Cop who shot dead 93-year-old woman who came out of her house with a gun is FIRED from the force after community outcry

  • Stephen Stem dismissed after Pearlie Golden was killed outside her home
  • City council voted to have him removed after week of protests

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 15:19 EST, 10 May 2014 | Updated: 16:50 EST, 10 May 2014

Texas officials have voted to fire a police officer who shot dead an armed 93-year-old woman during a confrontation at her home.

The city council unanimously voted on Saturday that Officer Stephen Stem should be removed from the force after killing Pearlie Golden on Tuesday.

It took less than half an hour for the council to take the vote, which came after Hearne mayor Ruben Gomez told demonstrators he could recommend Stem be dismissed.

Fired: Hearne council voted to have Officer Stephen Stem dismissed after he shot dead an armed 93-year-old woman on Tuesday

Fired: Hearne council voted to have Officer Stephen Stem dismissed after he shot dead an armed 93-year-old woman on Tuesday

Loved: Members of Pearlie Gold's (right) community have nothing but good things to say about their longtime neighbor

Loved: Pearlie Golden, right, was a respected member of the community, who neighbors remembered fondly

Texas Rangers are investigating the shooting, which happened at Ms Golden's small brick home behind the railroad tracks that run through this mostly poor community of 4,500 people.

Stem had been responding to a 911 call about a disturbance involving a woman and a gun, when Ms Golden allegedly fired two shots.

Her nephew, Roy Jones, said on Friday that his aunt had become upset after her application to renew a driver's license was denied.

 

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He said that the elderly woman armed herself and, after she fired two shots, Stem fired back at her.

Robertson County District Attorney Coty Siegert said Thursday that a preliminary autopsy showed Ms Golden had been shot twice in the body and was grazed by a third bullet.

Siegert said because the case is still under investigation he could neither confirm nor deny that Ms  Golden fired her gun.

The shooting was the second time Stem has killed a suspect since joining Hearne police in 2012, Siegert said.

'It's a loss of confidence in the community. We can't have an officer the citizens have lost confidence in,' Gomez said.

Campaign: Protesters carry signs to the police station on Thursday as they call for Officer Stephen Stem to be fired. He was dismissed on Saturday

Campaign: Protesters carry signs to the police station on Thursday as they call for Officer Stephen Stem to be fired. He was dismissed on Saturday

Stem's attorney has said that his client's actions were justified. Stem has not responded to a request for comment.

Hearne police said in a statement that Golden 'brandished a gun' when Stem arrived, but have declined to comment further.

Stem was on administrative leave while Texas Rangers investigated the shooting.

Candles left in vigil were left outside the home where Ms Golden had lived alone. Her husband had served as a police officer in the same force Stem has been fired from. 

Hazel Embra, a geriatric nurse and a City Council candidate in Saturday's local election, said she saw Ms Golden last week at the grocery store.

She described a spry, sharp woman who was known by many people as 'Miss Sulie' and enthusiastically greeted friends with 'Hey, baby! How you doing?'

Authorities say a revolver believed to be the weapon Ms Golden had at the time of the shooting was found at the scene.

'That lady should be living today. She should not have died like she did,' Ms Embra said.

Memorial: Friends and family have been living candles outside the home of Pearlie Golden, since the 93-year-old was shot dead by a police officer outside her home on Tuesday

Memorial: Friends and family have been living candles outside the home of Pearlie Golden, since the 93-year-old was shot dead by a police officer outside her home on Tuesday

Home: Golden, whose home is pictured here, was well-liked in her community of Hearne, where she has lived for at least 50 years

Home: Golden, whose home is pictured here, was well-liked in her community of Hearne, where she has lived for at least 50 years

The circumstances surrounding Stem's first fatal shooting on the job in Hearne were far different.

Stiegert said several officers had responded to a call of shots fired and wound up chasing three men who fled on foot.

The one who died wasn't armed when shot by Stem, Stiegert said, but had been during the pursuit. He said officers can be distinctly heard on tape yelling to put the gun down before shots were fired.

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A 93yo woman with a gun can kill you just as dead as a 21yo man. AN SHE FIRED AT HIM TWICE!!!! Every cop in that town need to resign in support of their fellow officer. If the town will not stand behind him who is next?

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The really said part is there had to be an outcry to get this done.

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When will there be charges against this 'officer'?

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The nephew called 911 to report Golden had pulled out her gun when he refused to give her the car keys. Her nephew called for help. The nephew obviously felt his life was in danger, if so, his aunt was not in her right mind.

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What seems illogical is that Golden would get her gun out because she was angry over the dmv's refusal to renew her driver's license. Was she senile at this point, she was 93? Why would she fire her gun twice, did she not consider she could have harmed an innocent bystander? Sad that she lost her life, but her actions don't make sense.

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Condolences to the family. However, I have to say on the outside looking in, the officer did not have much of a choice. Any individual has the right to protect themselves. The police have a duty to protect others. Even if it is a 93 year old woman.

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Are you all dolts? This is Stem's second fatal shooting in less than 2 years! Seriously, this man has a problem.

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The lady firing 2 shots has not yet been confirmed. Even if she did, couldn't the officer fire back, hitting her leg - for example? Enough to bring her down and disarm her, but not a fatal shot.

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Looks like I woke up the GZ fan club!

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The local policemen's union, is going to have a field day with this one,

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I'm sorry she's died but I would do the same in his situation, it's not ok to fire your gun at people! Especially over a bloody drivers licence!!

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In less than 2 years, this cop shot and killed 2 people. There are cops on that force who have never fired a shot let alone kill 2 people!! It's not ok to kill a93 year old - it shows a lack of skill to access a situation.

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This is over the top reaction to a bad situation. Find GSR (Gun Shot Residue) on the old lady and the shoot is reasonable. Their is no way that the officer could possibly determine if this lady was going to fire her gun again or who she would shoot at for what reason. She should have dropped the gun as soon as she saw the police and let them handle, what ever problem she felt there was for her need to shoot her gun in the first place. Her age and color of her skin has nothing to do with the fact that she was outside brandishing a gun that she had already fired. The officer had to stop her to protect himself and the community.

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