What I don't understand about latest officer-involved shooting.. (Austin: home, school)

[scm53]

The recent incidents reflect on the crazies amongst us, not on the police.

Well, if that's true, that means we have a 10X greater distribution of crazies amongst us than New York.

Here's the part that troubles me:

Police also identified Monday the officer who killed Lepine as Patrick Cheatham, who has been with Austin police for one year, police said. Cheatham has been placed on administrative leave, as is standard policy.

Cheatham shot and killed Lepine as he was running from police, officials said.

If he was running away, how was he a threat that justified deadly force?

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by scm53

Here's the part that troubles me:



If he was running away, how was he a threat that justified deadly force?

How convenient you left out this part
"Police say video from the officer’s patrol car shows the man reached down to his waistband for a weapon prior to being shot. "

Kinda important distinction, don't you think?

[ATX Wahine]

Originally Posted by scm53

If he was running away, how was he a threat that justified deadly force?

This happened approximately 150 yards from my own house. I shouldn't consider my crazy-as-**** neighbor with a long criminal history who was on probation and was still possessing a gun anyway who was stalking an unknown woman while driving a vehicle covered with blood as a threat? lolololol

[scm53]

Originally Posted by Novacek

How convenient you left out this part
"Police say video from the officer’s patrol car shows the man reached down to his waistband for a weapon prior to being shot. "

Kinda important distinction, don't you think?

No, I don't think. Because the story has changed from your two day old quote to today:

When asked about the blood, Lepine ran from police and appeared to be grabbing a weapon from the back of his shorts, police said. Police chased Lepine around the side of the house where a dashboard camera recorded someone yelling “put it down” before Cheatham opened fire, police have said. The shooting itself did not appear in view of the camera, police said.

Grab anything you want. If you are running away, how are you a threat that justifies deadly force?

[ATX Wahine]

Originally Posted by scm53

If you are running away, how are you a threat that justifies deadly force?

Because you are already on parole, with a life-long history of crime, you have blood on your car and on your clothing, you've just been reported for harassing an unknown woman, you are illegally possessing a gun, and you are evading arrest by running away from the police while pulling said gun out of waistband.

[love roses]

Hutto just had an officer killed by a "fleeing" suspect. They CAN be a danger.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by scm53

No, I don't think. Because the story has changed from your two day old quote to today:

That's not a "two day old quote". That's from the story, the original link in this thread. Updated 8:03 PM last night.

Edit: not that those two quotes are even contradictory. There can be video of him pulling out a gun while the actual shooting was out of frame.

Originally Posted by scm53

Grab anything you want. If you are running away, how are you a threat that justifies deadly force?

Because no one could ever turn while running and shoot behind them.

[ATX Wahine]

Originally Posted by love roses

Hutto just had an officer killed by a "fleeing" suspect. They CAN be a danger.

Not to mention that our neighborhood where this occurred is heavily wooded and rural, with no streetlights and few fences between homes due to us being on acreage lots. Ever see a trapped wild animal? They'll do anything to flee. This guy could have forced his way into a neighbor's home and there could have been a hostage situation and/or gunfight that would have involved a lot more innocent people.

With what I know, I'd say that officer acted swiftly and appropriately. Our neighborhood is a little safer today as a result. Thanks, APD.

[scm53]

Sure am glad our community is full of folks willing to make police the judge, jury and executioner. Frankly - and I say this as the father in law of a N Texas detective - I don't want to live in a place where that is OK.

Let's see how the investigation on this plays out. Probably were a whole bunch of North Charleston residents initially confident that Michael Slager "protected" them as well when he too shot a fleeing suspect.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by love roses

Hutto just had an officer killed by a "fleeing" suspect. They CAN be a danger.

There is a difference between "fleeing" and running away. If you are "fleeing" towards an officer that has just tried to arrest you, you are definitely a threat. Away? Not so much.