County Commissioner Carjacked with Shotgun in his driveway

[DeanC]

http://www.startribune.com/106/story/1536202.html

Opat fends off attack by two carjackers

By Joy Powell and Courtney Blanchard, Star Tribune

Last update: November 07, 2007 – 11:37 PM
He wasn’t going to die face down in an alley, Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat told himself, so he reached out and grabbed the barrel of the robber’s sawed-off shotgun.

That’s how he broke free of two men who had beaten him to the ground outside his Robbinsdale home, said Carolyn Marinan, a Hennepin County spokeswoman.

By Wednesday evening Opat was home with his family, reflecting on the brush with violence that didn’t cause any serious injuries, but cost him his Jeep and his wallet.

Robbinsdale police recovered the Jeep but hadn’t arrested anyone as of Wednesday.

“He was probably just at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Robbinsdale Police Chief Wayne Shellum.

Opat was about to get into his Jeep outside his home in Robbinsdale at about 10 p.m. Tuesday night when he saw the two strangers approaching in the dark, Marinan said Wednesday night.

The commissioner nodded in friendly greeting, then turned to slip his Jeep key into the lock.

Within moments, he had been hit with the butt of a sawed-off shotgun, knocked down, kicked and punched. After he grabbed the gun and managed to break free of his assailants, Opat bolted from the alley, yelling for his neighbors’ help.

The robbers fled with his 1999 Jeep, as well as his wallet, cell phone and Blackberry.

Opat, who couldn’t be reached Wednesday evening, didn’t require medical treatment, but had an assortment of bumps and bruises, including on his forehead.

“He’s handled this pretty darn well,” said Marinan. “Getting out of there alive is a coup.”

Shellum said it’s probably been three years since Robbinsdale had any kind of street crime.

“We don’t have a lot of leads,’’ Shellum said, “but we do have some and we are looking at everything that we can.”

Police asked that anyone with information about the attack call 763-533-1220.

jpowell@startribune.com • 612-673-7750

cblanchard@startribune.com • 612-673-4921

© 2007 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.

"just at the wrong place at the wrong time"? At your own house? WTF Chief?

[Fiery Red XIII]

Wow, so I have to be somewhere else if the robbers plan to invade my property...I hope they call in advance, and are more prompt or accurate than the cable company.

That's rich!

Red

[GregM]

This can't be true. There's a law against sawed off shotguns.

But anyway: Well done, Commissioner!

[Aquaholic]

Saw this last night on the news- Isn't it interesting that they have no leads, but neither the TV (ch 5, I think) or the paper gave a description of the BG's? You'd think that might be helpful if they'd actually like some leads. Why do you think Opat may have wanted the descriptions left out?

Also, this article makes it sound like this happened this week, on Tuesday? On the TV, it sounded like it happened last week. I was wondering when I heard it why the delay in coverage?

Just a couple things that made me go hmmm.

[justaguy]

.

[Tutmos]

Why do I have a sneaky feeling that his description of what happened is a complete sham? Somebody didn't want to admit he was bitch slapped like a girl, had no way to defend himself since guns are BAAAHHHD and didn't want voters for his future aspirations seeing him as the impotent liberal he is. Instead they came up with a cute little PR twist that he valiantly fought them by grabbing the gun and going to get help, he wasn't just going to lay there they said. Hrmm somehow they managed to get his keys, wallet, cellphone and blackberry during his heroic resistance.

If I had to guess what happened two men in hoodies walked up and asked for the time, since he believes all people are good and honest, even in dark alleys he stops his shaking hand holding the jeep keys for a moment and gives them the time. They look around, pull out the 22 pistol and tell him to hand over all his goods. He starts to cry, tries to sooth them and counsel them that it's just a bad environment causing them to do this so they smack him around a bit till he shuts up. He then hands over all his stuff, they get in the jeep drive off and he screams to his neighbor.

He and the nodding dork in tan suit from that video someone just posted then created this cute little story about fighting back and being a real man. Amazing they couldn't inject something about guns being bad if he had had one.

[GregM]

It was a 26in. barrel they cut down to 18.5.

OK --- then maybe it really happened after all. Thanks.

[Aceq2jot]

I actually lived in that area and worked over there for several years as it is about 3 blocks from Terrace Mall and maybe 3/4 of a mile from Bills North. They are some really nice houses a couple of blocks from the hood, which has always amazed me as you go 3 blocks over and you have Penn Ave North and some real intersting people. I am sure it probably was just a crime of opportunity as they were looking for some people with money. They probably went over to Rainbow and got some groceries

[someone1980]

and maybe 3/4 of a mile from Bills North.

Bill's South?

[hammAR]

and maybe 3/4 of a mile from Bills North.

Bill's South?

He doesn't quite have his kilometers to miles conversion down yet........

[Aceq2jot]

and maybe 3/4 of a mile from Bills North.

Bill's South?

He doesn't quite have his kilometers to miles conversion down yet........

Well it is sad cause i always think of Robbinsdale as North So i always think of bills south as being bills north over in the North Hood As it is soo close to the hood and i always drive through the hood on my ways to Bills. The shortest way for me is straight down lowry

[cmj685]

"Why do I have a sneaky feeling that his description of what happened is a complete sham? Somebody didn't want to admit he was bitch slapped like a girl, had no way to defend himself since guns are BAAAHHHD and didn't want voters for his future aspirations seeing him as the impotent liberal he is. Instead they came up with a cute little PR twist that he valiantly fought them by grabbing the gun and going to get help, he wasn't just going to lay there they said. Hrmm somehow they managed to get his keys, wallet, cellphone and blackberry during his heroic resistance.

If I had to guess what happened two men in hoodies walked up and asked for the time, since he believes all people are good and honest, even in dark alleys he stops his shaking hand holding the jeep keys for a moment and gives them the time. They look around, pull out the 22 pistol and tell him to hand over all his goods. He starts to cry, tries to sooth them and counsel them that it's just a bad environment causing them to do this so they smack him around a bit till he shuts up. He then hands over all his stuff, they get in the jeep drive off and he screams to his neighbor."

My, my, my...a cynical lot, aren't we? Do we not understand that all people are inherently good and trustworthy...?

[nyffman]

Why do I have a sneaky feeling that his description of what happened is a complete sham? Somebody didn't want to admit he was bitch slapped like a girl, had no way to defend himself since guns are BAAAHHHD and didn't want voters for his future aspirations seeing him as the impotent liberal he is. Instead they came up with a cute little PR twist that he valiantly fought them by grabbing the gun and going to get help, he wasn't just going to lay there they said. Hrmm somehow they managed to get his keys, wallet, cellphone and blackberry during his heroic resistance.

If I had to guess what happened two men in hoodies walked up and asked for the time, since he believes all people are good and honest, even in dark alleys he stops his shaking hand holding the jeep keys for a moment and gives them the time. They look around, pull out the 22 pistol and tell him to hand over all his goods. He starts to cry, tries to sooth them and counsel them that it's just a bad environment causing them to do this so they smack him around a bit till he shuts up. He then hands over all his stuff, they get in the jeep drive off and he screams to his neighbor.

He and the nodding dork in tan suit from that video someone just posted then created this cute little story about fighting back and being a real man. Amazing they couldn't inject something about guns being bad if he had had one.

Not sure if he's part of the "guns are bad" crowd. I first heard of this on Soucheray. He made it sound like Opat has a permit. Anyone know wether he does or not? He didn't seem to be as aware of his surroundings as he should have been. I always carry if I'm going out of the house and I don't live very near to neighborhoods that are generally considered suspect.

[ttousi]

Thought about this incident last night (10-ish) when I went out to check that the vehicles were locked. Having sweats on with no belt makes the holster carry tough. P3AT in the sweat shirt pocket works very well.

Point is........... anytime.......... any place, take the time to be prepared and be aware!

[Seismic Sam]

http://www.startribune.com/106/story/1536202.html

Opat fends off attack by two carjackers

By Joy Powell and Courtney Blanchard, Star Tribune

Last update: November 07, 2007 – 11:37 PM
He wasn’t going to die face down in an alley, Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat told himself, so he reached out and grabbed the barrel of the robber’s sawed-off shotgun.

That’s how he broke free of two men who had beaten him to the ground outside his Robbinsdale home, said Carolyn Marinan, a Hennepin County spokeswoman.

By Wednesday evening Opat was home with his family, reflecting on the brush with violence that didn’t cause any serious injuries, but cost him his Jeep and his wallet.

Robbinsdale police recovered the Jeep but hadn’t arrested anyone as of Wednesday.

“He was probably just at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Robbinsdale Police Chief Wayne Shellum.

Opat was about to get into his Jeep outside his home in Robbinsdale at about 10 p.m. Tuesday night when he saw the two strangers approaching in the dark, Marinan said Wednesday night.

The commissioner nodded in friendly greeting, then turned to slip his Jeep key into the lock.

Within moments, he had been hit with the butt of a sawed-off shotgun, knocked down, kicked and punched. After he grabbed the gun and managed to break free of his assailants, Opat bolted from the alley, yelling for his neighbors’ help.

The robbers fled with his 1999 Jeep, as well as his wallet, cell phone and Blackberry.

Opat, who couldn’t be reached Wednesday evening, didn’t require medical treatment, but had an assortment of bumps and bruises, including on his forehead.

“He’s handled this pretty darn well,” said Marinan. “Getting out of there alive is a coup.”

Shellum said it’s probably been three years since Robbinsdale had any kind of street crime.
Yeah, Robbinsdale outsources all its cases of road rage to Coon Rapids

“We don’t have a lot of leads,’’ Shellum said, “but we do have some and we are looking at everything that we can.”
Just like the Martin Treptow case...

Police asked that anyone with information about the attack call 763-533-1220.

jpowell@startribune.com • 612-673-7750

cblanchard@startribune.com • 612-673-4921

© 2007 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.

"just at the wrong place at the wrong time"? At your own house? WTF Chief?