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Posted on 11/29/2013 7:24:42 AM PST by Uncle Chip
Police admitted that the fatal shooting of a mental patient armed with scissors could have been prevented if the road sergeant equipped with a Taser had been at the scene in time.
Michael Eligon, 29, was walking toward police with the weapon and a ‘blank stare’ when he was shot three times by an officer in Toronto, an inquest heard.
A chilling video of the dramatic shooting shown to the inquest captured Mr Eligon’s last moments as he walked toward police who had their guns drawn and yelled ‘drop it’ on February 3 last year.
Under cross examination, Constable Scott Walker told the inquest that a Taser would have been a lest lethal option of subduing Mr Eligon but that the sergeant carrying one was not on the scene at the time, according to the Toronto Sun.
Mr Eligon had escaped from Toronto East General Hospital, where he was being treated for depression, earlier that day wearing just socks and his hospital gown.
The police hunt for Mr Eligon began after he stole two pairs of scissors from a convenience store, stabbing the attendant in the hand as he tried to stop the escapee....
Police finally found him wandering down Milverton Boulevard in East York and surrounded him with guns drawn....
Unperturbed, Mr Eligon continues towards police, who back away until one officer backs into a parked car.
As Mr Eligon advances to within four to six feet of the policemen, Constable Andrew Boyd screamed ‘shoot him’ and one officer obliges, firing three shots. Mr Eligon crumples to the ground....
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Lots of cop-haters, aren’t there?
I’m lucky enough to live in an area where most LEOs still regard themselves as public servants, and carry out their duties accordingly.
That notwithstanding it amuses me to see the calls for magical hai karate nightstick moves.
It’s just like people who have never seen a firearm except in a movie wondering why policemen or civilians just don’t shoot the lunatic’s gun/knife/scissors out of his hand, or shoot out the tires on a speeding getaway car.
What’s more we often see (rightly, IMO) staunch defense offered by posters when a private citizen blows away a thug who threatens any kind of violence.
How many constables do you count in that picture — 6.
And those 6 were incapable of physically subduing a guy wearing socks without shooting him three times.
No one thought to get behind him and whack him, or whack the scissors out of his hand, or grab him, or stomp on his foot, or ....
6 on 1 and that is the best these bright minds could come uup with??
And that’s okay with you???
Is that your idea of professional law enforcement.
I know 5th graders who could have taken him down.
Do us all a favor and stay out of law enforcement, off of police forces, and out of schools where kids have scissors.
Yes, I’m okay with it.
Violent nutcase on a stabbing spree stopped cold. A perfectly positive ending.
Not many people are aware of the 13 seconds that the media cut from the beginning of the beating video, showing King going for that cop’s throat.
Again, would have been better for all if the Highway Patrol officer (who later testified against the LAPD) shot Rodney King as she intended to. Would have worked out better for all.
That is absolutely wrong, and a very dangerous and creepy attitude.
“Don’t feel sorry for me, you should go ride along with police and offer to tackle all the people that come at them or others to show everyone the right way to do it.”
While I grant you that cops have to deal with the $h!t of society, it does not give them a “pass” to abuse everyone in the name of “I get to go home tonight.”
How do you justify what the Sheriff’s Deputy in Santa Rosa did to a 13yo carrying a toy AK? I mean seven rounds in his back because he didn’t drop it fast enough.
Just too many bad apples in the “cop barrel” for me. They are not here to help, but rather find some reason to arrest or kill you.
These mentally ill people that are roaming the streets need to be humanely locked up and treated so that they are not put down by citizens and cops.
That being said, these cops need to be fired for not able to handle a single nut.
The ones who are not problems don’t make trouble. If there are problem ones they should be handled.
But a person coming at you with a weapon should rarely survive IMO more than those they go after.
Yes, rather than the fires and death related to King, IMO would have been better had Springer legally ended him before the LAPD tried to help.
NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED.
“But a person coming at you with a weapon should rarely survive IMO more than those they go after.”
Well, I have a big problem with killing a old man with Alzheimers and a pair of scissors. This guy didn’t pose a real threat to the cops. We had two incidents with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Dept. masquerading as the San Ramon PD.
In one case they were asked by a concerned out of area friend to call on a resident female whom the concerned party thought might be suicidal. She let the officers in and then grabbed a knife off the counter and was shot dead on the spot. She was Asian and all of five feet tall! That’s just murder by cop! Although our retired police chief called it “suicide by cop.” I had to give up being his friend because he saw everything in life through the twisted prism of “law enforcement.” Everyone was a crook waiting to happen. Everyone was an inveterate lawbreaker. When we disagreed, I was a “cop hater” because I didn’t see things his way. Good law enforcement has gone the way of the do-do bird. Just union thugs with guns and bad attitudes toward everyone but other cops! They are the last people I would call if trouble arises.
God save us from nuts like you, street executions by the cops for displaying attitude or drunken/stoned shenanigans is something only an unserious poster would be thinking is valid or sane.
You really sound like some fearful home body.
“What’s more we often see (rightly, IMO) staunch defense offered by posters when a private citizen blows away a thug who threatens any kind of violence.”
Kinda tells you how the general population regards LEOs doesn’t it! And they also know if they “take care of business themselves,” 1) They don’t have to wait for “help” to arrive and 2) their family pets will not be at risk.
How do you shoot with scissors? And why shoot mental patients already dead? Mysteries of life!
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Every policeman needs a bouncer for a partner. Save lots of $$$ on bullets. One that loves dogs.
There was a time when cops were expected to solve problems without just looking over the situation and then killing anyone who was out of line, or who looked like a possible threat, that is why they carried billy clubs, it is also why they were required to be large men.
If they think he was a real threat then you have to defend yourself and others.
You seem like a real asset to the manly race of heroes and protectors.
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