Barricaded cop-killer: the James Cantwell incident - The Ayoob Files

American Handgunner, Sept-Oct, 2002 by Massad Ayoob

Situation: A barricaded psycho with a war-relic .303 Enfield is shooting cops a hundred yards away. You're armed with a 9mm pistol and a shotgun you've never fired before.

Lesson: Apply what you know about the gun in question. Aim carefully, break the shot smoothly -- and end the killing.

December 9, 1976, was a cold, windy day in Washington County, Ill., though the ground was still bare of snow. Police radio was not as sophisticated as it is today. Trooper Jim Spier, a five-year veteran of the Illinois State Police, was on routine patrol in ISP District 13, when he caught part of a car-to-car radio dialogue between two small-town chiefs, Leonard Gladson of Steelville PD and Clyde Dalton of Percy PD. When Spier heard the words, "Watch him, he's dangerous," he headed his squad car in that direction. So did two other D-13 troopers, Denny Eggemeyer and Ray Lichliter.

Danger Scene

Arriving at the location, Spier found about a dozen police cars from assorted agencies arrayed some 100 yards from a trailer located on the back lot of a house. On the porch of the trailer a man stood in a menacing posture. There was a rifle in his hands. A quick briefing informed Spier the rifleman was one James Cantwell.

Cantwell had at one time been a well-liked man, a gun enthusiast, hunter and crack shot. He was known to nail groundhogs with an iron-sighted, WWI vintage Short Magazine Lee Enfield .303. This was the military surplus bolt-action rifle now in his hands. Cantwell's life had taken a downward spiral into alcohol and drugs, with a predilection for sniffing typewriter-cleaning fluid. Burglary, obstruction of police officers, unlawful use of weapons and numerous counts of aggravated battery accumulated and eventually sent him to the Illinois State Prison in Peoria, where he had knifed two guards. He had screamed "Kill! Kill! Kill," while stabbing the second.

Now, at 26, Cantwell was on parole. Unknown to police, he had terrorized some local people since his return, leaving them too frightened to call the cops. Earlier this day, his parole officer had made a routine visit, accompanied by an unarmed intern. Seeing evidence of illegal possession of firearms, the parole officer had told Cantwell he was going to summon the police to take him "back to jail." As the parole department personnel left, Cantwell had snarled at them, "I'll kill anyone who tries to take my guns!"

From My Cold, Dead Hands

The first police officers to arrive at the scene had been met by Cantwell with his rifle held in a defiant port arms position. They had fallen back, and the containment ring now included about a dozen full time officers and perhaps eight veteran part-time cops, known locally as auxiliary police. The latter were working feverishly to evacuate adjacent homes in case of gunfire. The officers tried to establish a dialogue, but the wind was blowing so hard toward them their words were lost in the gusts. Spier's brother trooper, Lichliter, decided to work his way to a closer position to begin negotiation. Meanwhile, Spier wanted to make sure the house closest to the trailer where Cantwell held forth was unoccupied.

He carried the issue ISP sidearm of the time, a Smith & Wesson Model 39 semiauto loaded with eight rounds of Winchester 100 grain softnose 9mm ammo. Each ISP car of the period carried a 12 gauge pump shotgun, loaded with buckshot and with slugs provided for backup. ISP, at the time, had a mix of Ithaca, Winchester and Remington shotguns in service. Spier had been issued the Ithaca Model 37, but his gun was in for repair and the weapon he took from his patrol car was a Winchester Model 1200. He had not yet had a chance to fire it.

Although the controls were opposite (safety at the back of the trigger guard, slide release at the front on the Ithaca and vice versa on the Winchester), Spier owned his own Model 1200 he used for deer hunting. He was probably more familiar with the Winchester design than with his issue shotgun. Spier grabbed the loaner Winchester and filled his pockets with rifled slugs, then carefully made his way to the house. Soon, Spier had determined the building was clear of innocents. He was closer than most of the other officers to the gunman and had a ringside seat for what happened next.

Ray Lichliter maneuvered to a position behind the trailer, perhaps 15 yards from Cantwell's position, upwind so the man could hear him. He emerges from cover, his hands held high and empty, away from his holstered S&W 9mm to show he means the man no harm. It's from this position that Lichliter shouts, "Cantwell, I want to talk to you."

James Cantwell pivots toward him, and even the howling wind cannot silence the roar of the big .303 British as he fires from the hip. Trooper Lichliter spins and falls to the ground, motionless.

The shootout has begun.

Death Battle

There is immediate return fire from the police perimeter. Spier's first thought is reaching his downed brother trooper. He circles behind the trailer, taking momentary cover behind an outbuilding, and sees that Chief Dalton is running forward with the same idea, firing his .357 Magnum revolver at Cantwell as he sprints. Then comes the roar of the 303. Spier hears the slap of the rifle bullet striking flesh, and sees Dalton's wounded leg buckle. The chief cries out and sprawls to the ground, still in the gunman's field of fire.