A man dies but its not graphic.
https://www.youtube.com/...youtube_gdata_player
I don’t get it. At all. They had less than lethal weapons that they decided to use AFTER they shot him in the back with real bullets. I really really dont see how this isnt murder.
UPDATE: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-30783324 I’m predicting conviction especially given the recent countrywide tension against police shootings .
A: They’re law enforcement agents.
Protect and Serve, holy smokes that was really very bad decision making.
A man dies but its not graphic.
https://www.youtube.com/...youtube_gdata_player
I don’t get it. At all. They had less than lethal weapons that they decided to use AFTER they shot him in the back with real bullets. I really really dont see how this isnt murder.
It sounded like he said at the beginning that he had the right to KILL the officers. He also pulled a knife, if not two knives. knives can be thrown and are a lethal weapon. A bullet may be stopped by a Kevlar vest, but a knife can go through cleanly. So I suspect they felt they were justified in shooting when he pulled the knife, but when he was non-responsive later they used bean bags and the dog.
Unfortunately, the police get so much leeway with the law when dealing with those situations. If that had been 3 campers and pit bull instead of cops, they would all get guilty of murder.
The only thing the guy did that was wrong was not get on the ground. His hands were visibly empty so I dont see the threat requiring 3 AR 15s or a flash explosive. One could of held the gun, two guys could of cuffed him if they wanted him.
I dont really care what the chief says, If im on the jury and that video is the only evidence I would have to send the cops away for a while. For some reason we have this vision that all cops are perfect and uphold the law at all times. While I admit it’s a damn tough job, I also think you can easily see when excessive force is used.
Here is whats not in the video but is in the news. They were there for 3 hours. They went there because he was a homeless man sleeping outside the city. Thats where it all started. Like many homeless men, the guy had mental health issues. The cops knew that. The guy thought he was a govt agent. He was not threatening, no knife until the cops escalated the situation by tossing a flashbang in his face. Even still, no one else was around. In a situation like that you back off and wait the guy out. Ask any health professional how to diffuse that situation.
Here is whats not in the video but is in the news. They were there for 3 hours. They went there because he was a homeless man sleeping outside the city. Thats where it all started. Like many homeless men, the guy had mental health issues. The cops knew that. The guy thought he was a govt agent. He was not threatening, no knife until the cops escalated the situation by tossing a flashbang in his face. Even still, no one else was around. In a situation like that you back off and wait the guy out. Ask any health professional how to diffuse that situation.
Do you know what he did that prompted the officers to be on the scene?
According to what I read, nothing. Someone called to say there was a homeless man sleeping outside without a permit. Thats what started it.
WOW! Very sad. I hope that there is more to it than what we have seen/heard. It’s hard to understand how police officers can be that callus.
I think mistakes were made by the police. The officer never should have gotten that close, but that guy was pretty close to that officer when he pulled out knives and said he was going to kill him. A few articles say the homeless guy has already told the cops if they were in a bar he would kill them for encroaching on him. Bad situation.
disgusting. I generally don’t like to play monday morning quarterback but in this instance they created the harm then escalated it. I have represented officers accused of assault and I have sued police departments for civil rights violations- I say this to show I am not biased for or against cops.
They could have used any other form of force other than what I counted was 5 bullets on a guy that turned his back to them. He was not a threat at that moment, at least not a threat that deserved lethal force. Those officers should be fired, sued and criminally punished.
like many things only the negative aspects (or mostly) are what garner attention. but i do agree, this incident is horrible.
i had a friend who was a cop for a few years, he finally had to quit due to the attitudes of the other officers. he said the jokes they would make at crime scenes were disturbing and wrong. i understand the need to distance oneself when your work can be such a dark place, but, you asked for that job. the straw that broke the camels back was a call to a suicide, don’t remember what was said but my friend couldn’t figure out how these guys could say the things they did, there was now a wife with kids with no husband/dad. shit’s going to happen, but there are times it’s not appropriate to pile on.
if the cops in this vid were out of line i hope they suffer the consequences. (i wasn’t there and there’s a whole lot i don’t know so i’m willing to let the system run it’s course. however…i understand there is/can be a different ‘system’ for those in blue.)
How come you omitted the part about this guy (Boyd) having a history of violence against police officers?
Boyd had a criminal history going back almost 20 years, Eden said. He had spent time in both the Doña Ana and Bernalillo county jails, the chief said. In one incident, Eden said, Boyd punched and broke an officer’s nose as she talked to him in an Albuquerque library.
Also:
One of the videos shown by Eden on Friday shows the beginning of the encounter with Boyd. Officers were dispatched on a “suspicious person’s call,” the chief said. Boyd was sleeping or lying under something when officers approached. He came out from beneath the cover and “as the officers began to talk to him, he threatened the officers with knives,” Eden said.
On the video, officers order Boyd repeatedly to drop the knives. According to dispatch logs released Friday, Boyd threw a rock at officers about 20 minutes before shots were fired. Boyd talks almost constantly during parts of the encounter. Eden said Boyd identified himself as an agent for the Department of Defense and other agencies. “I’ve been calling you all for five months,” Boyd can be heard saying on the video.
Eden said that Boyd asked for State Police to come to the scene. A State Police officer did and “he stated that the suspect threatened to kill him also,” Eden said. An APD crisis-intervention officer also spoke to Boyd, Eden said. Sometime later, Boyd appears to decide he’s ready to leave and he seems to think it’s part of an agreement with the officers. He also suggests it’s the officers who are the threat, not himself.
“In the private world, if you were down at a bar or a bus stop, I have the right to kill you right now because you’re trying to take me over,” Boyd says. “Don’t get stupid with me.” An officer responds: “We’re not going to get stupid.” Boyd then says he’s going to “walk with you. … Keep your word. I can keep you safe. Don’t worry about safety. I’m not a (expletive) murderer.” He picks up his backpack, officers use the flash bang and he pulls out the knives. About 10 seconds later, as Boyd appears to turn away, officers fire at him.
http://www.abqjournal.com/372844/news/video-camper-turning-away.html
Criminal!
Plug him full of holes and then use the less lethal weapon (bean bag shotgun, and attack dog).
Sad!
How come you omitted the part about this guy (Boyd) having a history of violence against police officers?
Boyd had a criminal history going back almost 20 years, Eden said. He had spent time in both the Doña Ana and Bernalillo county jails, the chief said. In one incident, Eden said, Boyd punched and broke an officer’s nose as she talked to him in an Albuquerque library.
Not justification for murder. IF they knew of his previous incidents, that still doesn’t prove conformity with those actions. Their actions can’t be based on what he has done in the past but of course they should prepare knowing previous issues.
Also:
One of the videos shown by Eden on Friday shows the beginning of the encounter with Boyd. Officers were dispatched on a “suspicious person’s call,” the chief said. Boyd was sleeping or lying under something when officers approached. He came out from beneath the cover and “as the officers began to talk to him, he threatened the officers with knives,” Eden said.
On the video, officers order Boyd repeatedly to drop the knives. According to dispatch logs released Friday, Boyd threw a rock at officers about 20 minutes before shots were fired. Boyd talks almost constantly during parts of the encounter. Eden said Boyd identified himself as an agent for the Department of Defense and other agencies. “I’ve been calling you all for five months,” Boyd can be heard saying on the video.
Eden said that Boyd asked for State Police to come to the scene. A State Police officer did and “he stated that the suspect threatened to kill him also,” Eden said. An APD crisis-intervention officer also spoke to Boyd, Eden said. Sometime later, Boyd appears to decide he’s ready to leave and he seems to think it’s part of an agreement with the officers. He also suggests it’s the officers who are the threat, not himself.
“In the private world, if you were down at a bar or a bus stop, I have the right to kill you right now because you’re trying to take me over,” Boyd says. “Don’t get stupid with me.” An officer responds: “We’re not going to get stupid.” Boyd then says he’s going to “walk with you. … Keep your word. I can keep you safe. Don’t worry about safety. I’m not a (expletive) murderer.” He picks up his backpack, officers use the flash bang and he pulls out the knives. About 10 seconds later, as Boyd appears to turn away, officers fire at him.
Even more reason why they should have distanced themselves and not escalated the situation. They were dealing wiht someone possibly delusional and clearly not making rational decisions. To base his statements as support for why they opened fire is weak. Instead he should have been arrested and charged with terroristic threat along with the very serious charge of “camping” where he wasn’t wanted.
A recent article on the broader issue which this incident exemplified here: http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21599359-no-knock-raids-assault-weapons-and-armoured-cars-americas-police-use-paramilitary-tactics-too?fsrc=nlw|hig|3-20-2014|8090612|36889252|
As others will no doubt point out, it is written by foreign communists who hate America, and don’t understand how shooting people is part of the very freedom that they clearly envy…
How come you omitted the part about this guy (Boyd) having a history of violence against police officers?
Boyd had a criminal history going back almost 20 years, Eden said. He had spent time in both the Doña Ana and Bernalillo county jails, the chief said. In one incident, Eden said, Boyd punched and broke an officer’s nose as she talked to him in an Albuquerque library.
Not justification for murder. IF they knew of his previous incidents, that still doesn’t prove conformity with those actions. Their actions can’t be based on what he has done in the past but of course they should prepare knowing previous issues.
Also:
One of the videos shown by Eden on Friday shows the beginning of the encounter with Boyd. Officers were dispatched on a “suspicious person’s call,” the chief said. Boyd was sleeping or lying under something when officers approached. He came out from beneath the cover and “as the officers began to talk to him, he threatened the officers with knives,” Eden said.
On the video, officers order Boyd repeatedly to drop the knives. According to dispatch logs released Friday, Boyd threw a rock at officers about 20 minutes before shots were fired. Boyd talks almost constantly during parts of the encounter. Eden said Boyd identified himself as an agent for the Department of Defense and other agencies. “I’ve been calling you all for five months,” Boyd can be heard saying on the video.
Eden said that Boyd asked for State Police to come to the scene. A State Police officer did and “he stated that the suspect threatened to kill him also,” Eden said. An APD crisis-intervention officer also spoke to Boyd, Eden said. Sometime later, Boyd appears to decide he’s ready to leave and he seems to think it’s part of an agreement with the officers. He also suggests it’s the officers who are the threat, not himself.
“In the private world, if you were down at a bar or a bus stop, I have the right to kill you right now because you’re trying to take me over,” Boyd says. “Don’t get stupid with me.” An officer responds: “We’re not going to get stupid.” Boyd then says he’s going to “walk with you. … Keep your word. I can keep you safe. Don’t worry about safety. I’m not a (expletive) murderer.” He picks up his backpack, officers use the flash bang and he pulls out the knives. About 10 seconds later, as Boyd appears to turn away, officers fire at him.
Even more reason why they should have distanced themselves and not escalated the situation. They were dealing wiht someone possibly delusional and clearly not making rational decisions. To base his statements as support for why they opened fire is weak. Instead he should have been arrested and charged with terroristic threat along with the very serious charge of “camping” where he wasn’t wanted.
http://www.abqjournal.com/...er-turning-away.html
Their actions cannot be based on what he has done in the past??? Are you serious??? One of the first thing officers are taught is to ascertain past behavior (if any) and use it to determine how to handle the present situation.
In hindsight, there are many other things these officers could have done. But, boy, there sure are a lot of Monday morning quarterbacks, who have never in their lives been placed in harm’s way, ready to crucify these guys.
The guy had mental illness. Send a trained mental health professional there to deal with it. Taze the guy, use the bean bags, the dog, shoot him with a fuckin tranquilizer dart! Dont shoot him in the back with rifles. It doesnt matter what he did before, its whats happening in the moment.
When I was in my 20’s I worked in a group home for troubled kids. Many had mental health issues. I was trained on how to deal with people like this, you dont approach them unless they are injuring themselves or others. You just keep a safe distance until they calm down. Its extremely effective.
Coincidentally, the home where I worked was in Albuquerque.
The guy had mental illness. Send a trained mental health professional there to deal with it. Taze the guy, use the bean bags, the dog, shoot him with a fuckin tranquilizer dart! Dont shoot him in the back with rifles. It doesnt matter what he did before, its whats happening in the moment.
What he has done before must be considered in determining how to deal with him now. If you threaten a police officer, there is a very good chance you are going to die. Tazers are used to subdue, not to defend against deadly force.
When I was in my 20’s I worked in a group home for troubled kids. Many had mental health issues. I was trained on how to deal with people like this, you dont approach them unless they are injuring themselves or others. You just keep a safe distance until they calm down. Its extremely effective.
They were there for hours and the situation was escalating, not calming down. Will all due respect, I sincerely doubt you were trained to deal with a person like this.
The police escalated the situation! didnt pull out any weapons until they attacked him. And yes, I dealt with worse actually. They were mostly teenagers, many with acute mental illness.
Id love for a mental health professional to chime in and give their $.02.
I get what youre saying about his past. They knew the guy was nuts and they provoked him. Thats EXACTLY how you go about provoking a crazy person, you close in on them.