By Steve Neavling
The ATF’s role in a pre-dawn raid that ended in the death of an airport executive from Arkansas took center stage at a congressional hearing Wednesday.
Bryan Malinowski, who was executive director of the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, was killed by ATF agents at his home on March 19.
His family and attorney have admonished the agency’s handling of the raid, which was prompted by a search warrant that alleged Malinowski had illegally sold firearms.
His family’s attorney Bud Cummins said agents shot Malinowski just 57 seconds after covering his door camera with tape, Arkansas Times reports.
According to Cummins, 10 carloads of ATF agents and Little Rock police arrived at his home to execute the search warrant.
After breaking down the door to serve a warrant, a shootout ensued, and the 53-year-old was killed just inches from his wife.
Cummins questioned the aggressive tactics used by the agents but acknowledged that they had a right to return fire if they’re getting shot at.
“The point is that everything that created that situation was incompetent, unnecessary and reckless,” Cummins said.
Cummins insisted the approach was “illegal” because of the “forced entry” and “the lack of time they gave the occupant of the fairly large home to get up in the morning” and answer the door.
“I would suggest that the tactics that were used in the Malinowski search would be incompetent and reckless if it was a very serious crime,” Cummins said. “It’s even much more offensive because this is not a serious crime that they suspected. It’s probably the lowest level crime that would even be drug into a United States attorney’s office.”
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, a Republican and frequent critic of the ATF, also admonished the agency.
“This is the weaponization of government if I’ve ever seen it,” Jordan said.
ATF Director Steven Dettelbach is set to testify before the committee on Thursday.
