Cleveland boy's death in police shooting declared homicide

Reuters ^ | 12-12-2014

[wetphoenix]

~If someone has a handgun it is best to stay 25 yards away, and stay behind your car.~

After a week of quite lazy training one can make a headshot at 25 yards with a semi-decent handgun.
I have seen this video and I can’t see any wrong so far.

[Citizen Zed]

What if this child was playing with a real gun and only thought it was a toy? What if the cop was told that and thought he’d be shot by a innocent boy? Might the cop still be justified in defending himself from a boy who pointed this gun at strangers? How many children this boy’s age carry weapons and drugs on the street and are as dangerous as any criminal adult thug? It seems so unlikely that cops are willing to ruin their own lives by assassinating people for kicks. It seems more likely that a black boy has been brainwashed to assassinate cops for kicks.

[Citizen Zed]

I think this poster explains the senseless escalation of violence and the killing of young black men more than anything. And the way this is all being hyped by the media worldwide is not helping to educate these young men to survive...

[Mister Da]

The video speaks for itself. There was no “what if” in this officer’s mind. He got out of the car & shot the boy as quickly as he could. The other officer - the driver - didn’t even have time to exit the vehicle.

Police are “supposed” to protect & serve the public. More than a split second of consideration is required to do that. Anyone who can’t do that for fear of their own personal safety need not be a policeman. Do you really want a police force that shoots first & asks questions later?

For the first 7 minutes of the video the boy harmed no one, even when he had the chance with the passerby. That in & of itself warrants at least a minute for police to consider the situation, from a safe distance if necessary. Clearly the 911 caller was not fearful for his own life as he stayed in the gazebo within 50 or so feet from the boy for several minutes. He is obviously braver than the cop or knew it was a child with a toy.

[bike800]

I didn’t get to blast away...my point is that the caller wasn’t sure enuff to confront the guy...and no one in this forum would assume it was fake if they were in a confrontation with him...so why are police supposed to assume fake first then find out later?

[trisham]

Thanks, ansel.

[dfwgator]

So what catch phrases will this one have to go along with “Hands up, Don’t Shoot” and “I Can’t Breathe?”