“Incidents such as this have caused me to withdraw unqualified support for law enforcement officers. “
As a youngster I learned to respect LE but also learned to not give them unqualified support.
“Incidents such as this have caused me to withdraw unqualified support for law enforcement officers.”
I agree. LEOs must make quick decisions but they need to obtain information (a checklist) before resorting to lethal force. Apparently, they do not have robust protocols in place and/or poor training.
But that being said, this was local law enforcement and the community at least has a chance to hold these people responsible. Imagine if they were federal agents; in that case they would cover it up and there would be no accountability. That is why the people must take step to limit the powers of federal law enforcement
Geez!! This a story from MAY!!
I should hope you would also learn about jumping to conclusions in stories from Ebony Magazine.
A. I was okay with most the proceedings until I read that the police were not in uniform. How did the driver know who they really were? Although that uncertainty does NOT justify trying to run the men over with his vehicle.
B. All this for a stolen pizza? There must have been a bigger reason why they were after him. Maybe he resembled a criminal connected to lots of assault and battery charges.
I don’t think they were shooting at children just like our military doesn’t aim at children.
This was last april.
Stupid shortsighted bullies in this case.
Deliberately? You may want to look that word up. Not even the parents are claiming it was deliberate aim at the children.
It may have been reckless, but not deliberate.
How does a police officer know that a truck driving directly at them has children in the back seat?
I'm no fan of the police ... but if you really believe these cops deliberately shot the children in this vehicle, then you're a moron.
Whoa...wait a minute! This guy went to rob a store with his 4 kids?
You said “deliberately shooting children”. Are you certain that’s how you want to phrase that?
I’m not familiar with the case, but I’d tend to assume they were shooting at the driver, not the children. That the children were struck is terrible and I wish them full and speedy recoveries (if possible), but I have a hard time believing they were ‘deliberately’ targeted.
Just trying to get money and pizza.
Who doesn't like money and pizza?
That isn’t the nature of this site at all. What the heck is wrong with you?
Nobody should get “unqualified” support. They have tremendous authority, with that comes a degree of responsibility and accountability. That said they have a difficult job, and there’s an underlying disrespect for law enforcement out there that can put people’s lives in danger.
Lot’s of unanswered questions here before blame is assigned. Did the dad in fact just rob a pizza place?
Were police pursuing in an unmarked car but with blue lights flashing?
Did the police even know there were children in the car?
Written by Ebony, I want to know a lot more before I blame the police.
newspaper delivery ladies nearly killed and their car shredded by trigger-happy LAPD . Their vehicle didn't even resemble the suspect's.
> Police claim they began shooting because Smith was attempting to run them over with his truck <
That’s the key point right there. The video might show that was really the case. Then it was a good shoot.
Or the video might show that the cops were well off to the side. Then it was a bad shoot.
Or the video might show that the cops were kinda off to the side. In that case a jury will have to sort it all out.
I remember the riots in Hugo about 40 years ago. A bad time for them. Still an unsolved ambush of a policeman there.
re: “Incidents such as this have caused me to withdraw unqualified support for law enforcement officers. Way too many incidents such as this are happening, with police packing their version with lies and false reports.”
Yeah, I hear ya.
Hauling your kids to a robbery - NOTHING wrong with that ...