(07-08-2016, 11:23 AM)Midwest Spy Wrote: I will say that most of the time when I see a white person killed by the cops, my first reaction is usually, 'must have been justified.'

This latest shooting in St Paul seems outrageous to me. How do you unload your weapon into the vehicle, especially with a child in the backseat?

A completely scared, trigger-happy, shoot first ask questions later, excuse-for-a-cop.

He needs to spend 20+ years in prison for his actions.

(07-08-2016, 11:53 AM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: Lack of in-depth screening before hiring, and lack of adequate situational training in some police departments, negatively impacts everyone of every color and ethic background. That's true, Gunnar, and there are plenty of stories posted in this thread about non-blacks being killed by police officers (of all colors) under controversial circumstances.

But, Black Lives Matter doesn't offend me. It doesn't translate to "only black lives matter" or "blue lives don't matter" for me. It's just a statement of fact and a movement to protest and address perceived police discrimination against blacks. Cops being busted for exchanging racially discriminatory remarks and promoting discriminatory treatment of blacks and other minorities in the communities they patrol only fuels the fire.

Those Guardian stats you linked indicate that blacks are killed by public police officers at a rate nearly 2.5 times that of whites, per capita. I'm sure some people believe that's because blacks commit serious crimes 2.5 times more often or threaten the lives of cops 2.5 times more often than whites. And, others believe that cops are over twice as likely to use lethal force against blacks, due to racial profiling/bias.

I tend to believe that the truth lies somewhere in between; there is a real problem with a disproportionate number of minority deaths at the hands of police, some of which stems from the way some police officers and departments treat minorities vs. how they treat white people under the same circumstances. However, I don't expect everyone to draw the same conclusions and form the same opinions as I do when following these stories about killings by police.

(07-08-2016, 12:31 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: None of which is relevant to my comment, Gunnar.

Anyway, the Dallas shooter has been identified as 25-year-old Micah Xavier Johnson.

I'm sure details about his background will be released soon enough; I'm curious to hear them.

(07-07-2016, 11:33 PM)Donovan Wrote: Dude is dead for a taillight. Your questions mean nothing.

(07-08-2016, 12:53 PM)Maggot Wrote:

(07-07-2016, 11:33 PM)Donovan Wrote: Dude is dead for a taillight. Your questions mean nothing.

You must have seen the video with the actual shooting and the events up to that point, you are jumping to conclusions along with everyone else but that's OK its part of the fantasy you live in. Your opinion means nothing.

(07-08-2016, 01:30 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: We know that Philando was pulled over for a broken tail light, that's been confirmed by police.

We know his death was a homicide (which is not synonymous with murder or criminal action) at the hands of a police officer, that's been confirmed by the Medical Examiner.

We know that Philando had no record of serious or violent crime and he had a permit to carry a gun.

Everything else we know about the fatal incident comes from the video recorded by Diamond. We've seen other officers direct people to show their license and registration and then shoot when the person makes a move in order to comply. According to Diamond, that's what happened in this case after Philando told the officer he had a gun and a permit.

I'm interested in hearing the officers' version of events when they're released.

(07-08-2016, 02:08 PM)Midwest Spy Wrote: I thought the officer was quoted on the FB version as yelling, "I told him not to move, I told him not to move!"

(07-08-2016, 02:08 PM)Midwest Spy Wrote: I thought the officer was quoted on the FB version as yelling, "I told him not to move, I told him not to move!"

The Star Tribune posted an article this morning talking about MN law and what the procedures are if an officer knows someone has a concealed weapon.

Someone can post it if they'd like, but, the gist of the message was: if you tell an officer you're carrying, you are now obliged to follow every single command that officer gives you.

Let's say Phil told him he was carrying (which I do believe happened).

The officer most likely told him not to move, but Phil, trying to be transparent, most likely reached for his permit, at which point the officer unloaded his weapon into him.

If the officer would have been rational and calm, he would've have understood that someone declaring to you he had a weapon is most likely not looking to shoot you, or he wouldn't have declared it.

This is my take: the cop was edgy, jumpy and frightened.

He reacted way too quickly and now I hope he spends many, many years in prison.