Given the current climate in this country that video should have been all over the news. It is what it is, and it could prevent any escalation in other parts of the country.
Just for sharts and gargles, if there is not a knife, what is everyone's opinion on how things should proceed?
Last edited by kingcat; 09-05-2015 at 08:37 PM.
“Before I leave I’d like to see our politics begin to return to the purposes and practices that distinguish our history from the history of other nations,
“I would like to see us recover our sense that we are more alike than different. We are citizens of a republic made of shared ideals forged in a new world to replace the tribal enmities that tormented the old one. Even in times of political turmoil such as these, we share that awesome heritage and the responsibility to embrace it.”
-Patriot and Senator. John McCain
If he was in that close proximity and refused to disarm then there was cause for reasonable fear. When I was a kid sticking a knife in a target smaller than a body from 30 feet wasn't a difficult task.Originally Posted by Doc
And the 21 foot rule I mentioned is if the suspect is standing still. If he/she is moving towards an officer, they most certainly can make contact within the blink of an eye. I know, because one of the two stabbings I have been a victim of was moving toward me and used another soldier to shield himself from me. I knew it was coming and managed to keep from being fatally stabbed by moving away as he stabbed me, but he still seriously injured me.
God was with me, that's all I can say. It wasn't my time then, and I fully believe that He taught me a valuable lesson and still saved me.
Look, I am not going to take any chances. If I think anything is hinky about the person(s) I'm dealing with, the H&K comes out and I create space. Period. I am not getting stabbed again if I can help it.
MOLON LABE!
The danger is in everyone getting an itchy trigger finger.
That, and citizens who begin to fear the everyday law officer. Such fear puts him or her in added danger, and will eventually become a catalyst for a rogue kind of force absent any protect and serve mandate.
Things like this video presents, MUST be resolved in the public's mind quickly, regardless of legal protocols.
Show the video. And if it doesn't exist, then it becomes a very ominous situation on a much larger scale
P.S. Suncat, I'm behind your stance 100 percent
Last edited by kingcat; 09-06-2015 at 11:24 AM.
“Before I leave I’d like to see our politics begin to return to the purposes and practices that distinguish our history from the history of other nations,
“I would like to see us recover our sense that we are more alike than different. We are citizens of a republic made of shared ideals forged in a new world to replace the tribal enmities that tormented the old one. Even in times of political turmoil such as these, we share that awesome heritage and the responsibility to embrace it.”
-Patriot and Senator. John McCain
I'll try again to make my points because I've done a poor job.
I believe all the hypotheticals that folks bring in to support the officers do a disservice to the discussion. If one wanted to support the victims side they could claim they think they see him saying he is giving up. Its as valid but nobody is willing to do that because we all want the shooting to be justified. What I often see is people pick a side the create evidence rather than discuss what is there. When the victims side does it as with the "Hand up, Don't Shoot" which was the Micheal Brown mantra, and it is totally false, then these hypotheticals are not a good thing. To me it works both ways. I discuss what's there but wait for what is to come out.
As for what I actually see in the video, and if the reports that he had a knife are accurate, and if they had been trying to apprehend him for some time: I still have a very hard time supporting the shooting. In my opinion killing a citizen should be a police officers absolute final option. Seeing a man with his hands in the air, even holding a knife, getting shot multiple times by the people who are charged with protecting ALL the people of this nation, even somebody they are attempting to arrest, is bothersome. Others may disagree but i don't see the office as being in danger. I see them as having the upper hand and in charge of the situation. They had at least 2 trained police officers with their guns aimed at a shirtless man in open ground, both hands visible and above his head, a knife in one hand. There is an old adage, you don't bring a knife to a gun fight. I believe there were other options and the police could have used them.
As more videos like this come out, is it any wonder that the police forces across the country are coming under fire? Humor me and let's say this is a bad shooting. Let's say the victim was surrendering and the officers had had enough of his antics, were pissed off and put an end to it (that happens too. I can link to ample videos of officers beating the crap out of cuffed perpetrators). The justification will be its was just a bad cop and not all are that way. I'm going to disagree. It comes down to "professional integrity" where the actions of any person in your profession reflects on all the people in your profession, like it or not. I'm sure the ambulance chasing shyster lawyer Darrell sees it every day, right? Every time a veterinarian gets popped for selling animal steroids to some muscle head at the gym I cringe because it affects my reputation. Its part of your responsibility to your profession where your action reflect on others. So long as any police officer anywhere doesn't take every effort to not use lethal in every situation, you are going to continue to see civil unrest when officers use it. Whether or not this turns out to be justified, it LOOKS bad. And after seeing something like that, I can understand why some would have a hard time supporting the police. That doesn't mean I don't. As I stared, I hope this turns out to be justified. As some may know my daughter boyfriend who has lived with us the last 5 years is graduating the police academy in the next month. Clearly I'm going to support the police since I'm not a liberal idiot. But I also try to be objective and look at things from the other side whenever I can. In this case I can see an issue
Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.--David Bowie.
And I agree worth you 100%
Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.--David Bowie.
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