Airport executive gets into firefight with federal agents

It’s as if US law enforcement, when faced with a door which has someone on the other side they would like to talk to, can only smash it down violently and go in all guns blazing.

I believe they have heard of doorbells, but they are strongly of the opinion that these exist only to provide incriminating video footage on demand.

12 Likes

I’m going to guess fraud. Possibly to do with federal funds, contracting.

5 Likes

That’s pretty much SOP for any police operation anymore, it would seem.

11 Likes

“Members of the jury, my client is extremely wealthy, and therefore has no incentive to do anything wrong. He has so much to lose! And that’s why you should find Mr. Capone not guilty…”

Or are led into doing stupid shit by being part of a culture of impunity bred by all that money insulating them from consequences and giving them power to abuse - never mind any abuses they enacted to get the money in the first place. (I have to say, when it comes to really rich people, I just assume a greater level of criminality…)

9 Likes

He’s died.

4 Likes

I’m content with waiting for the full account from the proper authorities… but I’ll stick my neck out here and opine that somebody fucked up.

7 Likes

“He opened fire on the officers as they attempted to serve a search warrant…”

Really, what else could they do?
/s

4 Likes

Fair enough, I mis-read the article.

2 Likes

Don’t sell the guy short. BATF also does explosives.

https://www.atf.gov/

3 Likes

You were right about the weapons sales. But there’s no information about possible any airport locations involved yet.

12 Likes

So why did they decide a search warrant at 6am was a better choice than arresting him at work, and then doing the search leisurely at 10am?

Because they wanted the shoot out. Makes it seem like they do something instead of just taking credit for the work of other agencies.

3 Likes

I found and read the partially redacted search warrant.

It looks like he was selling firearms privately (legal) as a business (illegal without an FFL).

The fact he worked at the airport doesn’t seem to have anything to do with it.

He was buying stuff primarily online (legally, through NICS checks at a local FFL) and then reselling them in private sales, some at gun shows, some at meet up spots. With one specific person mentioned, he texted multiple times to find and sell him specific firearms, which is more evidence of running a business.

I haven’t seen definitive answers on the events leading up to the shooting to tell if it was justified or not. Did the guy start shooting as they were walking up to the door,? Justified. Did they break the door down vs knocking and surprised when someone started shooting? Another example of cops needlessly escalating a situation.

They had this guy under surveillance for a long time. They could have arrested or detained him going to work, leaving work, etc. with out a massive police presence and then serve the search warrant. :confused:

5 Likes

Because this is how the cops do things. This guy got the same treatment BIPOC get all the time. Except it was 6am instead of 4am and didn’t involve a full SWAT battalion.
The agents shouldn’t have done the warrant this way. But this is what cops do routinely to browner people for lesser offenses or, often, when they haven’t done anything. There was just some rumor a person with a warrant was seen at the home

(This isn’t directed at @Chipsa. Asking why the agents chose to execute the warrant in a way that almost guarantees a shoot out is a valid question.) The outrage I’ve seen online and from the family is kind of infuriating. If it was unjust or shouldn’t have been done to this white guy, it shouldn’t be done to other people either. No matter their skin color

7 Likes

Cops play a game of Simon Says. But lethally, and two or more people as Simon. This is deliberate: they have testified that shouting commands from multiple people helps to “keep suspects confused”.

Cops demand people follow commands to get out your license, and then shoot you when you get your license out of where most people leave it (their pocket).

Cops will demand you shuffle forward on your knees, then shoot you for trying to keep your pants up.

Cops will enter your house, then wake you in order to get you to startle, in order to shoot you.

Cops will conduct raids on the wrong house ( not just ones that they have a bad warrant for, but ones that don’t match the warrant at all).

Cops will shoot your dog. Cops will shoot at your dog, miss, and hit your kid. Cops will shoot at your dog that’s trapped in a bathroom, that they know is in the bathroom. Cops will shoot your dog that’s in a kennel.

1 Like

The search warrant was approved for Bryan Malinowski’s property and vehicle to look for evidence of him breaking federal firearm laws by selling firearms while unlicensed to do so.

The affidavit describes Malinowski purchasing over 150 guns between May 2021 and Feb. 2024, many of them online.

6 of those firearms were found to be involved in crimes, and 3 were bought by undercover ATF agents.

Undercover agents bought firearms from Malinowski who was acting as an unlicensed vendor at a gun show. He did not ask the agents for ID or paperwork, and told them he sells at gun shows in Benton, Conway, and a music hall in Memphis.

7 Likes

This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.