LAPD shoots, kills driver believed reaching for gun; no gun found

Modesto Bee ^ | 2/1/03 | AP

[hoosierskypilot]

LOS ANGELES(AP) - Two police officers on Saturday shot and killed a driver believed to be reaching for a gun, however, no gun was found, a police spokesman said. Veteran Officer Gordon Olson, with 19 years on the Police Department, spotted a car downtown with two men going the wrong way down a one way street about 1:30 a.m.

[sneakypete]

The police officer will probably be fired,

It doesn't matter because he will leave with a letter of recommendation as a part of his agreement to leave without sueing the city for failure to properly supervise and train him,and will be working in someplace like San Diego within a month.

[lawdude]

You're disgusting!

[GilesB]

Let's see...wrong way on one-way street, 1:30 am, can't bring himself to follow some simple instructions, makes gestures toward his crotch (typical stash spot for a small handgun), in possession of crack, dude gets wasted....so what's the issue? Where is the loss?

[Ima Lurker]

My nephew has a degree in Psychology, a Masters degree in Criminology and is working toward his Doctorate. He is an LAPD street cop because that is what he wants to be. That is where he feels he can best serve his community. I fear for his life everyday. Now bite me you jackass!

[NCLaw441]

My wife won't drive down the wrong way on a road, with crack cocaine between her legs....but if she DID, she would raise her hands when told to do so by police, or anyone else with a gun pointed at her. Duh

[Diddle E. Squat]

It wasn't the wrong way driving, it was the culmination of several things, primarily the repeatedly ignoring police requests and orders followed by actions that looked to be reaching for a gun. The wrong way driving by itself wasn't that serious, but it combined with other things to put this guy in the profile of a threat.

[Cvengr]

I agree that if the victim/perp didn't have a weapon, then at best this is a situation of mistaken actions and self-defensive action by the cop. At worst, simply a murder and coverup.

The truth probably is somewhere in between warranting a good investigation.

The situation as reported though seems to well justify the officer acting in self-defense. As reported, it isn't a situation of one false move, but repetitive false moves providing a consistent pattern that the officer was in jeopardy.

[yarddog]

To some degree it already is at the point that everybody has to be shackled and spread eagled whenever a policeman says so.

I know a retired U-2 pilot (now deceased) who at age 75 was driving with his wife in a small pick-up and subjected to the whole 9 yards, dragged out of the vehicle, cuffed etc. The whole thing was based on a bolo for a similar vehicle involved in a bank robbery. Of course you have to check them out and even be careful but an elderly couple driving at a leisurly pace should not be treated like that period.

About 30 years ago a Montgomery Alabama cop shot and killed a Black hood. The cop did what a lot of them used to do. He threw down a revolver beside the body. The only trouble was the gun was later determined to have come from the evidence locker.

I had some dealings with a couple of Montgomery undercover cops and later met them at a mall in a different city. I asked them about it and they confirmed that the gun was planted, although as it turned out the shooting was justified as the perp did attack the cop with a knife.

[metesky]

Your nephew has a degree in a completely made-up phoney field (psychology), a masters in idiotology and will soon be Doctor Idiot. He is an LAPD street cop because, other than cab driver, that's about as high as one can go with phoney degrees.

My apologies to cab drivers.

[metesky]

I guess you're not a criminal lawyer. Oh wait! All lawyers are criminals.

[Copernicus]

No posts pulled by Admin Moderator yet.....

Did too...Did not....Did too... Did not

[chuknospam]

The first lesson is to seriously consider the direct orders of those authorized to use deadly force
If that cop doesn't see a gun .... the SOB should NOT shoot.
Don't tell me how hard it is to be a cop. There is no excuse for this kind of BS.

It's refered to as a furtive movement shooting, perhaps you should study up on the topic some before you pass judgement. In fact lets take a little test, say your a cop, and I am a punk with a knife and I am exactly 21 feet from you. I begin running towards you with my knife. At what distance point are you going to make the judgement that you are in danger and pull your gun to defend yourself? 2 feet 5 feet, 10 feet, 21 feet??? You make the call and I will score you.

[dogbrain]

21'.

How'd I do?

[yarddog]

I suspect you got those from Mr. Ayoob.

Although I think he has successfully used those figures in court, they are not accurate and a good lawyer would show just how phony they are.

[harpseal]

I'm usually one of the first to jump on bad police procedure, and cops spending too much time trying to be Special Forces / SWAT teams.

Likewise about jumping on what seems to be bad decisions. The key here is the police were not doing a stop in daylight with four or five officers present. This was a good shoot IMHO.

[Travis McGee]

The boot lickers cringe and kiss leather 24/7.

[Travis McGee]

Just don't be a semi handicapped man struggling to comply with police orders.

Or an eagle scout in a case of mistaken identity.

The cops will feel free to blow you away for not moving fast enough to suit their schedule.

And they will not lose a day's pay.

That is not America.

Das Ist Amerika! Sieg Heil Mein Kamerad!

[Travis McGee]

Gee, I wonder how hard it is for cops to hang onto a little crack cocaine for throw down "good shoot insurance?"

Nah, that could NEVER happen.

[yarddog]

I agree this one is a little difficult to be sure on, but still killing an unarmed man is hard to justify, although sometimes it can be done.

[Travis McGee]

Nice false analogy.

Try again.