Veteran Officers Made Decision To Shoot, Kill Gunman After Ground Rules Set, Sharpshooter Needed No Verbal Order To Fire Once Troy Oden `crossed The Line’.

By BONNIE ADAMS Times Leader Staff Writer
Friday, December 10, 1999 Page: 1A

The single shot that ended Troy Oden’s life was decided on by two veteran
state police officers. Capt. Richard Zenk said he and Maj. James Hazen agreed
to the circumstances under which a sharpshooter would use deadly force
Wednesday as Oden held his ex-girlfriend hostage. Both men said the ground
rules were established after the Greyhound bus that Oden, whose alias is Troy
Matthews, and Vanessa Hall were riding pulled into an Interstate 80 rest stop
near White Haven. “We had talked about what we were going to allow and what
we wouldn’t allow,” Hazen said Thursday. Zenk said it had been decided that
Oden could not enter the empty bus or the rest stop building where some
passengers remained under state police protection. “He was told that
something very bad would happen to him” if he did not comply, Zenk said. For
nearly 6 1/2 hours, Oden stood outside, near a light pole, and held a pistol
to Hall’s head, apparently angry about not being able to see their three
children. Zenk said state police initially talked with him from about 20
yards away before trained negotiators arrived. He said Oden tried to control
the negotiations with police during the standoff. Hazen said there had been
positive signs throughout the standoff. “He had me convinced at one point
that we were ready to resolve it,” said Hazen, who would not elaborate. Zenk,
commander of Troop N, Hazleton, and Hazen, commander of Area 1, arrived at the
rest area by helicopter from meetings in Harrisburg. They walked as close to
the scene as they safely could. “As a commander, you want to know exactly
what the scene is,” Zenk said. They entered a nearby mobile command post van
to discuss the rules of engagement. From there, they remained in communication
with negotiators and tactical team members on the perimeter. Zenk said the
original ground rules had changed and police decided Oden could enter the bus
only if he had freed Hall and dropped the gun. He said police feared what
might happen to Hall if Oden took her into the bus. Zenk said Oden told
police he was cold and wanted to board the bus. At about 3:20 p.m., the
gunman and Hall moved toward the bus, which they had boarded in Las Vegas
after he allegedly abducted her there on Nov. 30. “We came up with where the
line would be drawn,” Hazen said. “He crossed the line.” Hazen said the
state police Special Emergency Response Team knew the parameters and how to
react to Oden’s actions. No verbal order had to be given, he said, before a
member of the team’s tactical division fired one shot and instantly killed
Oden. “He’s the only person who could have gotten that shot,” said Zenk,
who would not identify the sharpshooter or his location. “I don’t know if
it’s harder on us, the decision-makers, or the individual who carries it
out,” Hazen said. Zenk said state police were in contact with a department
psychologist during the standoff. “He told us how it was going to end and he
was right on the money,” Zenk said. After the shooting, Hall froze and two
members of the team went to her, Zenk said. Capt. James Torkar said the team
includes full-time members based in Hershey and volunteers from stations in
the eastern half of the state. Torkar said emergency team members are
required to speak with a psychologist and participate in peer assistance after
such an experience. “It saves lives and marriages,” Torkar said. Zenk said
he later thought about the decision that ended Oden’s life. “You ask
yourself, `Would you change what you did?’ ” he said. “I absolutely would
not.” Zenk, who joined the force in 1970, and Hazen, who joined in 1968,
said Wednesday was the first time they had to decide to use deadly force and
the plan had to be carried out. “It’s something we’ll live with, we’ll take
with us for a long time,” Zenk said.


Bonnie Adams covers crime. Reach her by e-mail at [email protected] or by
phone at 829-7221.