Posted on 08/06/2007 11:16:57 AM PDT by WestTexasWend
NOBLE (OK) Three Noble police officers are on administrative leave after a police shooting Friday left a 5-year-old boy dead.
Noble Police Chief Ben Daves released an official statement this morning on the shooting. Daves said he is not yet releasing the names of the officers involved in the shooting.
Austin Haley was struck in the head and killed by a bullet while fishing with his grandfather. Noble police officers responded to a call about a snake in a birdhouse in the 300 block of Crest Lane, Daves wrote. The pond where Austin and his grandfather, Jack Tracy, were fishing was in a wooded area near the home. Daves confirmed two shots were fired at the snake to kill it.
In his written statement, Daves said it appears that one of the bullets fired by the officers at the snake also struck the boy.
"Moments later, cries were heard in the field, and the officers immediately went to investigate, he wrote. "The officers began to render what aid they could and called for emergency medical assistance.
Both the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Noble Police Department are investigating the shooting.
"Our prayers are with the young man's family, he wrote.
Hopefully the next stop is jail. Unbelievable recklessness to be trying to blow a snake out of a tree with a gun without knowing what else was in the line of fire.
In stinkerpot65's socialist village, no one is responsible for the consequences of their own stupid decisions.
If they, in their mindbendingly stupid negligence, kill someone - hey, stuff happens. No biggie.
The grandfather said in another article that the cops did NOT help, but walked right by. So which is it?
What happens if you bop a snake on the head with a nightstick?
“If he decides to blow his own brains out will you cheer? I wont.”
Let’s all hope that that is the outcome and he can save the taxpayer’s the price of a trial. I would throw a ticker-tape parade. But we all know that cops are above the law and that the DA will rule this as a justified shooting. POS.
From one Brower to another, truer words were never said.
Amen, If I shot at my neighbor’s pit bull while it rushed me and a bullet hit one of the neighborhood kids, you can bet your sweet a$$ I’d be sitting in jail.
There is specific .22 round ammunition made for this, it’s actually called snake shot. We use it here in FL to kill water moccasins. You don’t need a 9mm or .45 ACP or what ever to kill a snake. Unfortunately this was overkill.
Nobody feels worse about this than the cop.
I’d like to hear what the kid’s family would say to this statement.
Criminal negligence? I wish you folks could SEE the terrain in question. I have. I live nearby. The growth is so thick, no one could possibly see as far away as where the boy was. A cop would not be able to fire a gun at all out here if he had to see that far away, and that’s a fact.
Firing into the air is another matter, but I suspect he will be punished for that mistake.
Now, if only the would also punish the foolish woman who called 911 over a snake....
And I do make a distinction between someone who is evil to the core and shoots children in drive-by shootings, and someone who only wants to do good, and causes harm. Fortunately, the law does too, even if people like you do not.
Very sad all around. It’s likely the negligent police officers feel just as bad as anyone would whose reckless action unintentionally kills an innocent person. I have some sympathy for them, but their assumed feelings of regret do not exempt them from the law — they should be subject to the same punishment that anyone else would face in this situation.
Prayers for the child’s family, and for everyone involved.
I agree 100%.
IMO, The cops should face the same consequences for negligent use of a firearm as any other citizen.
And prayers for the dead child, his family, and yes, the police officers involved. A tragic mistake, but it was still negligent.
I believe the police were dispatched because the municipality’s animal control officer position is vacant.
Trained professional? This is not the big city here. Three guys were out there, of the three, only one had more than a year’s experience. “Training” according to what I’m told consists of CLEET certification on their own dime, and “riding around awhile” with another officer. Wages...I’m hearing not more than minimum wage, with few benefits.
And NO ONE has said he’s “above the law.” This will be reviewed, perhaps more carefully than other cases because of the publicity, and he will likely face the consequences. These could include jail time, which for a police officer is more difficult than for others. It could also include fines and likely lawsuits—although I’m not sure you can get blood out of a turnip.
Aside from that, he’ll probably have nightmares for the rest of his life. If he has a family, no doubt they, too, will suffer for the rest of their lives too, especially if there’s jail time involved.
The last thing this man will be is “above the law.”
The word “much” was left out of the comment about wages—should have been “not much more than minimum wage”—sorry about that.
And please explain to me how this was not an accident? Did he stalk the young boy and track him down and shoot him? Or was it, as the article stated, a stray (or ricochet) bullet that took his life?
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