Police officer kills man for carving a piece of wood in public.

[Kase]

So here's my question for any LEO's....

Say I'm sitting on a park bench on a sunny afternoon widdling a stick with a folding blade pocket knife.

Would you come over and harshly tell me to "drop the knife!" , or would you just go on your merry way and trust that I'm not a person trying to cause any harm?

Now also.......if I had long dark hair, a bandana, sunglasses, a ratty shirt, and tore up jeans....would you still make the same decision?

I'm not bashing anyone, I'm honestly just curious. I feel as if this man was profiled for the way he looked, and was killed for it. If it had been a man in a business suit prying a splinter out of his hand with a pocket knife, nothing would have ever even been said.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

If a man is standing bladed towards you and raises a gun or knife and attempts to harm you with it, would you not shoot him?

Now, now, officer, you should know the answer to this one . . . it depends.

Since I'm not going to get out of my car as I am going to drive off, I am not going to shoot him.

Since I have no reason to stop the woodcarver, I'm not going to shoot him.

Since I have no reason to fear for my life or serious bodily injury from the woodcarver as his knife is closed and he is walking away from me, I'm not going to shoot him.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Say I'm sitting on a park bench on a sunny afternoon widdling a stick with a folding blade pocket knife.

It's "whittling", but you have to be committing a crime or ordinance violation in order for them to stop you. You have to be armed and dangerous in order for them to frisk you, order you to drop the knife.

 

[jsharmon7]

So here's my question for any LEO's....

Say I'm sitting on a park bench on a sunny afternoon widdling a stick with a folding blade pocket knife.

Would you come over and harshly tell me to "drop the knife!" , or would you just go on your merry way and trust that I'm not a person trying to cause any harm?

Now also.......if I had long dark hair, a bandana, sunglasses, a ratty shirt, and tore up jeans....would you still make the same decision?

I'm not bashing anyone, I'm honestly just curious. I feel as if this man was profiled for the way he looked, and was killed for it. If it had been a man in a business suit prying a splinter out of his hand with a pocket knife, nothing would have ever even been said.

I wouldn't bother the person in either above scenario. I do wonder though if the Seattle officer may have reacted differently given that they had many previous confrontations with the man, they knew that he was an alcoholic with mental problems, had a violent past, and had threatened to kill police previously. I can't speak for them, but I'm guessing maybe they "profiled" him based on their knowledge of the man more than his appearance. It doesn't justify a shooting, but it might explain why the officer was more on edge with this specific man.

 

[88GT]

I'm still wondering how you can say this is a murder.



You have to prove intent. Did this police officer set out on his shift to kill this man just because? If so, prove it. Show proof. No one has shown a shred of proof to that effect.

Stop hiding behind the legalities. The LEO took a life without provocation and without justification. Whether or not a court of law deems it such, it is murder.

 

[MACHINEGUN]

What a ****ing ***** cop.. he can't keep a distance until backup shows up?

 

[serpicostraight]

ill look around and see if i can find it but i read an article on this where they said they wasnt going to prosecute the cop because they couldnt prove malice. the last i knew the only way you could tell what someone is thinking is to read thier mind. does that excuse ever work for anyone else or just cops?

 

[Benny]

Honest question, because I don't know the answer...

If John T. Williams broke into my house and he had a closed knife in his hand with his back turned, what would happen to me if I shot him in the back and side?

Would the shooting be justified and would no criminal charges be filed?

 

[mrjarrell]

Honest question, because I don't know the answer...

If John T. Williams broke into my house and he had a closed knife in his hand with his back turned, what would happen to me if I shot him in the back and side?

Would the shooting be justified and would no criminal charges be filed?

I think we've discussed this one before on INGO and the law seemed to favour you going to jail if the person was walking away.

 

[dross]

Honest question, because I don't know the answer...

If John T. Williams broke into my house and he had a closed knife in his hand with his back turned, what would happen to me if I shot him in the back and side?

Would the shooting be justified and would no criminal charges be filed?

In Colorado you can shoot him. Locally it's called teh "Make My Day" law and anyone who gets shot having broken into my house is automatically assumed to be a justified shooting.

 

[E5RANGER375]

In Colorado you can shoot him. Locally it's called teh "Make My Day" law and anyone who gets shot having broken into my house is automatically assumed to be a justified shooting.

here its called, I protected my family and dont give a **** what your dumb law says. someone breaks into my house, im killing them, K. I. L. L. I. N. G. THEM because im in fear of our lives!!! If any crooks dont believe me then break into my house if you have a death wish. I dont care if you have a damn chia pet in your hand, you die (its a weapon).

laws are supposed to protect the good and innocent. but I see more and more loopholes and laws, and dirty lawyers who make sure the law protects the criminal. so I will let my bullets do the talking when it comes to mine and my families safety. not some dude wearing a robe or a suit.

 

[JSeroka]

If you watch the cruisers video of this incident you see, and hear, something really messed up. No you can't see the shooting or the confrontation, but the cop is out of his cruiser, runs around the corner and the guy is dead in UNDER a minute. Last I know, when trying to defuse a situation, you usually "try" to defuse it, and that should take more than 1 minute.

There have been alot of cop shootings in the last year, and with each of them you have to take in certain factors when dealing with it. Usually I would agree the cop is in the right, as we do give them the rights to put into stressful and deadly dangers day after day. But there has to be a limit, they are here to protect people with the laws that are in place, not to do as they see fit and make up the rules as they go.

In this specific instance, I believe that cop deserves to be put on trial for at least man-slaughter if not something higher

 

[Kase]

I wouldn't bother the person in either above scenario. I do wonder though if the Seattle officer may have reacted differently given that they had many previous confrontations with the man, they knew that he was an alcoholic with mental problems, had a violent past, and had threatened to kill police previously. I can't speak for them, but I'm guessing maybe they "profiled" him based on their knowledge of the man more than his appearance. It doesn't justify a shooting, but it might explain why the officer was more on edge with this specific man.

I wasn't aware the officer knew of the man. I thought he just stopped to check out what he was up to

Like JSeroka already said, an officer should try to defuse a situation as best as possible, until he feels his life is absolutely threatened. Do they not issue tasers anymore? I think he acted EXTREMELY quick on the matter, and should face trial for it.

 

[j706]

Oh Boy! InGunOwners usual five or six resident experts at it again! Legends in their own minds, capable of knowing what happened when they could not even see what happened. Thug walk!?? Good god people get a life.

Perhaps the officer did screw up. Perhaps he did not. But you know it alls was not there. What person jumps on board with any report put out by CBS,ABC,NBC or any of the other left wing liberal unwatched news casts? No one that has any credibility IMO.

Tasers you say? Only a fool uses a Taser during any potential deadly force situation especially when you are alone.

 

[Benny]

In Colorado you can shoot him. Locally it's called teh "Make My Day" law and anyone who gets shot having broken into my house is automatically assumed to be a justified shooting.

That should be the law everywhere, but I wonder what it is in Washington.

 

[misconfig]

Oh Boy! InGunOwners usual five or six resident experts at it again! Legends in their own minds, capable of knowing what happened when they could not even see what happened. Thug walk!?? Good god people get a life.

Perhaps the officer did screw up. Perhaps he did not. But you know it alls was not there. What person jumps on board with any report put out by CBS,ABC,NBC or any of the other left wing liberal unwatched news casts? No one that has any credibility IMO.

Yes, thug walk - I'm sticking by that. As it's already been pointed out, people are "profiled" constantly by police officers. Funny how you people get so butthurt when your 'saviors' are attacked for committing such heinous acts against INNOCENT PEOPLE.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

I didn't watch the videos so maybe I missed it but why did the cop fool with him at all ?

From what little I seen it looked like the guy was minding his own business , apparently even after being confronted by the cop .

 

[hornadylnl]

It's funny that that single officer had the power of judge, jury and executioner of a man. Yet, that officer deserves every benefit of the doubt and all facts to be heard before we can pass judgment on him. Judgment that has zero power on the man. Our opinions can't try him for murder, put him in jail, etc. I, as a citizen am not entitled to an opinion on this matter but yet we give one man the power to be judge, jury, and executioner. No, the balance of power in this country isn't hosed.

 

[right winger]

I call it murder also.
But he is on the left coast. So who knows.

 

[PatriotPride]

Oh Boy! InGunOwners usual five or six resident experts at it again! Legends in their own minds, capable of knowing what happened when they could not even see what happened. Thug walk!?? Good god people get a life.

Perhaps the officer did screw up. Perhaps he did not. But you know it alls was not there. What person jumps on board with any report put out by CBS,ABC,NBC or any of the other left wing liberal unwatched news casts? No one that has any credibility IMO.

Tasers you say? Only a fool uses a Taser during any potential deadly force situation especially when you are alone.