Turn your head. >> These are moments when routine police checks turn into disaster. Starting with the officer who walks straight into a deadly trap. >> Police department. [Music] On December 4th, 2023, a police officer from the Arlington Police Department was patrolling the streets when all of a sudden he heard what sounded like the discharge of a firearm. The officer quickly exited his vehicle and started walking towards the source of the sound. However, what the officer didn't realize was that he was walking into what could be the craziest wellness checks of his career. >> I'm scared. I don't want to so fast. >> I'm going to go try to get them to stop doing that. just had another flare go up here. >> As the officer got closer to the source, he found that the gunshots were coming from a house near an elementary school. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the officer called for backup. As the backup officers arrived, the officers spoke with the neighbors and accessed their patio and tried to establish contact with the suspect who was still firing flares despite the police commands to stop. >> Arlington County Police, stop shooting the flares. Mr. U, can you hear me? >> Mr. U. Despite several attempts by the officers to reach a suspect, the suspect remained barricaded in his home and refused to listen to the cops. A few hours later, when the officers were conducting an onseen investigation, the neighbors reported that the owner of the house was reclusive, but never gave off any weird vibes. That was until a few days prior to this incident when he covered his windows with black trash bags and strung toilet paper on trees outside the home. Upon hearing this, the officers got really concerned about the safety of the community and obtained a search warrant to recover any weapons inside the home. And after obtaining the warrant, an emergency response team was dispatched to try to use the public address system to talk to the suspect and get him to surrender to the police. >> James, Arlington police, come to the front door with your hands up. Do it now. We have your building surrounded. You're not leaving. Come to the door now with your hands up and surrender. [Music] The suspect was unresponsive. So, after this failed, an armored vehicle was used to ram into the front door to break it open. But even that didn't prevent the suspect from taking things to the extreme. >> James, this is the Arlington Police Department. We need you to move away from your front door. Move away from your front door. James, this is the Arlington Police Department. We need you to move away from your front door. >> James, stay away from your front door. Stay away from your front door. >> Stay away from the front door, D. >> When the front door of the home was breached, the suspect fired off several rounds. And by this point, the officers have been trying to establish some sort of contact with the suspect for several hours without any luck. But things were about to go from bad to worse because as the officers were thinking about their next course of action, the unimaginable happened. [Music] Luckily, no one was harmed in the explosion apart from the suspect himself, who was later identified as 56-year-old James U. The cause of death was determined to be a combination of thermal injury and blunt force trauma. The next day, the officers went back to the scene to search the remains and recovered gasoline cans, two shotguns, a handgun, and shotgun magazines. But this next welfare check quickly escalated when officers stumbled upon a horrifying secret this woman had desperately tried to keep hidden. There's a person in here. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Hey. >> On April 7th, 2017, officers from the Flaggler County Sheriff's Office visiting the property of 52-year-old Dorothy Singer claimed that her husband, Charles Singer, had been missing. But this wasn't the first time that deputies had paid a visit to Dorothy's property. In fact, by this point, deputies believe that Dorothy wasn't telling the truth. So, when they arrived in her property this time around, they made sure to come by with a search warrant. And what the officers managed to dig out of the property was enough to shake even the most experienced crime investigators. County Sheriff's a search warrant. Open the door. Franklin County Sheriff saw a search warrant. Open the door. Black County Sheriff saw the search warrant. Open the door. >> Dog. Show. >> Slowly open the door and get control of your dog. Okay. >> Sheriff's office. Okay. In the months leading up to this visit, Dorothy led the officers in a pointless pursuit by impersonating Charles on text messages and using his bank accounts. Charles Owen's sister received several text messages from Charles, but to her, it seemed like someone completely different was typing them out. She got increasingly concerned after a mutual friend told her that Charles and Dorothy had gotten into a bad fight and that no one had seen him since. So, deputies conducted a welfare check, but were unable to find Charles at the house. And when they asked Dorothy about him, she simply said she hadn't seen him for several days. This didn't sit right with the deputies, so they obtain a search warrant to find out what Dorothy was hiding. And when searching through the property, they find strategically placed branches in a tarp over a johnboat that seemed very suspicious. >> Yeah. Yeah. This Sorry. >> Yeah. >> Watch. >> Yeah, I think I think so. Lift right there. One of you guys. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> All right. >> We got We got Let me see. >> Yeah. >> Take a picture. Thank you. [Music] After finding Charles body, the officers put Dorothy under arrest for the murder of her husband. However, she claimed that she acted on self-defense. But after a short 5-day trial, the jury found her guilty of first-degree murder, and she was sentenced to life in prison. Uncovering a buried body is a nightmare for any officer, but at least all of the responding officers made it out alive. Something that can't be said for our next case. >> Where's he at? >> Hey, get back. Get back. You're getting a shot. On March 9th, 2024, a woman called 911 after her autistic 15-year-old son started assaulting the family. However, as the officers arrived at the scene, it took only mere moments for the situation to escalate beyond control. >> Where's he at? >> Hey, get back. Get back. You're getting shot. >> Hey, get back. Get back. Get back. Get back. Get back in the residence right now. >> Get back in the residence right now. >> We're going to give him help. We're going to give him help. >> We're going to give him help. Get back in the residence. >> Why would you do that? >> Why you shoot my baby? >> We're going to get him help. >> We're going to get him help. Oh my god. >> 1822 confirming me is coming to know our location. >> Hey, get back. Check him out, guys. Check him out. >> Okay, >> get back. >> All right, >> get back in sight. >> As the officer tried to enter the home, the teenager charged at him with a garden tool, and it appeared as if he was going to kill him. Judging the seriousness of the situation, one of the deputies fired several rounds towards the kid, dropping him immediately. The officers spent the next couple minutes trying to revive him. However, they would ultimately fail and the teenager lost his life. In a split second, these officers who feared for their lives shot a man down. But in the next case, suspect lit family on fire while trying to escape. On April 26th, 2024, an emergency phone call was made to the police regarding a man threatening his partner in New Albany, Australia. However, as the officers arrived at the scene, they realized that their simple wellness check would escalate to something far worse. Join me your hands. Fight. >> Where are the kids? Where are the kids? As the officer kicked the door down, the man inside lit the house on fire and attempted to escape. However, he was fortunately apprehended by the cops. After arresting the culprit, the officers went inside the house to rescue the children and their mother, who were all unharmed. While one family was saved from a raging fire, in this case, the real danger wasn't a fire. It was standing right beside them. They just didn't believe her until it was too late. >> If I shoot him in my residency, because he's sitting here putting his hands on me for the second time, then what? I'm held accountable. >> Make sure you read up on it and make sure you can articulate when it comes. >> I've done that. I did that before I got my license. Okay. All right. >> On November 27th, 2022, Dal County police received a call from 30-year-old Quanisha Johnson, who told dispatch she needed an escort home because she was afraid of her boyfriend, Deont Smith. She told the officers that she had been out celebrating a friend's birthday, her first night out since giving birth two months earlier. However, when she checked her phone that morning, she found threatening messages from Deont, who had been watching her three children overnight. However, as the officers arrived at the scene to squash what seemed like a normal domestic issue, they made a small mistake by leaving early, which proved to be a fatal decision. >> This is my house. My daughters are in here, though. >> He's in there, too? >> Yeah. I'm not sure you look. >> Hold on. >> At the door. >> Is he opening the door? >> I can show you at the door. >> Damonte, you mind coming out here talking to us to what's going on? We spoke to her, but we want to speak to you cuz we don't know what's going on. >> She got off. She got off the seat. >> Yeah. She disappeared for 3 hours. Like I got mad cuz I'm at home watching her kids and my kid. She She disappeared for 3 hours. >> She say anything? Did you say anything that call her? >> What would you do if you if your girl go to work and then disagree with me? >> I'm pleased to ask you to put my baby back. She get my baby too. She's a newborn drunk ass. >> Hold on. Let's let us talk now. >> All right. She's two months though. >> 30 still. >> I'm 30 and still ain't going to be long. >> How long you going to be straight? >> One day in one day. Change this to walk off. Think about what you doing. >> I'm sitting here watching your kids. You with a whole another bad ass [ __ ] >> You going to talk to us? Stop doing cuz we trying to figure out who we here now. We got cool I'm doing what I'm doing wrong. She She toxic ain't got nothing to do. >> I got you. When you saying you snap you snap >> I snap. I told her [ __ ] stop playing with me. I'm like a goofy. I'm in here watching your kids and my kid and you somewhere else with another. >> You got off at 6 calling. >> You didn't go no further than that. [ __ ] no. >> I never came here for she was scared cuz she know she wrong. I'm scared. She scared. She know she wrong. >> What she scared for? >> Cuz he hands on me two weeks ago. So yeah, I am hands on me too a couple times. >> No, I had blue eyes. >> [ __ ] You disappear all that line ass [ __ ] I'm going to get mad cuz I react. >> He don't live here. He don't pay no bills. Not going to leave. He don't have no mail. There's nothing here. That's his trash bag for the clothes that he got from the C County Jail. Can take that and he can go and he can put my daughter in the house. [ __ ] get collic cuz I'm going to have to deal with that. >> Not touching my door. Shut your [ __ ] mouth. Weird. Silver BM. >> I don't know where my baby out here is. The wind is blowing. She don't have a head on. Just >> give Just give her the baby. Give me my baby. >> What about your other baby? She been going all night. Don't care about your baby. >> You a care about either. That's why you got locked up cuz she was here. >> Hey, we not going to find my baby though. Like she's going to get college. >> Give us We going to bring him back this time. >> I'm going to get the birth. He's not on it. At this point, he's not the baby. and and if y'all want to do a DNA test, identify that. >> No, this thing. No, you ain't going that far. It >> is clear that the situation is slowly getting out of control with both of them provoking each other and raising their voices. However, the police's decision on how to deal with the situation later caused it to escalate to a deadly level. >> Hey, this [ __ ] weird, bro. I ain't dumb [ __ ] >> But look, >> I mean, this [ __ ] taking three of her kids, bro. Plus my newborn. We get off at 6:00 a.m. Why the [ __ ] you get home at 10:30 laughing and drunk? the [ __ ] ass Atlanta dog. I ain't got time for this [ __ ] bro. My mom said ain't been like that. I ain't touch her. >> Yeah, >> I got my daughter. [ __ ] I ain't did nothing wrong. >> I got >> You do live here though, right? >> Yeah, I got mail here and everything. >> How long you been staying here? >> The same amount of time that she had. We both moved here together. >> When? >> In uh December. >> Y'all been here since last year. December. >> Hey, she got mad cuz she she out creeping at night and she couldn't keep up with our lives and she was scared to come home. >> My dick. My dick. >> Tomorrow you done. I'm getting a shot. That's nice. We have no We don't have no residency here. I'm confused. What? >> Do you need anything else? >> He said I'm get my ass for tonight. So when I shoot him for self-defense, then what? >> Cuz I'm licensed. So if I shoot him in my residency, because he's sitting here putting his hands on me for the second time, then what? I'm held accountable. >> You hear this, right? You heard him what he just said. I'm going to get my ass beat tonight. So when I shoot him after I done called the cops and did everything I was supposed >> Just make sure you can articulate what's going on. I can. I'm showing yours. >> You better really be able to articulate that. >> I can. This is my household. He have no no residency, nothing. >> Make sure you read up on it and make sure you can articulate when it comes to >> I've done that. I did that before I got my license. >> Okay. >> That was exactly what Quanisha did. As soon as the police officers left, a gunshot went off, hitting Damonte in the chest. >> Bro, she before I die. >> The paramedics rushed Deonte to a hospital. However, they were too late as Deonti died in the ambulance. As for Quanisha, she was placed under arrest and was charged with malice murder and voluntary manslaughter. And after a lengthy trial, she was only found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 5 years in state prison, followed by 5 years of home confinement and 10 years of probation. Once that period was over, the police officers ignored all warning signs due to their negligence. But the negligence of the next officer almost cost him his life. Stop. >> On March 23rd, 2022, police officers responded to a terrible car accident. But when they arrived at the scene to investigate, they were shocked to see the driver was nowhere to be seen. [Music] >> I guess he ran off. >> Only car involved? >> Yeah. >> Single vehicle. All right. Um, where's the driver? Is he inside? >> Ran off. >> Oh, he he took off. Younger woman. A girl. They said it was a girl. >> Okay. Younger girl. >> All right. He said she went that way. >> Who was supposed to be walking? >> Okay. >> I didn't see anybody walking. >> I didn't see nobody walking either. Anybody see the girl take off? >> Yeah. >> All right. What was she wearing? >> So, so, so she climbed out of the car. She was really disoriented, you know. She's like, I need to find my phone. And then I was like, you need to sit down. She had a cut on her hand, but she was like, I got to find my purse. ran around that she she wouldn't be like restrained and she just ran that way. >> Okay. >> After talking to the witnesses, the officers worked out the description and possible whereabouts of the driver and started looking for her. >> How you doing, Sheriff's Office? How we doing? >> Hi. >> Did you guys see a girl come down here? >> We did. >> Awesome. Thank you. Yeah. Well, I got somebody in a car heading that way. >> Okay. >> So, if she doubles back then, uh, not yet, >> maybe. It's low tide. I think it'll be all right. >> After a few minutes of searching, the officer located the suspect, 21-year-old Lea Michelle, on the beach. Lita was disoriented, and it was clear that she was shaken up by the accident. So, the officer decided to approach her by keeping a friendly demeanor. >> 23. >> Hello. Hi. >> What's going on, man? Stop real quick. >> Possibly 10 sign free. What's going on? >> I don't know. >> You don't know? No. [Music] >> All right. You're just Were you just in a crash? ma'am. Come up here. Don't walk away. >> Wait. >> No. No walking. Come over here. Okay. >> Walk upstairs. All right. Let's get out this water area. >> I don't want to. I'm scared. >> You're scared? >> All right. Let's walk up here. Let's get off this water. Okay. >> Don't run. Slowly walk. As Leia talked to the officer, she kept her hands behind her back as if she was trying to hide something. The officer also broke protocol as he didn't ask Leah to keep her hands where he could see them. Unfortunately for the officer, this simple mistake nearly proved to be fatal. >> Give me traffic to stop. So, give me traffic. I'm bleeding. Show me dance. She's right here in the woods somewhere. Can we rescue? Uh, spring kill. >> Lego stabbed the officer on the neck with a black butterfly knife, striking a major artery and decided to make a run for it. Fortunately, the officer was able to make a radio signal to his colleagues who quickly rushed in and apprehended Lia. >> We have her. >> We don't have her. She's in the water coming back to >> You better come out here and stay on the [ __ ] on the ground. >> Get over here. >> Yeah, we're trying to get her to come back on the water. >> Get over here. >> Get over here. Walk to the sound of my voice. You better not have that knife or I [ __ ] shoot you right now. Keep going. Keep coming. I got her. Yeah. Get on the ground. Luckily, the officer that got stabbed survived the attack and Leo was placed under arrest and was charged with attempted murder with premeditation and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lee's attack was quick and shocking. But luckily, the officer that got stabbed had a fighting chance and eventually survived the attack. Unfortunately, not all cops are this lucky because in this case, the suspect didn't act fast and he wasn't armed with just a knife. instead a 30 mag rifle and a methodical plan for an ambush. >> Sheriff's office. >> In the early morning hours of New Year's Eve, deputies from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office from Colorado were dispatched to an apartment that belonged to 37year-old Matthew Reel after a phone call was made regarding a verbal altercation between him and his roommate. However, what was supposed to be a simple wellness check would turn out to be a deadly shootout. >> Hey, how are you? >> Good. What's going on tonight? Yeah. Well, my roommate freaked out on me and came at me. I even like put a laser in his face. >> Why don't you come out here with this guy right here? >> You mind if I come in and talk with you, sir? >> Is he on anything? Is he have any mental disabilities or not that I know? >> Did you guys get into physical aulttercation night? Okay. I'm just going to get your name in, sir, and then I'm going to get out of here. Okay. >> As Deputy Zach Parish was talking to Matthew's roommate, he grew increasingly impatient downstairs with another deputy and started arguing with him. So, Zach went down to deescalate the situation. >> We're here because we want to make sure you're okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I know. I'm fine. >> Are you okay? >> Yeah, I know. I'm I'm fine. >> What's your first name again? >> Matthew. >> Matthew. Zach. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. >> After conducting an on-site investigation, the detectives didn't really see anything out of the ordinary. So, they allowed Matthew to go back to his house without issue. However, just 2 hours later, Matthew called 911 again, asking for the deputies to return. Shortly after, a team of three deputies, including Zach, returned to check on Matthew. But this time, their visit would end much differently. Yes, we can talk out here. >> Are you okay? >> Yeah. What if I have the message or >> Well, why >> can you help me? >> Yeah, I can. >> Can you not get that message? >> Just >> Well, I don't think there's anyone else in there. [Music] >> Seeing this erratic behavior, the officers realized that Matthew was obviously not in the right state of mind. So, they decided they're going to take him to the station and place him on a mental health hold. However, in order to do so, the deputies first had to gain access to his apartment. What the deputies didn't know was that Matthew had barricaded himself inside his bedroom with a loaded rifle, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. >> Sheriff's office. Matthew unloaded a full 30 mag rifle in a couple of seconds, striking Deputy Zach several times. His colleague tried to rescue him, but got overwhelmed by the heavy firing, so he had no choice but to leave Zack, who succumbed to his wounds shortly after. Shooting out the window. Get me out of here. >> That's right. Over here. [Music] >> I'm hit. I'm hit. We're coming around. After barely escaping, the deputies called in for backup and a gunfight ensued which resulted in Matthew's death.