Police shoot, kill man

Press Enterprise (Bloomsburg, PA) ^ | 8/22/2003 | Susan Schwartz

[Erik Latranyi]

"Actually it can be escalated in a perfectly logical manner. If the cop can't keep his cool and uses his anger (or fear) to immediately escalate to the maximum lethal force that he possesses, he shouldn't be on the force. "


It's too bad that the perp doesn't always keep their cool to abide by your textbook evaluation from your chair.

[Erik Latranyi]

"I save my contempt for cops who shoot first."


And to hell with the facts!

[Erik Latranyi]

"I've explained myself enough, why do you defend these cops, based on these articles? "


Why do you convict and condem them based on these articles?

[RGSpincich]

I read the part about the branches and the rake, but could find no reference to Ed 'advancing on them'.

He dropped the branches and picked up the rake near the detached garage. He ended up dead in the street three steps from the police. He advanced to the police position swinging the rake. This is obvious and subsequent articles confirm it.

How is 'backed away' misleading? He was creating additional space between himself and the killer cop. If he was going for a weapon, shouldn't he have dashed in the house for a shotgun or AR-15.

He went to get a rake to use as a weapon. He then came at the police, he never backed away in the manner you describe.

[Erik Latranyi]

"Are you of the opinion that cops can do no wrong? Do you realize the harm of that in a free republic? "


Once again, you try to put words in my mouth. I said before that there are good and bad police officers.

However, to call them executioners and killers without the facts is slanderous and liberal in its roots. This is what we hear from Sharpton, Hillary, etc after a police shooting.

I thought I would find more restrained intelligence here.

[Erik Latranyi]

"Ah, now we're back to training. I have a CCW and the law expects me to escalate force in a logical manner or go to jail. The police are held to a higher standard, or should get out"


Fine. If someone picks up a rake and hits you with it and continues to attack, you can stop and negotiate.

[Erik Latranyi]

"Life's Lesson #374 = Don't swing a garden rake at a police officer if you want to live to a ripe old age."


No decent person would swing a rake at a police officer. Where do you get off thinking you have the right to hit a police officer and not suffer any consequences?

[Erik Latranyi]

""The man's wife or girlfriend ran into the street, crying and covering him with kisses, they said."

This is the same man she had the protection order against?"


That is why domestic disputes end up killing more police officers than any other situation.

[Erik Latranyi]

"How do you expect to have a valid PFA if you choose to live with the man who threatened you? "


That is the dangerous aspect of domestic disputes. Many times the woman who called the police ends up attacking them when they arrest the man.


"I agree that a rake can be a lethal weapon. But, the dangerous part of the attack is at the end of the rake. A knife or sword presents a different problem and I'd agree with the shoot. But with a rake, once swung without contact, you move in close and the not only can't he swing it, he can't get you with the sharp pointy things. A billy club from that point is all that is needed. Maybe the guy is scum, but it seems all too often that cops kill first when they used to know how to use the club effectively."

He made contact with the police officer. Perhaps knocked him down. We don't know. However, if someone charged you with a metal rake and struck you once, are you going to just stand there or shoot him?

Don't give me the crap about using a billy club. Many times PA State Police do not have them on their person.

[The Coopster]

Exactly my point. You'll notice, however, that you'll receive no responses to your most correct post.

[PatrioticAmerican]

"Hitting a police officer allows the use of deadly force. "

With what, a first, a feather?

[Lijahsbubbe]

Ping

[Badray]

"Perhaps knocked him down. We don't know."

Don't assume facts not in evidence.

"However, if someone charged you with a metal rake and struck you once, are you going to just stand there or shoot him?

Take some time tomorrow and swing a rake like that and see how difficult it would be to use it effectively. The heavy 'weapon' part is 6 feet away from the 'swinger'. Unlike a knife or sword or even a smaller (in length) baseball bat , you don't recover, indeed, you can't recover quickly enough to swing again. The closer in you get to the man swinging the rake, the less effective the rake is as a weapon.

"Don't give me the crap about using a billy club. Many times PA State Police do not have them on their person."

How convenient! I don't have a baton, so I'll shoot this guy. The police baton has been an effective defensive, as well as offensive, police tool for 100 years. It still is today. If they don't have one on them, they should. Not every offense is a capital one.

[1rudeboy]

If I were to kill someone in a similar situation I would go to jail. The cop is almost certainly a coward or a vicious thug or both.

I guess you'd better throw-away your old issues of Soldier of Fortune and Combat Handgunner, and any other magazine that advocates "stopping power." Get yourself a .32ACP and lie-down like a wimp.

[Badray]

Welcome to FR.

I live in Allegheny County, just north of Pittsburgh, where the DA is a gun grabbing Democrat. They will make your life miserable here. They don't like the idea that mere civilians carry firearms and can use them to protect yourself.

[1rudeboy]

My understanding is that cops in Chicago are not allowed to carry batons (night-sticks) for liability purposes. Haven't seen one in ages.

[Badray]

I don't think that I'd trust Chicago cops with Nurf Bats and water pistols.

Think about this for a moment. They can't carry night sticks because of potential liability, but they can carry firearms. You can't beat someone to death. It's not PC, but you can shoot them to enforce your orders without worry of being sued.

Yep, that sounds right in a Democrat stronghold.

[DainBramage]

think that we've all read accounts of suspects who were under the influence of certain drugs, and because of this, were not effected by non-lethal devices such as Tasers, pepper spray, bean bag guns, and rubber bullets.

Of course, but the point is they tried them first, before using their sidearm. Hell they might could have backed off for fifty feet till he cooled off, who knows.

[Erik Latranyi]

PLEASE SEE THE CONTINUATION OF THIS STORY HERE------

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/969135/posts