If your mother calls the police and tells them that you are out of control and is threatening her with a gun, what are the police supposed to do? This shooting, not doubt, will call for more scrutiny for the NYPD. However, is it warranted? The police officers that responded to the scene were under the assumption that the person who they were coming to apprehend had a weapon, which was corroborated by the alleged victim's mother. The stress that the police officers must have been under could only be imagined. Is it safe to assume that the police were justified in opening fire on an individual that has mental health problems, coupled with the fact that he may have had a gun? The family of the victim will have to come to grips with their personal role that they played in the killing of their loved one. What are we as a society to do to stop this type of behavior? Moreover, why does this type of tragedy always seem to happen in the poorer communities?
" Manage your internal confliction before it is managed for you." Dr. BLR
This blog was created solely for my students to generate intellectual dialogue with their classmates. Reach one and teach one. Peace.
37 comments:
As I was listening to this story on Miss jones in the morning it alarmed me to hear that he was killed by law enforcement officers. It is understandable if you get a call and the suspect supposely has a gun. I feel it is some what the mother's fault for her sons death. She should know by now that if you stated to the operator or law enforcement officals that there is a weapon involved the officer is going to have to take a risk at being shot at or killed due to the neligiance of the suspect if she really felt she was endanger she should have expressed it another way. I do believe that all those shots were uncalled for. They always say when something like this happen the person is always reaching for something out of there pocket and more than likely it is not a gun but if an officer is trying to arrest you STAY THE **** STILL it is simple nothing hard about it they fail to listen. They cause themselves to be in more danger then they really need to be in.
1587
This is a sad situation in which the mother will fell guitly for many years to come. Maybe the mother didn't think the cops would take her seriously if he was just threatening her, plus the officer showed little bravery in the matter going in guns blazing instead of assessing the situation and talking the suspect down. The tools police have these days such as tasers should be utlized more, they won't kill ya but they'll take you down and into custody instead of a bodybag. (9146)
in a way they were justified.most people do not know what the consequences they have calling the police. when we call,that do not mean we are playing that situation had to be serious because she made the call. In any situation dealing with the police is serious or people would not make that phone call. This world has figured the price of situations, to go against the cops and they wonder why they do not respond when the boy cry wolf. I feel her sympathy because i am a mother, if my child act up the police is my last resource.
(7593)
While I feel the mother bears a large responsiblity for this incident, the amount of shots fired was excessive. Further, if the mother states that her son has a weapon and she was threatened, why would we expect the police not to proceed with extreme caution. Also, more salient, is the fact that this occurred in a community where many people are willing to challange an officer both verbally or by firearm and in that instance it is hard to make a call as to who bears the ultimate responsiblity. *2232
This was an unfortunate situation for both the family and the police officers involved. An officer responding to an assignment of a mental person with a gun fears the fact that his own life is at jeopardy. Its hard to play Monday morning quarter back but if I were placed in a situation where I could not decide whether "gun or brush" my bet would be "gun" before he/she thinks "shoot"
I understand the need for her to be scared, and calling the police;also, at the same thime she should have let them know the full story about her child so they know how to handle the sitution with caution.(6018)
The police is supposed to act with precaution and use the necessary force it takes to gain control of a situation. If a suspect had a gun and the cops feared for their lives then it would be a justifiable shooting because the parent’s information led them to believe the suspect was dangerous. (4539)
That was a terrible ending to a touchy situation, and maybe it could have been handle better. But the media can take one story about the police and hype it up so strong, that the viewers will go away thinking "Oh my God, the police are out of control". But I would like to know how many times have the police been call to other situations like this and handled it perfectly. We do not hear about it. It is not news worthy.(8879)
The officers responding to this call had to make a split second decision upon arrival at the home. With the information received before their arrival (a gun & mental health problems), the officers always keep one thing in mind "make sure my partners & I go home safely at the end of the shift". Hopefully some will learn from the mistakes others have made.
2530
The mother is the one to blame in this case. She called the police stating that her son had a gun and was going to hurt her. If you call the police saying such thing, officers will come take all necessary precautions to avoid a crime and also avoid getting hurt themselves. By her saying that he had a gun and him reaching into his pocket upon police officers arrival, that led the police to think that he was going to shoot.
Police officers did not acted beyond irrational intentions. Although I know the lost for the family was painful, they can not blame it directly on the officers. We have to remember that the mother was the person who alerted police of the incident and accused her son of having a gun. She should have had never lied about the weapon. #5839
Comment posted on January 29, 2008 8:17 PM was posted by (4681)
one more time ..as parent we have to be on top of our children to avoid these type of situations .. our children need love and a lot of communication they need us ! let's be there for them at all times ...7970
I feel as if the mother did not say the child had a gun, he would not have got shot. Parents calling the cops on their children and threatening them is a bad method to get cooperation. In this case maybe the cops were taking necessary precautions, but when they got there if there was no gun present they didnt need to use that excessive force.The loss on the family had to be hard, but the cops aren't the only ones to blame. Children need discipline and good role models! (SPC7202)
SPC 5936. Although this is a tragedy the police officers are not solely to blame in their actions. The mother stated in her phone call that her son had a gun and in the phone call you can hear the son stating he has one. The only problem I see is that the police should have waited to see if the son really had a weapon before opening fire. This could be attributed to the fact that there was poor lighting. Crime is more prevalent in poorer communities because it is harder for people to carry out their daily lives without struggling. And most young males lack a father figure.
Put yourself in the officers shoes. You have your life ahead of you, you have a family and it is not your time to go. Protect your self at all times and that doesnt necessarily mean to shoot everything coming. But if your child doesn't have a gun, why call 911 and say it. It is NYPD obligation to protect and tame the situation. This person with a gun (says the mother) went ballistic and if the officer felt that his life is in danger he can increase his use of force and unfortunately in this case deadly force was the only lifeline available....spc5294
I believe that the officers did the right thing. Here you have a mother scared for her safety and she gave birth to this child. How is a officer to feel when the person have not love for them whatsoever. I believe that the mother should just really look at it this way it was either her life or his. She did what she had to do by calling the police and they did what they had to do to protect her and themselves. spc0460
The officers responding to this call had a lot to think about while on the road to this house. A mother calling about her son with a gun; how scarier can it get. Anytime a gun is involved, I would assume that police officers get anxious. The officers responded the best way that they could have. And it is sad that in poorer communitities incidents like these arise more. What can we do about this?
Well, this is a very sad incident because it is not usual to hear that a child is threatening her/his mother with a weapon. Apparently the situation was out of control because she wanted the police to get involved. I think the mother did not realize the consequences of her act. She called the police practically stating that her life was in risk. Frankly I can’t understand how the mother was able to call the police if her son was threatening her with a gun as she told the police. She was not taking care of her kid as a parent is supposed to because there was a weapon inside the house. I believe the police should be justified because a weapon was involved which means that someone could have been killed. Also the information she provided to the police was telling them that the suspect was dangerous. In the other hand I believe if the police knew this kid had a mental health problem they could have done something different. They could have get into the house and tried to get the kid down without killing him. I think this incident should help other parents to watch what their kids are doing. Also it will help others to make sure that whenever they dial the police the situation must be out of control. I believe this situation was not out of control because it does not make any sense that she had an opportunity to call the police if her kid was threatening her with a weapon. I think this type of tragedy can happen anywhere to anyone. (6887)
This was an unfortunate situation for the family of the victim as well for the police. The mother should not have called the police stating that her son had a gun threatening her, by her stating this made matters worst. The police are not trained psychologist if she knew her son had a mental problem she should have informed them first. Or maybe called the paramedics first then got the police involved by doing this could have prevented a life from being lost. I do not agree with all the shots that were fired from the police but I believe this is how they are trained they were protecting themselves. I can only image if I were in their shoes my first instinct would be to protect myself first. 6169
What was this woman thinking? With the reckless history of the NYPD she may as well have pulled the trigger herself. If this is actually what happened the mother should probably accept that she played a major role in the death of her child.
However, does giving the police an out suggest that anyone can call the police and say that the next person has a gun? Is this not the point of the training? This is pretty scary and I don't really get it.(9510)
I believe that it is the mother's fault because she told the police operator that her son threatened her with a gun. When there was no gun involved. The officer still has to take some blame because he could've tried to talk the son down. You don't always have to draw your gun. But then again if you called to a site and someone has a gun you would rather it be them died then you. Its a sad situation
Ecc 3950
Well If I would of be a cop I would of have gone crazy at the time run to the scene and then try to come down the victim and obiously if he doesnt drop the weapon I will shut. 5794
This happens in poorer communities because there is limited help for those with mental illness. if they had more help or assistance this may have not happened. the shooting is justified if the suspect was armed with a weapon, i wouldnt chance my life or have sympathy with someone that may take me off this earth. the police are here to a job,some really do their job others have a personal agenda on why they are oficers, but for the most part these officers did their job and i see nothing wrong with the way thy handled it.but in the same token the family members should have told the officers of the problems this indidvidual suffered from.CA7739
Why these tragedies happen in poor communities could stem from a number of reasons. Perhaps families in poor communities are more likely to not take good care of their children then families in wealthier areas. Perhaps the police are more likely to resort to violence in poor communities where they know they will not be held accountable for their actions. SPC 3027
I have no respect or sympathy for someone that puts a gun to his mother. Cops do what you have to do! spc8725
Once again, although his mother called the police, I'm sure she thought she was soliciting the aide of well trained police officers that would reason before they shoot. Saying that someone is armed almost guarantees a fatal outcome.
bjay 5103
I totally blame the mother .Did the officers know he had mental issues? I think not so they went under the assumption that a person had a gun and was planning on using it .I mean it's a loss of a life but the officers acted on the information they had.
A.B 1291
I can’t imagine what a police officer goes through every day on the job. I’m not trying to justify what these police officers did just explain. With the info they received before arriving to the scene I believe it was a mistake, and I believe they should be properly punished. I believe these kinds of tragedies happens everywhere rich communities and poor ones. Every day the poor communities are on the news while the rich ones cover there stories.
(BAD, 0446)
I have a friend that is a retired ppolice officer. He and I worked as EMT's assiting the citizens of Newark before he became an Newark Police Officer. After he became a police officer he was called for a domestic violence call where the mother had called the cops for assistance because her son was going crazy and was going to kill her and her grandsons and daughters.
My friend responded to the scene. The guy had barricaded the family and threatening to chopped their head offs. He called for back up. His partner was able to grab the children out of the apartment. He was able to pull the mother away of the living room.
At that time the " crazy son "noticed that everyone was going to the front door but did not know that were police officers there. He started his way down the hallway. My friend yelled " Dropped the machette. We are police officers." The son charged in his direction with the machette raised.
He shot the man three times and ran to the bent of the hallway. Got on the radio and asked were is the back up, while at the same time he put his head out and saw the man standing next to him with the machette over his head. He " let go" the rest of the magazine and reloaded, and ran to the door way. HE turned around and the guy was coming after him still with the machette over his head.
His partner empty his magazine, while my friend was yelling in the radio for back up while the gun fire was been shot.
The "crazy guy" finally went down. Ia investigation cleared them from wrong doing and the mother gave a statewment in their favor. The "crazy guy" was dopped up in drugs, autopsy revealed.
I believed that many "crazy" stuff happens due to drug addiction or used and mixed with alcohol.
ES 1810
I think the mother is kind of responsible because when she said that her son had a gun it changes the situation. The cops were acting based on what she said. But in the end it was up to the cops to decide how to handle the situation based on what they saw.
SG 4591
First of all , it is poor parenting .Second of all,i suspect that the mother misreported on the scenario.Briefly, it is all her fault.
LJ 6631
All I can say is that it takes a village to raise a child. When you become afraid of what your child might do to you, it is time to call in for back up. Get help or the child must go when he/she no longer respects you....dg7659
I feel that it is truly the mother fault. Police are told that the victim was scard because her son had a gun of course their first reaction is to help the victim but also keep in mind that the kid is armed and dangerous....so a cops first intense is to shoot before getting shot! if the mother would have taken this is a different direction then maybe what was done culdnt have been prevented but i dont see any reason for the nypd to get blamed for this at all!!!!
MJ 1483
The mother shoul let the police know about how he was and how they can be hand that whit him 3580
The mother reported that her son had a gun and the police responded. Its true that no ones life is worth taking but did the officer use clear judgement about firing the weapon and killing him? Was excessive form needed? A person in a mental state does require more of a restraint so I think the officer was doing his job. I just feel that he did not have to kill him. Its just my opinion...RSI-3774
The mother was in fear of her life so she felt that calling the police was the best thing to do but in turn she lost her son because of what she did. I don't blame to a certain extent. When you pick up the phone to call 911 you are saying I need help because I am in danger. Please help me. Since the mother phone the police she should have given them more information about the condition of her son. There are other ways this could have went.
Arbubaker-1221
CJI-102
My first thought was “why did he even had a gun under his power?”. I think that in many of these cases the problem starts from home. The person was mentally ill, there should have been more attention on these types of persons. The officers knew that he had a gun, so obviously that was a threat and they did not know what to expect, a gun is a big thing. People just needs to seek professional help.
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