Houston police shoot double amputee

KSAT.com ^ | 9/23/2012 | By the CNN Wire Staff

[JohnKinAK]

A Houston police officer shot and killed a schizophrenic, wheelchair-bound double amputee threatening people with a pen at a group home for the mentally ill after authorities said the man advanced on the officer's partner.

The shooting occurred early Saturday morning after police responded to a call that resident Brian Claunch was acting aggressively after his caretaker refused to give him a cigarette and a soda, the owner of the home and police said.

"The officers made verbal commands for the suspect to drop whatever he had in his hand, to stay still and to speak with the officers, but the suspect continued to make threats," Jodi Silva, a police spokeswoman, said.

Claunch, who lost an arm and a leg in a train accident, trapped one of the officers with his wheelchair in the corner of a room and attempted to stab the officer with an object that turned out to be a pen.

Officer Matt Marin, "in fear of the safety of his partner and the safety of himself, discharges his duty weapon, striking the suspect," Silva said.

[Edward Teach]

I am absolutely amazed that I have to point out (again) that the '21 ft. rule' is utterly irrelevant if you have already stipulated that the person is only "inches to a foot" away.
Logic is definitely not your forte.

You can't see the forest for the trees, can you?
I mentioned the 21 foot rule, because it is based on a principle!
That principle is: If a person is close enough to you to stick you with something, then that person is potential threat!
Comprehension is definitely not YOUR forte, though begging the question most certainly is.

[Tuanedge]

If he was OJ Simpson with a pen, two cops worth a damn could have subdued him without a shot, let alone a double amputee in a chair.

Not sure if the poster is seeing the whole world through his personal limitations, or just likes the idea of an imaginary 21 foot zone around him where everybody’s a free kill.

Can’t identify in either case.

[TigersEye]

He should definitely change his screen name. I don’t think he could teach a starving dog to fetch a T-bone steak.

[TigersEye]

You can't see the forest for the trees, can you?

If I was within arm's reach of a one-armed man swinging his one arm at me I could see what was in his one hand. LOL

Maybe the cops need to form a GIMP-SWAT.

[DJ MacWoW]

Edward Teach was Blackbeards real name.

[TigersEye]

I can just imagine Blackbeard cowering in fear of a one-armed, one-legged, wheelchair bound, schizophrenic with a pen. If only the British Empire had sent some to the Caribbean!

[DJ MacWoW]

And not just any pen but a QUILL! The Horror!!!! ;-)

[TigersEye]

Now that would hurt! ~8-O

[Edward Teach]

What you all seem to be forgetting is one rather important detail:
The fact that the police were called in the first place, meant that he was acting in such a way that the people at the house didn't think they would be able to contain him or calm him down.

You have a cop who sees what he thinks is his partner about to get stabbed. What would you have him do?

[TigersEye]

I think the rational answers have been given over and over again. Grab the wheel chair by the handles and pull it back. Subdue his one arm. Apparently you don’t do rational.