Vest saves State Trooper

[QM3steve]

State trooper shot during traffic stop, saved by vest
Updated: 4/24/2007 7:26 PM
By: Web Staff
State police continue to look for the man who shot a trooper Tuesday afternoon. Fortunately, he was saved by his bullet proof vest and he was not injured.

State police say the Troop-C trooper was shot in the chest during a traffic stop. It happened around 2:45 p.m. in the village of Margaretville in Delaware County. It took place at the Sunoco Country Store located at 515 Main Street. State police say the suspect used a small handgun. They believe that the suspect was looking at a map and appeared to be lost.

The suspect is a 23 year-old while male, around 5 feet 11 inches tall, with brown hair, light blue eyes. He was last seen in a torn flannel shirt driving off in a 1997 Maroon Dodge Caravan. He was last seen heading north on Route 30. The van's license plate is DFL 8304.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the New York State Police at (607) 561-7400 or dial 911.

Thats about an hour drive from here. When I came home, there were about 15 Troopers stopping traffic at the end of my road. The road is a major crossover to an interstate.

[QM3steve]

Two other Troopers were shot today by the same gunman. One has since died.

[melody1181]

Heard about this on the news this morning.

Praying for that officers family and for the other officer to heal fast. Very sad.

[QM3steve]

At this hour, flames have engulfed the farmhouse suspected trooper killer Travis Trim has been cornered in. Police attempted to gas the home, and it some how caught fire. Stay with NEWSChannel 2 and WKTV.com for updates.

State Police have released the name of the trooper killed by Travis Trim on Wednesday. He's 29-year-old David Brinkerhoff. An eight-year veteran of the state police, Brinkerhoff has a wife and seven-month old daughter.

Police officials say Brinkerhoff and Trooper Richard Mattson were shot while searching a property near Margaretville for Trim. Mattson was taken to an Albany hospital. There's no word on his condition.

The 23-year-old Trim is suspected of shooting Trooper Matthew Gombosi on Tuesday. Luckily, Gombosi's bullet-proof vest saved his life.

He was treated at a local hospital and has since been released.

Meanwhile, dozens of law enforcement officers continue to surround a farmhouse outside Margaretville. Trim is believed to be inside.

[WateringHole]

Like Judge Roy Bean once said "give em a fair trail, then hang em"

[Arrow]

Prayers out for the family of the trooper that died. And prayers for the healing of the one that was injured. I pray every time I see a trooper making a traffic stop. Too many variables to take anything for granted.

[WateringHole]

Was watching Court TV channel a while back about police officers making stops for speeding and other traffic violations. One police officer said he never approach somebody he stopped from the drivers side. He said he always approach them from the passenger side of the front seat. That way he has a good view of the front seat and can tell if the driver might have something in his right hand because if he happens to have a gun, he got to have it in his right hand in order to shoot at him. Plus, by approaching the driver from the right side make the driver having to twist his body in order to shoot at him which the officer claim he can pick-up on before the driver has time to squeeze the trigger.

[QM3steve]

Police are now confirming the gun used by 23-year-old Travis Trim to kill Trooper David Brinkerhoff and injure Trooper Richard Mattson was found inside the farmhouse where Trim was hiding out. The high-powered rifle was used to shoot Brinkerhoff in the head and Mattson in the arm.

Other Developments

Major Kevin Molinari, of State Police Troop C, confirmed the identification of Trim at a press conference in Sidney. Trim's charred remains were removed overnight from the ruins of what was a summer home outside of rural Margaretville. Major Molinari says that an autopsy will be conducted on Trim Thursday afternoon at the Albany Medical Center.

Trooper David C. Brinkerhoff, 29, of Coxsackie, died after being shot at 8:45AM Wednesday. Trooper Richard Mattson was listed in serious but stable condition with an arm wound at Albany Medical Center Hospital.

State Police exchanged gunfire with the suspect between 11 a.m. and noon Wednesday, but do not know whether the fire or the gunshots killed the man. The body was found in a second-floor doorway, holding a rifle.

A robot with a camera was sent into the home Wednesday afternoon, but was unable to check one of the rooms because of the layout of the farmhouse, so police used a smoke bomb to try to remove Trim. No one came out, and half the home burned in a massive fire.

Trim is suspected of shooting Trooper Matthew Gombosi on Tuesday. Luckily, Gombosi's bullet-proof vest saved his life. He was treated at a local hospital and has since been released.

I worked about ten miles from that house today. The sense of relief that the locals have is incredible. I'll see if I can get some pics tomorrow.