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St. Louis officer shoots black off-duty cop responding to gunfight

At this point, nothing surprises me. But the message in these cases couldnt be more clear: Even if youre a cop, youre still a n*****.

Thank god he wasnt killed.
 
A cop shooting someone is supposed to be a last resort when they believe their own life is being directly threatened.

I doubt the off duty cop was pointing his gun in a threatening manner toward the shooter. Someone please ask this jackass why the color of his coworker's skin was enough to convince him lethal force was his only remaining option. Explain logically why all other responses were exhausted.

Being afraid should not be a valid excuse in this profession. Being a public servant necessitates more fortitude than that. Seems like most US cops don't actually get what 'public servant' actually means, they just know that holding a gun makes them feel powerful. Being a public servant means putting the public before yourself. That means not shooting at the public whenever they spook you, even if you feel in danger.

Most people cant be that badass, and that's fine. The position requires the best of us to step up and serve. But those that can't should not be cops. Stop giving guns to people who view them more as a comforting safety net than as a grim last resort. Yet another jackass that lacks the fortitude the position requires of him.
 
Right, so you just came in here to do your own version of "what about Black crime" and "not all cops"....
How about you comment on the actual topic of the thread and how the facts of this story have nothing to do with the narrative you came in here to push.

Actually I was talking about murder in general. Not just race like you're trying to make it to be. That being said I am sure there is quite a bit of black on black crime but that's besides the point murder is murder no matter what race it is. But there is also a difference between murder and justifiable defense. People always assume cops just go after black people it's getting to become pretty silly at this point. I'm so sick and tired of the media just putting St Louis under a microscope if a white cop shoots anybody of a different color. If it was a black cop shooting another black cop this wouldn't even be a fucking story. And yes I live in downtown St Louis so I do take shit like this personal because I've lived here all my life and bigots out there just think Saint Louis is some racist ass city which it's not.
 
Actually I was talking about murder in general. Not just race like you're trying to make it to be. That being said I am sure there is quite a bit of black on black crime but that's besides the point murder is murder no matter what race it is. But there is also a difference between murder and justifiable defense. People always assume cops just go after black people it's getting to become pretty silly at this point. I'm so sick and tired of the media just putting St Louis under a microscope if a white cop shoots anybody of a different color. If it was a black cop shooting another black cop this wouldn't even be a fucking story. And yes I live in downtown St Louis so I do take shit like this personal because I've lived here all my life and bigots out there just think Saint Louis is some racist ass city which it's not.
Interesting that none of your outrage is directed at the garbage ass cop who panicked and shit the bed.
 

Aselith

Member
I'm so sick and tired of the media just putting St Louis under a microscope if a white cop shoots anybody of a different color. If it was a black cop shooting another black cop this wouldn't even be a fucking story.

Actually the problem is just cops and black people period. Black cops have been shown to have similar racism issues.

Because it's not really the individual, it's the institution.
 
Wait, why did he only shoot him once? We keep getting told that cops are taught to empty their weapons. Why did he shoot him in the arm? Either they can shoot to disable, or this cop is a poor shot. Sounds like a bad cop to have on the force.
 

Senoculum

Member
This is going to be an unpopular opinion: but this was a shootout with three dudes who crashed a car and who started firing at the cops. I imagine there was a lot of confusion during the situation.

"Fearing for your life" is actually... a legitimate reason to fire your weapon? I'm actually exhausted by all the comments on the first page.

I don't wish for anyone to be in a gunfight, but if you're being fired upon and you're firing back -- you're life can end in an instant. Don't forget that shit. I don't think it's unreasonable that the cop saw the plain clothes officer firing blindly and thought he had a suspect cornered.

Instead of being thankful that it was a "flesh wound" or waiting for more details... you're all automatically assuming the most bigoted reason why this off duty cop was shot. I think you must step back and take a breather.
 

Aselith

Member
This is going to be an unpopular opinion: but this was a shootout with three dudes who crashed a car and who started firing at the cops. I imagine there was a lot of confusion during the situation.

"Fearing for your life" is actually... a legitimate reason to fire your weapon? I'm actually exhausted by all the comments on the first page.

I don't wish for anyone to be in a gunfight, but if you're being fired upon and you're firing back -- you're life can end in an instant. Don't forget that shit. I don't think it's unreasonable that the cop saw the plain clothes officer firing blindly and thought he had a suspect cornered.

Instead of being thankful that it was a "flesh wound" or waiting for more details... you're all automatically assuming the most bigoted reason why this off duty cop was shot. I think you must step back and take a breather.

His job is to handle situations like this so at best, he should be removed from the job that he clearly can't handle.

Or do you believe this cop was making aggressive moves toward other cops?
 

DavidDesu

Member
It's like Police Academy. They just rock up and with literally no knowledge of the situation just decide to shoot people. Always easy to hide behind the "feared for my safety" line.

I think the police in America need a reboot from scratch. Terrified me the notion that UK officers might be allowed to carry en masse. It's just too much power in the hands of people who feel invincible.
 
Actually I was talking about murder in general. Not just race like you're trying to make it to be. That being said I am sure there is quite a bit of black on black crime but that's besides the point murder is murder no matter what race it is. But there is also a difference between murder and justifiable defense. People always assume cops just go after black people it's getting to become pretty silly at this point. I'm so sick and tired of the media just putting St Louis under a microscope if a white cop shoots anybody of a different color. If it was a black cop shooting another black cop this wouldn't even be a fucking story. And yes I live in downtown St Louis so I do take shit like this personal because I've lived here all my life and bigots out there just think Saint Louis is some racist ass city which it's not.

You do realize why the St.Louis area has been under a microscope right? You do know how bad the situation between the citizens of Ferguson and their police department was? Their are 21,000 residents of Ferguson and 16,000 had warrants for their arrest around the time mike brown was killed. That is 75 percent of the city.
 
This is going to be an unpopular opinion: but this was a shootout with three dudes who crashed a car and who started firing at the cops. I imagine there was a lot of confusion during the situation.

"Fearing for your life" is actually... a legitimate reason to fire your weapon? I'm actually exhausted by all the comments on the first page.

I don't wish for anyone to be in a gunfight, but if you're being fired upon and you're firing back -- you're life can end in an instant. Don't forget that shit. I don't think it's unreasonable that the cop saw the plain clothes officer firing blindly and thought he had a suspect cornered.

Instead of being thankful that it was a "flesh wound" or waiting for more details... you're all automatically assuming the most bigoted reason why this off duty cop was shot. I think you must step back and take a breather.

Maybe. But unlikely as the two other officers would have looked to have the situation handled with the off-duty officer walking towards them.

First instinct, unless the threat is immediate, should never be to shoot first. He could have done what the other two did and order the guy to the ground if he did not recognize him.

So no, this looks like exactly what it seems to be, a cop seeing black and making assumptions without backing to discharge his weapon. With the oft insincere and over-used excuse of "feared for my life", instead of with whatever the target did to make them feel that way.

Also keep in mind that shot likely was aimed center of mass and this guy was lucky he wasn't outright killed by that idiot.
 

mcfrank

Member
We either live in a country where it is legal to own and carry firearms or we live in a country where cops can shoot people with guns on site out of fear. Trying to do both at the same time is causing us a lot of problems.
 

mr jones

Ethnicity is not a race!
My tin foil hat is secured firmly to my dome.

I bet if he actually killed the plainclothes officer, we'd be reading that it was from enemy fire, and they'd be trying to hide the guilty cop under the police department for a couple years. Give the slain cop a hero's funeral, make sure the widow is paid nicely, and that's it.

Then again, in my world we have a reality show star as the president, so I might be a little crazy...
 
You do realize why the St.Louis area has been under a microscope right? You do know how bad the situation between the citizens of Ferguson and their police department was? Their are 21,000 residents of Ferguson and 16,000 had warrants for their arrest around the time mike brown was killed. That is 75 percent of the city.

Warrants don't mean shit really. You can get a warrant for unpaid parking tickets.
 

Figboy79

Aftershock LA
Why are cops so god damned "scared" all of the fucking time?

I don't want to call upon officers that are too afraid to put on the uniform and do their jobs. Impressive how they manage to wrangle alligators into submission with no problems, but a black dude? Nah, he needs to get some bullets dumped into him.

If I've learned anything in the 37 years I've been on this planet, it's that no matter how high up you climb, or how "civil" you act, you will still be feared, hated, and distrusted. The fear of us is ingrained too deep. I just don't have much hope that this is ever going to change. Certainly not in my lifetime.
 
Damn I wish I saved that one quote I saw from the officer's attorney.

It was something along the lines of The police officers shot a black cop, they shot one of their own. If a black cop can be mistaken for a regular black person, there are huge problems here.
 

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Accidentally.
riiiiiiiight.gif
 
Can we get a movie where the villain just says "fear for my safety" but each word is paused by shots. Some people take news better in movies than in real life.
 
Or the safest.... which is still fucked up.

Absolutely not the safest. Not even close. Even in other nations that suffer from systemic racism, there's no where near the level of people being gunned down police, let alone the daily stream of unarmed black individuals like we see in the U.S.

The stats for how few bullets the police in other countries fire compared to the police in our country is staggering.
 

Heshinsi

"playing" dumb? unpossible
This is going to be an unpopular opinion: but this was a shootout with three dudes who crashed a car and who started firing at the cops. I imagine there was a lot of confusion during the situation.

"Fearing for your life" is actually... a legitimate reason to fire your weapon? I'm actually exhausted by all the comments on the first page.

I don't wish for anyone to be in a gunfight, but if you're being fired upon and you're firing back -- you're life can end in an instant. Don't forget that shit. I don't think it's unreasonable that the cop saw the plain clothes officer firing blindly and thought he had a suspect cornered.

Instead of being thankful that it was a "flesh wound" or waiting for more details... you're all automatically assuming the most bigoted reason why this off duty cop was shot. I think you must step back and take a breather.
Nope, that bullshit excuse flies out the window when there's already two officers in uniform, who deligently and correctly deduced the off duty cop was theirs. Third cop doesn't just get to show up and started shooting at a person that his follow officers are waiting to approach them. Why are your military personal so much better trained to deal with civilians in a god damn war zone, then your fucking cops dealing with US citizens in America?
 

eizarus

Banned
I find it mind boggling that the USA can be the top first world country (or it was a decade ago I guess) and have a psychotic murderers and oppressors dressed as police officers all throughout the country without facing just reprimands and consequences.
 

Bladelaw

Member
Every time I hear or see "I feared for my safety" in these cases I just keep thinking of this:
frabz-a-demon-Its-coming-right-for-us-242e13.jpg

It's despicable.
 

R0ckman

Member
The internet should really take hold of the "fear for life" thing amd just mock the hell put of the US police force through memes. "To protect and serve" my ass, more like "To fear for our lives!"
 

GaimeGuy

Volunteer Deputy Campaign Director, Obama for America '16
"One of his own"

This fucking mindset is disgusting. Every cop should be ashamed of it. That includes any of you coppers reading this. You are not in the fucking military, and you aren't even in that dangerous a job compared to others (truck driving, taxi cabs, fishing, pilots, iron/steel workers, electricians, waste removers, and others are all more dangerous). You're a civil servant, not a gang member. Shut the fuck up and do your job and stop sticking up for each other out of some sort of "code" like the rest of us.
 
I know, right?

If you immediately go into "fear for your safety" mode the moment any kind of threat rises you shouldn't be a cop

Seriously. I always expect those who protect and serve the public to be exceptional people. Guess going by our elected officials I was being naive. Nothing will come of this btw.
 
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