Boy, 14, Shot and Killed by Police Officer

[Amused]

Boy, 14, Shot and Killed by Police Officer
AP
BALTIMORE (Aug. 12) - A 14-year-old boy was fatally shot by a city officer inside the boy's home Saturday morning, police said.

According to police, the boy, Kevin Cooper, attacked Officer Roderick Mitter with a broom handle, breaking it over the officer's head, and continued to come after Mitter even after being sprayed with Mace several times.

Mitter was one of two officers who responded to Cooper's home after his mother accused him of stealing her boyfriend's bicycle. Mitter stayed behind to write a theft report after the other officer left, and that's when the boy attacked him, police said.

After the boy broke the broom handle over the officer's head and continued to attack despite the Mace, Mitter drew his service weapon.

"The juvenile continued to advance on the officer, now with a jagged-edged stick, and the officer fired one time, hitting the juvenile in his left shoulder," police Maj. James Rood said.

Cooper died at a local hospital. Officer Troy Harris, a police spokesman, said investigators were looking into whether the boy, who's believed to have a history of mental illness and behavior problems, was on any drugs.

Mitter, a one-year veteran who recently concluded his probationary period, was treated for a concussion and lacerations at a local hospital and released.

Cooper's family has retained a lawyer and is considering a wrongful death lawsuit, WBAL-TV reported.

 

[Mrvile]

Guess he had to do what he had to do. Shame that the boy died, but it doesn't sound like we need someone like him with us in society.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

That's a shame, but it sounds like the cop had no choice. I'm not really surprised the family has hired a lawyer - they are more than likely very poor and, in spite of their grief, see this as an opportunity for a payday.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Sounds like Darwin missed the mother, so he was coming back for the next go-round.

- M4H

 

[mugs]

Kid's mother should have restrained him.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: DonVito
That's a shame, but it sounds like the cop had no choice. I'm not really surprised the family has hired a lawyer - they are more than likely very poor and, in spite of their grief, see this as an opportunity for a payday.

yeap. odds are they are going to win some. well if Jackson and Sharpton join in anyway

 

[BobDaMenkey]

I have to agree with DonVito and M4H.

I don't think it was a wrongful death. The cop shot him in the shoulder, it doesn't smack of something overkill like the face. He was being threatened with a broken broom handle by a nutty kid, I'd shoot instead of waiting to get stabbed too, especially after alreadying being clobbered over the head.

 

[Kadarin]

How did the kid die from a shoulder wound? Also, sounds like perfectly justified self-defense to me.

 

[Strk]

It's a shame more cops don't have those taser guns (the ones that shoot out two barbs). They work great in situations like this; that is, where the officer runs out of options of restraint and needs to use his or her weapon.

 

[mattpegher]

Sounds like the officer had no options left. Personally, I hate to see the Gery Springer jury they get to hear this case.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Amused
Cooper's family has retained a lawyer and is considering a wrongful death lawsuit, WBAL-TV reported.

Too bad they will probably win some money even though its obvious self defense. Some people should not have kids.

Title should instead say "Police shoots suspect in self defense". The title now makes it seem like the officer is at fault.

 

[BrokenVisage]

News to me..

 

[Inspector Jihad]

rofl, you're all idiots...a trained police officer needs to shoot a 14 year old kid with a broom in self defense. Bullshit. Let see when one of your loved ones gets murdered for something like this.

And Mrvile...who the fvck are you to say if someone is wanted or not in our society?

 

[DainBramaged]

Hope the kid learned not to attack police officers with potentially lethal weapons.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Strk
It's a shame more cops don't have those taser guns (the ones that shoot out two barbs). They work great in situations like this; that is, where the officer runs out of options of restraint and needs to use his or her weapon.

Word. This was a perfect example of "situation that would be a lot better with a taser." Of course, the family would probably still whine and bitch that the officer was "torturing" the kid, because I can see the little bastard trying to get up again & again after being juiced. 😛

- M4H

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
rofl, you're all idiots...a trained police officer needs to shoot a 14 year old kid with a broom in self defense. Bullshit. Let see when one of your loved ones gets murdered for something like this.

And Mrvile...who the fvck are you to say if someone is wanted or not in our society?

DIAPS (Die In A Police Shootout)

- M4H

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
rofl, you're all idiots...a trained police officer needs to shoot a 14 year old kid with a broom in self defense. Bullshit. Let see when one of your loved ones gets murdered for something like this.

And Mrvile...who the fvck are you to say if someone is wanted or not in our society?

Well if he shot him in the shoulder, it was supposed to be a non-lethal shot. That the boy died is unfortunate, but if he was shot in the shoulder, it implies the police officer was not trying to kill him.
If he'd tried to kill the kid in self defence it would be excessive.

 

[alphatarget1]

Tazers for the win.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
rofl, you're all idiots...a trained police officer needs to shoot a 14 year old kid with a broom in self defense. Bullshit. Let see when one of your loved ones gets murdered for something like this.

And Mrvile...who the fvck are you to say if someone is wanted or not in our society?

are you insane? oh wait you are one just defends whatever idiots like this do.


Murder? heh no. the idiot kid should have known attacking a cop with a weapon is going to get him hurt. while it is a pitty the child died. I hope the family losees the lawsuit.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: alphatarget1
Tazers for the win.

yes, this case does seem to be a strong argument for tasers, however, given the situation, i think the cop did the right thing.

 

[sixone]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: Strk
It's a shame more cops don't have those taser guns (the ones that shoot out two barbs). They work great in situations like this; that is, where the officer runs out of options of restraint and needs to use his or her weapon.

Word. This was a perfect example of "situation that would be a lot better with a taser." Of course, the family would probably still whine and bitch that the officer was "torturing" the kid, because I can see the little bastard trying to get up again & again after being juiced. 😛

- M4H

If Mace didn't stop the little twerp, a taser might not have either. And if the kid was already hyped up on chemicals, a taser might have been just as deadly as a bullet. There's just no possible way to know for sure, at this point.

 

[Poulsonator]

That's not a shame at all. Good riddance.

 

[Wuffsunie]

Originally posted by: DonVito
That's a shame, but it sounds like the cop had no choice. I'm not really surprised the family has hired a lawyer - they are more than likely very poor and, in spite of their grief, see this as an opportunity for a payday.

Who wants to put money on black kid, white cop?

The results of the blood tests on the kid should be interesting. It takes some serious force to break a decent broom handle, so the hospital records of the cop's concussion should be sufficent to show that he wasn't in the greatest condition to take down the kids by non-lethal means.

 

[madeupfacts]

what a retarded fvcking officer. If he can't beat the ****** out of a 14 year old boy after macing his eyes without pulling out a gun, he doesn't deserve to be an officer.

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

Originally posted by: Lonyo

Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
rofl, you're all idiots...a trained police officer needs to shoot a 14 year old kid with a broom in self defense. Bullshit. Let see when one of your loved ones gets murdered for something like this.

And Mrvile...who the fvck are you to say if someone is wanted or not in our society?

Well if he shot him in the shoulder, it was supposed to be a non-lethal shot. That the boy died is unfortunate, but if he was shot in the shoulder, it implies the police officer was not trying to kill him.
If he'd tried to kill the kid in self defence it would be excessive.

Well actually a shot to the left shoulder would be lethal. Think about the arteries on that side are connecting directly to the heart. However, I believe the police officer did the right thing. He most likely felt his life was in jeapoardy especially if a distraught person, kid or adult, was driving towards him with a broken broom handle.