Sometimes I truly have to wonder.

[SeaCat]

Okay, here's the scenario.

A cop responds to a Carjacking call at a gas station. He is the first on scene with backup coming. The victim is standing there and tells the cop that he had been forced at gunpoint to drive the car arund the back of the station, and that as far as he knows the two carjackers are still there.

The officer pulls around the station and his headlights show him one man standing by the car going through a duffel bag he pulled from the backseat. (This part is all on Video.) The person going through the duffle sees the Cop Car and pulls a revolver from under his shirt.

You can hear the officer order the man to put down his weapon. Immediatly the carjacker raises the weapon and fires at the officer. (He missed. His bullet has been recovered from the wall behind the officer.) The cop returns fire, firing six times and striking the carjacker four times in the torso. (Good shooting for this kind of situation.)

The officer is on paid admin. leave. (Standard procedure) during the investigation. The Carjacker, who was I.D.'d by the victim, is in a local hospital in critical condition. (He is a habitual offender who got out of prison two years ago. He has 25, yep, 25 felony convictions for everything from Violent Crimes to Drug Offenses.)

What makes me wonder is this. Now there are people out there saying his being shot was racially motivated and that the officer in question had no reason to shoot him. The N.A.A.C.P. and the ACLU are promising to investigate. His friends and family, along with some of the more prominent members of his neighborhood held a candle light vigil in protest of his being shot.

Excuse me? He allegedly hijacked a car from it's legal owner at gunpoint. Then when the officer showed up, (this is clearly shown on the tape.) he pulled a gun from under his shirt. He then, when the officer ordered him to drop the weapon aim it at the officer and fire. It was only then that the officer returned fire.

Oh wait a minute, I'm not being PC here am I?

Cat

 

[Boxlicker101]

The scenario you are describing seems very obvious. However, there are thjose who say just what you are describing, plus that the cj is somehow a "victim", never mind that the cop returned fire. Unfortunately, there are some police shootings that are not justified but the one being described is not one of them.

I agree, that was good shooting, in every sense of the adjective.

By the way, you mentioned two carjackers. What happened to the other one?

 

[Wildcard Ky]

IF everything is exactly as you say with the carjacker, his record and his shooting at the cop....... My first reaction is that it's a shame that the guy lived through it.

I know that's harsh, but I get so pissed off by stories like this. The guy has 25 felony convictions and obviously hasn't been rehabilitated. If he's shooting at a cop he has no qualms with killing someone. Scumbags like that won't get out of circulation until they're killed, or they kill someone.

25 felony convictions and being on the streets being able to carjack and take shots at cops speaks wonders for our justice system, doesn't it?

 

[SeaCat]

The scenario you are describing seems very obvious. However, there are thjose who say just what you are describing, plus that the cj is somehow a "victim", never mind that the cop returned fire. Unfortunately, there are some police shootings that are not justified but the one being described is not one of them.

I agree, that was good shooting, in every sense of the adjective.

By the way, you mentioned two carjackers. What happened to the other one?

The second, when he saw the handgun took off. He was later picked up and arrested.

In my mind, from what I have seen. (ie the Dashboard Video.) It does seem justified. While the officer is off camera you can clearly see the CJ raise his gun and fire, then you can see the strobes when the officer returned fire. (You can also hear his comments, which are along the lines of "Holy Shit he just shot at me." Before he returns fire.)

Cat

 

[R. Richard]

I would love to be the DA in the case Seacat described. I would get the "expert witnesses" from the other side on the stand. I would then ask the folowing:

DA) You saw the video, taken by the police officer's dashboard camera?
Witness) Yes, you showed the video in the courtroom.

DA) In the video, you saw the defendant draw a weapon?
Witness) Yes, he appeared to draw a weapon.

DA) You heard the officer tell the defendant to drop the weapon?
Witness) Yes, the officer told the defendant to drop the weapon.

DA) You saw the defendant fire a weapon at the officer?
Witness) Yes, I saw the defendant fire a weapon at the officer

DA) You are the officer in the situation we have been discussing. You are in a life and death situation. You have only a fraction of a second to respond. What would you have done?
Witness) [I am asking Literotica readers to give me an answer here. If a witness did not reply, in a court of law, I as the DA would ask the Judge to put the witness in jail until such time as the witness was willing to properly answer the question and explain to the Court why he/she/it would not answer the question.]

 

[Boxlicker101]

I would love to be the DA in the case Seacat described. I would get the "expert witnesses" from the other side on the stand. I would then ask the folowing:

DA) You saw the video, taken by the police officer's dashboard camera?
Witness) Yes, you showed the video in the courtroom.

DA) In the video, you saw the defendant draw a weapon?
Witness) Yes, he appeared to draw a weapon.

DA) You heard the officer tell the defendant to drop the weapon?
Witness) Yes, the officer told the defendant to drop the weapon.

DA) You saw the defendant fire a weapon at the officer?
Witness) Yes, I saw the defendant fire a weapon at the officer

DA) You are the officer in the situation we have been discussing. You are in a life and death situation. You have only a fraction of a second to respond. What would you have done?
Witness) [I am asking Literotica readers to give me an answer here. If a witness did not reply, in a court of law, I as the DA would ask the Judge to put the witness in jail until such time as the witness was willing to properly answer the question and explain to the Court why he/she/it would not answer the question.]

The defense lawyer will object, claiming it is a hypothetical question, and the witness does not have the training and expertise to answer. The judge might or might not accept the objection.

 

[SweetErika]

DA) You are the officer in the situation we have been discussing. You are in a life and death situation. You have only a fraction of a second to respond. What would you have done?
Witness) [I am asking Literotica readers to give me an answer here. If a witness did not reply, in a court of law, I as the DA would ask the Judge to put the witness in jail until such time as the witness was willing to properly answer the question and explain to the Court why he/she/it would not answer the question.]

I'd return fire.

In an ideal world. In the real world, I might hesitate--and likely be injured or dead--if someone was shooting at me. I'm qualifying because I know better than to say I know how I'd react in a dangerous situation, but my intention would be to shoot to kill in that situation, no question.

 

[Trinique_Fire]

lol would all of you think the same way if the car jacker was a close family member? think about it.

 

[Boxlicker101]

lol would all of you think the same way if the car jacker was a close family member? think about it.

Probably not. If I were Ted Bundy's mother, or John Wayne Gacy's mother, or Jeff Dahlmer's mother, I would probably claim my little darling was just misunderstood. However, as outsiders, with no attachment to any of the participants here, we can be objective.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

lol would all of you think the same way if the car jacker was a close family member? think about it.

If I were the cop, and I found my brother as the car jacker, and he fired at me first? (I know that's not what you asked but that's what I'm answering) I would have no compunction about putting one of those six bullets in his head.

 

[Liar]

DA) You are the officer in the situation we have been discussing. You are in a life and death situation. You have only a fraction of a second to respond. What would you have done?
Witness) [I am asking Literotica readers to give me an answer here. If a witness did not reply, in a court of law, I as the DA would ask the Judge to put the witness in jail until such time as the witness was willing to properly answer the question and explain to the Court why he/she/it would not answer the question.]

I'd probably freak, waste the second, and get killed.

That's why I'm not a cop.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

You just don't get it, Cat. The government of the United States is an illegitimate instrument of oppression. The actions of it's agents, including law enforcement officers, are by definition illegitimate and oppressive. Those who oppose the norms of the corrupt and racist society that supports this illegitimate government and its bourgeois, exploitative institutions of "private property" and "civil society," are noble freedom fighters, struggling on the front lines on behalf of the exploited, victim-classes. These freedom fighters should be supported in every way possible, including coming to their defense when they undertake "direct action" in the way this poor, brave member of the resistance did.

Everyone who's attended an elite university knows these things. Certainly the ACLU and NAACP know them.

Power to the people, man!

 

[S-Des]

You just don't get it, Cat. The government of the United States is an illegitimate instrument of oppression. The actions of it's agents, including law enforcement officers, are by definition illegitimate and oppressive. Those who oppose the norms of the corrupt and racist society that supports this illegitimate government and its bourgeois, exploitative institutions of "private property" and "civil society," are noble freedom fighters, struggling on the front lines on behalf of the exploited, victim-classes. These freedom fighters should be supported in every way possible, including coming to their defense when they undertake "direct action" in the way this poor, brave member of the resistance did.

Everyone who's attended an elite university knows these things. Certainly the ACLU and NAACP know them.

Power to the people, man!

*snicker*

You tell 'em Roxy!

 

[cloudy]

From the other side of the fence:

I hate this kind of thing. So many people holler "racism" any time there's an incident that involves two different races of people. The reason I hate it so bad is that when there truly IS some racism going on/racial profiling, etc., and a legitimate complaint is made, those not on the inside are quick to brush it off as "playing the race card," and pay absolutely no attention to what is a legitimate concern.

It DOES go on still....it DOES happen, but this situation seems to be fairly straight forward.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Cat,
I'm afraid with the recent record of police misconduct (New York Police running drugs for the Mob, killing of the kidnap hostage in Portland and other occurances) the police have to take care to cover all their bases. They have a video. Good. The officer is on paid administrative leave while the investigation is on going. Good.

Some in the neighborhood are screaming "Racism". Not surprising. Isn't that always what happens due to the poor record of injust occurances in the past (Rodney King, etc)?

If this is as you say, all appropriate action is being taken and the officer will be back on duty soon enough.

The problem for the cities is just as happened here a few months ago. Two black kids were caught breaking into homes. One kid was shot in a blaze of gun fire coming from both the police and the perps. Within days, the family of the dead perp brought suit against the city for several millions. It has yet to be either settled or tried.