South Carolina trooper shoots unarmed man (1 Viewer)

[JerseyToughGuys]

I least he stopped firing once the guy had his arms up and was, you know, already shot a few times.

actually, I am wrong. He fired two more times after he could see his hands. And once after the his hands were up.

oops!

 

[SHIZNITTTT]

How many times did that cop shoot? What about all those cars and possible people only feet away? What an idiot!

 

[El Floppo]

How many times did that cop shoot? What about all those cars and possible people only feet away? What an idiot!

cars?

what about the... I dunno... GAS STATION

 

[Slapdash]

What was the traffic stop for again? Seems extremely over the top to draw a gun on a "routine" stop.

Some of the other posts say it was for "seat belt violation", but that's hard to call since the guy was getting out of his vehicle at a gas station. It's hard to still have on a seat belt and exit the vehicle at the same time. Luckily for the victim, the cop was a bad shot.

I believe the story is he unbuckled his seatbelt as he pulled in and that was the reason. Pretty ticky tack though.

Click it or Ticket. That's the LAW!

 

[TheIronSheik]

How many times did that cop shoot? What about all those cars and possible people only feet away? What an idiot!

cars?

what about the... I dunno... GAS STATION

Gas stations are not above the law. Was the gas station wearing a seatbelt? Didn't think so.

 

[tdoss]

How wreckless and fearful.

This cop could've killed multiple people just flinging rounds at this guy like he's playing a video game.

 

[NCCommish]

How wreckless and fearful.

This cop could've killed multiple people just flinging rounds at this guy like he's playing a video game.

Yep. Could have started a chain of events that took out the entire station. Reckless disregard for human life is what it's called I believe.

 

[CBusAlex]

How many times did that cop shoot? What about all those cars and possible people only feet away? What an idiot!

cars?

what about the... I dunno... GAS STATION

I don't think you can actually blow up a gas station with a handgun, regardless of what GTA has taught us.

 

[Sinn Fein]

I least he stopped firing once the guy had his arms up and was, you know, already shot a few times.

actually, I am wrong. He fired two more times after he could see his hands. And once after the his hands were up.

oops!

Move along, nothing to see here, cops do not shoot un-armed civilians without just cause. I'm sure this guy did something to deserve to be shot. It might not have been during this exact stop, but he probably did something at some time where it was justifiable to shoot him.

 

[kentric]

I least he stopped firing once the guy had his arms up and was, you know, already shot a few times.

actually, I am wrong. He fired two more times after he could see his hands. And once after the his hands were up.

oops!

Move along, nothing to see here, cops do not shoot un-armed civilians without just cause. I'm sure this guy did something to deserve to be shot. It might not have been during this exact stop, but he probably did something at some time where it was justifiable to shoot him.

Guess you didn't realize that the guy who was shot is black.

 

[Sinn Fein]

It does give you a new found respect for the cop in Fergusun - I mean, he hit a moving/charging target several times while under great personal threat - whereas this guy could barely hit the perp, who was backing away, from a couple of feet away

 

[lod01]

Law enforcement organizations are traditionally against mandatory dash-cams, body-cams, and taped witness/suspect interviews, but video is obviously the best way to weed out the bad cops, protect the good cops, and keep the mid-range cops working in a professional manner.

They don't want to get caught doing something bad but ignore the fact that video will "catch" them doing the right thing most of the time and help change both the reality and perception of cop misbehavior.

Which leads me to believe we should do it right now.

We'll send you the bill. I'm going to guess you want a system where you can't tamper with or delete the video. That'll run you about $5k per officer just for the in car camera - the Panasonic Arbitrator 360.

Now I agree with the fact they should have them and any law enforcement that says they don't is hiding something because it wins them court cases when some loser claims something happened and the officer rolls the tape in court, but this is not cheap. THAT is why they don't have them.

They have been shown to pay for themselves in the form of vast reductions in use of force complaints. It's a no brainer.

They also pay for themselves in reduced litigation. I'd file far fewer Motions to Suppress car stops/searches/confessions if there was video contesting my client's version of events. And in other cases prosecutors would be quicker to concede error rather than defend bad cops if the video showed my guy was right.

Video is a win for justice and the budget

It's not winning for the budget for this dept., now is it?

No, not in the short run. And also not in the long run for any departments that hire itchy trigger fingers.

Which comes down to hiring competent, sane law enforcement officers AND having the cameras. Any agency that performs both those should have no issues and the cameras are a plus.

This cop has issues. Not only did he start firing out of control, he ran in front of his own vehicle firing away instead of taking cover behind the door.

 

[Sinn Fein]

I least he stopped firing once the guy had his arms up and was, you know, already shot a few times.

actually, I am wrong. He fired two more times after he could see his hands. And once after the his hands were up.

oops!

Move along, nothing to see here, cops do not shoot un-armed civilians without just cause. I'm sure this guy did something to deserve to be shot. It might not have been during this exact stop, but he probably did something at some time where it was justifiable to shoot him.

Guess you didn't realize that the guy who was shot is black.

See, something like that should be put in the thread title - it would provide clarity immediately, and we could skip the whole debate about whether deadly force was necessary, and go straight to determining if the police officer should have used a more powerful weapon.

 

[El Floppo]

How many times did that cop shoot? What about all those cars and possible people only feet away? What an idiot!

cars?

what about the... I dunno... GAS STATION

I don't think you can actually blow up a gas station with a handgun, regardless of what GTA has taught us.

oh- I've watched TV shows too.... it's possible.

 

[cstu]

Within 3 seconds of him finishing the word 'please' he is firing off shots.

 

[Jackstraw]

Acquitted. No doubt about it.

Not likely with that video. I guess anything can happen in a courtroom ... but that would have be one crazily stilted jury to see the cop's side after viewing that video.

I'd lay money on acquittal for sure. If twenty cops can wail on a prone Rodney King on camera and get away with it anything can happen. Civilians get away with more than this all the time on stand your ground laws.

Gun crazy nation can't be accepting consequences for crazy gun behavior.

Dude "dove into his car" after all.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Acquitted. No doubt about it.

Not likely with that video. I guess anything can happen in a courtroom ... but that would have be one crazily stilted jury to see the cop's side after viewing that video.

I'd lay money on acquittal for sure. If twenty cops can wail on a prone Rodney King on camera and get away with it anything can happen. Civilians get away with more than this all the time on stand your ground laws.Gun crazy nation can't be accepting consequences for crazy gun behavior.

Dude "dove into his car" after all.

It was a pretty sudden move into the car. If he'd been pulling the guy over for the vehicle being stolen or he was wanted for a violent crime it might be understandable... But definitely not for a seatbelt ticket.

 

[Jackstraw]

The important part is to treat this as a one off rare incident that almost never happens. :winkwinknodnod:

 

[[icon]]

I don't think you can actually blow up a gas station with a handgun, regardless of what GTA has taught us.

 

[SacramentoBob]

Has his twitter been checked yet? I'm sure there's an incriminating tweet or pic that will exonerate this cop.

 

[metoo]

No video and the cop would have cried, 'I feared for my life' and most hear would have believed it. Shots fired even after he had his hands up.

 

[Mello]

This is the equivalent to winning the lottery. I'd love to take a beating or a non life threatening shot from a cop for no reason on video. Guy was out of the hospital in a few days, prob recover in full within a month, and now will be paid millions.

Here's the problem. You don't get to choose that part. You have gamble your life as well.

Also, he's not going to be a millionaire. There are caps on damages in South Carolina.

 

[tommyGunZ]

W/o the tape, is there any doubt that we never hear of this incident?

 

[T Bell]

It does give you a new found respect for the cop in Fergusun - I mean, he hit a moving/charging target several times while under great personal threat - whereas this guy could barely hit the perp, who was backing away, from a couple of feet away

It makes me want to promote this SC cop to firearms instructor for his department.

 

[T Bell]

Law enforcement organizations are traditionally against mandatory dash-cams, body-cams, and taped witness/suspect interviews, but video is obviously the best way to weed out the bad cops, protect the good cops, and keep the mid-range cops working in a professional manner.

They don't want to get caught doing something bad but ignore the fact that video will "catch" them doing the right thing most of the time and help change both the reality and perception of cop misbehavior.

Which leads me to believe we should do it right now.

We'll send you the bill. I'm going to guess you want a system where you can't tamper with or delete the video. That'll run you about $5k per officer just for the in car camera - the Panasonic Arbitrator 360.

Now I agree with the fact they should have them and any law enforcement that says they don't is hiding something because it wins them court cases when some loser claims something happened and the officer rolls the tape in court, but this is not cheap. THAT is why they don't have them.

They have been shown to pay for themselves in the form of vast reductions in use of force complaints. It's a no brainer.

They also pay for themselves in reduced litigation. I'd file far fewer Motions to Suppress car stops/searches/confessions if there was video contesting my client's version of events. And in other cases prosecutors would be quicker to concede error rather than defend bad cops if the video showed my guy was right.

Video is a win for justice and the budget

It's not winning for the budget for this dept., now is it?

No, not in the short run. And also not in the long run for any departments that hire itchy trigger fingers.

Which comes down to hiring competent, sane law enforcement officers AND having the cameras. Any agency that performs both those should have no issues and the cameras are a plus.

This cop has issues. Not only did he start firing out of control, he ran in front of his own vehicle firing away instead of taking cover behind the door.

Yeah, sure, we'll just run on out to the competent, sane law enforcement officer tree and pick a few more to fill out our cop roster.

 

[metoo]

This is the equivalent to winning the lottery. I'd love to take a beating or a non life threatening shot from a cop for no reason on video. Guy was out of the hospital in a few days, prob recover in full within a month, and now will be paid millions.

Here's the problem. You don't get to choose that part. You have gamble your life as well.

Also, he's not going to be a millionaire. There are caps on damages in South Carolina.

He chose to be a State Trooper.

The trooper asked for his DL, he patted his pocket and realized his wallet wasn't on him and went into his vehicle to obtain the DL. At this point the trooper should have said freeze if he felt threaten, instead he fired shots and ran behind the vehicle. Then he fired more shots while the guy's hands were in the air.

 

[T Bell]

This is the equivalent to winning the lottery. I'd love to take a beating or a non life threatening shot from a cop for no reason on video. Guy was out of the hospital in a few days, prob recover in full within a month, and now will be paid millions.

Here's the problem. You don't get to choose that part. You have gamble your life as well.

Also, he's not going to be a millionaire. There are caps on damages in South Carolina.

He chose to be a State Trooper.

The trooper asked for his DL, he patted his pocket and realized his wallet wasn't on him and went into his vehicle to obtain the DL. At this point the trooper should have said freeze if he felt threaten, instead he fired shots and ran behind the vehicle. Then he fired more shots while the guy's hands were in the air.

The guy got out of the car, which wasn't smart on his part. If you're pulled over, you wait in the car for instructions. And no, I'm not pinning this on him, just noting that he obviously made an already high strung officer jumpier by doing this.

That said, the officer's verbal instructions from that point forward were hurried and made no sense, and were compounded by how quick he was on the trigger. Given this was a seatbelt violation (which the driver was likely oblivious to at that moment) rather than a felony stop, you don't draw your weapon even as he goes back into the car. Sorry, but the cop needs to take the risk on this one so as not to escalate.

 

[TxBuckeye]

This cop has issues. Not only did he start firing out of control, he ran in front of his own vehicle firing away instead of taking cover behind the door.

He didn't worry about hiding behind the door because he realized he was in absolutely no danger from the unarmed man he was shooting at.

 

[metoo]

This is the equivalent to winning the lottery. I'd love to take a beating or a non life threatening shot from a cop for no reason on video. Guy was out of the hospital in a few days, prob recover in full within a month, and now will be paid millions.

Here's the problem. You don't get to choose that part. You have gamble your life as well.

Also, he's not going to be a millionaire. There are caps on damages in South Carolina.

He chose to be a State Trooper.

The trooper asked for his DL, he patted his pocket and realized his wallet wasn't on him and went into his vehicle to obtain the DL. At this point the trooper should have said freeze if he felt threaten, instead he fired shots and ran behind the vehicle. Then he fired more shots while the guy's hands were in the air.

The guy got out of the car, which wasn't smart on his part. If you're pulled over, you wait in the car for instructions. And no, I'm not pinning this on him, just noting that he obviously made an already high strung officer jumpier by doing this.

That said, the officer's verbal instructions from that point forward were hurried and made no sense, and were compounded by how quick he was on the trigger. Given this was a seatbelt violation (which the driver was likely oblivious to at that moment) rather than a felony stop, you don't draw your weapon even as he goes back into the car. Sorry, but the cop needs to take the risk on this one so as not to escalate.

He was already out of the vehicle. He wasn't pulled over.

 

[cstu]

The guy got out of the car, which wasn't smart on his part. If you're pulled over, you wait in the car for instructions. And no, I'm not pinning this on him, just noting that he obviously made an already high strung officer jumpier by doing this.

That said, the officer's verbal instructions from that point forward were hurried and made no sense, and were compounded by how quick he was on the trigger. Given this was a seatbelt violation (which the driver was likely oblivious to at that moment) rather than a felony stop, you don't draw your weapon even as he goes back into the car. Sorry, but the cop needs to take the risk on this one so as not to escalate.

He was not pulled over and didn't know the cop thought he did something wrong...the cop asked him for his license after he was already getting out.

I would have reacted the same way, but luckily I'm white so I wouldn't have been shot.

 

[Guest]

Finally got to watch it with the sound on. Puts a lot more context to it. No way was that a "dive" back into the vehicle. I hope the officer is in jail for a long time.

"Why did you, why would you shoot me?"

"Well you dove head-first back into your car.:

"I'm sorry"

Seat belt violation my ###.

 

[T Bell]

This is the equivalent to winning the lottery. I'd love to take a beating or a non life threatening shot from a cop for no reason on video. Guy was out of the hospital in a few days, prob recover in full within a month, and now will be paid millions.

Here's the problem. You don't get to choose that part. You have gamble your life as well.

Also, he's not going to be a millionaire. There are caps on damages in South Carolina.

He chose to be a State Trooper.

The trooper asked for his DL, he patted his pocket and realized his wallet wasn't on him and went into his vehicle to obtain the DL. At this point the trooper should have said freeze if he felt threaten, instead he fired shots and ran behind the vehicle. Then he fired more shots while the guy's hands were in the air.

The guy got out of the car, which wasn't smart on his part. If you're pulled over, you wait in the car for instructions. And no, I'm not pinning this on him, just noting that he obviously made an already high strung officer jumpier by doing this.

That said, the officer's verbal instructions from that point forward were hurried and made no sense, and were compounded by how quick he was on the trigger. Given this was a seatbelt violation (which the driver was likely oblivious to at that moment) rather than a felony stop, you don't draw your weapon even as he goes back into the car. Sorry, but the cop needs to take the risk on this one so as not to escalate.

He was already out of the vehicle. He wasn't pulled over.

Ah, I missed that. Even worse for the cop obviously. Just insanity at work there.

 

[tdoss]

I think people seriously need to back up on the intent of the cop.

He saw the seatbelt violation and decided to call the guy out. Whether that's trumped up or not...who knows...but let's not act like the cop saw a black man and decided to do this as a way to shoot him.

The cop, at worst, saw a black man lunge towards the inside of his car...even though he told him to do this...and freaked out and shot the man.

If he was dead set on just shooting an unarmed black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

This cop simply freaked out...now whether that was racially motivated...I can see it debated...but people gotta stop responding like this cop did all this with the intent to shoot a black man.

 

[tdoss]

And not to defend this dumb@zz...the cop should go to jail.

I'm just saying that people need to back up a bit on the intent...

 

[tommyGunZ]

I think people seriously need to back up on the intent of the cop.

He saw the seatbelt violation and decided to call the guy out. Whether that's trumped up or not...who knows...but let's not act like the cop saw a black man a decided to do this as a way to shoot him.

The cop, at worst, saw a black man lunge towards the inside of his car...even though he told him to do this...and freaked out and shot the man.

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

This cop simply freaked out...now whether that was racially motivated...I can see it debated...but people gotta stop responding like this cop did all this with the intent to shoot a black man.

While I won't pretend to know the cops motives, I think it's a bit naive to ignore the racial component. Did the victim's race play any part in the cop "freaking out"?

Are young unarmed white males being shot by LEOs on a regular basis?

 

[Tackling Dummies]

I think people seriously need to back up on the intent of the cop.

He saw the seatbelt violation and decided to call the guy out. Whether that's trumped up or not...who knows...but let's not act like the cop saw a black man a decided to do this as a way to shoot him.

The cop, at worst, saw a black man lunge towards the inside of his car...even though he told him to do this...and freaked out and shot the man.

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

This cop simply freaked out...now whether that was racially motivated...I can see it debated...but people gotta stop responding like this cop did all this with the intent to shoot a black man.

At the .08 frame, the driver has his back to the cop reaching in this car and the policeman is armed approaching from his 8 o'clock yelling at him and at .11 he's discharged his weapon several times and at a man with his arms up. He had no control at all over the scene at any point and firing in a pubic place raises his idiocy. He deserves to be locked down.

 

[T Bell]

I think people seriously need to back up on the intent of the cop.

He saw the seatbelt violation and decided to call the guy out. Whether that's trumped up or not...who knows...but let's not act like the cop saw a black man a decided to do this as a way to shoot him.

The cop, at worst, saw a black man lunge towards the inside of his car...even though he told him to do this...and freaked out and shot the man.

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

This cop simply freaked out...now whether that was racially motivated...I can see it debated...but people gotta stop responding like this cop did all this with the intent to shoot a black man.

You're telling me he'd aggressively jump feet first into a confrontation over a seat belt violation in a gas station if that driver was lilly white? I suppose it's possible, but I have my doubts.

 

[Guest]

I think people seriously need to back up on the intent of the cop.

He saw the seatbelt violation and decided to call the guy out. Whether that's trumped up or not...who knows...but let's not act like the cop saw a black man a decided to do this as a way to shoot him.

The cop, at worst, saw a black man lunge towards the inside of his car...even though he told him to do this...and freaked out and shot the man.

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

This cop simply freaked out...now whether that was racially motivated...I can see it debated...but people gotta stop responding like this cop did all this with the intent to shoot a black man.

I agree. The cop just freaked out.

ETA: But would he have freaked out if it was a white guy? dunno.

 

[TxBuckeye]

I think people seriously need to back up on the intent of the cop.

He saw the seatbelt violation and decided to call the guy out. Whether that's trumped up or not...who knows...but let's not act like the cop saw a black man a decided to do this as a way to shoot him.

The cop, at worst, saw a black man lunge towards the inside of his car...even though he told him to do this...and freaked out and shot the man.

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

This cop simply freaked out...now whether that was racially motivated...I can see it debated...but people gotta stop responding like this cop did all this with the intent to shoot a black man.

I imagine if it was you being shot at for not wearing your seatbelt, you'd have a slightly different outlook. Perhaps even a realistic one.

 

[randall146]

I think people seriously need to back up on the intent of the cop.

He saw the seatbelt violation and decided to call the guy out. Whether that's trumped up or not...who knows...but let's not act like the cop saw a black man a decided to do this as a way to shoot him.

The cop, at worst, saw a black man lunge towards the inside of his car...even though he told him to do this...and freaked out and shot the man.

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

This cop simply freaked out...now whether that was racially motivated...I can see it debated...but people gotta stop responding like this cop did all this with the intent to shoot a black man.

I don't think anyone is saying he woke up that morning and decided to shoot a black guy. He clearly just freaked out. If there's any racial debate to be had here it's whether the victim's race had anything to do with the cop's freakout. And perhaps whether the victim's race had anything to do with his promptness to comply with officer instructions (because he didn't want to the America's Black Guy Killed By White Cop For No Reason of the Day).

We can't know for sure exactly what played into the cop's freakout, but we're allowed to guess, and my guess is that the victim's race played a big part in the cop's quick assumption that he was in danger.

 

[Sinn Fein]

I have no idea what was going through the cop's mind from the time he decided to pull the guy over for unbuckling his seatbelt while pulling into a gas station - to ordering the guy to get the license and registration, to charging at him with gun pulled, and then shooting in a public area at a clearly unarmed person.

But it was a #### move if he was going to pull the guy for unbuckling when entering the gas station. It was a poorly executed stop once the driver was out of the vehicle - he clearly had no inkling that the proper procedure was to keep the "suspect" in sight at that point - assuming he really felt a threat, and then obviously had no idea how to regain control of the situation once the "suspect" went into the car - probably panicked. But this shoot first mentality has to stop - police officers have a dangerous job, but that does not make them judge, jury and executioners.

I would really presume there is a racial element to this - what made him fear this non-seatbelt wearer? But if the cop wants to convince me otherwise, I am open to hearing his story.

 

[njherdfan]

I think people seriously need to back up on the intent of the cop.

He saw the seatbelt violation and decided to call the guy out. Whether that's trumped up or not...who knows...but let's not act like the cop saw a black man a decided to do this as a way to shoot him.

The cop, at worst, saw a black man lunge towards the inside of his car...even though he told him to do this...and freaked out and shot the man.

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

This cop simply freaked out...now whether that was racially motivated...I can see it debated...but people gotta stop responding like this cop did all this with the intent to shoot a black man.

I don't think anyone is saying he woke up that morning and decided to shoot a black guy. He clearly just freaked out. If there's any racial debate to be had here it's whether the victim's race had anything to do with the cop's freakout. And perhaps whether the victim's race had anything to do with his promptness to comply with officer instructions (because he didn't want to the America's Black Guy Killed By White Cop For No Reason of the Day).

We can't know for sure exactly what played into the cop's freakout, but we're allowed to guess, and my guess is that the victim's race played a big part in the cop's quick assumption that he was in danger.

Of course. That's how less obvious racism works; when you watch the video you can see that once the victim is sufficiently compliant and on the ground and apologetic, the cop is perfectly nice to him. The cop doesn't hate all black people; black people just have the affirmative obligation to prove that they're not threats. Once they show they're "one of the good ones," everything should be fine!

 

[BustedKnuckles]

that cop was overzealous and a coward...and an idiot...all wrapped up in one badge wearing and armed protector of the public...great

 

[Ignoramus]

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

WTF?

So you're thinking he was just firing warning shots?

 

[T Bell]

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

WTF?

So you're thinking he was just firing warning shots?

Harshly worded letter to follow...

 

[Mr. Retukes]

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

WTF?

So you're thinking he was just firing warning shots?

"I can't possibly be a racist because I didn't kill the black guy!"

 

[tdoss]

I think people seriously need to back up on the intent of the cop.

He saw the seatbelt violation and decided to call the guy out. Whether that's trumped up or not...who knows...but let's not act like the cop saw a black man a decided to do this as a way to shoot him.

The cop, at worst, saw a black man lunge towards the inside of his car...even though he told him to do this...and freaked out and shot the man.

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

This cop simply freaked out...now whether that was racially motivated...I can see it debated...but people gotta stop responding like this cop did all this with the intent to shoot a black man.

I agree. The cop just freaked out.

ETA: But would he have freaked out if it was a white guy? dunno.

Now that's where the debate lies...I'm sure him being black and whatever this cop sees on a daily basis has started to skew his thinking...who knows, his upbringing may have also some weight in this...he could straight out be a racist...I'm just saying he simply freaked out. He didn't pull the guy over and just start blasting because he saw a black man...he started blasting because he saw a black man reach into his car real quick...he was afraid. His intent was to survive...which is why his shots were everywhere.

It's a small distinction...but one I think deserves to be mentioned since guys are starting to paint it as if he simply was a white cop looking to gun down a black man.

 

[tdoss]

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

WTF?

So you're thinking he was just firing warning shots?

No...saying he was freaking out...basically he turned into a scared little girl at that point and just started blasting away. No control...no intent other than survival was shown really.

 

[tdoss]

I think people seriously need to back up on the intent of the cop.

He saw the seatbelt violation and decided to call the guy out. Whether that's trumped up or not...who knows...but let's not act like the cop saw a black man a decided to do this as a way to shoot him.

The cop, at worst, saw a black man lunge towards the inside of his car...even though he told him to do this...and freaked out and shot the man.

If he was dead set on just shooting a black man...I don't think he would've missed so many times.

This cop simply freaked out...now whether that was racially motivated...I can see it debated...but people gotta stop responding like this cop did all this with the intent to shoot a black man.

I don't think anyone is saying he woke up that morning and decided to shoot a black guy. He clearly just freaked out. If there's any racial debate to be had here it's whether the victim's race had anything to do with the cop's freakout. And perhaps whether the victim's race had anything to do with his promptness to comply with officer instructions (because he didn't want to the America's Black Guy Killed By White Cop For No Reason of the Day).

We can't know for sure exactly what played into the cop's freakout, but we're allowed to guess, and my guess is that the victim's race played a big part in the cop's quick assumption that he was in danger.

Maybe no one is saying he woke up with that intention but there are comments of late that are trying to paint it differently:

"He didn't get behind his car door because he knew he was shooting at an unarmed man"

"Without video the cop would've said he feared for his life"

There's other comments too...what do those say to you? That this cop knew what he was doing and was simply gunning a black man down.

It's twisting the narrative.

Now...I don't doubt that race played a giant part in this...honestly...my gut says it did...but in the reaction...not in the initial intent.

The cop thought he had an easy ticket...the guy made a quick move to the inside of his truck and because of his training, because of the things he's seen daily on this job, the stories he's heard from fellow officers, racism, his upbringing, etc...he freaked the hell out and just reacted and started blasting...fearful for his life.

That's all I'm saying.

And yes...I still feel he should go to jail for attempted murder and whatever else we can throw at him...but it just seems disingenuous to start to twist it into this guy intended on killing an unarmed black man...for whatever reasons...be them racist or not.

 

[tommyGunZ]

Tdoss - I honestly don't think anyone is saying that race played more of a factor than what you describe. The "he feared for his life" excuse is kind of a lame excuse though, considering there is absolutely nothing in the video that is life threatening. If that's the standard, our police should be disarmed entirely.