Comments

JustUs4Us wrote on Nov 7, 2008 4:07 PM:

" Regardless of the reason, a human life has been lost and he was important to someone. It's easy to be critical when you are not familiar with the circumstances. "




Excel Team Girl wrote on Apr 8, 2008 7:40 AM:

" The point I was trying to make was, when someone does something bad the people that knew the other side of him still love him and say good things about him.But if someone didnt know him they are mad, compleatly blame it on him, say that he was a bad person and leave it at that.Iam not taking sides here I understand that the cops did what they had to do. Also There are two stories of where he shot, at the police and or the ground,when you say things about him remember both stories. *MP* "




Duh! wrote on Apr 6, 2008 9:53 PM:

" For those who are telling the parents to monitor what their kids are reading just like they do television, it's the time at school that is the problem. They have access to all this information there. Duh! "




For real wrote on Apr 4, 2008 8:48 PM:

" Are there any witnesses to what really happened? I don't believe after a few shots, Rivera was still standing...He must of been on the ground, by the time the officers were done emptying their magazines. Was that really necessary?
"




disappointed wrote on Apr 4, 2008 6:24 PM:

" I have worked in law enforcement since 1999 and am disappointed in the armchair quarterbacks and speculation about what should have happened. The officers that responded to this had to deal the hand they were played. Given that they all made it home for dinner with their families, I would say that this played out better than it could have. As for the rubber-bullets you call for - Mr. gunman, can you hold on one minute, I need to go back to the car and get my special gun, don't shoot me yet!! "




Could it be wrote on Apr 4, 2008 4:00 PM:

" I heard there was some bunk cocaine floating around in Big Lake about the time this crap went down.Maybe this handler got burnt and was upset about it man.There's nothing that will make you madder then,uh never mind man. "




hpd wrote on Apr 4, 2008 1:48 PM:

" Yea,Im surprised that occifer Holmgren (who by himself represents half of the hpd)didn't take this guy out before the other yahoos bothered to show up.It's very obvious that the entire hpd(both of them)antagonized this guy to the point of wanting to kill himself before the calvary showed up to save them from the mess they probably created.This guy would be alive if the good ole boy's in houston had not been the first yahoo's to show up.Breaker Breaker,uh wasilla we have a problem...over. "




Kudos wrote on Apr 4, 2008 1:23 PM:

" Excel girl:

If the comments are hurting you, you have the choice to NOT read them. This is a COMMENT zone. Reality, folks. It's your choice. If you don't want your kids reading these comments, don't allow them to (it's called Personal responsibility, and family responsibility - something NOT common these days). Jay commited suicide by Cop.... what else is there to say? "




KUDOS wrote on Apr 4, 2008 1:20 PM:

" to the Cops! Good job, guys. If someone is dense enough or coward enough to shoot at you, then they are asking for death. As for those who tout *rubber bullets, tranquilizers, etc.*, heck, I hate to sound cold, but save us law-abiding, paycheck to paycheck folks a dime! You know, dogs who are a danger are killed; why not people? Bears who are *human killers* are desposed of, why not people? We need to lose the liberal attitude and come to reality, folks. "




Excel Team Girl wrote on Apr 4, 2008 12:42 PM:

" I MISS YOU JAY!!!! *MP*
"




Just FYI wrote on Apr 4, 2008 12:35 PM:

" Check the Florida courts. Jay came to Alaska to flee an outstanding warrant in Florida. They won't extradite from here. Jay did not come from here to start again, he came here to escape jail. He shot himself in the chest in December of 2006 and he had been to jail for DWI. He was good with kids, but he had a LOT of issues. He was not someone starting over, he was on the run. "




Excel Team Girl wrote on Apr 4, 2008 11:58 AM:

" Jay never did anything to hurt us!! the reason that Excel hired Jay was because he deserved another chance, not one person in this world is perfect!! He loved to coach gymnastics thats why he went from gym to gym, he helped people accomplish goals. He taught people the real sport of gymnastics. I am not blaming the cops they did do their job which I know was hard for them. PLEASE,PLEASE, PLEASE, stop saying bad things about a person you only know the bad side of. your mean comments are hurting people who loved him! *MP* "




Re:Employer Accountability wrote on Apr 4, 2008 11:49 AM:

" Isn't funny how Jay's current gym is the only one being criticized here? Jay did work for another gym right here in the Valley that had access to his resume and past history before he ever moved to Alaska. It's a bit hypocritical don't you think? "




to employer accoutability wrote on Apr 3, 2008 11:25 PM:

" I agree completely that even though Jay was a great coach and knew the sport well, that he should not have been hired to teach young children. He had been given a new chance up here in alaska, blew it, went to rehab to clean himself up, got rehired and blew it again threatening the lifes of the people he worked with as he was fired. Why would a different gym owner invite him in knowing the details of his past habits. I just dont think it is fair to all the children involved. "




Valley Mom wrote on Apr 3, 2008 8:43 AM:

" To Back up::: If the police are such a "disgrace to law enforcement" I would say that someone w/ your outstanding
"pride" and "all knowing" set up, put a badge on and go out and place your life on the line everyday. I just hope that you and your family never have to call the disgraced law enforcement. If you don't like it, then set up and fix it... "




Backup wrote on Apr 2, 2008 4:24 PM:

" So if the wasilla cops need back up do they call the Houston cowboys?I seriously doubt it.The houston police dept. is a joke,they are probably the ones who instigated this guy and then called for backup because they didn't know what to do.And why were the wasilla yahoo's there before the troopers.What a disgrace to law enforcement these 2 outfits are. "




To ridiculas wrote on Apr 2, 2008 12:10 PM:

" Please do not take the newspapers account as the one and only account. The fact that they did not mention that a trained negotiator was on the scene does not mean it didn't happen. A trained negotiator was on scene and tried despeartely to get him to speak with him. The scene was secured properly, including shutting down Big Lake Rd to ensure that a school bus and other civilians did not pass through harms way. Again, this isn't mentioned in the paper, it nonetheless happened. This was a tragic situation. "




To Rediculous... wrote on Apr 2, 2008 10:41 AM:

" Your're rediculous. Jay was intoxicated and facing police officers as he shot his gun. In a split second he could have lifted the barrel and shot at police. This happened very quickly, and officers have split seconds to make life and death decisions. And by the way, why don't you do your homework and scroll down some. The negotiator who was at the scene wrote in to clarify the facts. I'm glad the police officers are back on duty. God bless them. "




ridiculas wrote on Apr 2, 2008 9:22 AM:

" The police need to answer to thier inability to secure the seen properly untill trained negotiators arrived. Eyewitness accounts say he never fired at law enforcment he fired into the ground. Also I want to know Wasilla"s standard defense response is? To empty there magazine into a suspect! The chief investigator stated himself 15 rounds had been fired by 2 officers. This clearly shows the lack of professionalism and Panic on the Officers part. All agency's defense is 2 rounds and assess. These clowns let thier ego kill a man. The Police obviously exacerbated the problem. "




to disgusted... wrote on Apr 2, 2008 7:27 AM:

" Well we all know how perfect "dispatchers" are huh? As a christian you seem to spend a lot of time "judging" your fellow man/woman. Please go back to your bingo game. Hopefully, you will never need a cop. "




To Employer Accountability (con't): wrote on Apr 2, 2008 6:36 AM:

" To continue, was Anna aware there was a gun in the house? Who owned it? Why was a gun kept in the house along with a man she knew was detiorating, drinking, and suicidal? According to Anna herself in the blog, he attempted suicide in December, 2006 using a gun. And if he was deteriorating, drinking heavily, and suicidal over the months before as implied in the blog, why did she not let the gym owners know? The children should not have been exposed to this. The gym owners and Anna (and her husband) have some questions to answer. "




Responding To Employer Accountability: wrote on Apr 2, 2008 6:24 AM:

" I do not believe the employer (Gym Owners) was not aware of Jay's history. He had recently been hired, fired, rehired, and again fired from another Gym in Alaska (the very gym Jay took his boys to for State Championships). If the gym owners claim they didn't know what was going on, they're either lying or very inept. And there are more unanswered questions. Jay was staying with a family whose son was coached by Jay in the past. I read Anna's blogs. Who owned that gun?? Anna never mentioned whose gun that was?? Continued.... "




disgusted wrote on Apr 1, 2008 9:56 PM:

" I am still disgusted. No I am not an idiot and I don't do meth.
I happen to be an elderly Christian
lady who worked at a cop shop in dispatch for several years and so saw your boys in blue who are supposed to serve and protect in a whole different light. They are bigoted, alcoholic, addictive, strutting roosters who don't have a problem with abusing their power.
I've seen cops be bad, not just read about it. "




employer accountability wrote on Apr 1, 2008 9:38 AM:

" I have read from several people who have children affected by this tradegy and they state that they we unaware and never saw this coming. His employer stated in the interview he was aware of Jay's trouble with violence, alchohol and his criminal history. Why was he still hired to teach young children in the first place with that knowledge? Where is the accountability to provide a safe environment for our youth to train and grow. The children involved are hurting and Jays pattern of abuse should of been a consideration before exposing them to something like this. "




ask yourself this: wrote on Mar 31, 2008 7:53 PM:

" ...if someone pointed a gun at YOU and you were armed, would you shoot? I know I would. If you point a gun at a peace officer, expect the same. "




to valley parent wrote on Mar 31, 2008 12:52 PM:

" Instead of trying control free speech, why don't you exercise your parental rights and prevent your children from reading the comments if you find them so offensive. Same way you control what your children watch on TV. "




Valley Parent wrote on Mar 31, 2008 9:10 AM:

" People please proof read your comments. I dont know anyone involved, BUT our children are reading these statements. Show some respect for his friends, family and all kids reading this article. Show some humanity. "




Geat Real wrote on Mar 31, 2008 6:30 AM:

" Both sides, you’re a hypocrite. You call someone a jerk and then tell other people to not judge. Obviously that is your opinion of the two made up from your own judgment. Did I just judge…Oh well! Anyone who responds to the cop haters on this forum…Why? You’re not going to change them, most are criminals. But remember this…the criminals get the last word, cops get the last action. "




Both sides wrote on Mar 30, 2008 2:20 PM:

" I knew both Jay and an officer that responded to the scene. Both men have good qualities and both men can be jerks.

We are all human, we all struggle with something. None of us have the right to slander and judge any other person. Not the parents, not his boss, not the cops, not anyone else; it is not up to us to judge. Only God knows the heart and only God has enough love for us all. Quit looking at the faults of others and work at fixing your own. "




response to K9 wrote on Mar 29, 2008 11:36 PM:

" You are wrong. Patrol dogs are not trained to distract. They are trained to react. They are just dogs, they cant reason, they don't understand human behavior. A gun call is a gun call. Just like an officer would never stand out in the open and try to distract a person with a gun. The Police are not paid to die for the cause, they are paid and trained to resolve the situations. Jay had untold opportunities to change his life around, this was his sad choice. Your looking for a reason to blame the police. Why is that? "




whose to pass judgement wrote on Mar 29, 2008 10:52 PM:

" I knew Jay, and I also know that many of these judgemental comments are coming from other AA members. How fellow alcoholics and addicts can pass judgement so easy disgust me. I know that many of Bills friends hide behind amenity, so that voicing a judgemental useless comment about a dead man might make them feel better about their own demons!!!!
ONLY GOD KNOWS THE TRUTH !!!!
Our thoughts and prayer should be with his family, not on hurting their memory of Jay any further!!! "




jays friend wrote on Mar 29, 2008 9:52 PM:

" jay was our friend even though he did somthing so uterly stupid We still forgive him!! And people who are saying mean and rude things about him stop! because i know for a fact that if you knew somone who died that you cared for you wouldnt be talking like this. Jay did so many things for people he helped them achive thier goals! WE ALL JUST WISH WE HAD A CHANCE TO SAY THANK-YOU!!
*T* "




Jeckyl-Hyde wrote on Mar 29, 2008 8:26 PM:

" "Coach" Jay was a reborn person in the gym. That is where he redeemed himself. Outside the gym, he was trouble. Substance abuse, violence, arrests, inappropriate fornication. I saw a picture of his battered girlfriend. It was ugly. He didn't become a sociapathic trainwreck overnight. It took him years of burning bridges and not caring who he left behind to do so. He probably ended his life like this because Jay simply had no bridge to burn next. This was his final destination. "




Agree wrote on Mar 29, 2008 8:11 PM:

" Could not have said it better. Go in peace Jay. Rot in hades the rest of you losers. "




Reponse to the K9 reponse wrote on Mar 29, 2008 7:49 PM:

" You are right.I don't have K9 training but these dogs are trained and used to avoid the initial contact between the officer and the person of interest, and please correct me if Im wrong.If the dog could have provided enough distraction to allow enough time to avoid the lethal reaction by the wpd then maybe Jay would have had one last chance to avoid death.He obviously did not intend to hurt anybody else. "




I knew Coach Jay wrote on Mar 29, 2008 7:00 PM:

" and I am filled with an overwhelming sense of remorse. Coach Jay wasn't a
man I called friend. I knew too much about his drinking, smoking and womanizing and because of his bad habits, I chose to distance myself from him. I saw him 6 days a week, was never mean to him, but I never cut him any slack either. Yet, it pains me, it really pains me that I wasn't nicer to the guy. He was good to my boys, was always professional and strove only for excellence at the gym. RIP Jay. "




You make me sick wrote on Mar 29, 2008 6:40 PM:

" I cannot believe what I read in this post. Finger pointing with no knowledge outside of this news story. Placing blame without knowing the facts. It is saddening that we as a society and community cannot put blame aside show respect for the deceased, his family and friends and the officers involved. Those who think the officers who shot Jay are pleased with what happened have no facts to base your opinion on other than you own backwoods ignorant beliefs. Grow up and act like a somewhat civilized society instead of uneducated a-holes. "




non bias wrote on Mar 29, 2008 5:51 PM:

" Firstly, Jay knowingly decided to make the decision that would end his life. It was a decision he made. When your dealing with an intoxicated man who has a gun, there is little time or patience to negotiate. Realizing there were innocent people in the house, esentially being held; Im sure police would rather deal with one dead man (jay) versus mulitple tragedies. It seems not too many people know the facts of the incident, therefore, your comments mean little. Jay may have been a good coach, however on a specific night, he became unpredictable in posession of a gun. "




Parent wrote on Mar 29, 2008 5:43 PM:

" Some of you don't seem to realize that most of us who had children who adored Coach Jay had NO IDEA he had this problem. At this past job he kept his problem completely out of the gym. You can tell us we're bad parents if that makes you feel better, but how many of you demand to see a background check on everyone who works with your child? I have learned that Jay had been in rehab prior to this job. His employer thought he was better now. He just kept it to himself and finally blew. "




To disgusted wrote on Mar 29, 2008 1:22 PM:

" We can tell by the tone of your letter that you could care less about those two episodes. Your only reason for bringing those up is to bash the cops. You didnt bother to mention the incident in Sitka where the kid stabbed those four to death, or the guy in the Butte that hacked his family to death then shot an innocent person in Anchorage or the hundreds of other violent crimes against our citizens by criminals. Thank god for the Police. How much time have you spent in jail Mr Dysfunction? "




The World Of Addiction... wrote on Mar 29, 2008 12:52 PM:

" The real issues here are not how wonderful Jay was to the boys, or how he coached. Of course he was a good coach. During the past several years, in every gym he worked, Jay was given many chances, he was fired, then rehired, then fired. Legal problems followed him everywhere, even to Alaska. Every gym that continued to hire him became part of the problem. Every person or family that tried to help him became part of the problem. It's called enabling. And in the end, Jay selfishly forced police to shoot him. ANY LESSONS LEARNED HERE?? "




Wow... wrote on Mar 29, 2008 12:32 PM:

" Wow, some of these comments are amazing. Jay died the way he lived. He always blamed others for his problems. And now in death, the police are being blamed. When Jay was shooting the gun into the woods, he could have accidently shot a child. When Jay was shooting at the ground, and into the air, he could have accidently killed an officer. Neighbors could have accidently been wounded or killed. There were two people and a child in the house who could have accidently been killed. My God, what are you all thinking. "




response to K9 wrote on Mar 29, 2008 11:39 AM:

" Its obvious that you have no training with K9 patrol dogs. Sending a dog in on a gun call is suicide for the K-9. They are trained to "bark and detain" on a person that is not being aggressive.And if the person does run or fight,the dog will bite. But who's going to win in that situation? The guy with the gun. Yes, there are some dogs in the lower 48 that "seek and destroy", but thanks to the attorneys, you will never see a dog like that in Alaska. Maybe you can lead the charge next time. "




K9 wrote on Mar 29, 2008 10:39 AM:

" The next time something like this happens maybe the gunslingers should send the dog in,oh thats right something like this would have prevented the cowboys from getting to shoot the guy. "




To Disgusted... wrote on Mar 29, 2008 9:12 AM:

" You must be a complete idiot. There are bad apples in every basket, yet you paint the entire law enforcement community as corrupt. Go back to your meth lab and blow yourself up. The cops are more upset than we are when one of their own goes bad. "




People who are knocking the police. wrote on Mar 28, 2008 10:57 PM:

" Anyone here that says one word about police corruptness is an absolute moron. They actually do protect and serve, and most likely it is to protect us from you. I found that when I was a kid and thought that I had a reason to not like them ( they always gave me speeding tickets) I thought that they were bad and corrupt. Once I grew up and started acting like a person that deserved to live in a normal society, I found out that everyone of them is an outstanding citizen THERE TO HELP US!!! "




Role Model Guy wrote on Mar 28, 2008 10:51 PM:

" I would like to clarify, I read every comment from the beginning, and understand all of them. I understand that many of them were kids he coached, and many others were idiots as well. I understand that parents saw their kids faces light up when they were coached. I have been a youth hockey coach for ten years, and after a coach killed a parent, we were required to get background checks. I think that all parents should investigate their children's coaches a little more or sit and talk to them check their stability. "




friend of Jay wrote on Mar 28, 2008 10:41 PM:

" Hey Jay, I want to buy you a mocha! I want to ask you to spot me on my tricks. I really want to thank you for all you gave to me, my family, and our gym. I am so sorry you were hurting so much, and we didn't see your need. Do you know how much we- the parents, and the kids loved you? I just have to tell you I miss you, and thanks for spotting me. your friend always. God please take him to you. "




disgusted wrote on Mar 28, 2008 10:34 PM:

" Death by cop. Common phenomenon. We (the public) are clay pidgeons to them. Target practice.
Look at cops like Eric Spitzer, brutally tazered a native man, brutally
assaulted a petite Palmer woman, (her battered face made the front page of the Frontiersman), cost the state thousands in law suits, but instead of
getting fired, he gets promoted to undercover in Anchorage. Go figure.
Or cops like Owens out of Nome who executed a young girl. Or how many deaths are there in the jails by correctional officers that are
brushed under the carpet? Hello!
Dysfunction here. "




Db Cooper wrote on Mar 28, 2008 9:06 PM:

" Why did the wasilla cops confront this guy instead of the troopers? "




Mother of a Wasilla Police Officer wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:56 PM:

" I am pleased to see Police support from many of these messages....These Officers daily put their lives on the line having split seconds to make life threating decisions...while having public safety upmost in their actions. ....Ride with one of them on a Saturday nite.....You can't imagine what creeps and crawls on your streets and neighborhoods in the middle of the night. It will be an education for you! These Officers deserve respect...We need them... "




Know The Truth, WPD wrote on Mar 28, 2008 2:02 PM:

" TO: Get Real and Public in General,
"WASILLA POLICE OFFICERS" by their own Non Published, Operations Procedures Manual, STATES that the WPD is non other than TRAINED PROFESSIONALS at making CITIZENS ARRESTS!! THEY have NO more AUTHORITY than you or I except that they have MACE, SAP GLOVES, NIGHT STICKS, PISTOLS, SHOT GUNS, and FULLY AUTOMATIC CAPABLE ASSAULT RIFLES, which is their Trained status. We, the People, would be classified TERRORISTS if we were packing the same ordinance. Also, TO: Get Real, about YOUR statement, ("In this case, it was return fire. It is instinctive."), not instinctive, INSTRUCTED!!

"




Jays friends wrote on Mar 28, 2008 1:48 PM:

" who ever writes bad about Jay is a complete retard. He was a nice person. "




intheknow wrote on Mar 28, 2008 12:26 PM:

" It's not so idiotic when you consider, I've heard several of them talking about it over the years, and see their eyes sparkle when they do. And I have heard enough officers railing on the public when they thought they were in a place where everyone agreed with them. Fact is, the cops are still alive and the other guy is dead. If you want to rail on me, go ahead. I don't have an overblown sense of hero worship anymore. If you do, that's your problem. "




Read what the witness said wrote on Mar 28, 2008 10:52 AM:

" He shot at the ground on purpose because he did not want anyone to be injured but himself. Jay was never a threat to the kids or the community. He forced the police to do what he couldn't. We loved Jay and I am so sorry to the officers. The witness Anna has a big comment blog on ADN that tells the story. "




Never forget wrote on Mar 28, 2008 10:51 AM:

" The first thing i saw everytime I walked in the gym was Jay with a huge grin on his face. He was always laughing and making jokes. He made people smile and was a role-model to every child he coached. I know suicide wasn't the answer but don't forget the Jay we knew and loved! "




Reasonable wrote on Mar 28, 2008 10:45 AM:

" In response to the person who has no clue, most all of the parents involved find no fault in the police's actions that day. They did what they were trained and had to do. Jay was never unstabe in the gym and I don't want to know about the skeletons in your closet. We are all humans living on earth, death and sin happens. No one is perfect, I know alot of couch potatos who are overwieght and that's not a good role mode either. Jay taught the kids alot about discipline and_hard_work. "




Rockon wrote on Mar 28, 2008 10:28 AM:

" Cops did their job. Don't pull a gun on a cop. This guy WANTED to die.

If any of you digital sharks actually had a gun pointed at you wouldn't be writting this crap.

Bottom line..there is no excuse for even having a gun in your hand when the cops show up. Don't be an idiot.

Many people deserve to die and many don't. "




Another Parent wrote on Mar 28, 2008 9:41 AM:

" Anna's story is at http://community.adn.com/adn/adn_pubstory_357276#comment-187452 "




Another Parent wrote on Mar 28, 2008 9:38 AM:

" "These parents should be ashamed of themselves for letting their kids having such an unstable role model." The person who made this statement is obviously very unfamiliar with the situation. You need to read some of the comments. I was another parent who sat in on most practices and saw an excellent, kind, gymnastics coach who was a tremendous influence on young gymnasts. Many of us had no idea what was going on in his personal life. Please check the comments by Anna at adn.com who was at the shooting. Maybe that will help you understand. "




some good info on adn comments wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:41 AM:

" On the adn website you can read the lengthy comment from Anna, whom Jay had lived with her & her family in Big Lake. The frontiersman should print it. As it would answer many questions that people have. Thank you Anna, I feel a lot more at peace now after reading your comment. "




The Bigger Picture... wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:19 AM:

" No doubt, Jay's past and current students need to make sense of this. With that said, the adults in this need to look at the bigger picture.Jay was able to go from gym to gym, and each time, his self-destructive behaviors intensified, ultimately resulting in his death. Something good needs to come of this. With all due respect, as wonderful as he was to kids, Jay should not have been coaching. He had a long well-documented problematic work history/legal problems. Gyms have a responsibility to thoroughly vet and conduct background checks on potential employees. "




Respect wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:13 AM:

" The last time I checked it was God who passed judgement not Man. Not even "Knows the whole story" knows the whole story. Jay had problems, he had made terrible mistakes in the past. I'm not glorifying Jay's life, but I'm not going to overlook the good he has done as well. Don't stomp on a dead man's grave, keep your negative opinions to yourself, let the innocent kids that loved him voice their feelings and say your prayers for his family. "




Sick And Tired... wrote on Mar 28, 2008 7:56 AM:

" I am sick and tired of those who blame police officers when something happens. Police put their lives on the line every day - when they conduct simple traffic stops, or when they're called to a home because a man with a gun may be suicidal. In the end, when police get called, they ultimately don't know what they're walking into. Mentally ill or not, when a gun is pointed at an officer, they have a right to defend themselves. Had an officer died in this, the comments would've been very different. "




also sadden wrote on Mar 28, 2008 7:34 AM:

" First I want to give my sympathy to ALL whose lives were touched by this tragedy. I respect our policemen -- they have a difficult job and responsibility. I also wish there had been a different outcome. Jay coached my grandchildren. His professionalism, talent, skill, passion, & enthusiasm, were all I saw. He loved the sport and shared it with his students. He was excited on Monday about the boy's team. His personal demons were left at home. God gives us free will and sometimes we make bad choices. My prayers are with you ALL. "




Death wish wrote on Mar 28, 2008 7:17 AM:

" You have a death wish if you so much as point a gun at a cop. Even a civilian can shoot another person pointing a gun at them. It is called self defense. But you best raise your hands when an officer trains his gun on you. As you read all of these comments you can tell which people have respect for the law and law enforcement, and the ones who don't. It is particularly idiotic to say "some cops live for the day they can shoot someone." "




Friend to Jay wrote on Mar 28, 2008 6:26 AM:

" This truly is a tragic situation. Jay was a tortured soul with a debilitating disease that he couldn't seem to escape. He coached my son years ago and still lives in my son's heart. Unfortunately, he was seeking peace and felt death was his only choice. I pray for the peace and most especially for those officers forced to be the instruments of peace. "




skybust wrote on Mar 28, 2008 5:40 AM:

" When something like this happens the editor should make sure to get the facts correct in todays artical it stated negotiators were going to the scene. Well I know for a fact there was a negotiator at the scene because I was that person. Do I think Jay was a bad person no. He was just a person who had alot of problems. "




intheknow wrote on Mar 28, 2008 4:43 AM:

" Some cops live for the day they can shoot someone. Some don't. I think we had both on this occasion. If you have to judge a cop to be dirty, though, don't pick on Officer Holmgren. He's an excellent, compassionate human being! The part of this I can't figure out, though, is the part where a cop's oath to protect people stops at a mentally ill person with a gun. We all have guns. What's next? Stop seeing the public as the enemy! We need cops who care! "




Whitehawk wrote on Mar 27, 2008 11:04 PM:

" Standing Tall I want to commend you on on admitting to being one of the Officers involved in the "Big Lake" Shooting, and also responding to all the other calls you state. But you are also the "Gung ho Cop" That Makes traffic stops or has other Cops make them when you don't have probable cause to do so. Oh whats the words you used? Oh Yeah!! Treat it as a "Ready" Stop them anyway. (Aren't Police scanners just great.) "




knowthewholestory! wrote on Mar 27, 2008 10:39 PM:

" It is sad Jay was hurting so badly he CHOSE to die the way he did. I am sorry for those who must survive him. At one time he was my friend, mentor, & colleague. I(as so many before me)reached out and helped your BELOVED, he eventually thanked me by threatening my life. Today was the first day in a year that I realized I didn't have to look over my shoulder anymore. Do not glorify him without first understanding this, he had the same free will to choose the way he lived just as you or I. "




Glad your kids had such great role models!! wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:48 PM:

" I can understand all the students that miss the guy, but find it really disturbing that so many parents are jumping down the throats of the people commending the cops for doing their jobs. They would have protected you and anyone in your family from people that have gone over the deep end. These parents should be ashamed of themselves for letting their kids having such an unstable role model. This could have happened when they were around, no one ever knows. Congratulations police for removing a serious threat to our society. "




I will never forget Coach Jay wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:45 PM:

" You were the best coach Im sorry you had to go like that. Please dont judge my coach like some of you are. you didnt know him like we did. I loved how you made everyone laugh I Miss You soooooooooooo much :) *KP* and *MP* "




student of Jay wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:16 PM:

" I LOVE YOU COACH JAY sorry you had to go this way "




One of Jays students wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:14 PM:

" Jay was my coach and he never did anything to hurt us so he wasnt all that bad.at the time he was just having problems so bad he couldnt control his anger or sadness. We All love him so much.i know how you feel about him shooting at police,but your making everyone who knew him extra sad!so PLEASE STOP TALKING TRASH ABOUT A PERSON YOU DIDNT KNOW! thanks *MP* p.s. coach Jay, rest in peace "




The Bottom Line wrote on Mar 27, 2008 6:55 PM:

" When You Are TOLD To Put Down A Weapon By A Officer Do IT . Their There Putting Their Life's On The Line Every Day. And It Not Like They Brought Guns To A Stick Fight. If The Person Was Going To Kill Himself & Just Did It Himself Their Would Have Just Been 1 Shot Fired. But When He Decided To Go Outside & Point Towards The Officers & Shoot.
That Is All It Takes. Thank You All For Protecting & Serving Me & My Family.
"




just saying my thoughts wrote on Mar 27, 2008 5:56 PM:

" I'm a friend of one of coach Jay's students. To those who talk trash about him when you don't even know him well, you doesn't seem to be helping by making his family, friends, and students fell horrible. Those people have no right at all to right bad things about Jay without knowing him, but I also admit that he made a bad choice. I feel for the cops that they had to be in that situation and I understand that they did what they had to do. "




another parent wrote on Mar 27, 2008 5:52 PM:

" As a parent of two of Coach Jay's boys, I had no idea he was struggling with any of these issues. At the gym he was kind, professional and my boys looked up to him as a role model. After this tragedy, we have had to face a lot of things we were totally unaware of. Explaining this to my boys is incredibly difficult. Many tears have been shed. But we will focus on the great things we remember about him. "




peace be with Jay and family wrote on Mar 27, 2008 5:35 PM:

" I am choosing to remember Coach Jay as what I knew him to be. Even though I didn’t know him well, I knew that he was a great coach and he wore the biggest smile at all our meets and practices. He has instilled a sense of good physical fitness, working as a team, doing the best always, never giving up even when tired…all this and more than I can think of into my young son and I’m sure many others. Whatever he was like outside of coaching, it doesn’t matter. It’s very sad that he "




not to be mean wrote on Mar 27, 2008 4:22 PM:

" but he was shooting at them with a real guns in training they tell you on the force continuum that you should never approach a suspect at the same level on the continuum, always be one level above them. Rubber bullets would have not done a thing except give him more time to fire actual rounds at the officer "




another parent wrote on Mar 27, 2008 3:06 PM:

" Coach Jay was an awesome coach to my son. My son enjoyed gymnastics & looked forward to training with him throughout the week. Yes, we knew he had a drinking problem, but so do many other people that my children have been in contact with wheather it be a relative, friend, school teacher or coach. Thats were we as parents make sure that we look out for our children. My son was definately safe at the gym. It is sad that Jay's life ended like this, and that the police were put in that position. "




friendofjay wrote on Mar 27, 2008 2:30 PM:

" "a person" - if someone shoots a gun at a police officer, we all know what is going to happen. His dad called because he was concerned because Jay was saying goodbye to everyone. He was suicidal. He fired at the police and forced them to fire back. Jay made ALL of the decisions here. His dad did NOT expect the police to go hug the gun away from him. Unfortunately Jay refused to be helped. It is a devastating situation all the way around, for everyone involved. "




Sad situation. wrote on Mar 27, 2008 2:21 PM:

" Rubber bullets huh? You dont have a grasp on the dynamics of this situation or the man. This was suicide by cop. Its as simple as that. He refused help for years. That was his choice for what ever reason. He had had already decided that this was his time to go before the police arrived. If you did any research and reading on this subject besides what you see on TV, you would realize that some people feel the need to blame others for their short comings. He blamed everyone else for his problems but himself. "




a person wrote on Mar 27, 2008 1:43 PM:

" i cant beleave the police responded to a suicidal man and didnt even save his life instead they killed him.the mans father called from florida so his son could get some help.but instead the police killed him.they could have put rubber pellit in the shot guns instead of real bullet.how can we teach our kids to trust the police when the dont protect the people they shoot the people. "




Rus'sel wrote on Mar 27, 2008 12:53 PM:

" It was a tragedy through and through... for all involved. I feel for the children he coached, I feel for the terror the neighbors felt, I feel for the officers involved, I feel for Jay himself. Mental illness and addiction, it's not an easy life. Some would think of it as a character flaw but I think he probably needed much help. I am not here to trash anyone, and I think it would be best to use civil comments while our community is reading these postings. Words such as "coward," "idiot," and "stupid people" are not necessary! "




knew him wrote on Mar 27, 2008 12:44 PM:

" For Standing Tall. I applaud you. I applaud the line of work you are in. I couldn't do it.

Jay was a sick man. AND for the children reading this, you NEED TO KNOW. He had a substance abuse problem. Parents TALK to your kids.

There is nothing wrong with being angry at a friend (YES JAY WAS MY FRIEND) for doing something STUPID. Pity him? NO, he made his own choices.

Listen to Nikki Sixx on the Heroin Diaries. "You can lead him to the ambulance - but you cannot make him live"
"




another parent wrote on Mar 27, 2008 12:00 PM:

" As a parent of two of Coach Jay's boys, I had no idea he was struggling with any of these issues. At the gym he was kind, professional and my boys looked up to him as a role model. After this tragedy, we have had to face a lot of things we were totally unaware of. Explaining this to my boys is incredibly difficult. Many tears have been shed. But we will focus on the great things we remember about him. "




M. Ballard wrote on Mar 27, 2008 11:06 AM:

" Considering most people do not have all the facts in this case, they should keep the rude and negative comments (about Mr. Rivera and law enforcement) to themselves. Obviously this man was very troubled, however, the Wasilla police officers should not be blamed for doing their job. How would you react if someone was pointing a loaded a gun at you and shooting. Call a shrink? I don't think so. I think prayers should go out for the families of EVERYONE involved in this horrible incident. "




to the wake up parents guy wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:45 AM:

" I really don't think jay's past and current boys need to follow this story. A few of these boys are 5 yrs. old, Most are 6-7. This is a parents issue to deal with, that is why God created parents and not the newspaper. It sounds like you knew him at his past gym and wish you could have seen him in his last few months. He was laughing and having fun. He was trying hard at his sobriety and admited that is wasn't easy, but worth it. It must have become too hard. "




A Past Parent... wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:20 AM:

" My son was coached by Jay many years ago. We did know him. He was a great coach, and the boys loved him. But our boys also saw the other side of Jay, when he was arrested in handcuffs during the middle of practice, and when he no showed to Regional Championships because he got drunk the night before, got into a bar fight, and ended up in jail. We do feel your pain. And now your children have seen the other side of Jay. We do feel your pain. "




sad wrote on Mar 27, 2008 8:55 AM:

" alright the cops did exactly as they were trained to do in the police academy they have many senerios set up just like this one to train officers on shoot dont shoot. but its still sad to see someone do that to themselves especially when he was a role model and teacher to so many young children. my heart goes out to his family and the families of the officers. god bless "




person wrote on Mar 27, 2008 8:30 AM:

" who ever writes bad about Jay is just plain Stupid, you must have not known him like we did. "




we all loved Jay wrote on Mar 27, 2008 8:30 AM:

" PEOPLE STOP TRASHING OUR BELOVED JAY. HE WAS AN AWESOME MAN AND HELPED MANY PEOPLE ACHIEVE DREAMS. EVEN HIS LIFE HAD PROBLEMS HE OVER LOOKED THEM IN ORDER TO LET OTHERS HAVE A GOOD LIFE. IF YOU KNEW HIM YOU WOULD FEEL OUR PAIN. WE ALL LOVE YOU COACH JAY AND WE HOPE YOU HAVE AWONDERFUL TIME IN THE LORDS HOUSE!!! WE ALL LOVE YOU SO MUCH! "




Wake Up Gym Owners... wrote on Mar 27, 2008 8:16 AM:

" Have you ever heard of "criminal background checks??" "




A Parent wrote on Mar 27, 2008 8:14 AM:

" First of all remember that even though Coach Jay did this to himself, there are many children that loved him and are trying to understand what happened. So if nothing else when commenting here please remember that there are children reading this. At the gym he was a role model, the kids never saw this side of him. My thoughts are w/ his family, the family of the cops and all the children. He loved coaching you...... "




Wake Up Coaches And Parents wrote on Mar 27, 2008 7:40 AM:

" Jay was a alcoholic who continued to drink heavily, was unable to maintain his sobriety over the years, was emotionally unstable, had a history of serious legal problems and self destructive behaviors, and worse, many of these behaviors spilled into past gyms where he worked, and past competitive meets where he coached. This begs the question, why was Jay allowed to coach young children in a USAG Sanctioned Gym and in USAG Sanctioned Meets?? Jay's past and current boys should be following this story..It's an important lesson in life. Thank God, no one else was killed along the way. "




OLIVER K. CADLE wrote on Mar 27, 2008 4:40 AM:

" IN RESPONCE TO THE ONES WHO ARE CONDEMING THE WASILLA POLICE DEPT. THEY ARE TRAINED AS MUCH AS ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. I WONDER WHAT YOU WOULD SAY IF YOU NEEDED A POLICE OFFICER AND HAD TO DEPEND ON ONE FROM WASILLA BUT IT WAS OUT SIDE OF HIS JURISDICTION AND COULD NOT RESPOND? WHAT WOULD YOU THINK OF THEM THEN? JUST SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT. LETS PRAY FOR THE ONES THAT HAD TO DO THE SHOOTING TO KEEP FROM GETTING SHOT THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO COPE WITH THIS TRAGADY. "




Standing Tall wrote on Mar 27, 2008 2:30 AM:

" Yesterday I was involved in a shooting in Big Lake. That was gut wrenching and made for a bad day. Today I went back to work and responded to a sexual assault, a road rage assault, a dad that assaulted his wife and son, a shoplifter that pulled a gun on store security. Welcome to my day. In over 15 years of doing this job I have had a front row seat and witnessed a lot darkness and evil. I love my job and will be ready to get back out there tomorrow helping where I can. "




Resonable wrote on Mar 26, 2008 8:26 PM:

" USA Gymnastics background screenings became mandatory beginning with those members whose membership expiration date was 12/31/07. The process has taken time to update all members, but they are now moving in the right direction. People are obviously angry (which is a stage of grief for those who knew him) but this may not be the stage to present your anger as there are children following this story even if they shouldn't be. They loved Coach Jay. "




knew him wrote on Mar 26, 2008 7:42 PM:

" Jay wanted to go. He was a coward and took the "easy" way out.

He always blamed others for his shortfalls. No one could reach him, he didn't want to be reached. He had a deep hatred for himself. We had many discussions and he was happiest when he could blame others for everything; it would be their fault and he could play victim.

So now you glorify him, he is the victim. The police are the bad guys?

PULEEZE!

I am angry.We were friends and he bailed on me, on the boys, on life. "




T & T wrote on Mar 26, 2008 7:24 PM:

" I know what he did was wrong, but he had something bothering him and no one notcied. So all the people blaming him are to stupid to figure that out. I wish we would have helped him sooner.
We Love You Coach Jay! "




Thank you to our police! wrote on Mar 26, 2008 7:06 PM:

" Thank you for keeping the rest of the neighborhood safe! This man was obviously a danger and our police officers are willing to put their lives on the line everday! The officers and families involved will be in our hearts! Thanks again "




Baby wrote on Mar 26, 2008 5:17 PM:

" Why is someone with arrests and convictions in multiple states, a history of violent and deplorable bahavior, and a detestable professional reputation as Rivera's even permitted near children? Background checks? USA Gymnastics Code of Ethics? The AP should report how common it is in the gyms of America to have character's like this on the payroll infuencing our kids and manipulating their parents. Thank goodness he didn't bring that gun to the gym in his state of mind. "




Db Cooper wrote on Mar 26, 2008 1:39 PM:

" I am very surprised that the Houston police didn't gun this guy down,especially that Holmgren wannabe.I know they are just waiting for their chance. "




Not Surprised wrote on Mar 26, 2008 1:29 PM:

" Welcome to assisted suicide Alaska style. You can be assured that the use of force continuum will be ignored. Lethal force first. No tranquilizer shots, no tear gas, no bean bags, no rubber bullets and heaven forbid no trained negotiators or counselors who specialize in suicidal people. Do any of the law enforcement agencies in Alaska have any kind of plan or training for dealing with suicidal people who may be armed and dangerous other than exposing themselves to danger and then using that as the excuse to us lethal force in return and then be publicly justified? "




M wrote on Mar 26, 2008 1:24 PM:

" All you people need to have a little more compassion! You don't know the whole story! "




Get Real wrote on Mar 26, 2008 12:50 PM:

" Wasilla's "local yokels" are as highly trained as any other police officer in the state. They must have the same training and meet the same qualifications as required in State of Alaska police officer standards. I tire of people who play armchair judge in these cases. You have no idea whatsover what you are talking about. When a person gets shot at, whether it be a police officer or a citizen, he or she is going to do what they can to preserve their life. In this case, it was return fire. It is instinctive. "




To wow @reporting wrote on Mar 26, 2008 10:51 AM:

" Bad ap style? Are you a journalist? Do you study AP Style? If you are a journalist you would understand the headline. Duh. Police did kill big lake man. Simple to the point and catching. We used this headline in my Journalism class today.
"




disgusted...continued wrote on Mar 26, 2008 10:37 AM:

" I knew Mr. Rivera and never would I have imagined he would do such a thoughless, stupid thing. He was a wonderfull coach and person, he was very compassionate about his job and the boys he coached. He took us all the way to State Champions this past Saturday. So what happened between then and yesterday is a huge mystery to all of us who knew him. We are deeply saddened by these rescent events. . My heart an dprayers go out to all involved. Peace be with you COACH JAY. "




disgusted wrote on Mar 26, 2008 10:32 AM:

" Wow...shoot first ask questions later..right? How mush training are the local police given for situations like this one? HMMM..... I would have to say not much, I am sure I am truley sorry for the officers involved and I am glad that no one else was injured..don't get me wrong. In the article it states he was suicidal. So wouldn't that say maybe there should've been a negotiator there or someone like that..was there one there? Din't hear of any mention of that. Apparently Mr Rivers was disturbed. "




Jeff wrote on Mar 26, 2008 8:07 AM:

" What were the Wasilla police doing in Big Lake? Isn't that outside their jurisdiction? Also, I highly doubt our local yokels have had ANY training in dealing with persons threatening suicide. Did they provoke him? Sorry to sound suspicious but I've seen the Wasilla police at work and I hope their is an outside investigation. "




if at first you don't succeed... wrote on Mar 26, 2008 7:39 AM:

" ...what a COWARD! Good job Law Enforcement officers! That was tough!
check out: http://www.courtrecords.alaska.gov/pa/pa.urd/PAMW6500 ...at least daddy made it to Florida "




wow @ reporting wrote on Mar 26, 2008 3:46 AM:

" Instead of "Wasilla police kill, shouldn't it be "Man Died When Wasilla Police Return Fire?" Sensationalist headlines.

And where is the editorial staff? Hire a proofreader! The story gets lost when you try to figure out whether the reporter is talking about a Kohler or a Koehler; then bad AP style everwhere.

Oh, and your own website it www.frontiersman.com, not www.fromntiersman.com like you state. Glad I could help.

I do hope the children they were waiting on weren't exposed to the shots from Troopers. Did they advise the bus to avoid the area? "




cori wrote on Mar 26, 2008 12:51 AM:

" thank god he didnt take out any of the neighbors...geez that was a bad afternoon. C "




private investigator wrote on Mar 26, 2008 12:18 AM:

" does it really take thirty shoots to kill someone? "




lesson learned, kids? wrote on Mar 25, 2008 10:21 PM:

" you shoot at peace officers, they fire back better. solution? submit to arrest, face the charges. or die. "




i hate stupid people wrote on Mar 25, 2008 9:30 PM:

" What an idiot. what in the world would cause a person to even consider firing at police officers. this man has a death wish. i hope he rots in hades. "