It's a shame some punk put innocent lives in danger.
“It’s a shame some punk put innocent lives in danger. “
You know what! It’s criminal that someone is dead who wasn’t likely responsible for harming anyone. Betcha it was a White cop who shot and killed this Black man. There needs to be better training about when you can use deadly force. Unless the man who was killed, presented an obvious threat to the cop or bystanders, this is just another case of “murder by cop!” Life, when the cops are involved, has gotten way, way too cheap. So we have the 2A for our protection. But today, you put yourself at extraordinary risk if you carry a gun, because too many times your are misjudged as a perpetrator rather than a protector, and when that happens and there’s a cop nearby, you’re dead meat!
So, did the cops shoot the wrong guy?
Bradford, a U.S. soldier may have been mistaken for the gunman because he was carrying a weapon, according to the Hoover Sun.
Gunman is still at large.
The article states that the cops shot the soldier who was fleeing the scene while brandishing a pistol. So he wanted to not get killed by having his weapon ready but ended up looking like the number one suspect and died anyway.
At times, yes, people have lied about “brandishing” as an excuse to try to avoid prosecution. If police shot the man for no more reason than having a weapon visible, that might have been a crime.
Police, feel free to analyze, criticize or otherwise comment on this.
But why not be wiser, and avoid drawing a weapon unless using it? Drawing a weapon only because you heard rounds fired is very risky, especially in a mall full of people. A mall would be a terrible place to have a weapon exposed.
Even if you have a bad enough day, someday, to defend yourself anywhere away from home by shooting someone, it’s best to immediately reload (if available and quick enough, in case of any further threat) and holster that weapon, put the shirt or coat back over it and wait for the police.
Don’t reload, if it’s not extremely natural and fast. Any fumbling at all, then holster and cover it. Call an ambulance, or tell someone else to do so. Be as calm as possible, and don’t pick up any cases or further disturb anything at the scene of the incident.
Don’t hand that weapon off to anyone else or put it down anywhere. What if a crook or some other kind of knucklehead were to pick it up? Keep it secured, and keep your hands off of it.
When police arrive, keep your hands visible, relaxed, and follow instructions. Keep body language and tone of voice calm and friendly. It may not feel like the most prideful thing to do, but it’s wise. On what to say to police, remember your instructions from your insurer or attorney.
And all of that said, reconsider as to whether or not you want to carry will in a shopping mall with a holiday crowd in it. If you think you have all that much training, then at least keep that thing holstered and covered, especially if something exciting happens.
Also remember that if someone is acting like they might hit you, pepper spray is far more fun in a mall than a firearm.
;-D
One more thing. Try to be the first to call police after an incident. Then, when they arrive, tell them, “I’m the one who called for you.” Then following instructions calmly, even if police *individuals* are very excited. “Individuals,” heh. ;-b
This story does not smell good right now since there were a number of eyewitnesses to what happened.
Was the man who was killed by the police IN MILITARY UNIFORM or Not?
If so, why would he have a gun offbase (while in uniform)?
If he legally had a gun (as in Concealed carry), he may have been shooting at the real shooter and was mistaken for the initial assailant who shot the girl.
We he targeted or just an innocent bystander?
We need to KNOW positively or not whether he had a gun, and if so, why?
I do not make any assumptions about Mr. Bradford’s involvement in the shooting incident, any guilt or innocence. Way to early for a “rush to judgment”.
We will have to wait until all the eyewitnesses stories are checked against what the forensic evidence shows.
Oh man. No good deed goes unpunished. The name sound like he may be Jamaican or from somewhere else outside the US.
~ Mark Twain
A friend of mine who was never in a shootout gave some pretty sound advice that I think about a lot.
“If you’re in a situation where there is a shooter, say a grocery store, and you need to draw your weapon find some bystanders who can stay near you to basically shout out to the police ‘he’s not the guy!’”
My plan includes making sure the gun is not in my hand when the cops arrive and making sure that any cops can easily count my fingers from a distance. It would not be a good time to be holding a cell phone or any other object.
This case also suggests another potential problem. If you are not certain of who are the bad guys and who are the good guys, you have no business drawing your gun except to protect you and yours. The cops may get a pass after shooting an armed innocent person but I would not count on getting such a break myself.
An additional lesson is provided by the shooting of a concealed carrier outside Costco in Las Vegas. Do not obey orders from police officers that would make other officers believe that you might be trying to draw a gun. Keep all ten fingers visible at all times.