Double Amputee Killed by Police

[HairOfTheDog]

A wheelchair-bound mentally ill man with one arm and one leg (Claunch) was shot and killed by Houston police at a care home. He had threatened his caregiver, demanding soda and cigarettes, so the police were called. Somehow, Claunch reportedly cornered one of the officers.

"They both attempted to separate the suspect from the officer, but the suspect continued to swing this object at both officers," police spokeswoman Jodi Silva told ABC 13 in Houston. "The other officer, officer Marin, in fear of the safety of his partner and the safety of himself, discharged his duty weapon, striking the suspect."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/natio...2158.story

The officer (Marin) who shot Claunch - his partner was the one cornered - is on leave pending investigation. He'd shot and killed a man in 2009 when the suspect reportedly lunged at him with a knife.

I've seen mentally ill people get very agitated and scary. Depending on the mental state and conditions, they can sometimes be dangerous - no doubt. But, I'm having a hard time understanding how a double amputee in a wheelchair with a pen posed enough of a threat to two police officers that killing him was the only option; looking forward to hearing the results of the IA investigation.

[Duchess]

Why didn't they tase him or pepper spray him. Jesus.

[HairOfTheDog]

Why didn't they tase him or pepper spray him. Jesus.

I don't understand it either.

Hell, even hitting him in the shoulder or back of the neck with the club from behind might have been sufficient to get his partner uncornered. Maybe they tried that and it's not yet been reported?

The articles indicate that the officers didn't even realize it was only a pen he was swinging, so I'm interested to learn how quickly this all went down once police arrived at the care home and what, if any, other attempts to deter him were made before the shooting...

[Duchess]

I'm disgusted that the only alternative to controlling a double amputee in a wheelchair was to kill him! You have two strong, able bodied men & a handicapped person was too much for them? Please.

[OnBendedKnee]

Why didn't they tase him or pepper spray him. Jesus.

Or, step back two feet.
To be fair though Duchess, we don't know what was going on- although you're correct, there seems to possibly have been a better way to control the scene.

(Imagine the hoopla if the wheelchair bound "victim" was black and the able bodied cops were white. . .)

[Duchess]

To be fair though Duchess, we don't know what was going on

Yes, of course. It just seems to me that this type of thing occurs on a regular basis. I know being a LEO is a dangerous job and they owe it to each other to protect themselves but when they are killing grammas & handicapped people I can't help but feel there is a better way to get control of the situation rather than resorting to shots fired.

[HairOfTheDog]

The Houston Chronicle posted a photo of the man who was killed, Brian Claunch:



The article indicates that Mr. Claunch was schizophrenic and had lived at the care home for 18 months. Looks like locals are asking a lot of the same questions as we are about why Mr. Claunch had to be fatally shot rather than tased, etc... They are demanding answers, appropriately so, imo.

http://blog.chron.com/texasliberal/2012/...on-police/

[OnBendedKnee]

To be fair though Duchess, we don't know what was going on

Yes, of course. It just seems to me that this type of thing occurs on a regular basis. I know being a LEO is a dangerous job and they owe it to each other to protect themselves but when they are killing grammas & handicapped people I can't help but feel there is a better way to get control of the situation rather than resorting to shots fired.

Totally, 100% agree.
Even if LE is handling their jobs at a 99 percentile of excellent that other 1% is troublesome and needs to be corrected.

[Jimbone]

Holy crap! If one officer was cornered, it means the other officer was not. How on earth did this devolve to deadly force?

Almost every LEO I know carries an expandable baton. That alone would have ended this threat.. they could have broken his hand and unarmed him in seconds.

[Tammy75]

I am unsure how I feel about something like this. On one hand, many LEO have been killed by less. On the other it could been excessive force.

I will never forget a friend who was a cop talking to me right after the Rodney King riots. He is a great cop and being black most looked at him whenever race issues were involved. He told me few people understand that at times there is a fine line between doing your job and police brutality. It is a split second judgement call on whether you are or could be in mortal danger. And no sides every win because so many are going to pick you to death on how you reacted.

Had it been my Mom threatened as an Officer I would totally be behind her 10000%. Had it been my brother, the schizo, I would have questioned a 100000X the actions of the Officer.

However knowing how many mentally unstable ppl react to taz I still am not sure how I feel about this. My 80 yr old 90lb Great Uncle attacked a female officer about 3 months before he passed. He had dementia and as frail as he was, had the strength of a 300lb man. He was taz and he got worst. Our family considers ourselves lucky he was not shot and killed.

Sad for all involved!