Hey, just shoot the guy!!!

[PegLeg45]

When all else fails......... panic and pump a couple of rounds into the guy. 

Police Fatally Shoot Unarmed Former Football Player Who May Have Been Seeking Help After A Car Crash


Officer Randall Kerrick, 27, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) in North Carolina is facing charges of voluntary manslaughter after fatally shooting Jonathan Ferrell, 24, a former Florida A&M football player who had apparently been seeking help after surviving a major car crash early Saturday morning.

CMPD officials called the shooting “excessive.”

“Our investigation has shown that Officer Kerrick did not have a lawful right to discharge his weapon during this encounter,” said CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe in a statement. “It’s with heavy hearts and significant regrets it’s come to this… Our hearts go out to the Ferrell family and many members of the CMPD family. This is never something easy.”

The Charlotte Observer reports that the car crash was so severe that Ferrell likely had to “pull himself out” of the wreckage. He then walked to the nearest house, about a half mile away, to seek assistance. But the local resident whose home Ferrell arrived at was frightened that he was attempting to burglarize her after not recognizing him.

The resident then made a 911 call and three officers arrived at the scene. According to police accounts, Ferrell, who is African-American, acted “aggressively” and charged towards the officers. Officer Thornell Little of the Hickory Grove division of the CMPD responded with an unsuccessful attempt to fire his Taser at Ferrell. Police say that when Ferrell continued to charge toward the police, 27-year-old officer Randall Kerrick discharged his weapon several times, eventually killing Ferrell.

Monroe said that he did not believe Ferrell had threatened the woman who placed the 911 call, and that Kerrick’s use of excess force was unwarranted, according to the Charlotte Observer. No signs of alcohol were found at the scene of the wreckage, although officials said an official toxicology report will take weeks.

While the FBI keeps detailed information on the numbers and types of crimes that are committed throughout the United States, there is no comprehensive tracking mechanism for police shootings. FBI spokespeople have said there is no mandate for them to keep such statistics and that it would take an act of Congress in order to establish a database. Congress, so far, has refused to ask for one.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/09/15/2621871/police-fatally-shoot-unarmed-man/

[tombogan03884]

http://t.msn.com/?fa=http%3a%2f%2fnews.msn.com%2fcrime-justice%2fpolice-accidentally-shoot-2-bystanders-in-midtown-manhattan%3focid%3dansnews11&ref=bing&fid=AmNews-253308308-261264077


  Police accidentally shoot 2 bystanders in Midtown Manhattan
The incident happened at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue near the Port Authority Bus Terminal on Saturday night.

NEW YORK — Authorities say a man who was dodging cars on a Manhattan street, leading to police gunfire that wounded two bystanders, faces multiple counts including menacing and resisting arrest.

Police say 35-year-old Glenn Broadnax, of Brooklyn, has also been arrested on a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Two officers opened fire Saturday night near Times Sq
...

"Only the police should have guns because they are trained professionals"
Seems like the amateurs are safer to have around.

[santahog]

....
"Only the police should have guns because they are trained professionals"
Seems like the amateurs are safer to have around.

When was the last time you read a story about an armed civilian overreacting or shooting the wrong guy?..

[tombogan03884]

1871 Wild Bill Hickock , His friend ran up to help him in a gun fight, he yelled " I'm coming to help Bill," Hickock only heard , "I'm coming" turned and shot .
He said it was the only killing he regretted .

[tt11758]

On the flip side of that coin, late last week in a town of 1800 people, about 100 miles from here, a SERT team officer was killed during a standoff with a guy who was wanted on a warrant for beating the crap out of his own mother.  The bad guy fired one shot, which found it's way above the collar of the officer's vest.  In my opinion, the fact that the cop killer arrived at the jail alive, healthy, and with nary a scratch on him speaks volumes for the professionalism of those particular officers.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

On the flip side of that coin, late last week in a town of 1800 people, about 100 miles from here, a SERT team officer was killed during a standoff with a guy who was wanted on a warrant for beating the crap out of his own mother.  The bad guy fired one shot, which found it's way above the collar of the officer's vest.  In my opinion, the fact that the cop killer arrived at the jail alive, healthy, and with nary a scratch on him speaks volumes for the professionalism of those particular officers.

Not really, they may have been afraid to many eyes were on them.
There was a similar incident in Oakland when I lived out there and killer arrived unscathed.
Oakland is noted nation wide for the lack of professionalism among it's cops.

[TAB]

Hopefully they make it a capitol case,

[Solus]

Not to defend the cop, but a lot of the blame lies with the attitude and training that is being delivered....and it is with the departments and the "Law Enforcement" community at large.  I quoted Law Enforcement even though I prefer the term Peace Officer, but that obviously does not apply here, nor does it apply where it ALWAYS should.

When you train officers to respond instantly to a perceived threat, even going so far as to use pictures of pregnant women as targets, what chance does a disheveled and disoriented male automobile accident victim have of surviving an encounter with "Law Enforcement" responding to a 911 call generated by said victim knocking on doors looking for help?  

The victim matched the description given in the 911 call, of course, approached the "Law Enforcement" officers looking for help, having assumed they were Peace Officers.  One "Law Enforcement" Officer, saw the victim, perceived a threat and instantly shot, killed and eliminated the threat....just as the "Law Enforcement" culture espouses.

This type of event happens often enough that citizens are not off the mark in considering any encounter with "Law Enforcement" as a potential deadly threat.  Indeed many do have a dread and fear of any such encounter.  

Should we start to train ourselves to respond instantly to any perceived threat, perhaps using pictures of "Law Enforcement" officers as targets?  

Of course not...but this holds much more true of the Police...and, yes, I do believe the Police should be held to higher standards than civilians.

For instance, in the same threatening encounter, if the cause of the threat pulls a squirt gun or any firearm look alike, and points it at the civilian or Peace Officer, I'd say both have a valid reason to feel they are faced with an immediate and deadly threat.

If however, in that same situation, the threat pulls "something" from their pocket and "points" it at the civilian or Peace Officer,
I say the Peace Officer has a greater responsibility than the civilian to verify the object is a real threat.

While the civilian might have a moral obligation to be as sure as possible it is a threat, it is the Peace Officers job to do so.  

I see this as a very fine distinction, but the Peace Officers responsibility for making the correct call falls just ahead of the civilians, or close enough to be equal, but, for sure, not less than the civilians.

[tombogan03884]

ALL of the fault lies with the attitude and training !
Every time a dept wants to save money it is ALWAYS training that suffers.
Want to cut hours ?
Make cops train on their own time .
Need to cut OT ?
Don't pay cops for coming in on their own time.
Need to raise money for the chief's new cruiser ?
cut the ammo budget.

[TAB]

Its always like that, heaven forbid they cut a layer of mangement or stream line something.  Something as small as making them pay for thier own coffee could be enough for another officer in a larger department.  Or here is an idea, tell the union to go f..k themselfs.   its simple, you want job X  you do Y or good bye.