When a police officer was conducting a traffic stop, another vehicle drove up, and that’s when all hell broke loose. The man in the second vehicle ambushed the cop with a hatchet, forcing the officer to make a dramatic life and death decision that was all caught on video.
There’s a good reason police officers have extensive training in the use of deadly force. There’s also a good reason those going into law enforcement are required to pass psychological tests to determine if they can perform under pressure and make split-second life and death decisions.
That’s exactly what a cop faced during a routine traffic stop when a Naperville police officer was confronted by an unrelated grey car that pulled up next to the black Honda that the officer had pulled over. “Who are you, dude?” the Naperville police officer asked as the suspect, who has since been identified as 28-year-old Edward Samaan, opened the front door of his car before shutting it.
Seconds later, Samaan finally exits his vehicle to charge at the Naperville police officer with a hatchet in his hand, footage shows. The officer fired his gun several times, striking the suspect, police said. “I’ve just been attacked, shots fired, shots fired!” the officer shouts on his radio. He then orders Samaan to stay on the ground and not move while he points his gun at him.
“Oh, my God! Holy s***!” the Naperville police officer exclaims in the recording of the attack as shock from what had just happened sets in. “Stay in your car, man! Don’t move!” the cop then shouts to the driver who had been initially pulled over at the traffic stop. The individual obeyed the officer’s command and stayed in his vehicle.
According to ABC7 Chicago, the Naperville police officer involved is a 22-year veteran of the force who remained unidentified at the time of their report. After the officer called for emergency services, the suspect, Edward Samaan, was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Thankfully, Naperville officers had just been outfitted with body-worn cameras the previous month, so there is no doubt as to what happened.
Edward Samaan was no stranger to the police due to his extensive criminal background. He was previously booked on charges of aggravated assault and was recently out on bail. His criminal record suggests that he had previously assaulted another police officer, according to Mugshots Zone.
According to the Daily Mail, “Crime rates across the board in Chicago are already above what they were at this time last year although levels for murder and shooting incidents are in fact down by a small amount, data from the Chicago Police Department’s data shows.” Samaan’s brother told Chicago’s ABC 7 that his family is “sorry to everyone involved” and that they had been speaking with investigators.
Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres introduced the video footage. “A man quickly exits the vehicle and immediately charges at the officer with a hatchet in his hand,” Arres said. “This scene went quickly from a traffic stop for a minor violation to an attack on a police officer by an uninvolved party, demonstrating just how dangerous the job of a police officer is.”
Police Chief Arres also offered his condolences to the suspect’s family. “Any loss of life is tragic, and our thoughts are with the family of the deceased,” the police chief added. “It’s important to note that the camera lens is fixed and does not capture everything an officer sees or experiences.”
While nobody is happy about Samaan’s death, it’s important to note that this traffic stop turned deadly within seconds, causing the officer to rely solely on his gut instincts that were developed during his training. Police officers are human beings who are sworn to protect lives, not take them, which makes this case so tragic.
