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AIBU?

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Original poster

to be utterly shocked and appalled

76 replies

assessment · 02/03/2015 08:59

at this, from the BBC...

www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-31688942

Sorry I can't link properly, but an LAPD officer has shot dead a homeless man in an altercation on the street in LA.

The guy was unarmed, was tasered and shot dead as he lay on the floor.

What the actual fuck does this broken fucking country think it's doing with it's ridiculous gun laws?

If there isn't rioting on the street after this then I shall be extremely disappointed. This should be treated with the exact same seriousness as those appalling shootings last year of the unarmed black boys.

How can a country call itself a first world country when it's police go round shooting anyone they fancy dead? When was the last random middle class white guy shot dead in the street? Never? It's always the second class citizen on the sharp end of it.

How they can defend the right of ANY person to bear arms is utterly beyond me. It's sickening.

That police officer should be dismissed immediately and Obama needs a serious look at that ridiculous constitution.

OP posts:
DontDrinkandFacebook · 02/03/2015 11:39

I notice they don't seem half as keen to shoot dead white doctors, lawyers or middle aged women. Odd that.

'Not really.'

'I'd hazard a guess that doctors, lawyers and middle aged women are not generally the ones fighting with police. I'm sure it happens but generally speaking.'

Well yes, quite MrsW. Although I do remember a quite high profile case a few years ago of a young white professional male (lawyer I think?) who was kicking off in a really bad way and was either shot dead by police, or perhaps he ended up shooting himself in the stand-off - can't quite remember now.

As I recall, his family argued vehemently that he'd been very poorly treated because he wasn't your average criminal, what with being professional and white and everything, and he wasn't really a threat to the safety of others, he was just pretending to be in a temporary fit of pique.

Well that's as may be, but in moments of high drama how the fuck are the police supposed to tell the difference between someone who is just mouthing off about killing, and someone who is intent on doing it? It's all too easy to criticise after the fact.

nancy75 · 02/03/2015 11:43

Don't I think I remember that shooting, he was a lawyer or something similar, in his house In a very wealthy part of London shooting out of his window. I'm sure the police shot him

perpetua72 · 02/03/2015 11:45

Christ, Americans are idiots. And they have the nerve to espouse themselves as some kind of superior culture that the rest of the world should all aspire to. God, no.

sourdrawers · 02/03/2015 11:52

Everyone is a potential barer of firearms in the U.S. So the police have that constant fear/risk that anyone they have to deal with could potentially shoot them dead. It's not surprising that they are ultra jittery and trigger-happy.

Can we imagine being a U.S police and getting a call to go to a house, you knock on the door and don't know if the person behind it is ging to let both barrels of a 12 gauge shot gun in your direction? They do a tough job, it's not just the police, the entire system is horrendously f*ed up. What do American's or we expect if the law allows anyone (just about) to legally carry a lethal weapon?

Puzzledandpissedoff · 02/03/2015 12:18

If there isn't rioting on the street after this then I shall be extremely disappointed

Sorry, but I'm afraid you blew your credibility right there; I also worry about the gun issues in the US, but to actively wish for riots??

Oh dear ...

LurkingHusband · 02/03/2015 12:22

When it comes to shooting unarmed civilians and letting the police get away with it, the UK isn't really in the position to accuse others.

Nobody has ever explained to me how an innocent man can leave his house one day, wind up with no head because police gunmen held him down and put 7 bullets in his brain - by mistake - and no single person in charge has had as much as a disciplinary hearing.

I've heard platitudes, yes. But explanations ?

You're more likely to be killed by a policeman in the UK than a terrorist.

Original poster
assessment · 02/03/2015 13:21

I don't see how shooting a man as he is lying on the ground, tasered, can possibly be shooting in self defence.

Even if he had been struggling witht he police officer, even if he had gone for their weapon, to be self defence, he must have been going for the policeman or the gun as he was shot, which was not the case here.

He was lying on the ground, incapacitated. He was not a threat at that time.

OP posts:
Original poster
assessment · 02/03/2015 13:24

I "blew my credibility" Puzzled?

Aww damn I'll go and sit in the corner :)

OP posts:
Natalie1989xo · 02/03/2015 13:42

I saw the video this morning on facebook and shared it. I couldn't watch all the way through, it is disgusting, 2 officers with weapons drawn on the homeless man at the time of the shooting. The world we live in is disgusting. The man was homeless, if he had a gun he would probably sell it to buy some food.

I feel for people living in the US and the real risk they face from their "law enforcement" power hungry cunts. Angry

And if this video didn't go viral on the internet then I doubt very much it would have been reported at all. Sickening.

KoalaDownUnder · 02/03/2015 13:51

I completely agree with you, OP.

I think American gun laws are pure insanity.

Allaboutkyt · 02/03/2015 14:00

I notice they don't seem half as keen to shoot dead white doctors, lawyers... Odd that.

Not really Assessment. Have you considered the possibility that lawyers and doctors are statistically pretty unlikely to go around commiting violent crimes and therefore to get in the way of gun toting police?

Original poster
assessment · 02/03/2015 14:03

Do many homeless people in the US carry guns Allabout?

Genuine question - I've never been....

OP posts:
MrsWolowitz · 02/03/2015 15:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
assessment · 02/03/2015 15:09

The homeless man was not committing a violent crime.

He committed no crime, yes there was a scuffle with police but at the time he was sot he was lying immobile on the floor.

Do not imply that the homeless man was committing a violent crime and that is the reason why he was shot. Have some respect.

OP posts:
MrsWolowitz · 02/03/2015 15:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Natalie1989xo · 02/03/2015 15:20

All of you people justifying this are a joke. Pkease carry on and tell me why it is ok to take another human beings life in any circumstance. Scuffle, violence or not, they put at least 4 shots into that man!

Original poster
assessment · 02/03/2015 15:21

Have you considered the possibility that lawyers and doctors are statistically pretty unlikely to go around commiting violent crimes and therefore to get in the way of gun toting police

Implies that the homeless man was committing a violent crime and that is why he got shot, which isn't true.

I don't think scuffling with the police is the same thing as committing a violent crime, but admittedly that is just my personal point of view.

None of this detracts from the fact that the man was prone on the floor when he was shot.

Do you always blindly disagree with reputable news stories MrsWolowitz? Do you think you know better than the journalists who report the news?

OP posts:
Original poster
assessment · 02/03/2015 15:22

And 4 or 5 shots into the man.

Reasonable force? What a fucking joke.

OP posts:
MrsWolowitz · 02/03/2015 15:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 02/03/2015 15:37

It's been said that at least one of the policemen was wearing a body camera

Obviously I don't know if that's true either, but if it is, let's hope the footage proves useful?

MrsWolowitz · 02/03/2015 15:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Natalie1989xo · 02/03/2015 15:50

The police won't face any charges themselves as the system is fucked.

There was a case that was heard in the US recently of a man who was restrained forcefully and video evidence showed the man saying 'I can't breathe' constantly. The man was not even violent to officers and still was held in a headlock until he stopped breathing. Absolutely jack shit was done for that man's ordeal so I doubt that anything will happen to these arseholes either.

bereal7 · 02/03/2015 15:59

Natalie I think you are referring to the Eric Garner case - very valid point. Some officers were seen celebrating and laughing at the whole ordeal. American system doesn't care for those who don't have a voice. The power-hungry officers will get away with it !

MrsWolowitz · 02/03/2015 16:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Natalie1989xo · 02/03/2015 16:15

bereal it possibly was that case though I don't remember the man's name. But he got no justice.

I disgree Mrswolowitz I am not anti police at all. If the homeless man was breaking the law then arrest him using necessary and appropriate force and throw the book at him. Nobody is exempt from the law, but I imagine these police officers are trained to shoot to either kill or to disable the person, and the choice to be made as appropriate.

My issue is that they shot this man 4 or 5 times, if they were shooting to kill then why 5 times?? If they were hoping to disable him, again why 5 times? Surely police officers only carry guns for protection? So if their lives are in danger they can prevent their own death or serious injury.

6 men can't restrain 1? No sorry I don't buy that.

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