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Slain police officer shot once in upstate NY chase

By WTOP Staff

CAROLYN THOMPSON
Associated Press

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — The first member of Rochester’s police force to die in the line of duty since 1959 was killed with a single shot fired by a man wanted for a parole violation who fled from a traffic stop, authorities said Thursday.

Officer Daryl Pierson, 32, had chased and caught Thomas Johnson III when he was hit by the .25-caliber bullet, officials said.

Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Dorley said Johnson was hospitalized after being shot by Pierson’s partner. He is expected to survive and was facing arraignment on charges of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, three counts of assault, and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon. He didn’t have a lawyer Thursday afternoon, but is expected to be represented by the county public defender’s office.

Police Chief Michael Ciminelli said Pierson and his partner, Michael DiPaola, were on patrol just after 9 p.m. Wednesday when a man escaped a vehicle they were stopping. A few minutes later, they saw the man and Pierson got out to pursue him on foot.

Ciminelli said Johnson fired as Pierson caught up to him, both men fell to the ground and Johnson’s handgun went off again, slightly wounding a bystander.

As Johnson got up to run, DiPaola took up the chase and fired a single shot that hit Johnson, who had turned to fire at him, the chief said.

“Officer Pierson never had the opportunity to draw his weapon and didn’t fire a shot,” Ciminelli said.

Pierson died at a hospital where Johnson later underwent surgery and bystander Jamal Bollar was treated for a leg wound.

Pierson was an eight-year police veteran who had served with the Army National Guard in Afghanistan. He is survived by his wife, Amy, and two young children.

Bollar, 23, said he was shot in front of his house. Leaning on a crutch Thursday, he said doctors left the bullet in his thigh because it was too risky to remove it.

“I was out in front of my house taking the dog out and the next thing you know, shots were fired,” said Bollar, who was with his 2-year-old daughter on the porch. “As a father, my first reaction was to get her in the house.”

Bollar said when he heard the shots his leg began hurting, but he didn’t realize he had been shot.

“I was standing by the sofa and was feeling pain in my leg. My shirt was wet. I pulled it up and there was blood.” His uncle, Gregory Bollar, ran outside and told police his nephew had been shot.

The uncle said he saw DiPaola with the suspect on the ground and Pierson lying nearby.

“The officer remained professional. He did his job,” Bollar said. “He was a lot more merciful than I would have been.”

“It’s crazy. The whole situation went sideways so fast,” he said.

State officials said Johnson had been released from prison Aug. 11 after doing time for a parole violation stemming from his previous imprisonment for an attempted robbery conviction. He initially went to state prison in April 2011 and was released in May 2013, according to state records. He failed to make an Aug. 19 meeting with a parole officer and a warrant for his arrest was issued on Aug. 27, officials said.

Rochester Mayor Lovely A. Warren asked the community to keep the officer’s family in their prayers.

“Words simply cannot express the sense of sorrow and deep loss that we feel at this moment,” Warren said. “A family has lost a loved one. The men and women of our police department have lost a family member and a friend. And we the people of Rochester have lost someone, who like every other RPD officer, put their life on the line, day after day, for us.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said flags on state government buildings will be flown at half-staff Friday in Pierson’s honor.

Before a Thursday morning news conference, dozens of police officers met with the mayor and police chief at Rochester’s public safety building, some in tears. Flags there were already at half-staff.

___

Associated Press writer John Kekis contributed to this report from Albany.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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