Do the cops kill on The Wire

February 7, 2008 1:20 PM

On The Wire, how many of the cops have fired their weapons at someone?

I believe there is an episode where Bunk might fire his gun while drunk down by the railroad (he may not have though, he may have just waved it around). Also, Prez fires his gun on two separate occasions with disastrous consequences both times. Other than that I can't seem to recall the cops in the show firing their weapons. They certainly draw them frequently enough but don't seem to actually fire them that often.

So, is your memory better than mine Ask.Me?

posted by The Radish to media & arts (15 comments total)

Pryzbylewski did several times, including killing another cop by accident.
posted by Argyle at 1:23 PM on February 7

Did Kima fire her weapon when she was shot? I don't know if she was able to get one off or not.

Other than Prez, I can't think of any.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:25 PM on February 7

I don't have an answer to the question, but I have a feeling, besides the two Prez incidents, that it's very close to zero.

If memory serves me correctly, Dan Simon's book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets has a bit about Baltimore homicide police commonly forgetting to take their guns out of their desk drawers before answering a call.
posted by eyeballkid at 1:29 PM on February 7

Kima did not. It slipped too far back from where she had taped it, and she was unable to reach it.

Also, Argyle needs to read the question fully before posting, or else at least make the effort to include "FIRST!"
posted by 1 at 1:30 PM on February 7

This doesn't really count, but Herc fires The Nail Gun when he stops Snoop and Chris when they're cruising.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 1:32 PM on February 7

I thought about the incident with Kima as well but I agree with 1. Additionally , for what is worth the Kima's Wikipedia page backs that up as well.
posted by The Radish at 1:39 PM on February 7

In the first episode Bunk mentions an off-camera incident in which he takes fire at a mouse.
posted by Smallpox at 1:40 PM on February 7

I keep thinking that there have to be more incidents than that in FOUR+ seasons of a damn cop drama, but I'll be damned if I can think of one.

Aren't there even any scenes of any of the officers at a firing range or anything? Not that that would count, even if there were.

I think Prez is the only one - although I do vaguely remember your observation about Bunk.
posted by kbanas at 1:42 PM on February 7

Oh dear god, there is a TWoP forum for The Wire? I am not going to get anything done for the rest of the day.
posted by mmascolino at 1:45 PM on February 7

The only thing that comes to mine is when Dozerman got shot and lost his gun. Did he manage to get any shots off?
posted by The Radish at 1:47 PM on February 7

Dozerman didn't get a shot off, any more than Kima did (have watched both episodes within the past week).
posted by QIbHom at 2:10 PM on February 7

Dan Simon's book Homicide
David Simon
posted by Airhen at 3:33 PM on February 7

I heard an interview or something with Simon who said he didn't even want them drawing their guns most of the time, because most of the cops he talked to rarely if ever had drawn there guns.
posted by hazyspring at 5:12 PM on February 7

Outside of the various Prez*-involved situations, the most violent I can remember a main Wire cop character getting is when Lester hits some dude over the head with a bottle at the start of a corner take-down. The Western Boys tend to rough folks up (Mace vs Paddy Wagon as Hamsterdam encouragement), but other than that...

The cops and the crooks don't meet up in anger very often. When they do meet, one side usually has control of the situation. Either the cops have taken a corner or building or it's a super paranoid one-on-one with Omar. That's one of the things that makes those little moments, like McNulty and Bodie having lunch so cool.

*Fun Fact! The actor who plays Prez, Jim True-Frost, his wife teaches at Harvard Law.

Argh.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 5:32 PM on February 7

I'm pretty sure Bunk fires his weapon down the tracks or at a bottle. I think McNulty makes a discharge joke.

If memory serves, it's season 2, soon after the container's opened.
posted by djgh at 11:08 AM on February 9