Video shows man shot by New Jersey police raising his hands

[Jerem]

Couldn't he just say the gun wasn't his? He was the passenger, after all...

If it is in the vehicle and in your reach you can be charged, the same applies to drugs or other contraband. If the driver copped to it being his the option to not charge is there, but considering this guys history he wasn't getting any breaks. If neither one admits it is theirs they both get charged. That is how it is in Ca. I believe other states are the same or similar from what I have read in the media.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

How often do you think that happens? How many total officers do you think get shot, in any way, in a year? Take a guess.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=police+officer+killed+with+his+own+gun

The fact of the matter is it can happen and I don't expect an officer to wait until the person is trying to take his gun. In the case the man should have put his hands up and out the window just like the driver did instead of getting out the car and placing the officer in a position where he had to make a quick decision. Had he relaxed the person could have easily grabbed/disarmed him.

 

[Darwin333]

Simple solution: Any cop who shoots at someone should go to trial. This way, there is no thinking about whether a jury would convict or not.

That is a little much but I do think that the police and local prosecutor should be taken out of the picture when investigating ALL cop shootings.

Something like a civilian review board made up of legal professors or something, a group of people with no ties to the police or the prosecutors office.

As it is now, there is a huge conflict of interest in investigating and prosecuting police.

 

[Darwin333]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=police+officer+killed+with+his+own+gun

The fact of the matter is it can happen and I don't expect an officer to wait until the person is trying to take his gun. In the case the man should have put his hands up and out the window just like the driver did instead of getting out the car and placing the officer in a position where he had to make a quick decision. Had he relaxed the person could have easily grabbed/disarmed him.

The officer should have retreated to the other side of the open door. If the guy had even turned towards the officer I would be saying good shoot all day long. No way the guy could have gotten around the door and get the officers gun before the officer put 8 rounds in him. Not to mention it would have given him a much better shooting angle that didn't put his partner and the other guy in the car at risk of being accidentally shot.

Hindsight is 20/20 and the cop had to make a decision in a heartbeat but it doesn't change the fact that he shot an unarmed man with his hands up.

 

[OCNewbie]

That is a little much but I do think that the police and local prosecutor should be taken out of the picture when investigating ALL cop shootings.

Something like a civilian review board made up of legal professors or something, a group of people with no ties to the police or the prosecutors office.

As it is now, there is a huge conflict of interest in investigating and prosecuting police.

I agree with you here, especially to the bolded part.

 

[Baasha]

I wouldn't be surprised if armed gangs start going berserk in the US soon. This is crazy... police shootings seem to be a daily event...

 

[Jaskalas]

I was considering how this could go differently. You know, what standard policy could be enacted to help avoid a shooting here?

Perhaps in a tense situation when the car door swings open the officer should distance himself enough that he can feel safe if the passenger steps out. Not advance towards the officer, but merely steps out with hands up.

If the officer allowed some distance, he would only need to check the guy's hands and see that they are empty. Long as the guy doesn't make further movements... see where I'm going with this?

Just killing someone for stepping out does seem a bit much. Even if I can totally justify the officer's quick response, I think we can specify that it was tragedy that we can find ways to avoid.

 

[Annisman*]

There seems to be a common theme with these police shootings, and that is the deliberate disobedience of simple police commands.

 

[unixwizzard]

I wouldn't be surprised if armed gangs start going berserk in the US soon. This is crazy... police shootings seem to be a daily event...

they only seem that way now because 1) they are reported by the media more than ever, and 2) there is a bigger awareness of them (thanks to #1).

unfortunately the statistics on this are incomplete. what I could find, at least that which tries to hold an objective view, seems to indicate the yearly number of police involved killings (not shootings as nobody has been really tracking those) hasn't changed all that much from 1994 to 2013. I would not be surprised if the numbers for 2014 turn out to match that same trend.

There seems to be a common theme with these police shootings, and that is the deliberate disobedience of simple police commands.

Exactly.. and for pointing that out, welcome to Club Racist. Your membership card will be mailed out shortly. :\

 

[Annisman*]

they only seem that way now because 1) they are reported by the media more than ever, and 2) there is a bigger awareness of them (thanks to #1).

unfortunately the statistics on this are incomplete. what I could find, at least that which tries to hold an objective view, seems to indicate the yearly number of police involved killings (not shootings as nobody has been really tracking those) hasn't changed all that much from 1994 to 2013. I would not be surprised if the numbers for 2014 turn out to match that same trend.



Exactly.. and for pointing that out, welcome to Club Racist. Your membership card will be mailed out shortly. :\

Yeah I know right ?

The thing is, I'm not even saying this is a good shoot, or others are a good shoot, just that if these simple commands are followed these guys would be alive today. From my very limited experience with police I can already tell that these guys like to feel like they are in control, if you give them that, if you just humble yourself even a little and comply nothing will escalate past where it needs to.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Exactly.. and for pointing that out, welcome to Club Racist. Your membership card will be mailed out shortly. :\

What Annisman posted wasn't even remotely racist as it applies to people of all races when dealing with the police.

Yeah I know right ?

The thing is, I'm not even saying this is a good shoot, or others are a good shoot, just that if these simple commands are followed these guys would be alive today. From my very limited experience with police I can already tell that these guys like to feel like they are in control, if you give them that, if you just humble yourself even a little and comply nothing will escalate past where it needs to.

This has been my experience as well.

 

[OCNewbie]

Perhaps in a tense situation when the car door swings open the officer should distance himself enough that he can feel safe if the passenger steps out. Not advance towards the officer, but merely steps out with hands up.

If the officer allowed some distance, he would only need to check the guy's hands and see that they are empty. Long as the guy doesn't make further movements... see where I'm going with this?

How long do you think it takes for someone to squeeze the trigger of a gun and for a bullet to come out of that gun and penetrate your skull and kill you? I'd wager to guess that it would take less time than it would take to see someone get out of a car (against your commands), to see that they indeed DO have a weapon, to process that information, and to act upon it (fire at them, or hide behind something, if something is even available to hide behind).

There's just not enough time in such situations. Listen to cops when you get pulled over, etc., stay in your car unless specifically told to get out, and you'll almost certainly not be shot.

 

[OCNewbie]

What Annisman posted wasn't even remotely racist as it applies to people of all races when dealing with the police.

I don't think he was implying that it actually was racist, just that the "racist" label will still come for having that opinion.

 

[unixwizzard]

What Annisman posted wasn't even remotely racist as it applies to people of all races when dealing with the police.

I know that, you know that, Annisman knows that, however in the context of these discussions, the so-called police brutality against black men/boys, anyone who points out the behavior of the subject that lead up to the death or injury at the hands of the police is generally dismissed as being a racist.

That was the point I was making, rather sarcastically.

I don't think he was implying that it actually was racist, just that the "racist" label will still come for having that opinion.

DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! Give that man a prize!

 

[Subyman]

I think our police should on have billy clubs and pepper spray.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

That was the point I was making, rather sarcastically.

Apparently my sarcasm meter is malfunctioning...........so sue me

I hear Benjamin Crump will sue anyone, anytime.