Shooting of unarmed Irish national in Silverton makes international news (Marion: attorney, to buy)

[tablemtn]

The shooting death of 20-year-old unarmed Irish national Andrew Hanlon by Silverton police has made headlines in Ireland and the UK, as well as locally. For example,

Recent article from the Belfast Telegraph

Does Silverton have a problem with excessive use of police force? How did an unarmed foreigner end up shot dead on the streets of Silverton? And given that he was unarmed, why did the officer fire so many shots, and fire them so wildly (with one shot veering way off course and shattering the back window of a distant car)?

[Silverfall]

No Silverton doesn't have a problem with excessive police force.

Silverton is a very small community and I can see residents being freaked out and paniced by someone randomly knocking on doors in the middle of the night. It sounds like he might have had some mental illness from what I read.

I haven't heard of any report being issued about what happened.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by tablemtn

How did an unarmed foreigner end up shot dead on the streets of Silverton? And given that he was unarmed, why did the officer fire so many shots, and fire them so wildly (with one shot veering way off course and shattering the back window of a distant car)?

We will have to wait for the results of the investigation before we can answer your first two questions.

The answer to your third question, why did he shoot wildly, is simple. He probably wasn't a very good shot. Police officers in the United States, especially in small towns like Silverton, rarely shoot their guns in the line of duty. Most never do. They almost never have a reason to. They may go to a shooting range once or twice a year to practice, but that's about it. The gun is more of a badge of authority than a weapon.

This incident made the international news because it was unusual in the extreme - not because things like this happen all of the time.

[Krystle]

I was frighteningly close when this happened. I'm reserving my judgment until more facts are revealed.

[Michael T]

Originally Posted by Krystle

I was frighteningly close when this happened. I'm reserving my judgment until more facts are revealed.

Krystle, I'm puzzled, why wouldn't you say what you saw? Your version of the facts should be just that, no matter what. Judgement on the other hand (was deadly force the only alternative) will be colored by backround info and the details leading to the event. But it doesn't change what you saw.

[Krystle]

I didn't see the actual shooting, so what I did see (right before and after the event) isn't going to shed any light on the deadly force issue. It did shake me up quite a bit, though, since I just moved to Silverton. Discussing the details in public doesn't feel appropriate to me (I'm not saying it is inappropriate, I'm just saying how I feel). I wanted to emphasize that not everyone is pointing fingers, because right now from the outside it might seem like everyone is.

[Wicked Felina]

I agree with you Krystle. And with the others who've posted and are not jumping to conclusions. The mother of the man killed is in, or on her way to, the U.S. to speak with the Marion County District Attorney's Office, as most of us are aware. Until she has been advised of the circumstances, no one really has the 'right to know' any specifics.

IMO, it is highly inappropriate to speculate on what happened, and wildly throw around rumors, before an investigation is completed, and until the information legally becomes public. Otherwise, who benefits, other than news media? Also, IMO, it is extremely disrespectful to all people involved, the least of which is the young man and his family.

[tablemtn]

Well, some facts are known, and don't have to be deduced from speculation. For instance, it is known that Hanlon himself did not own a firearm or fire any shots. That means that all the shots fired were fired by the officer, including the rounds which flew off course, missed Hanlon altogether, and struck various parts of "the scenery."

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by tablemtn

Well, some facts are known, ............ For instance, it is known that Hanlon himself did not own a firearm or fire any shots.

If he would have owed a firearm the international headlines would have read: MENTALLY ILL IRISHMAN ALLOWED TO BUY FIREARM IN GUN-CRAZED AMERICA

Then they would be advised to watch RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD
First Blood (1982)
to learn how Oregon small town police departments treat the mentally ill.

[Krystle]

The victim didn't legally own a firearm, but it's possible (though not likely) that he had one is his possession somehow, unless you've read something I haven't.