Data on when police use weapons is lacking
By Max Ehrenfreund, Washington Post
Since Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, Mo. on Aug. 9, police have shot and killed people who were apparently unarmed in Los Angeles; San Jose; Victorville; and South Salt Lake, Utah. For two days, police in New Orleans did not make public the fact that an officer had shot a man in the head. He is expected to survive the injury.
News reports of officer-involved shootings are fairly regular across the country, but there are no national, comprehensive statistics on these incidents, so it is impossible to say how frequently they happen. Information about those struck by police bullets is also unavailable — whether they are unarmed or carrying a weapon, criminals or innocent bystanders, black or white. Reliable data would make it easier for citizens to know when officers are acting recklessly, and for police departments to develop methods of avoiding the use of lethal force.
The FBI collects data from police departments on all kinds of crimes, including hate crimes violence against police officers, but the bureau is not required to compile statistics on officer-involved shootings. Data from the state of New York shows that the targets of police gunfire are disproportionately black, which would be consistent with psychological experiments suggesting that in dangerous situations, people are more likely to shoot at black people than at white people.
Before people start saying “Officers are acting recklessly” they should go through a Police Academy, and work the streets for a while. In this day and age uninformed citizens are too quick to judge from the safety of their armchair. Walk a mile in LEO shoes…..THEN, maybe an opinion might count. Just because some idiot is unarmed doesn’t mean he/she could not be a threat to someone’s life.
In England and Wales over the last two years there have been no fatal police shootings.
In the last year British police have only fired 3 shots in total. That’s three less shots than were fired by the officer that shot Micheal Brown.
Poor little (big bully) Brown. He got “instant Karma” and well deserved. Now he is just some other excuse for idiots to riot and perpetuate racism. Thank you Sharpton and Jackson for fueling the racial fire all your lives.
HHmmm, what happened to the other guys post? Guess the LTN couldn’t handle it?
The race baiting media and the administration acted shamefully on the Michael Brown issue. SHAME on American Liberal Media.
The thing that should concern everyone is that Obama and Holder knew – or should have known – that the cop had been attacked first and that the witnesses all agreed with the cops version of what happened…
Yet as far as I am concerned they still ginned up races and added to the riots.
What’s up with that?
There was another shooting recently in Utah by a black officer shooting an unarmed white-kid coming out of a store with two friends. The kid was reported to have had headphones on and matched the description of a report of a person with a gun and didn’t hear the commands to get on the ground, this innocent kid was not the person with the gun. the Utah media is reported to have tried to cover up the race of the officer and keep the story quiet. Where was the national liberal race-baiting media? Where was Corrupt Racist Holder? Bumbling Bone-Head Bummer? The news trucks and hundreds of reporters? This lawless Ferguson criminal mob egged on by liberal media causing rioting and looting and violence by falsehoods was a criminal feeding frenzy and all without any facts to support it other then the false narrative of innocence and race that was invented. The rioters should have all been arrested the first night before the rest of them traveled there from all over to become an armed mob shooting at people every night. This situation is a national outrage and this Governor of Missouri is an incompetent liberal hack trying for advancement and camera face time and wants an indictment of an innocent officer who is supported by numerous eye-witnesses and his having serious injuries that support he was forced to act to stop a violent assault and this officer was lucky his gun wasn’t used on him, would the national liberal media have showed up for his death?
Justice, you are right that this should be scrutinzed as much as the Brown shooting.
But you failed to mention that this young man, Taylor, was subject to an outstanding warrant for allegedly violating probation. His brother, who was present, had served time on a robbery charge as well.
Huh. You may be just as guilty as the “liberal race baiting media” when it comes to withholding facts that don’t push your agenda!
Ever noticed how most racists are conservatives?
Cj justice barf…
Justice, you need to watch this video IN IT’S ENTIRETY! Be warned it is VERY graphic. From St Louis on Tuesday.
Then get back to us!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/20/kajieme-powell-shooting_n_5696546.html
Cosa: Ever notice most Liberals are idiots who whine racism when conservatives don’t agree with your warped way of thinking? I challenge you to walk in a Cops shoes. DO IT!! You won’t because you don’t have the guts to. Pathetic POS that sits in your safe chair. OH, maybe not so safe when the bad people invade your home and family. You most likely don’t have a gun so you will once again call on the Police you so quickly bad mouth to save your sorry liberal butt. THEN, when they don’t arrive on time for you, you will be the first to whine and cry…it’s the cops fault. You are a pathetic, self entitled …………..
Yes, Justice hit it on the head. Where is flapping gums Sharpton and Jessy Jacksass now???? Where is the ACLU???? OHHHH, it doesn’t involve a special interest and doesn’t promote racism so they won’t get involved. HYPOCRISY at it’s finest people!
Right CJ, why in the world is Obummer and Holder EVEN commenting on this or worse, getting involved?!?? I bet the NAACP does.
Gaspen Aspen
You rock
So you have noticed it, and it bothers you because racist trash like them stink up your political camp.
I won’t ever be a cop. Scored too high on the GRE.
‘You most likely don’t have a gun’
I hit golf balls at 40 yards with iron sights while standing.
Can’t spell assumption without your name first, buddy.
CJ is also an intellectually lazy plagiarist.
I don’t consider myself a liberal. I am just not whatever all of you are. Tell me how you vote and I’ll do the opposite just to cancel you out.
Golf balls beware. LOL
I know from past experience that some of you fools will find a way to attack my comment, but here goes anyway.
The law pertaining to excessive force specifically prohibits force used once danger is no longer present. So, once a person stops attacking, so must the force stop that thwarts the attack. In other words, you can’t keep shooting at a guy after he is shot three times and obviously in no condition to continue an attack. In cases where ordinary citizens behave like the officer, a charge of battery with a deadly weapon would result. This is because, after the first legal shots were fired, in defense, the shooting continued after the danger had passed. The charge would result from the fourth, fifth, and sixth shots. A manslaughter charge could result when the victim dies from the criminally fired shots.
If you have doubts about my application here, just consider what would have resulted if the shooter had been an ordinary citizen, not a policeman. An ordinary citizen doing what the police officer did would no doubt face the charges. Police officers have certain power to act beyond that of ordinary citizens; But their power doesn’t include acts like this.
Mandatory police dash and lapel cams would protect honest cops and convict the bad ones.
Mandatory car and lapel cams would protect honest cops and convict the bad ones. It would also go a long way towards restoring respect for police and for the rule of law.
I agree the news media has blown this thing way out of proportion….but hey, it’s a spectacle. There is however, something wrong-and scary- with the police state slowly unfolding before our very eyes in this country. Blaming it on ‘liberalism’ is ridiculous. Sounds to me like CJ, ASSpen(dude you have some SERIOUS anger issues) and Justice have progressed from snorting their Viagra and are now mainlining it. Frothing at the mouth with their fear of the black man- all the while calling others racist! They want a society of ‘shoot first ask questions later’ and they use that wonderfully myopic Republican tactic of accusing others of the very thing they are trying to get away with.
HHHmm: That was entertaining. Do you feel better now?
I unfortunately must agree with your statement about this country turning into a police state. It IS scary and nobody seems to be doing anything about it……or the idiot in office who thinks he can violate federal law anytime he wants.
PS: I’m not old enough for Viagra yet. LOL
Hmmm,
You calling me “Frothing at the mouth’ racists?
Typical liberal … I think even people in California are waking up to the fact that dishonest people like you are the problem.
tahoe Pizza Eater: You may want to think about checking your information regarding shootings. Nothing says (and has been proven) that one or two shots will necessarily stop the threat. Idiots on PCP have been shot multiple times and keep charging. Not saying the poor misguided strong arm robber was on PCP but with adrenaline running, he could have (and may have) kept advancing. I wasn’t there so I will not judge the Officer or his decision. The Officer had no way of knowing which shot was the fatal one. It all unfolded in about 5 seconds would be a guess. Just say’n.
Cosa: I know what the GRE is but didn’t you mean to say GED? lol
Gaspen Aspen : I don’t need to rethink my application of law, but you may have to. A law officer firing one two or three shots can justly make a claim of self defense. ( three shots is stretching the self defense laws ) but four five and six shots demonstrates an intent to kill, not defend one’s self. The officer in Missouri fired six shots. with every shot fired beyond one, the police officer diminished the strength of his claim of self defense. A reasonable person will not accept a self defense claim after six shots upon an unarmed person. Even the pro protectors of law officers that frequent this forum are not disputing my application of law here. It would be entirely different if the guy had a gun. But we’re not talking about that. When you think this through, you can’t accept the police officer’s claim of self defense.
Appears the Officer was trying to stop the threat. It’s called DEADLY FORCE for a reason. Have a wonderful day.
@CJMCBoy-
Typical small minded race-baiting troll response. Yep, I’m calling you a ‘frothing at the mouth racist”. You have a long history of comments that prove it.
@GASSpenASSpen-Why yes, I do feel a little better now, thanks for asking.
How’s your hero Cliven Bundy doing, boys?
Truth hurts sometimes, eh shmoks?
Hmmm.
Give me one example… ONE.
You have nothing but leftist lies, hate and race baiting.
My goal has been to bring it out so that people can see it, thanks for obliging me. I can alway count on you living up to my low expectations.
Legally, Mr. Pizza for your knowledge, an officer has no legal duty to retreat from an assault, take warning/wounding shots, flee, shoot to wound or use flying circus back-flip jumps over the suspect or anything else he/she has a duty and a right to stop the assault and respond with force reasonable to the situation and he was lucky to have done it without being shot. The several witness statements are that after the officer was assaulted in his vehicle, had his eye-socket broken, and a fight for his gun with a shot going off, the suspects ran off and the officer attempted to run after them to arrest them. The facts seem to indicate that Mr. Brown then turned and charged the officer prompting the shots and the number fired are not excessive considering the suspect kept charging and the last shots took effect as the suspect fell at the officer’s feet. Very clear, This was a violent assault with intent to cause serious injuries to the officer, and depending what drugs were in the suspects system, may be the reason he kept charging as there are cases of many shots fired to stop people on drugs because they don’t process pain. The rioting and looting probably would have gone on regardless of the facts in this case. It is way past time to shut down and tear down all government section 8 welfare housing projects that are crime breeding grounds because this is where this whole incident started and it is generational government poverty programs that produce the lack of respect for laws and lives and a complete breakdown of any family structures.
Now media reports a black Muslim has gone on a nation-wide killing spree of innocent people, the suspect stating it is because of the Middle East. Most likely all victims were white. Where or where are the Race-baiters, rioters, and losers Sharp-Tongue? and Jack-Ass-Son? And all of the national liberal media? This is a flat-out huge news story with implications of a national threat as there could be others and as usual, the liberal media cover-up because it doesn’t fit the liberal template and agenda.
Justice, this might be some details on the same point you just made…
I saw where they arrested a guy in New Jersey for murdering 4 men, he said that he did it due to the middle east. 3 in Washington and a young college kid in New Jersey. Shot him 8 times while he was driving home from school.
Now NJ is trying to decide to charge him with terrorism or just murder.
Hard to understand how they can “try to decide” when he specifically stated that he did it for “Retribution” of the Military actions in the Middle East.
On top of that there are now claims that hundreds of ISIS warriors are already in the US and that most probably they are coming over the Boarder from Mexico. In addition I read where NSA is detecting significant communications between ISIS and Mexican Drug cartels.
This is America Today; brought to you by Obama Reid and Pelosi and the people that elected them.
Being a liberal is going to once again become a dirty word. How much many more Americans will die before then we don’t know yet.
100s of ISIS Warriors already in the country. Ouch.
Cj, you and your its all the liberal and obamas fault is as predictable as your morning bowel movement and as full of what comes out. Grow up and try to pay attention to whats happening in the real world, not the ficticuous world brought to you by fox noise and the nra fear mongers. You are pathetic and so predictable. Please share with justice, catch release, gaspen sapen, and the rest of your clan of fools….
go figure:
Tell us ol sage one. Just what IS happening in the real world as you put it? Tell us. We’re waiting…..Please, …tell us. I’m all ears.
Justice, I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but the term “Black Muslim” refers specifically to the uniquely American “Nation of Islam” founded by Louis Farrakhan which has virtually nothing to do with actual Islam, but a lot to do with his own unique American response to American racism.
I well remember dealing with them in the sixties. Like the Black Panthers of the same era, they represented a home-grown radicalism mostly driven by the obvious racism and bigotry of our society at the time (now largely buried or otherwise hidden or disguised today). In my experience, the Panthers were dangerous because they were undisciplined and out of control. Farrakhan’s bunch was much more dangerous because they were neither.
But neither of them have anything even remotely to do with our current problems with foreign radical Muslims who hate America for reasons far beyond our homegrown bigotry.
‘Cosa: I know what the GRE is but didn’t you mean to say GED? lol’
No. You really thought that was funny? Humor is a sign of intelligence. On a related note, where are the good conservative comedians? Dennis Miller? Victoria Jackson? ____ ? That’s a really weak lineup.
CJ is a plagiarist. Ask them about their U Haul theory, then go look it up for yourself. Not only is it plagiarized, it is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of how U Haul manages its inventory and prices. They also support the Iraq War, given everything we now know about WMDs, etc. He’s the 8th grade reading level version of Alex Jones.
cosa, I regret that this site doesn’t have a “like” button, I would be hitting it repeatedly…