Deadly LAPD shooting of homeless man is caught on video (March 1, 2015) - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

taco.vidal · 03-01-2015, 07:07 PM

Video can be seen at this link:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/claudiakoern...man#.vjaKnjk63

Quote:

A homeless man was shot by Los Angeles police Sunday around 11:30 a.m. in Skid Row after officers responded to an altercation in the area.

In a video uploaded to Facebook, officers can be seen with two people. Two officers pull one person away. The other officers, who are farther from the camera, surround a man.
“Drop the gun,” officers shout several times with their own guns drawn. About five shots can be heard on the video.
Witnesses believed the man had been killed by police, but CBS reported he was taken to a hospital by paramedics. The Los Angeles Times later reported he was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after he arrived.
BuzzFeed News has reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department for more information.

rubecube · 03-01-2015, 07:14 PM

Well on the surface it sounds like he might have grabbed an officer's gun so...maybe don't do that? That said, I'm not going to watch the video because I'm a ##### about that kind of stuff.

transplant99 · 03-01-2015, 07:23 PM

IF, and its a big if, the guy had a gun and was directing it towards the police...then this is a simple case and no question that the actions taken were the right ones.

However, if he was indeed unarmed and/or wasnt in possesion of a gun but had one on him without control of it....we have an entirely different scenario.

Whatever happened seemed to escalate in seconds, but that video really isnt clear enough to understand exactly what was going on while dude was on the ground.

The optics though are really bad for the LAPD on this.

rubecube · 03-01-2015, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transplant99

IF, and its a big if, the guy had a gun and was directing it towards the police...then this is a simple case and no question that the actions taken were the right ones.

However, if he was indeed unarmed and/or wasnt in possesion of a gun but had one on him without control of it....we have an entirely different scenario.

Whatever happened seemed to escalate in seconds, but that video really isnt clear enough to understand exactly what was going on while dude was on the ground.

The optics though are really bad for the LAPD on this.

The other problem with this is happens to be the particular police force involved and their less than sterling reputation.

CampbellsTransgressions · 03-01-2015, 07:25 PM

Nine cops and not a single one ready with a tazer?

This is all very preventable.

KTrain · 03-01-2015, 07:30 PM

Why didn't they shoot him in the leg?

transplant99 · 03-01-2015, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubecube

The other problem with this is happens to be the particular police force involved and their less than sterling reputation.

Very true.

JiriHrdina · 03-01-2015, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampbellsTransgressions

Nine cops and not a single one ready with a tazer?

This is all very preventable.

If the guy did have a gun you can't risk just tasering him. I love on the basis of this video you can judge that it was very preventable

Acey · 03-01-2015, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampbellsTransgressions

Nine cops and not a single one ready with a tazer?

This is all very preventable.

Not sure if this was supposed to be green text, but the video starts with him actively fighting with the police. I've seen enough videos of police trying to taser somebody and either missing completely, or it has no effect.

There may have been an opportunity to taser him before the video starts, but based on the video as we see it, you're definitely wrong on this one.

Derek Sutton · 03-01-2015, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampbellsTransgressions

Nine cops and not a single one ready with a tazer?

This is all very preventable.

It sounds as if there is a taser going moments before the shots are fired. I don't know why police should be expexcted the take a taser to a gun fight. It is hard to tell in this video if the victim even had a gun or if he reached for one of the police officers guns.

Given the location mental illness could very well an issue here to, I could not imagine some of the situations some cops encounter each and every day. Not to mention that suicide by police is the way some people choose to go.

We will never be able to tell if this was a justified shooting or not, not from this video unless it is slowed down and enhanced.

calgarywinning · 03-01-2015, 08:06 PM

He was down at the point surrounded by six cops. I don't see that he had a gun, he had one of their batons. The one officer panicked. 5-6 shots is extreme for somebody who is down, he snapped and decided to kill the man.

Acey · 03-01-2015, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

He was down at the point surrounded by six cops. I don't see that he had a gun, he had one of their batons. The one officer panicked.

Valid argument.

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

5-6 shots is extreme for somebody who is down

Police shoot to kill (or for center mass, until the target is neutralized, etc. etc. however you want to phrase it)... which is why you never see a police shooting video in which they fire only once. This policy will not change, therefore your argument is rendered moot - the only argument to be had is whether or not discharging the firearm was necessary, which can't really be determined by this video.

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

he snapped and decided to kill the man.

Oh lawwd. Go away.

calgarywinning · 03-01-2015, 08:36 PM

The officer was saying "Don't touch my gun" and no gun was recovered Acey.

I think you would be perfect for LAPD.

Acey · 03-01-2015, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

The officer was saying "Don't touch my gun" and no gun was recovered Acey.

I think you would be perfect for LAPD.

Maybe. Recognizing that homeless people shouldn't be grabbing at your gun is probably a trait all law enforcement agencies seek.

Sign my ass up.

CampbellsTransgressions · 03-01-2015, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

If the guy did have a gun you can't risk just tasering him. I love on the basis of this video you can judge that it was very preventable

Fifteen seconds from the time the man first gets taken down to the time the first shot is fired. If they haven't evaluated whether or not the man has a gun and have not successfully restrained him by the time 15 seconds have past, they probably should not be police officers.

I absolutely will not give the benefit of the doubt to the LAPD.

WhiteTiger · 03-01-2015, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampbellsTransgressions

If they haven't evaluated whether or not the man has a gun and have not successfully restrained him by the time 15 seconds have past

So you want them to evaluate him for any weapons (not just guns), put him on the ground and safely restrain (for everyone involved) him, all the while while he is fighting back and making that as hard to do as he possibly can. They get to do all this while folks are watching and judging and backseat arresting and lawyering. You will generously grant them 1-14 seconds to do all this, or you will determine they have failed and should not be working as cops.

How nice of you.

Acey · 03-01-2015, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampbellsTransgressions

Fifteen seconds from the time the man first gets taken down to the time the first shot is fired. If they haven't evaluated whether or not the man has a gun and have not successfully restrained him by the time 15 seconds have past, they probably should not be police officers.

This is a highly theoretical stance that doesn't translate to reality. This happens all the time, and by "this" I mean situations in which a number of police officers are unable to handcuff somebody within a period of 15 seconds who doesn't want to be restrained. It appears this guy got a significant upper hand and was reaching for the cop's firearm, so a split second decision was made and they responded with lethal force, or in calgarywinning's eyes, they just said F it and killed him for giggles.

I am not a strong person. I am not on drugs. But I'm betting if a bunch of cops jumped on me and I fought my hardest, the cuffs wouldn't go "click" for at least 15 seconds... you're telling me that means those cops suck? I'm inclined to believe that in your theoretical world of law enforcement, very few people qualify for the job.

Flames_Gimp · 03-01-2015, 11:54 PM

so annoying..in EVERY police shooting video, the crowd is always on the perps side, cops are always at fault

MrMastodonFarm · 03-02-2015, 12:06 AM

The perp?

I think you've been watching too much CSI: Miami.

combustiblefuel · 03-02-2015, 06:10 AM

Why does every unarmed(presumably) person shot the cops always say they were going for their gun.