Posted on 04/04/2005 3:25:36 PM PDT by SmithL
SAN DIEGO - Police shot and killed a 24-year-old minivan driver who pointed what turned out to be a fake handgun at them early Monday, a senior officer said.
An officer stopped Jacob Richard Faust in downtown San Diego around 1:45 a.m. for making an illegal turn, police Capt. Jim McGinley said. The San Diego man handed over a license that was suspended last month.
Faust cranked up his stereo, drawing the attention of a second officer who stopped to offer assistance. The second officer spotted the handle of an apparent handgun in a pouch behind the passenger seat, McGinley said.
Faust refused orders to get out of the minivan and one of the officers fired a blast of pepper spray to subdue him. At that point, Faust "reached into that pouch and pulled that handgun out and began to point it at one of the officers," McGinley said.
One officer fired three shots, hitting Faust, who died later at a hospital.
The item thought to be a weapon turned out to be a realistic replica of a semiautomatic handgun, McGinley said.
There was no explanation for why Faust reached for the replica, McGinley said. Nothing else of significance was found in the van; his license was suspended last month for an arrest for driving under the influence.
"He's the only one who is going to know the answer to that," McGinley said. "He clearly did not follow officers' orders to get out of the car, and purposefully went for that gun."
The officer who fired his gun, an 11-year department veteran, was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. Findings from the probe will be forwarded to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office, McGinley said.
I guess you're referring to folks like myself who juggle donuts and guns for a living. I've been in similar situations four times (three with actual firearms) and except once, fortunately, it worked out that the violator complied and dropped the firearm or facsimile. Luckily I had enough of a drop on them to let them decide how things played out. Bad choices, stupidity or missing chromosomes are secondary as it plays out. S**T happens.
Would a guy carry this replica around waiting to be pulled over?
Why wouldn't the gun be in plain sight instead of in a seat pocket?
Something doesn't sound right.
You must juggle your donuts and gun better than these folks. I am sure you are a fine policeman, but I cannot say that about your buddies this case. Do you really think this guy pulled a toy gun on the cops? Isn't it a lot more likely that one of the cops saw the gun in the glove compartment where the fellow was reaching to probably get his license and registration and over-reacted?
I don't think I have EVER heard of a cop using a fake gun for a throwdown. It would just create additional issues you would have to deal with. Now if it had been a real gun ....
I knew there was something fishy about this story! Chrysler didn't introduce the first minivans until 1983, just 22 years ago! There is no way he could have been driving a "24-year-old minivan"!! ;-)
An officer stopped Jacob Richard Faust in downtown San Diego around 1:45 a.m. for making an illegal turn (Drivers Mistake #1)
The San Diego man handed over a license that was suspended last month. (Drivers Mistake #2 (driving w/ suspended license))
Faust cranked up his stereo, (Drivers Mistake #3)
drawing the attention of a second officer who stopped to offer assistance. The second officer spotted the handle of an apparent handgun in a pouch behind the passenger seat, McGinley said. Faust refused orders to get out of the minivan (Drivers Mistake #4)
and one of the officers fired a blast of pepper spray to subdue him. At that point, Faust "reached into that pouch and pulled that handgun out and began to point it at one of the officers," McGinley said. (Drivers Mistake #5
One officer fired three shots, hitting Faust, who died later at a hospital. The item thought to be a weapon turned out to be a realistic replica of a semiautomatic handgun, (Drivers Mistake #6)
Sounds to me like the guy was stupid and until there is any evidence of wrong doing on the cops part, I would have a hard time defending this guy.
lol. Good point!
To you and all your "conspiracy theorists", something to ponder:
IT IS ALL BUSH'S FAULT!!!!!
As the article explains the details of this incident it would have been difficult to not have shot this guy. Faust was resisitive by refusing to exit the vehicle after an officer spotted what could be described as a pistol handle. I would have called it a pistol grip. Faust went for the suspected firearm after an application of pepper spray, an immediate escalation, which prompted the officer shooting him. If it can be articulated that the officer was fearful for his life or safety of other officers in this case it's justified. I know I wouldn't be able to face the family of a slain officer if I had waited to see if it was a toy and Faust got the first few rounds off.
Another fallacy of logic..
Basing the suspect's actions on what you would have done.
Try this...
1. Sit in your car
2. Close your eyes
3. Try reaching into your glove compartment, back pouch, center console, etc
I bet you can do it... really it's not that hard.
Perhaps all Law Enforcement Officers should kindly ask all suspects if the gun is a replica, before shooting them?
There was a line in this mob movie about a guy committing suicide before he could testify in the trial. He committed suicide by stabbing himself in the back 4 times before he jumped into a river. You really think someone pepper sprayed by a cop will pull his FAKE gun on him? I am sorry I refuse to believe this story. Let me guess there are no corroborating witnesses.
It's 1:45 AM. Cops know that about half the people driving at this time in the morning have been drinking to some extent.
You also know something is seriously wrong here with this guy (the stereo volume, refusing orders, suspended license). As a cop you also know that more cops are killed during routine pullovers, then at any other time. Your a bit nervous, with many things going through your mind.
You spray him......... He reaches for the gun you saw, he starts to point it at you. You have a split second to decide. You try and figure out what's going on, why is doing this? why did he not obey us? Is that a real gun? does this guy think that>>>>>>>>>...........
Now your dead. All that thinking and we now have one dead cop. The guy had all the opportunities to do what was right. The cop had a split second.
Did he deserve to be killed, no. But was the cop right to shoot him, yes.
That's cool with me if you're skeptical. Let me add that I wish I had $10 (adjusted for inflation) for everytime I had to go toe to toe with some drug addled twit that I had just sprayed with OC. It don't work on everybody.
And how many of them pulled a FAKE gun on you? Do you want to bet that $10 with me.
Here is an alternative scenario. The cops saw a gun and didn't want to take any chance. No one capable of driving will pull a FAKE gun on COPS. That never happened in my opinion, and the cops in this case are covering their behind.
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