Police Poker Raid Ends In Shooting

A police raid on an illegal high-stakes poker game in Tennessee has ended in a player being shot by one of the officers. Ironically, Chattanooga Police Chief Bobby Dodd said one of the reasons the law targets such games are robbery possibilities that could lead to people being shot.
Apparently, Chattanooga Police had been monitoring the poker game as part of their ongoing investigation before choosing  Thursday night to serve a search warrant. Arriving at the premises at 9:50 p.m. police then discovered 20 people, including several local professionals, playing a $1,000 buy-in cash game, from which the organisers received $10 per hand.
Alleged involved were Kenny Higdon, an owner of several medical firms, who also provided the real estate, while amongst his patrons were a lawyer and a doctor,
After police announced their presence, Clifford Billups, 32, (pictured right) and four other men tried to escape via the back door but after the men were nabbed, Billups allegedly drew a weapon and pointed it at an officer leading to his being shot in the parking lot by police. As Chief Bobby Dodd explains:
“He had a handgun in his hand, he turned on the officer, threatened the officer, and was shot one time.”
A search then revealed a second weapon on Billups, who was tended to by the poker playing doctor on the scene before being taken to hospital with a non-life threatening injury. The men now face misdemeanor charges for their involvement in the high-stakes poker game, with the exception of Mr. Billups. Commenting on the incident, Chief Dodd continued:
“It’s kind of odd for a suspect to pull a weapon and try to escape from something that would probably of been a citation situation.”
The officer involved in the shooting is now on seven days administrative leave in accordance with standard procedure.