Family of police shooting victim wants answers (Their title)

WPMI NBC15 Local News ^ | 3/11/2004 | Richard Allyn

[GrandEagle]

(MOBILE, Ala.) Mar. 10 - A man is dead after Mobile police open fire in a crowded shopping center parking lot.

It started around 9:30 Wednesday morning in front of the Big K-Mart on Schillinger Road near Airport Boulevard.

Police say they were called because a man was driving erratically in the parking lot. When police arrived, 40-year-old Wayne Stewart was changing a tire. Officers say Stewart was bleeding and appeared very upset.

When they attempted to calm him down, police say Stewart pulled out a carpet-cutter and lunged towards them. It was then that two officers shot Stewart as many as eight times. Police say Stewart was upset about his recent break-up with his common-law wife.

But now, that woman is demanding justice: saying a small man with a box-cutter posed no threat to the officers.

“I want to know why this little man is dead,” Diane Stewart, who had been with Wayne Stewart for three and a half years, said. “Why they had to shoot him 1, 2 or even 8 times, I want to know."

Wednesday morning, Stewart pulled out a utility knife while he was being questioned by Mobile patrol officers outside the K-Mart on Schillinger Road.

Police say he appeared intoxicated. His common-law wife says he was taking valium, emotionally distraught after they separated five weeks ago.

When officers ordered him to stand down, police say he refused and lunged toward them. “The officers had their weapons drawn,” said Mobile Police Chief Sam Cochran. “At this point, they did fire shots, which turned out to be deadly shots.” Eight bullet casings were found at the scene, along with the box cutter.

Stewart’s common-law wife says she wants to know why officers used deadly force on her 118-pound husband, instead of a less lethal weapon.

Mobile's police chief says all officers are trained to use other, less lethal weapons, such as pepper spray and batons. Officers are also trained to use Tazer guns, but the force has only about 200 Tazer guns for a 500-plus man department. It's not certain whether the officers who shot Stewart Wednesday morning were equipped with Tazers. Chief Cochran says, “We want to determine if there were other methods that could have been used, utilized in the situation to alleviate the threat, other than the deadly force used."

For Stewart's family, answers can't come soon enough. ”It doesn't matter what problems we had, he didn’t deserve this,” a distraught Diane Stewart cries.

The two officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave. In the meantime, the police department's criminal investigation unit and internal affairs will conduct parallel investigations.

A key question to be answered before the two officers return to active duty is whether the use of lethal force in the department store's public parking lot was appropriate.

While the names of the officers have not been released, we do know one has been on the force for 11 months, the other less than two years.

[GrandEagle]

The deadly "utility knife".
For your comment...

[zeugma]

If I shot someone eight times and claimed he'd lunged at me with a 'utility knife' (box cutter?), I'd be very suprised if more didn't happen to me than getting rewarded with a couple of weeks of paid time off.

[newgeezer]

A man is dead after Mobile police open fire in a crowded shopping center parking lot.

Sensational TV news copy at its finest.

[GrandEagle]

Yep, my thoughts exactly. My wife was there in the parking lot. She didn't see what happened before he got shot, but looked over when she heard the shots. There were two officers there at the scene. Both of them got shots at this guy.
I am normally very supportive of our law enforcement officers, but if two of them can't figure out how to disarm a small, drunk guy with a box cutter without shooting him eight times; we are in trouble.

[17th Miss Regt]

But now, that woman is demanding justice: saying a small man with a box-cutter posed no threat to the officers.

If I take a utility knife or box cutter and cut about an inch deep into someone's throat, I guess there must be no real danger. Think Mohammed Atta.

[Feckless]

Stewart pulled out a carpet-cutter and lunged towards them

Here's you answer: Dumb@$$ relative brought a carpet cutter to a gunfight with two cops. If breathing and heartbeat required conscious thought he'd a been dead long ago.

[WV Mountain Mama]

Hey, police in my home town shot a man dead who was armed with a steak knife. The officers ween't within 20 feet of the guy, but they killed him. I guess the guy looked hungry.

[GrandEagle]

Sensational TV news copy at its finest.

That is pretty much what happened. My wife thought he was a shoplifer or something when she drove up.

Here is a different version at www.wkrg.com
A different local news station

The Mobile Police Internal Affairs division is investigating a shooting death involving police officers. It happened Wednesday morning in the parking lot in front of the Big K Mart on Schillinger near Airport. Police say a man pulled a bladed weapon on two officers and at least one of the officers shot and killed the man. The dead man has not been identified. Police say they stopped to talk to him after shoppers reported he was driving recklessly.

A bit under stated here...

[wingster]

Just like much of the rest of society, police are corrupt, most aren't that bright, and few IMO have the necessary appropriate ability to make these judgements. I have other nightmare tales that would fill pages of personal and experiences of friends.

I pray that I never need the police for anything. I'll defend myself thanks! When the absolutely must get involved I just pray that they are not the corrupt and stupid ones. Zero respect here, sadly! But they make their own mess.

[Blood of Tyrants]

But now, that woman is demanding justice: saying a small man with a box-cutter posed no threat to the officers.

The 9/11 hijackers were armed only with utility knives. A razor sharp utility knife can easily cut someone's throat.

[GrandEagle]

If I take a utility knife or box cutter and cut about an inch deep into someone's throat, I guess there must be no real danger.
Come on now. The folks that were killed when we were attacked probably had no idea they were about to be killed or the guy would have never made it to the cockpit.
It is not like this was sneeking up on them or something. Do you honestly think that killing the guy is an appropiate first response?

[Kakaze]

" If I take a utility knife or box cutter and cut about an inch deep into someone's throat, I guess there must be no real danger. Think Mohammed Atta "

Try thinking two armed police officers in a parking lot....not surprised untrained people in a enclosed tube ( aircraft). Lets add the fact the man is intoxicated or at least mentally confused. If they can't handle this situation without dropping 8 bullets into the guy somethig is wrong.

I've seen alot of post on police shootings here and if trained properly they shoot 2 in a group . With that in mind both officers would have shot assesed the threat and shot again 8 bullets. Looks extremly excessive to me.

[Monterrosa-24]

Right-O! The proper response when confronted with someone who is about to slash your face is to shoot them. The police acted wisely and in doing so probably saved other victims from this zipwad.

[GrandEagle]

The police acted wisely and in doing so
No dispute that he was a bit stupid, but do you honestly believe that two officers pumping eight rounds into a small drunk guy is an appropiate first response?

[Blood of Tyrants]

Think "9/11".

[Blood of Tyrants]

Bullet proof vests are not knife proof. This guy was commiting "suicide by cop", who promptly obliged. I feel worse for them, they will question themselves and lose sleep for many, many years over this idiot.

[GrandEagle]

Think "9/11"
Everyone keeps say this. If the people or flight attendants had thought for a minute that these guys were going to fly them into buildings, the box cutter would have been no match for any two of them.
Speaking as someone who flys from time to time I can guarantee you that anyone that jumps up with a box cutter will get his but kicked.
I don't think the comparison is anywhere near the same. These were two, armed, theoretically trained officers. All officers that I have seen around here carry pepper spray or some other substance. I find it very difficult to believe that folks here think that shooting the guy to death is even close to the correct first response.
You and I are usually on the "same side" of most discussions but I guess I'll have to respectfully disagree with you this time.

[GrandEagle]

Bullet proof vests are not knife proof.
I understand this - I own one. I feel worse for them
As do I. I can't imagine how difficult this must be for them. I still think it was very poor judgement.

[dagoofyfoot]

No dispute that he was a bit stupid, but do you honestly believe that two officers pumping eight rounds into a small drunk guy is an appropriate first response?


Well....He won't mess with them again!


Seriously though it's just another example of suicide by cop, nothing more, nothing less.

[17th Miss Regt]

If the people or flight attendants had thought for a minute that these guys were going to fly them into buildings, the box cutter would have been no match for any two of them.

Your premise is flawed. No one imagined what they were going to do until they did it. To most, it just seemed like a routine hijacking. Give them money and an escape to Cuba and they would all be released. There were several hijackers who knew what they were going to do and acted according to a well thought out plan. People in large numbers tend to act like sheep and do nothing.