Cops Shoot Suicidal Teen 16 Times

[Don]

8 cops and no tasers? Right.

Smith recalled that around six officers responded, and two of them had helped save Jennings’ life by taking him to the hospital after his overdose just days before.

“It was like six — six officers, and one cop yelled, ‘Bag him!’ And they bagged him,” she said. “And he kind of puffed up a little bit, and then they bagged him two more times, and then like 16 shots rang out, and they shot him. And he fell to the ground.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/08/...times-as-family-says-they-begged-them-not-to/

6 cops with bean bags vs one teenager with a bb gun, maybe. Anyone can see how the cops might have thought their lives were in danger. The kid might have put an eye out.

"Like six officers."

"Like sixteen shots."

Was it six officers, or was it like six officers? Was it sixteen shots, or was it like sixteen shots?

Ever heard of someone emotionally distraught not getting their facts straight?

And as for the BB gun - you're called to an incident, and the report is that there's a gun involved. The suspect makes a threatening move. Do you wait for another policeman or a bystander to get shot, and possibly killed, before you react?

There are a LOT of details missing from this story. But y'all feel free to pass judgment before you have all the facts.

 

[Gina B]

People NEED to ask questions. It would be silly not to be sure the services we have in place are in order and not a threat to the well-being of our families and others. Nobody should have to think twice about calling for needed help. We should be able to trust that help. Many people do not right now, and there strongly appears to be just cause for that. It needs addressed and not just for regular citizens. The safety of officers is at risk too when the people they serve do not trust them. Fear brings hate, and scared people do scary things.

 

[Deacon]

Aunt Who Witnessed Fatal Police Shooting in Kansas Recounts What Led to Death of Mentally Ill Teen [LINK]

 

[annsni]

Cops are not trained to shoot to disarm. They are trained to shoot to kill. It is too risky to try to just disarm a suspect and so if they need to shoot, they go for the torso, the largest body area to aim for.

My question is this: Who called the police and what was it called in as? Was it an agitated person? A violent person? A suicidal person? That makes a huge difference as well.

 

[Don]

Aunt Who Witnessed Fatal Police Shooting in Kansas Recounts What Led to Death of Mentally Ill Teen [LINK]

So initially it was 16 rounds, and now it's 24?

Smith further recounted, “They said beanbag him. They bean bagged him. He lost his balance a little. He kind of took some deep breaths, a little bit. Never did he reach for a weapon. They beanbagged him two more times. He lost his balance. They beanbagged him again. He was getting ready to go down. His arm came up a little, and they opened fire on him—24 rounds.”

Initially it was six policemen; now she says it was 14?

Ottawa police have claimed 8 officers were involved. Smith maintained that it was at least 14 police officers, who participated in the shooting incident.

BTW: She had no idea why police were called. When she learned of the situation, police were already on scene. She and her husband charged into the scene screaming and yelling. Put yourself in the policemen's shoes: What would you make of this situation?

WE have no idea why police were called. We need to hear the police side of the report. We need to know why the police were called there in the first place. We do NOT need to be afraid of the police in this situation until we know these things. Somewhere in the middle of this aunt's report and what the police tell us will be the real story.

Some of y'all need to consider what you're paying policemen to do for you. I'm NOT advocating for the police side of the story; I'll be the first to condemn their actions if the reports don't back up the use of deadly force. But I refuse to condemn anyone -- including the young man -- until I have enough information to actually make an informed judgment.

 

[Don]

Cops are not trained to shoot to disarm. They are trained to shoot to kill. It is too risky to try to just disarm a suspect and so if they need to shoot, they go for the torso, the largest body area to aim for.

I can't speak for that particular police department, nor for the state police certification training; but I can honestly say, when I went through the military training on this subject, the concept drilled into us was "aim center mass with the intent to disable rather than kill." You CAN aim center mass without making a "kill shot." So I have to disagree with you about the "shoot to kill" statement.

And the reason that they don't get trained to aim for arms or legs is because, in the heat of the moment, those are particularly hard targets to hit (because they have a tendency to move in unexpected ways).

My question is this: Who called the police and what was it called in as? Was it an agitated person? A violent person? A suicidal person? That makes a huge difference as well.

Excellent questions.

 

[righteousdude2]

Agreed

Cops are not trained to shoot to disarm. They are trained to shoot to kill. It is too risky to try to just disarm a suspect and so if they need to shoot, they go for the torso, the largest body area to aim for.

My question is this: Who called the police and what was it called in as? Was it an agitated person? A violent person? A suicidal person? That makes a huge difference as well.

None of the bleeding-heart liberals would do anything different if faced with a situation that could bring harm to them.

Which is why I say .... the cops got the guns. Learn to say. "Yes sir; no sir; and whatever you say p, sir!" I am going to do everything thing they ask or order me to do, because I do not want to provoke a person with a gun.

Great point Anne....I agree!

 

[annsni]

BTW: She had no idea why police were called. When she learned of the situation, police were already on scene. She and her husband charged into the scene screaming and yelling. Put yourself in the policemen's shoes: What would you make of this situation?

WE have no idea why police were called. We need to hear the police side of the report. We need to know why the police were called there in the first place. We do NOT need to be afraid of the police in this situation until we know these things. Somewhere in the middle of this aunt's report and what the police tell us will be the real story.

Some of y'all need to consider what you're paying policemen to do for you. I'm NOT advocating for the police side of the story; I'll be the first to condemn their actions if the reports don't back up the use of deadly force. But I refuse to condemn anyone -- including the young man -- until I have enough information to actually make an informed judgment.

They needed to protect the parents too. Often times, someone who is mentally ill and suicidal will take anyone else with them too so the police need to act carefully to not just protect themselves and the person in question - but those in the immediate vicinity too. So as much as the aunt and uncle wanted to help, when the police are called, it is no longer just a domestic situation.

 

[InTheLight]

So as much as the aunt and uncle wanted to help, when the police are called, it is no longer just a domestic situation.

Not only that but the cops cannot allow the uncle to approach the suspect because they don't know what he is intending to do. Sure, he says he's going to help by tackling him but so many other things could happen to complicate the situation.

 

[Don]

EXCELLENT points.

Sure would like to know why the cops were called....

 

[Use of Time]

None of the bleeding-heart liberals would do anything different if faced with a situation that could bring harm to them.

Which is why I say .... the cops got the guns. Learn to say. "Yes sir; no sir; and whatever you say p, sir!" I am going to do everything thing they ask or order me to do, because I do not want to provoke a person with a gun.

Great point Anne....I agree!

Well if he was in fact a suicidal teen then do you think the kid really cared about saying "no sir, yes sir" to the cops. Sounds like he got we wanted, which kind of stinks doesn't it.

 

[carpro]

So, was it 16 shots, or "like" 16 shots? Are we basing this on bullet holes, or someone who is guessing?

Don't know why it matters. 1 or 16.

Dead is dead.

 

[Don]

Don't know why it matters. 1 or 16.

Dead is dead.

The implication so far is excessive force. The number of shots matter, because the woman's reported number of shots has already changed from 16 to 24.

Based on that, the reality may be that only 2 shots were fired. We just don't know.

It matters because people picked up on the emotionally distraught statements and automatically condemned the police.

It matters because, if it turns out it was unjustifiable, it also speaks to not only was it unjustifiable, but 16 (much less 24) indicates the officers involved--maybe the entire police force for that district--need re-training on use of force.

 

[carpro]

The implication so far is excessive force. The number of shots matter, because the woman's reported number of shots has already changed from 16 to 24.

Based on that, the reality may be that only 2 shots were fired. We just don't know.

It matters because people picked up on the emotionally distraught statements and automatically condemned the police.

It matters because, if it turns out it was unjustifiable, it also speaks to not only was it unjustifiable, but 16 (much less 24) indicates the officers involved--maybe the entire police force for that district--need re-training on use of force.

It's a convenient way to sensationalize the shooting. Consider this: If there are 8 cops involved, for whatever reason, if each fires twice as they were likely trained to do, that's 16 times. They might have a point if only one or two officers were involved.

 

[poncho]

"Like six officers."

"Like sixteen shots."

Was it six officers, or was it like six officers? Was it sixteen shots, or was it like sixteen shots?

Ever heard of someone emotionally distraught not getting their facts straight?

And as for the BB gun - you're called to an incident, and the report is that there's a gun involved. The suspect makes a threatening move. Do you wait for another policeman or a bystander to get shot, and possibly killed, before you react?

There are a LOT of details missing from this story. But y'all feel free to pass judgment before you have all the facts.

Wow thanks Don.

I mean thanks for overlooking all the threads and posts by others who toss allegations around as facts with no evidence to back them up to pick me out of the crowd.

At least I had the presence of mind to look for more "details".

 

[carpro]

Now when I asked my question about this in another thread, I was told it wasn't an honest question. I wanted to know if police officers are trained to shoot to kill unarmed suspects?

OK, so it's an "honest" question. It's still as really stupid question.

So why don't you do some research and get back to us with your sources?

Otherwise we just have to consider it a really stupid rhetorical question.

 

[carpro]

Cops are not trained to shoot to disarm. They are trained to shoot to kill. It is too risky to try to just disarm a suspect and so if they need to shoot, they go for the torso, the largest body area to aim for.

Center mass and stay alive. Go home to your family.