Exercise 13-8 Editing a longer story

This may take some time. Read this story carefully and note any questions you have about it. You may want to discuss these with your instructor. Edit the story so that it conforms to AP style. Make sure you deal with other problems in the story.

       A Midville policeman shot a criminal during a struggle early Tuesday, then had his weapon turned on him before the suspect fleed and was overpowered by two other officers, police said.

       Officer David Stuart shot Anthony Douglas, 31 of Duval Street, in the left side as they grappled over Stuarts .357-caliber handgun pistol behind a house in the 1000 block of Cherokee Street early in the morning shortly after 2 a.m., police said.

       After being shot, Douglas continued to fight and Stuart fired again but missed, police said. Douglas then managed to take Stuart's eapon and pointed it at the officer before running off, police say.

       The suspect was found moments later hiding near apartments several blocks away on Murray Hill Court, said police spokesman Tom Regan. Two officers nabbed him, Regan said.

       Douglas apparently discarded the deadly weapon after leaving Stuart, Regan said. Investigators found it in a yard near the scene of his altercation with the officer, he said.

        Douglas a convicted felon who was released from the penitentiary in December and was listed in stable but guarded condition Tuesday evening at Springhill Memorial Hospital, a spokeswoman declared.

       Stuart was scratched during the confrontation, but the spokeswoman said that between the suspect and he, neither was bad hurt.  It was difficult to tell who's injury was worst.

       Douglas will be charged with first-degree robery because he took Stuart's weapon by force, Regan said. He likely will face more additional charges, the spokesman insisted.

       Stuart, a five-year veteran, will be assigned to administrative duties until the departments shooting examination team finishes its review, Regan said. The special group of officers investigates any use of deadly force by officers.

       The reviews of any fatal police-involved shooting is routinely sent to the district attorney's office, Cashdollar said. He said a report on Tuesday's shooting must be sent to District Attorney John Johnson Jr.

       No one is more interested than him in such shootings, Tyson said. Such inquiries have only one purpose getting at the truth, he added. The district attorney spoke like he would look into the matter personally.

       Tuesday's chase-and-struggle began shortly after 2 a.m. when Stuart, patroling Duval Street noticed an older model Dodge 600 parked in Baumhauer Park, police said. When Stuart turned his marked cruiser around to check out the car, the vehicle drived off in a hurry with its lights off, police said.

       Stuart confronted Douglas at gunpoint as he leaped out of the passengers side of his car, but Douglas grabbed the weapon, police said. Douglas broke away and ran around the side of a house, where Stuart again met him with his gun drawn from his holster, police said.

       Douglas grabbed the gun and tried to move it toward Stuart's face, according to police. Stuart forced the gun down and fired a shot, hitting Douglas in the side, police said.  The scuffle continued, however, and Stuart tripped over an air-conditioning unit, losing control of his gun, police said. Douglas picked up the weapon, pointed it at Stuart and ordered him to flee, police said. When Stuart slipped, Douglas ran off, police said.

       Thompson and officer Tim McDonald spotted Douglas moments later near apartments in a cul-de-sac on Murray Hill Court, Regan said.

       Reagan said he was ``not aware'' that investigators had found anything illegal in Douglas's vehicle. The investigation, however, is continuing. The spokesman added that he did not know what affect such a finding might have or whether a jury might be adverse to such evidemce.