BROOKLYN, OH (WOIO) -
Brooklyn Police are taking
some heat for a deadly shooting rampage at a Cracker Barrel restaurant earlier
this month. Some city leaders and veteran officers are questioning police
response.
On April 12th,
Kevin Allen, his wife Katherina and their two 10-year-old daughters Kayla and
Kerri visited the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Brook Park to celebrate Kerri's
10th birthday. During the dinner, Katherina told Kevin that their
marriage was over and that she was leaving him for good.
Kevin left the restaurant
and got his gun out of his vehicle. He re-entered the restaurant and hunted down
his wife and kids, shooting all three.
Katherina and Kerri died
from injuries, Kayla remains in critical condition at MetroHealth Medical
Center.
The raging debate about
police response took place during a city council meeting. The debate centers
around how police were on scene before the shooting occurred but didn't go
inside and try to stop the bloodshed before it happened.
Kevin Allen was gunned down
while exiting the restaurant, more than three minutes after the deadly shots
were fired. City leaders praised how quickly police "took out" Kevin Allen. "I'd
also like to express my appreciation to our safety forces for their quick
response. This incident could have been much worse if the perpetrator had not
been stopped" said Brooklyn Council member Kathy Pucci.
Some veteran cops say
lives may have been saved had the police gone right in, but the Brooklyn Police
Chief says his officers don't have a "cowboy mentality." According to police,
the first officer on scene had to wait for back-up and rushing him in could
have led to even more bloodshed.
