Then why do we have these:
Posted on 10/31/2013 11:20:32 AM PDT by Uncle Chip
Edited on 10/31/2013 11:22:17 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
SANTA ROSA - Santa Rosa police released more details today in response to persistent questions about the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Andy Lopez by a Sonoma County sheriff's deputy in southwest Santa Rosa last week....
Henry said Gelhaus said he knows he yelled at least once to Lopez to drop the rifle, but Gelhaus said he is unsure whether he identified himself as a sheriff's deputy.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
bump
Looks like a murder to me too
Miracles never cease. You and I agree on this one.
“Man with gun” warrants caution, not a “shoot on sight” attitude.
yep -- now a boy can't even carry a pellet gun.
You do make a good point. We pay cops to take a hit or two, not for them to make sure their hair stays nice or don’t break a nail. Good point. They should default to assume someone is lawful until they prove otherwise, not the other way around. Innocent until PROVEN guilty.
You gotta to admit that he topped shooting himself in the foot.
The next logic question, is "why not?"
Then, "what percentage of your patrol cars have cameras?"
I think you meant to direct that at CivilWarBrewing.
“and who doesn’t turn around if someone with a bullhorn behind them orders them to do something?”
I agree with you...
Plus, I think a cop should ASSUME that is a kid is carrying a gun, that it’s a toy gun. Funny how they made no mention of the orange tip on the barrel. It was obviously there, or they would have used it’s removal as part of their excuse.
“Cop erred.”
No, the cop committed murder...
Yours, IMHO, is the best post on this thread. Why indeed are not LEO vehicles better shielded against penetration of projectiles? Had there been greater protection against being fired upon, these officer’s might have given more time to determining the actual level of threat before opening fire.
You are correct, they would have definitely mentioned that if they could.
How can you not think that there are a lot of LEO’s that are trigger happy? How long have you been on FR? This happens a lot. Cops kicked in the door on the wrong house, shot the poor dog. My brother in law was a cop, and he told me how they handled search warrants that required a knock - whisper “police”, lightly tap, then kick down the door. Sorry, my 60 years of experience knowing cops doesn’t lead me to be trusting. Yeah, most may be decent, but my BIL started out as a nice guy, and quit when he realized he was as crooked as the crooks. Carried a “throw down gun” just like every other cop (in the 70’s). Nothing new.
Then why do we have these:
How can you not think that there are a lot of LEO’s that are trigger happy? How long have you been on FR? This happens a lot. Cops kicked in the door on the wrong house, shot the poor dog. My brother in law was a cop, and he told me how they handled search warrants that required a knock - whisper “police”, lightly tap, then kick down the door. Sorry, my 60 years of experience knowing cops doesn’t lead me to be trusting. Yeah, most may be decent, but my BIL started out as a nice guy, and quit when he realized he was as crooked as the crooks. Carried a “throw down gun” just like every other cop (in the 70’s). Nothing new.
In other words, someone yells at the kid, ordering him to drop what might be an AK, then shoots the kid because he turned around. "Gun raised" is not the same as "gun aimed", or attempting to aim.
I'm having a hard time figuring out how the same situation with a non-cop on the shooting side doesn't end with at LEAST a trial for manslaughter. Why should the police, who people claim have so much better training and are better equipped to handle the situation, get the benefit of a doubt that would never extend to a mere citizen?
.Plus one on that. I make the same argument all the time.
This was in the Letters to the Editor for the local Santa Rosa paper, the Press Democrat:
Gelhaus’ service
EDITOR: Deputy Erick Gelhaus saved my life (“Deputy who shot SR boy identified,” Monday). I have known him for almost 13 years, but about eight years ago, Gelhaus put himself in harm’s way to protect me. The specific details are not important. What is important is that he was wearing a sidearm, and he didn’t use it. He had every reason to.
As a responding paramedic, I was being attacked by a mentally unstable patient and was being steadily forced backward into traffic. Gelhaus stepped in and subdued the patient, using only the amount of force necessary. He was able to control the situation without adding any additional injuries to the patient.
Despite being hit, kicked and almost bitten by the person, he used restraint and calm good judgment.
A lot of people say things like “I owe you one” and “you really saved my life,” but I mean it. I nearly died that day. If it hadn’t been for the presence of Gelhaus, and his intervention, I would probably not be here today. Thank you, Erick. You have my unending gratitude and support in this trying time.
ARAM L. BRONSTON
Santa Rosa
I live right here.
We used to have bbgun fights not far from that area. Plink with 22’s and the like back in my youth, same area.
In addition, I know it’s a cliche, but he was a ‘good kid’, not a gang banger or little hoodlum, that is a major reason so many people are really p.o.’d, the family is known in the community as a good one.
IMHO the death is the responsibility of whatever idiot took off the orange tip of the airsoft gun.
Lots of demonstrations, lots of genuine grief- this wasn’t some little wannabe gangsta, it was just a normal kid doing what lots of us used to do in the same area. Plus the SRPD has had several instances of shooting people who could have been subdued or otherwise didn’t really pose that much of a danger.
And was the fact that this car had no dashcam a contributing factor to this incident as the deputy knew there would be no video of the shooting.
It was removed, per the reports here.
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