(VIDEO) Is this a justified Police shooting???

[Dogbert]

Pikaia: If you step in front of a stopped car, and the driver clearly sees that you're there, does that give him/her the right to run you over? No, it doesn't. The only "excuse" that the cop used was that his life was in danger, nothing wrong with that.

Ok, THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPED! the officer steps into the line of the vehicles path as it is accelerating.... this means that the vehicle is already in motion and then the officer sidesteps into its path to detour the vehicle... this is not police procedure... actually that is a very stupid thing to do. I dont care how much muscle you got .... a car is gonna win every single time.

as for me being a quote: "uneducated, pot-smoking, skinny, spike-wearing whiny anarchists.." Well, actually im a 2nd Lieutenant in the US ARMY, I went to a military academy where I received a bachelor's degree at 21yr old... currently contemplating a masters.... I'm also one of those people who TRULY believes in the foundations of AMERICA: freedom, liberty...etc

yep, i guess i fit nicely into your non biased views

As for the cop trying to save people's lives by stopping this guy... sure i believe that too... But, shooting at the car as its speeding away in a residential neighborhood IS JUST AS DANGEROUS AS THE MAN BEHING THE WHEEL.

Now, don't get me wrong... I have faith in the system.
i just think the system doesnt have any faith in us.

 

[crew9]

Umm perhaps you should see the video again. The officer DOES NOT step infront of the car as it moves forward. A majority of his body was in front of the car and the car turned towards him.

 

[supersizeme]

You're assuming that the cop here was unwillingly put in a situation where he had no choice but to either shoot the guy or be run over. He placed himself in front of that car while it was obvious the guy was putting the car in motion. That's not far off from saying I have free reign to step out onto the highway and shoot to kill the driver of the first car that's coming at me. Obviously in that case there is no crime that has been committed, and the car has every right to be on that highway, but you see what I'm getting at.

That cop turned what didn't need to be a life threatening situation into one that was and thus he empowered himself to kill that guy. It was poorly handled.

 

[crew9]

You're assuming that the cop here was unwillingly put in a situation where he had no choice but to either shoot the guy or be run over. He placed himself in front of that car while it was obvious the guy was putting the car in motion. That's not far off from saying I have free reign to step out onto the highway and shoot to kill the driver of the first car that's coming at me. Obviously in that case there is no crime that has been committed, and the car has every right to be on that highway, but you see what I'm getting at.

That cop turned what didn't need to be a life threatening situation into one that was and thus he empowered himself to kill that guy. It was poorly handled.

Or he stepped in front of the car so the guy wouldn't speed off and kill someone innocent.

 

[supersizeme]

> I have free reign to step out onto the highway and shoot to kill
>the driver of the first car that's coming at me.

No because chances are the driver coming at you has NO INTENTION of wanting to kill you. Therefore he will try to stop or swerve.

This was a criminal who HAD INTENTION and MOTIVE to hurt the officer.

Ex: If i just walk up to a cop and say hey what's up, and reach into my pocket. Cop won't get freaked out. But if he's trying to arrest me, and I punch back and then i reach into my pocket. What do you think i'm trying to get? A pack of cigarettes? There's now a motive and clear and present danger. Remember that movie? That was a good movie.

-= nav =-

You're arguing a point that I made in the sentence after the one you quoted, "Obviously in that case there is no crime that has been committed, and the car has every right to be on that highway, but you see what I'm getting at."

I'm not arguing that it's ok to shoot people on the highway. My point is that he willingly made that situation a life or death one. It didn't have to be one. You don't know the criminal was trying to hurt him. He looked like he was just trying to get away, and then that cop jumped in front of the car.

crew9 has a good point about him starting a chase that leads to some civilian's death in a nasty crash. i can see that side of it

 

[justyxxxx]

You're arguing a point that I made in the sentence after the one you quoted, "Obviously in that case there is no crime that has been committed, and the car has every right to be on that highway, but you see what I'm getting at."

I'm not arguing that it's ok to shoot people on the highway. My point is that he willingly made that situation a life or death one. It didn't have to be one. You don't know the criminal was trying to hurt him. He looked like he was just trying to get away, and then that cop jumped in front of the car.

crew9 has a good point about him starting a chase that leads to some civilian's death in a nasty crash. i can see that side of it

I do believe that the officer may have positioned himself for just that purpose - perhaps to show superiority and if you come at me - you're fucked. But at the same time, he may not have truly believed that the guy would just drive into him - he possibly did it just to suggest to the guy that he means business. And sometimes that's all it takes for some people. But, because the officer was already in the front of the car, he may have become trapped - not really knowing which way to go, especially when the guy just keeps going - not knowing if he's gonna speed up and just run over his ass, be thrown into traffic or what. Who knows? There's another lane, there's a vehicle coming at him, he's keeping his aim on the guy in the car - there's a lot going on.

If I were a jury and going solely by the video, I'd let the police officer off . . .

 

[Parabellum]

It was justified and the officer acted well within the law. You can clearly see him shouting instructions to the driver, he feared for his life and the well being of others in the area.

Even after being instructed to stop he kept going the PO's life was in immediate danger. The PO is a well respected person of authority, if this guy didn't care about trying to run him over what do you think he would do to innocent civilians.

PO's have the shittiest job. They have to deal with the scum of the earth on a daily basis not to mention the very real chance of "getting dead" more so than civillians.

 

[Pikaia]

as for me being a quote: "uneducated, pot-smoking, skinny, spike-wearing whiny anarchists.." Well, actually im a 2nd Lieutenant in the US ARMY, I went to a military academy where I received a bachelor's degree at 21yr old... currently contemplating a masters.... I'm also one of those people who TRULY believes in the foundations of AMERICA: freedom, liberty...etc

yep, i guess i fit nicely into your non biased views

I might as well say that all cop-haters are uneducated, pot-smoking, skinny, spike-wearing whiny anarchists, but that would be bad for my character and opinions, because I know that's not true

please read the bold. I never said you were that, I just mentioned it because said cops are assholes and "bullied school kid, retired military, bully, extremeist" rather stereotypical i guess.

 

[2Thick]

All I know is that when I deal with cops (which I hate) I make all of my movements nice and slow. I do not want 5 warning shots IN MY BACK!

 

[Pikaia]

All I know is that when I deal with cops (which I hate) I make all of my movements nice and slow. I do not want 5 warning shots IN MY BACK!

your back could handle it