nthomas504 t1_jcz3qim wrote
Reply to comment by Most_kinds_of_Dirt in 17-year-old shot and killed by US Park Police after fleeing traffic stop identified - WTOP News by thepulloutmethod
He stole a car, endangered a cops life, and attempted to flee.
He couldn’t have handled the situation worse. Could the cops have done better? Sure. But this notion that this kid didn’t deserve this is kinda wild. Any death is tragic in some way, but he put himself into this by committing a crime, then becoming violent with the police. At that point, he should have just turned himself in.
I don’t like the how policing is in this country, but this isn’t an example of why.
Most_kinds_of_Dirt t1_jczcalz wrote
Let's say you're sleeping in the driver's seat of a parked car and somebody you don't know jumps in the back seat.
Do you calmly turn and say "Oh hi, officer - I didn't see you there. How can I help?" - or would it be reasonable to freak out and hit the gas pedal trying to get out of that situation?
nthomas504 t1_jczk4fi wrote
You missed the important detail that he’s stolen said vehicle. If you are dumb enough to fall asleep in a stolen car and then try to flee, you deserve whatever happens.
Like I said, the cops can always be less violent and improve. But I don’t have any sympathy for those who wrong others, stupid enough to get caught, then put an officers life in danger. I’m said he lost his life needlessly, but im more made at him than the cops.
Most_kinds_of_Dirt t1_jd00esq wrote
>If you are dumb enough to fall asleep in a stolen car and then try to flee, you deserve whatever happens.
Thank you. There's been a lot of beating around the bush in this thread, but you're one of the only ones brave enough to admit that you think he deserved to die for stealing the car and trying to flee.
Based on their comments, I'm sure that's what other people here are thinking too - but the (likely bullshit) story about the cop being "dragged" by the car offers a fig leaf justification that they can use to pretend it's about officer safety.
I don't agree, by the way - but I have an easier time talking with people who admit they think teenagers should be shot for stealing cars rather than pretending the cops' self-defense claims in this case have any credibility.
nthomas504 t1_jd01xto wrote
I have plenty of family who’ve done shit like this. I would be sad if they died, but I can’t really blame the cops, I already know they be on that bullshit.
We talk about cops being violent when pulling people over, so why would it been any less dangerous if you become a target that they are attempting to arrest. Kid was walking into a hornets nest, fell asleep by it, then unfortunately got stung.
LetsAllSmoking t1_jczpmry wrote
What about this 17 year old's actions struck you as "reasonable"?
Most_kinds_of_Dirt t1_jd00psn wrote
What about the cop surprising a sleeping driver by jumping in the back of a running car struck you as "reasonable"?
LetsAllSmoking t1_jd0466x wrote
You're really hung up on this sleeping thing as if that somehow makes a difference. The car was stolen, so you get arrested for that sort of thing. And if you're the type to not comply with the police (see: dumbass dead 17 year old), cops are going to have to come into the car to detain you. Shame for us all, really. We're down one future business leader of America here.
Most_kinds_of_Dirt t1_jd0amxr wrote
>And if you're the type to not comply with the police (see: dumbass dead 17 year old), cops are going to have to come into the car to detain you.
I keep bringing it up because folks like you keep thinking that he was given an opportunity to comply with the cops, even though that's not what the police spokesman claimed.
Read the paragraphs I quoted above again with the cops' description. It says:
- The kid was asleep in the car.
- The cop jumped in the back seat of the car.
- The kid hit the accelerator pedal.
- The cop inside the car told him to stop.
- The cop inside the car shot him.
Number 3 is a perfectly reasonable reaction when some dude you don't know jumps in the back seat of the car while you're asleep. Not that it would justify his death - but this wasn't a lengthy car chase where the kid knew he was running from the cops. According to the police statements, at most a few seconds passed between the cop surprising the kid awake and shooting him.
The idea that he deserved to die for "not complying" with the cops in the dangerous and volatile situation they created is total bullshit.
LetsAllSmoking t1_jd0d9ia wrote
> Number 3 is a perfectly reasonable reaction when some dude you don't know jumps in the back seat of the car while you're asleep
What, did the kid think someone was jumping in to steal the car something? lol. The kid had one cop inside the car and sounds like the other was being dragged while reaching in the window or something. You're giving this guy a lot of benefit of the doubt. He knew he was in a stolen car. He saw cops. He tried to run. Oh he also had a gun on him. That's all "perfectly reasonable" behavior for a criminal, you're right.
The idea isn't that he "deserved to die" for "not complying", it's that he got himself killed because he committed a bunch of dangerous crimes.
Couple other things: the ACTUAL victim of the crime, the person whose car was stolen, is a single mom with four kids who works two jobs in addition to going to school herself. This kid didn't care about her, you think he cares about the police (or you?)? Dead guy also had a 5 month old baby. Sounds like he didn't care about that either.
His mom cried at the scene, “You’re supposed to protect us. He was only 17!”. The cops were protecting everyone else from this waste of life, mama!
"Nee Nee Taylor, a community activist with Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, a mutual-aid and community defense organization, was at the scene and criticized the shooting. “Why are police officers getting inside of a vehicle?” she asked. “And why didn’t he just get out?""
Yes, "why didn't he just get out" is also a good question for the now-dead criminal!
Most_kinds_of_Dirt t1_jd0gzf8 wrote
Remind me to reply when the body cam footage (which the park police have so far refused to release) comes out. If you're right and this was in self defense for the cops, I'll give you a cookie.
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