Bystander with cellphone shot by deputies in Sacramento County

Los Angeles Times ^ | Veronica Roche

[BenLurkin]

The confusion began when neighbors reported hearing dozens of gunshots being fired on Negrara Way, said Sgt. Jason Ramos of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department.

When deputies arrived, they heard the gunshots coming from between two homes. Deputies saw several rounds strike the lawn of a home. Another home was riddled with gunshots, killing a dog inside.

As deputies worked to established a perimeter, the gunman, identified as Ben Ledford, walked out of his home, threw down his assault rifle, dropped to the ground and surrendered to authorities, he said.

“It was a pretty chaotic situation out there,” Ramos said.

As deputies tried to determine whether Ledford was exchanging gunfire with other neighbors, they saw the bystander kneeling in his garage and thought he was pointing a gun, Ramos said.

The bystander had his hand stretched out while he was filming deputies swarm his neighborhood, Ramos said.

Two deputies then fired shots at the bystander, striking him once in the leg

[TalonDJ]

I can be very critical of police negligence... but dude! Stay the eff away from an active shootout!

[Resolute Conservative]

Hmm... someone showed poor judgement exercise his right to film police...

[Resolute Conservative]

exercising

[gaijin]

Shot the guy filming them.

[sparklite2]

On the original (I guess) thread, I posted that although police searched the innocent cell phone guy’s house, at least they didn’t shoot his dog. Looks like I’ll need to backtrack on that a little. They shot someone else’s.

[Sacajaweau]

Let's see...If I point this at the cops while I'm on my knees, and all the shooting is going on, the cop would never think it was a weapon, right?

But maybe I can sell my pics to a tv show and make a few bucks...

[Lx]

Welcome to Sacramento.

[RitaOK]

Seriously! Yes! Our cell phone photography addiction is a fetish that can be life threatening.

[ColdOne]

Dang....they killed a dog anyway.

[ibheath]

This citizen was on his knees IN HIS GARAGE with a phone in his hand. This was police negligence.

[envisio]

Dadblamed cell phones. People’s lives are ruled by these little screens. Now this guy’s dadblamed cell phone gets him shot.
Put the darn things away!

[deport]

I wonder if he had a high speed camera with high speed film
and caught the bullet coming at him?

[-YYZ-]

I think the police need to know what they’re shooting at before they start shooting. Sounds a bit like the guys who shoot dogs or cows when deer hunting because they were shooting at sounds or shadows.

[circlecity]

"This citizen was on his knees IN HIS GARAGE with a phone in his hand. This was police negligence."

I dunno about that. The police didn't know who all was exchanging fire in that shootout. And kneeling in your garage doesn't make it any less likely that you may be involved in said shootout. Based purely on the fact presented in the article I can't say for sure the police did anything wrong.

[Red Badger]

Was the cellphone one of these?...........................

[Red Badger]

See post #16...................

[bgill]

If you’re so stupid as to have a black object pointed at the cops as you’re in a shooting position in your dark garage, well, you get what you get.

[Theoria]

BS. Every person, from a cop on down to the commons has the responsibility to identify any target and condition before pulling the trigger. That goes from a shootout to hunting.

[JLS]

Exactly, that people do not see that is part of the problem.