running around inside his head.

[doonbugie2]

[QUOTE=Swilly;33279925]The correct word is Bazooka or Panzershreck/Faust.[/QUOTE]
What about other American/Soviet/Italian/British/German+occupied states developments.

[RearAdmiral]

I don't think what KIND of WWII Explodey Rocket Tube it was matters, I think what matters is it fired fucking explosive rockets at people.

I wouldn't stop to check what kind of anti armor weapon someone's shooting at me, I'd be more concerned someone wanted me dead so badly they were using a weapon that's generally used to blow up tanks.

But then again, any news story involving any kind of ordinance always ends with the 'gun experts' of Facepunch arguing about what kind of weaponry was used.

[Provost]

[QUOTE=doonbugie2;33280247]What about other American/Soviet/Italian/British/German+occupied states developments.[/QUOTE]

Most countries besides America, Britain, and Germany used their own [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PTRS-41]Anti-Tank[/url] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wz._35_anti-tank_rifle]rifles[/url] or launchers acquired through [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lend-Lease]Lend-Lease[/url].

[Taggart]

[QUOTE=Swilly;33279925]The correct word is Bazooka or Panzershreck/Faust.[/QUOTE]

Sorry I'm gonna have to stop you right there.

Panzerschreck. Also, the russians used the RPG-1.

[Mr. Someguy]

[QUOTE=Taggart;33281049]Sorry I'm gonna have to stop you right there.

Panzerschreck. Also, the russians used the RPG-1.[/QUOTE]

The RPG-1 was just what the Russians called captured Panzerfausts. They didn't make their own (designated RPG-2) until 1949.

[Amilo]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/UrItO.jpg[/img]

[mac338]

It's like a 'Home Alone' style villain.
Hilarious.

[Swilly]

[QUOTE=doonbugie2;33280247]What about other American/Soviet/Italian/British/German+occupied states developments.[/QUOTE]

The only thing that is actually regarded as a RPG is the Russian RPG.

Everything else has a name. AT-9, and so on.

[editline]17th November 2011[/editline]

[QUOTE=Taggart;33281049]Sorry I'm gonna have to stop you right there.

Panzerschreck. Also, the russians used the RPG-1.[/QUOTE]

By 1943 the Germans prefered the Panzerfaust because it did more damage and it was easier to carry.
They created the first single shot rocket launcher, although in this case it would be appropriate to call it an rocket propelled grenade.

Just a Note:The reason for Rocket Launcher and RPG is because of how the shell/rocket is loaded. IF its loaded in the front so you can clearly see the warhead, its called an RPG. If you have to stuff the round inside a tube its called a rocket launcher.

[polarbear]

[QUOTE=timothy80;33278322]The question is, How the FUCK did he get that rocket launcher?[/QUOTE]

You ever see the movie "falling down" ?

[Landre899]

lol

[GarrettFox]

[QUOTE=UncleJimmema;33279012]Its not that hard to get a launcher. The ammunition on the other hand is extremely controlled and expensive beyond any point in purchase it.[/QUOTE]

It might actually depend on the rocket. Training rockets (which is what he used) for the M1 might not explode. The lack of explosives basically means you are firing a large model rocket at that point. Which would potentially sidestep the restrictions.

[Ridge]

[QUOTE=polarbear.;33320570]You ever see the movie "falling down" ?[/QUOTE]

[video=youtube;N8b3963VRW4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8b3963VRW4[/video]

[Der Ubermensch]

[QUOTE=timothy80;33278322]The question is, How the FUCK did he get that rocket launcher?[/QUOTE]

[quote][img]http://images.wikia.com/athfwiki/images/f/f2/Drweird280.jpg[/img][b]
HE WAS ONE OF MY MINIONS, AND HE HAS FAILED ME![/b][/quote]

[joost1120]

[QUOTE=Swilly;33320500]The only thing that is actually regarded as a RPG is the Russian RPG.

Everything else has a name. AT-9, and so on.

[editline]17th November 2011[/editline]

By 1943 the Germans prefered the Panzerfaust because it did more damage and it was easier to carry.
They created the first single shot rocket launcher, although in this case it would be appropriate to call it an rocket propelled grenade.

Just a Note:The reason for Rocket Launcher and RPG is because of how the shell/rocket is loaded. IF its loaded in the front so you can clearly see the warhead, its called an RPG. If you have to stuff the round inside a tube its called a rocket launcher.[/QUOTE]
Pretty sure it has nothing to do with that.
RPGs are just an Anti-tank weapon series by the Russians. The so called RPG is actually just an RPG-7, as there's also grenades called RPG-##.
Both of your examples are rocket launchers, as they both fire rockets.

[cpt.armadillo]

[QUOTE=joost1120;33326916]Pretty sure it has nothing to do with that.
RPGs are just an Anti-tank weapon series by the Russians. The so called RPG is actually just an RPG-7, as there's also grenades called RPG-##.
Both of your examples are rocket launchers, as they both fire rockets.[/QUOTE]What about the RPG-29 ect. Are they still RPG's, or is it just the seven? Methinks you're wrong

[Mr. Someguy]

[QUOTE=joost1120;33326916]Pretty sure it has nothing to do with that.
RPGs are just an Anti-tank weapon series by the Russians. The so called RPG is actually just an RPG-7, as there's also grenades called RPG-##.
Both of your examples are rocket launchers, as they both fire rockets.[/QUOTE]

[quote=wikipedia]In the context of "rocket-propelled grenades", RPG is a transliteration of the Russian РПГ or ручной противотанковый гранатомёт (transliterated as "ruchnoy protivotankovy granatomyot"), which translates to the English phrase "hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher". Thus rocket-propelled grenade is a backronym rather than a translation.[/quote]