this post was submitted on 11 Apr 2024
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[–] cogman 202 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Don't you love how a cop who drunkenly threatened his girlfriend with his pistol and has multiple discipline actions on record for excessive violence is still allowed to be a cop?

[–] [email protected] 63 points 7 months ago
[–] [email protected] 113 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (19 children)

This is my take as an Akron resident:

  1. We have a new community controlled local police oversight board.

  2. The officer was called with the pretext that someone had been brandishing a firearm / pointing a gun at houses.

  3. You can't see very well what the officer could see because the view is obstructed. It's entirely possible that the kid complied but accidentally pointed the gun towards the officer.

  4. The officer shot exactly 1 time and shot in a non-lethal manner (the hand was shot). This was not a murder attempt, this was in a way the extra mile, the kid will hopefully make a full recovery.

  5. The fake gun is not an orange tipped fake, it's very similar to a real looking gun. The kid also was not with friends "playing pretend" or anything like that.

  6. As soon as the kid started yelling the officer immediately deescalated the situation and moved towards first aid.

  7. The officer does have a messy history, particularly when alcohol is involved and when off duty, but was entirely sober at the time of the shooting and has never been known to be drunk while on duty.

  8. We have had issues in the past few years locally particularly with teen violence. They've been trying to solve it, but some kids are carrying guns and robbing people, some kids have been carrying guns to protect themselves from the other kids, and evidently some kids are carrying fake guns too.

I'm glad this kid got to walk away with their life. I hope their hand isn't too messed up and I hope they don't have too much mental distress. They never should've walked around in public with a toy gun and "showed it off", and I hope they never do this again.

If the officer really did something wrong, I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of it, but as it stands, I think the officer reacted reasonably.

[–] [email protected] 78 points 7 months ago (7 children)

Not trying to discredit or anything but in #4 1 shot is surely good compared to emptying his clip, but shooting or aiming a gun at somebody, the intent can't be "non-lethal".

[–] Fredselfish 44 points 7 months ago (1 children)

If you can be shot and killed for possession of a gun then we don't have the second amendment right to a gun.

We need to address this. Because our second amendment rights are being violated especially if you are black.

The far right keep telling us we have this right any time we try pass any type of guy law. Yet cops kill people with guns and even with toy guns or no.

When do we get the right to defend ourselves from these thugs?

[–] BassTurd 10 points 7 months ago (3 children)

The 2nd amendment is a farce and the US would be a much better place if it were abolished.

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[–] [email protected] 39 points 7 months ago

Also, there's houses all around them. Any shot could easily injure or kill someone else. This wasn't a "good shoot". It could easily have resulted in tragedy.

[–] CptEnder 14 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Yeah the first thing you learn about firearms whether you're hunting or in the military is do not flag someone unless you are prepared to kill them. Even if you don't intend to.

I agree though it is good to hear the cop managed to only shoot one round.

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[–] TheBat 35 points 7 months ago

This is my take as an Akron resident:

Careful, you'll scare the cops and they'll start shooting

[–] [email protected] 28 points 7 months ago (4 children)
  1. The officer shot exactly 1 time and shot in a non-lethal manner (the hand was shot). This was not a murder attempt, this was in a way the extra mile, the kid will hopefully make a full recovery.

It's hard to tell if the shot was intentional. The office is talking to the kid and exiting his vehicle when he shoots him. Cops aim at your center, not your hands.

  1. The fake gun is not an orange tipped fake, it's very similar to a real looking gun. The kid also was not with friends "playing pretend" or anything like that.

Orange tips haven't stopped police from shooting people in the past. They've even claimed criminals paint orange tips on real guns. If he were playing with friends police would probably be responding to reports of an armed gang.

  1. The officer does have a messy history, particularly when alcohol is involved and when off duty, but was entirely sober at the time of the shooting and has never been known to be drunk while on duty.

I'm not seeing anywhere that the cop had his BAC tested, or that he was tested for any substances after this shooting.

  1. We have had issues in the past few years locally particularly with teen violence. They've been trying to solve it, but some kids are carrying guns and robbing people, some kids have been carrying guns to protect themselves from the other kids, and evidently some kids are carrying fake guns too.

I'm not sure what your point is. Should police treat teens in your area as threats because some are carrying real guns?

This kid will absolutely have mental distress and is probably going to be terrified of cops forever. And if the officer did do something wrong and they get to the bottom of it, then what? This cop has already proven he's a danger and hasn't faced any real consequences.

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 7 months ago (5 children)

have a new community controlled local police oversight board.

Who apparently are apparently not willing or allowed to provide actual oversight?

officer was called with the pretext that someone had been brandishing a firearm / pointing a gun at houses.

And all police officers should know that witness testimony is more often wrong than not.

You can't see very well what the officer could see because the view is obstructed. It's entirely possible that the kid complied but accidentally pointed the gun towards the officer.

I don't know why you give someone with a history of violence, that includes brandishing a firearm at their own girlfriend the benefit of doubt?

The officer shot exactly 1 time and shot in a non-lethal manner (the hand was shot). This was not a murder attempt, this was in a way the extra mile, the kid will hopefully make a full recovery.

Essentially saying that he panicked and has poor aim. No one is taught to shoot "in a non-lethal manor", you always aim for center mass.

The fake gun is not an orange tipped fake, it's very similar to a real looking gun. The kid also was not with friends "playing pretend" or anything like that.

I'm sorry, is it illegal for him to be carrying a toy gun, or even a real gun? This is America, we are allowed to open carry, or conceal and carry with proper licensing. Did the officer ask if he had a weapon on him? Did he ask about licensing? Or did he just give a vague command for him to raise his hands?

soon as the kid started yelling the officer immediately deescalated the situation and moved towards first aid.

Most people don't have to hear cries of anguish to avoid murdering children. Most people would do anything possible to avoid shooting children...... Are we congratulating people for de-escalating problems they escalated in the first place?

officer does have a messy history, particularly when alcohol is involved and when off duty, but was entirely sober at the time of the shooting

The problem is he should have never been back on duty in the first place. He got suspended, fired, reinstated, suspended and when he returned from suspension, he was put back on suspension within a month.

locally particularly with teen violence. They've been trying to solve it, but some kids are carrying guns and robbing people, some kids have been carrying guns to protect themselves from the other kids, and evidently some kids are carrying fake guns too.

So we have a problem with children with firearms? And the solution is.... to arm a man child with more firearms than the children, and somehow less violence happens?

They never should've walked around in public with a toy gun and "showed it off", and I hope they never do this again.

I played with toy guns when I was little, hell I played with real guns when I was little. This is not a crime, and even if it were, would summary execution be appropriate?

Why do you hold children to a higher degree of responsibility than a police officer?

officer really did something wrong, I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of it, but as it stands, I think the officer reacted reasonably.

He shot a child...... One who was legally following his orders. In what circumstances is this not something wrong?

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[–] Veraxus 21 points 7 months ago (1 children)

At the very best, this is gross negligence on the officers part. At worst, it’s attempted murder. Even if a person has a real gun, that is not a justification to execute them on the spot or to even discharge lethal weaponry in any manner.

This cop belongs in prison.

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[–] [email protected] 77 points 7 months ago (17 children)

Tamir Rice! The police will claim everything and will never admit they were wrong. 10 years and they have learned nothing but black kid = bad guy.

Fuck all cops. If a Kid scares you that much ,then fucking quit. Once again, FUCK ALL COPS!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Tamir_Rice

[–] [email protected] 12 points 7 months ago

but when you quit you don't get to shoot people any more.

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[–] [email protected] 47 points 7 months ago (1 children)

When I was little it was completely normal for kids to fuck around the neighborhood with toy guns. Cap guns, water guns, whatever. And we "shot" each other and random people with them. This was even before they started putting bright orange barrels on everything.

And you know what happened? Nothing. Nobody freaked out. Nobody called the police. Nobody died. Kids being kids. Times sure have changed.

[–] LifeOfChance 20 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Maybe, maybe not. The problem that skews this thought is you didn't have 24/7 news coverage shoved in your face from tv and social media. You wouldn't know if it were happening unless it was local to your town or it gained national coverage.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 7 months ago

Fair point. I'm also white so.. yeah

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[–] inclementimmigrant 13 points 7 months ago

A fucking CAB.

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