(12-20-07)
The Port Police Officer shot and killed yesterday at the Port's firing range was wearing his vest at the time. But that couldn't stop a bullet coming from a rifle...that, according to Port Police Chief Luther Kim.
Officer James Saavedra was shot and killed on Wednesday night as he and fellow officer, Eric Giannamore were sighting in a rifle. The Chief told us that it's a fairly simple process. That's why CCPD Detectives were back out at the firing range Thursday morning in the 4-thousand block of Rincon. They're trying to determine exactly how Saavedra ended up being shot. Chief Kim explained to us how to sight a rifle. But couldn't explain the death of his officer, "Both of them would normally be side by side, both of them typically one guy shoots the gun the other guy has a spotting scope to look at the bullet strike exactly how james got shot i don't know." The chief did tell us that all of his officers are issued ar-15 rifles as part of their equipment. But the two officers at the range weren't using an ar-15, but one of the rifles they'd brought from home. We asked the Chief about the officers being on duty at the sametime they were working on one of their own personal weapons. He says that officers have to be proficient at using any of the weapons they are issued or might have for personal use.

Michael Gibson 3 News