On Dec. 2nd, a Sunday, Robert "Woody" Woodward, 37, from Bellows Falls VT, who worked with foster kids for a living, entered the Unitarian Universalist Church in West Brattleboro VT and "begged for asylum" in front of 60-70 parishioners. He said he was being pursued by authorities that would kill him. Standing at the front of the church, he held a 4-inch jack knife to his eye and handed out blank yellow checks with messages written on the back. He repeatedly urged everyone to stay and protect him and that he wasn't going to hurt anyone. Children and many parishioners left the church until about 20 people were left. Someone apparently called the police.
Three veteran Police officers entered the church and almost immediately started shooting. Seven shots were fired directly at Woody, first one, then six more after a pause of one to two minutes according to one witness. He was promptly handcuffed and denied medical attention for over twenty minutes while an ambulance was called, despite a doctor being present in the congregation offering to help. Woody died several hours later of bullet wounds to the stomach after being airlifted to an area hospital.
Eyewitnesses expressed horror and trauma at the shooting. Several said the officers, who were fully equipped with pepper spray, nightsticks, and other non-lethal weapons, (including training in hostage negotiation) opened fire without asking questions first.
"He came in and begged for asylum and was shaking with fear..The police didn't talk at all, just started shooting. He told us that if the police got hold of him they would kill him and that's what happened," said one eyewitness. " He was ranting and raving about being an environmental activist and the CIA and FBI or someone was threatening him with torture." said another eyewitness.
Authorities have said that Woodward had no known psychiatric history or police record. According to one friend, this thing was so unlike Woody. "He never acted violent or distressed or unstable in any of my experiences with him." the friend said. A psychologist present during the situation had negotiated with Woody and gotten him to calm down and sit. When police arrived he became agitated again. One witness said she heard Woody ordered to drop the knife. " I saw he wasn't dropping the knife and I willed him to drop the knife, but he didn't, he didn't. I was startled when I heard the police open fire."
Despite huge headlines in all the Vermont newspapers, no national mention has been made of this tragic and brutal event. An investigation is underway but as of yet does not include any out-of-state investigators. The three police officers involved were back on the street 10 days after the shooting. Woody's family are clearly not satisfied with the handling of the investigation. Of primary concern to them was seeing Woody's body cremated against their wishes by the State of Vermont. They received a box of ashes instead of the body of their son. It's my understanding that a civil case is proceeding despite the state's findings, as well as new FBI interest in the case.
As Woody lay dying, his last words were that he was a victim of a political assassination.
Here are two more web sites from which you can got more information about Woody:
Justice for Woody
Remembering Woody
This is the story of a man done wrong
Who came to the church and tried to belong
And begged for a life that was soon to be gone
He must have believed that this God was strong
Chorus:
In the Sanctuary, where a man finds peace
In the Sanctuary, a safe retreat
In the Sanctuary, you can rest your feet
Until 7 bullets take you down
It was a year unlike the others
Strange things makin' even strangers wonder
Will we ever know why those three cops blundered
And left a good man dying at the altar
Bridge:
Times have changed as we all hold our cards tighter
Trigger fingers twitching at the slightest knuckle turning
whiter
There's no secret there are secrets here
Behind the headlines washed in tears
A well meaning fellow just caught in the gears?
It could have me, and it could have been here
chorus
One,two,three,four,five, six, seven,
One,two,three,four,five,six,seven,
One,two,three,four,five,six,seven
All good children go to heaven