Racine officer makes harrowing arrest

A Racine police officer got far more than expected when he responded to a call earlier this month, and that's saying something because the initial call was for shots fired.

Turns out the "shots fired" were from a sawed-off shotgun. It also turns out the suspect was so crazed that Tasers, OC spray and the threat of getting shot had no effect. The officer had to physically fight the suspect several times, at one point nearly losing his gun to the man. It took a second officer - and exhaustion - to subdue 21-year-old Courtney Beamon, of Racine, according to a criminal complaint.

Read the full, harrowing complaint below:

Your complainant states that on November 19, 2007, Officer Dennis Cecchini and Officer Tim Waystedt were working off-duty at the American Legion, located at 1234 Douglas Ave. in the City and County of Racine and State of Wisconsin, when they heard a number of loud gunshots which sounded like a shotgun. Off. Waystedt and Off. Cecchini began going north on Douglas Avenue and Off. Cecchini contacted dispatch to advise that shots had been fired. Off. Cecchini states that he was on the west side of the street and Off. Waystedt crossed the street to walk on the east side. Off. Cecchini states that when he was around the 1200 block of Douglas Avenue, two more shots went off. Off. Cecchini states that he then took cover behind a car and observed a black male crouched down, then stand up and come off a small landing from 1324 Douglas Avenue. Off. Cecchini states that the unknown black male then entered a vehicle, which was backed up against a retaining wall. Off. Cecchini states that he was about 40 yards away when the vehicle pulled away going northbound on Douglas Avenue at a high rate of speed with no headlights on. Off. Cecchini states that he called out a description of the vehicle over his radio, and that when Off. Miller pulled up to Albert and Douglas Avenue, he advised Off. Miller that the vehicle was just passing him.

Off. Miller states that he was operating his patrol vehicle and went to the area of where Off. Cecchini was calling out that the shots were being fired. Off. Miller states that he was monitoring radio traffic, when Off. Cecchini advised him that an Intrepid was driving from the scene north. Off. Miller observed the vehicle pass by his location at a high rate of speed, between 45 and 50 MPH. Off. Miller states that he could see only one occupant in the vehicle. Off. Miller states that he was operating a marked City of Racine Police squad car, and activated the vehicle’s emergency lights and siren. Off. Miller states that the vehicle approached LaSalle Street, that it negotiated a right turn onto northbound LaSalle Street. Off. Miller states that as the vehicle made the turn, he observed what appeared to be something slide away from the car towards the west side of LaSalle Street. Off. Miller states that it appeared to be a part of the car, however, Off. Gary Neubauer subsequently returned to that area and walked along the route that the vehicle had taken from where the shots had been fired. Off. Neubauer then located a sawed off shotgun on the west side of the street in the 1500 block of LaSalle Street, just to the east of 1501 Douglas Avenue. Your complainant states that Off. Smith of the City of Racine Police Department subsequently recovered that weapon, and noted that it was a 12-gauge shotgun having a total length of 26 ½ inches and a barrel length of 12 inches. Your complainant states that in order to be of legal length, a shotgun has to have a barrel length of at least 18 inches. Your complainant states that therefore the gun is considered a sawed off shotgun. Off. Miller subsequently observed the item and states that the sawed off shotgun matched the shape of the item that he saw come from the defendant’s vehicle.

Your complainant states that the vehicle continued northbound on LaSalle Street, failing to stop or slow down for a four-way stop sign at LaSalle Street and St. Patrick Street. Your complainant states that once through the intersection of LaSalle and St. Patrick, the driver’s door opened and that the defendant rolled out of the vehicle while the vehicle was still operating northbound at approximately 25 MPH. Your complainant states that the vehicle ran into an unoccupied vehicle, while the driver of the vehicle ran northbound on LaSalle Street towards the area of Red Apple School. Your complainant states that when Officer Miller returned to the vehicle after the events noted below, he noted that the window on the vehicle was down and believes that the defendant disposed of the gun by dropping it out the window as he went around the corner. Your complainant states that Officer Miller followed the defendant towards Red Apple School. Your complainant states that Off. Miller was aware that the courtyard area that the defendant was running into was L-shaped and that there was no way for the defendant to exit from that area. Off. Miller states that he approached the corner and observed the defendant running towards the south end of the courtyard. Off. Miller states that the defendant attempted to jump onto the roof but failed and fell to the ground. Off. Miller states that he yelled for the defendant to stay on the ground, but the defendant returned to his feet and started running towards the officer. Off. Miller stated that he ordered the defendant to stop; the defendant disregarded his order. Off. Miller stated that as the defendant ran up to him, he attempted to decentralize the defendant with no success. Off. Miller states the defendant pushed him and then continued to run towards the exit to the courtyard area. The defendant managed to get out of the courtyard area and continued to run west towards LaSalle Street. Off. Miller states that at that point, he drew his taser and deployed a cartridge at the suspect. Off. Miller states the taser had minimal effect on the defendant; however, the defendant did stop and turn towards him. The defendant then ran towards him. Off. Miller states that he attempted to keep distance between the subject and himself by backing away. Off. Miller states that the defendant did close up on him, and upon reaching his location, the defendant grabbed at the officer’s right hand that had the taser in it. Off. Miller states that the defendant simultaneously grabbed the officers’ taser and attempted to continue running. Off. Miller states that at that time, he performed a hand-strike to the defendant’s face. Off. Miller also pulled the taser from the grip of the defendant. Off. Miller states that as he did this, his taser was thrown approximately 20 feet behind him.

Your complainant states the defendant then turned and ran across LaSalle Street into the yard of 1608 LaSalle Street. Off. Miller again followed the defendant and as they entered the back yard of 1608 LaSalle Street, that the defendant again turned towards him. Off. Miller yelled at the defendant to stop and the defendant again charged towards him. Off. Miller states he was able to take the defendant to the ground at that point; however, due to his resistive and unpredictable behavior backed away from the defendant and attempted to control him at gunpoint from several feet away. Off. Miller states that the defendant ignored his orders to stay on the ground, got to his feet and again ran southbound through the yards towards the back yard of 1604 LaSalle Street. Off. Miller states that there was a 4-foot cyclone fence that the defendant jumped over into the backyard of 1604 LaSalle Street. Off. Miller followed behind the defendant. Your complainant states that once in the back yard of 1604 LaSalle Street, the defendant appeared confused and didn’t know where to run as the entire yard was fenced. Off. Miller states that the defendant ran to the southwest corner of the yard where he stood facing the fenced corner with his back to the officer. Off. Miller states that he could not see the defendant’s hands and ordered him to put his hands up. Off. Miller states that defendant did not put up his hands, rather he attempted to jump the fence into the side yard of 1010 St. Patrick Street. Off. Miller states that as the defendant attempted to jump that fence, that he pulled the defendant off the fence and onto the ground. Off. Miller states at that time, he made an active attempt to control the defendant and that the defendant was swinging his arms and kicking his legs. Off. Miller states that he was struck several times by the defendant’s arms and legs. Off. Miller states that at that time, he gave several short blasts of OC spray to the defendant’s face, however, the OC spray did not appear to have any effect on the defendant, and the defendant returned to his feet and charged towards the officer with open arms as if he was going to tackle the officer. Off. Miller pushed the defendant back and then turned towards the southwest corner of the yard. Off. Miller states that the defendant again tried to jump the fence into the yard of 1010 St. Patrick Street and the defendant was successful in making it over the fence into the next yard.

Off. Miller states that the followed into the yard of 1010 St. Patrick Street. Off. Miller states that the defendant was becoming noticeably exhausted, as was he, however, the defendant continued running south through the yard towards St. Patrick Street. Off. Miller states that before the defendant could exit the yard, he had to jump another fence. Off. Miller states that both he and the defendant crossed over the fence onto the north sidewalk of St. Patrick Street. Off. Miller states that after jumping over the fence, the defendant removed a black zip-up hooded sweatshirt that he was wearing. Off. Miller states that the defendant dropped the sweatshirt onto the ground and then ran southbound across St. Patrick Street entering more yards. Off. Miller states that at that time, the defendant and he were both exhausted and were now walking through the yard. Off. Miller told the defendant to just give up. Off. Miller states that he also took that opportunity to advise dispatch of their location. Off. Miller states that he and the defendant were in the rear yard of the 1500 block of LaSalle Street, when the defendant turned towards him and ran at the officer grabbing the officers left hand. Off. Miller states that he attempted to push him away. Off. Miller states that the defendant had a strong hold on his left arm and during that time, Off. Miller was walking backward trying to disengage from the defendant or create distance. Off. Miller states the defendant did not let go of his arm and he was not able to pull away from the defendant. Off. Miller states that he still had his handgun in his right hand during the struggle. Off. Miller states that he was exhausted from the chase and the fight and that all his attempts to control the defendant failed. Off. Miller decided to strike the defendant on the top of his head with the bottom of his handgun and struck him at least two times. Off. Miller states that he did that because he was afraid the defendant was going to take his gun and shoot him. Off. Miller states that the effort was successful in causing the defendant to release his arm. Off. Miller states that he immediately created distance between him and the defendant and ordered the defendant to stay on the ground; however, the defendant disobeyed that order and got to his feet. The defendant appeared to be disoriented but started walking away from the officer. Off. Miller followed the defendant as he walked into a vacant lot just south of 1526 LaSalle Street. Off. Miller states that in the vacant lot, the defendant again stopped and turned towards him. Off. Miller states at that time, Off. Matson was exiting his squad that was on LaSalle Street and Off. Miller could see Off. Matson approaching the defendant from behind. Off. Miller states that the defendant took up a fighting stance with him, and at that point he was able to decentralize the defendant to the ground. Off. Miller states that the defendant was laying on the ground, face down, and that Off. Matson was on the defendant’s left side, he was on his right. Off. Miller states the defendant was still holding his right hand underneath and was attempting to keep Off. Miller from pulling his hands from out underneath him. Off. Miller states that as he struggled with the defendant’s right arm and hand, that Off. Leslie arrived and used his taser on the suspect. Officers stated that the taser had little or no effect on the defendant. Eventually the officers were able to take control of the defendant and place him into custody.

Your complainant states that at the hospital, Off. Miller was advised by Off. Matson that the person in custody maybe Bryan Ratliff. Off. Miller states that at the hospital, he attempted to get information from the suspect as to his social security number, however, the defendant indicated that he didn’t know it. Off. Miller states that he then asked the defendant if he was Bryan Ratliff, and the defendant stated yes. In response to numerous questions, the defendant indicated that he was “Ratliff”. In searching through the defendant’s clothing, Off. Miller located a part of an Illinois identification card. Although the identification card had a picture, DOB, and physical descriptions it was clear that the picture on the I.D. did not match the defendant. Off. Miller states that when he arrived at the Racine County Sheriff’s Department, he had a deputy print off a picture of Bryan Ratliff and at that time, confirmed that the person in custody was not Bryan Ratliff. Your complainant states that the defendant still insisted that he was Ratliff. Your complainant states that the defendant’s fingerprints were not located on the AFIS system and that Off. Miller also used the Racine County Sheriff’s Department FAST ID system, again, with negative results.

Your complainant states that a copy of the defendant’s fingerprints were subsequently conveyed to the State Crime Lab. Your complainant states that Tony Spadifora, entered the defendant’s fingerprints into a databank and that the search results came back on a person with the name of Courtney C. Beamon. Your complainant states that in running the FBI number associated with that person, that there are 6 separate names associated with the fingerprints for that person and three separate dates of births.

Your complainant states that Officer Miller subsequently located the real Bryan Ratliff who assisted officers by supplying them the name of Courtney Beamon. Bryan Ratliff stated that Courtney Beamon was his cousin and that Beamon had used his name as well as the name of another relative in the past. Bryan Ratliff stated that Courtney Beamon did not have consent to use his name.

Your complainant states that the defendant has criminal contacts in the State of Illinois under the name of Donnie Carl Burton, and appears to have a felony conviction for controlled substance delivery out of the State of Michigan from May 16, 2003. Your complainant states that the defendant is Courtney C. Beamon and that the defendant would have a prior felony conviction, therefore would not be allowed to legally possess a firearm.