Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Wauwatosa Officer Pavlik Testifies How She Was Shot

Officer Abby Pavlik

Three suspects charged in Wauwatosa Police Officer's shooting

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 29, 2009

Wauwatosa - Police Officer Abby Pavlik, 28, from the City of Wauwatosa testified Tuesday in court during a preliminary hearing for three suspects charged in connection with an armed robbery, and how she was shot by one of them. Pavlik was responding to a 911 call from the Happy Wok restaurant when she spotted Michael S. Dengsavang, 28, Paul M. Phonisay, 39, and Thongsavahn Rodthong, 27, all wearing masks and black running from the restaurant they had just robbed at gun point.
The criminal complaint states, two masked men tied up Yongjian Dong, the owner of a Wauwatosa Happy Wok restaurant, and his wife, Xiuqing Zhao, about 10:15 p.m on December 13. The men took more than $1,000 from Zhao's purse and a set of keys and then went to the couple's residence, according to their 8-year-old son who freed himself and called police.
During the preliminary hearing, Office Pavlik testified that one of the suspects (Dengsavang) turned towards her vehicle and began shooting at her while she was inside her squad car. Pavlik was wearing a bullet proof vest, but a bullet hit Pavlik in her abdomen.
"I heard them coming closer, I then heard and felt my window shatter, and then I felt the bullet strike me... It entered through the left side of my abdomen," Pavlik said in court.
The owner of the Happy Wok restaurant testified through an interpreter, that the three men bound him with duct tape and threatened to kill his 8-year-old son. He tearfully testified that one of the suspects who was holding the gun had threaten him "If you don't give me your money, I will kill your son," Yongjian Dong said.
Dengsavang, Phonisay, and Rodthong, were charged in Milwaukee County with attempted first-degree intentional homicide and burglary, if convicted they face more than 40 years in prison each.

Michael S. Dengsavang waived his preliminary hearing and he was bound for trial.
Both Phonisay, and Rodthong will be back in court on Jan. 16, to continue their preliminary hearing.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

No comments: