Posted on 08/04/2010 6:03:32 AM PDT by marktwain
LAS VEGAS--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Goodman Law Group reports that Erik Scott was shot by police outside a busy Summerlin, Nevada Costco store July 10. Many questions surround the shooting of Scott, who was carrying a licensed concealed weapon in a holster when he was surprised by officers as he exited the building with his girlfriend and other customers. Five of the seven shots that felled him were fired into his back.
“We know there were four cameras outside of Costco that would've captured the shooting. We know that there was a camera within Costco, on the aisle, which would've covered allegations that Mr. Scott was acting erratically” Ross Goodman, attorney for the family of Erik Scott is questioning the official sequence of events. Erik was a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point and had an MBA from Duke University. The case claims that if an educated, responsible, militarily-trained individual with a concealed weapons permit did not understand the instructions of the police, then any average citizen is at great risk of getting killed by police in a similar situation.
Much information regarding the incident has been withheld pending a coroner's inquest that was originally scheduled for September 3. The Clark County Coroner said the inquest was indefinitely postponed at the request of the District Attorney's office, which said additional witness statements are being gathered and surveillance videos are being reviewed by an out-of-state forensic laboratory. Testimony to be presented is expected to last two days, then a jury will determine whether the officers' actions were excusable, justifiable or criminal.
The district attorney won't release the recordings of 911 calls or surveillance videos until the inquest, and has not set a new date for the hearing. Until then, the family must rely on the statements of eyewitnesses, while continuing to request the release of the video data. Dozens of citizens have inundated the Costco Facebook page, and billboards in Las Vegas demand the video be released. An unauthorized transcript raises questions about what police were told by 911 callers.
Police claim Erik Scott pointed his gun at them outside the store's entrance after 911 callers reported him acting erratically and damaging merchandise. There are reports from witnesses that dispute each of those statements. Several witnesses said Scott appeared to be surprised and possibly confused by conflicting instructions from officers.
"We know there were four cameras outside of Costco that would've captured the shooting. We know that there was a camera within Costco, on the aisle, which would've covered allegations that Mr. Scott was acting erratically," said Goodman. "All they have to do is provide video and the tapes."
Erik Scott’s father, Bill Scott, 63, of Colorado Springs, is a journalist, author and former Air Force captain. He is calling for greater police accountability and for reform of Clark County's coroner inquest process. He said officer-involved shootings should be reviewed by third parties. “It’s been three weeks. They should release the video and 911 calls.”
There are several news reports regarding the incident available online by searching “Erik Scott Costco Shooting.”
In the back!!! ack!
Still no video, huh?
Figures.
They ALL need to be charged at this point. COSTCO, the police, the county..
Every last one of them.
They are desperately looking for a large bucket of whitewash.
Looks like some cops and costco employees should be sued into poverty and/or thrown in prison.
Does intentionally misrepresenting a situation in a 9/11 call constitute a crime?
Self defense shootings are often dynamic and fluid. It takes an appreciable amount of time, perhaps .25 seconds to .75 seconds for the decision to pull a trigger to translate into the gun firing. During that time it is not unusual to have the assailant turn, or react to a first shot in such a way that the assailant is shot in the back.
My guess, in this case, is that the victim, Erik Scott, was shot in the chest, then in the back as the other officers opened up, after hearing the first officer shoot. That does not make this shooting justified.
“*Allegedly* Slain by Vegas Police”?????
Allegedly? The cops admit they shot him. And he is dead.
So why the word allegedly?
BTT
So why the word allegedly?
It’s required as per Journalism 101. The shooting also occurred in a “close-knit community”
Several witnesses said that as Scott laid on the ground writhing, the officers shot him again. It’s in earlier threads.
Yhis one smells.
Americans have repeatedly demanded an all powerful government and authoritarian police.
I was a journalist for 20-something years. “Allegedly” is used only where the facts are not clear and is not a defense for slander or libel. It seems pretty clear here that the police killed this man. This is simply bad writing.
NRS 207.280 False reporting of crimes unlawful. Every person who deliberately reports to any police officer, sheriff, district attorney, deputy sheriff, deputy district attorney or member of the Department of Public Safety that a felony or misdemeanor has been committed, which causes a law enforcement agency to conduct a criminal or internal investigation, knowing such report to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
The tapes have probably disappeared. So sorry.
The word “allegedly” is used to protect an individual accused of a crime, keeping him from being prejudged by the potential jury pool and to protect the media from lawsuits from those individuals claiming innocence.
In this case, there are two undisputed facts. This victim WAS shot. And the police have admitted shooting him.
Thus, there is no need to use the word “allegedly.” Everyone agrees, even the police, that the victim was shot and killed.
You’re right. Even here on FR, any criticism of the all-holy, all-righteous police will result in cries of protest. If the cops shot him, he musta needed shootin’, right?
I would say, Yes. Would be right up there with called in bomb threats.
I would like to know more about the manager that called this in...
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