Boy with toy gun shot and killed by Calif. deputies

[xfreeper]

Gelhaus lost his nerve.

A 24 year veteran should know better.

I doubt he lost his nerve. Maybe 24 yrs on the force and not one kill to his name was making him feel unfulfilled

[sinkspur]

I doubt he lost his nerve. Maybe 24 yrs on the force and not one kill to his name was making him feel unfulfilled

I'm not that cynical.  Today's police forces have it drummed into them that THEY should never place themselves at risk.

That's why cops seems to be so trigger-happy. Shooting dogs, kids, mentally ill people.  We never heard of this shooting-gallery mentality until recently.

[xfreeper]

I'm not that cynical.

Yes, I understand. I am

[SouthTexas]

This excessive BS is quickly getting out of hand.  It is past time the DA's and the police themselves start seriously checking the out of hand/rouge cops.  The alternatives, if they don't, are not very appealing.

[Carling]

The more information that comes out on this, the less the child getting shot gets blamed.  Cops must be rallying the talking points?

 

[Cincinnatus]

Andy Lopez Family Files Federal Lawsuit, Claiming Violation of Fourth Amendment

Only the opening paragraphs in a much longer report:

The parents of a 13-year-old Santa Rosa boy killed by a sheriff's deputy who thought the airsoft rifle he was carrying was real has filed a lawsuit over their son's death, claiming the deputy who shot him used excessive force and had a history of "reckless" acts.

Andy Lopez was a "charismatic kid" who was "shot without provocation or cause," in violation of his Fourth Amendment rights, according to the suit (PDF), which Rodrigo Lopez and Sujey Cruz Casarez filed Monday in San Francisco federal court.

They are represented by Casillas, Moreno and Associates, based in Montebello, Calif., which won a $24 million verdict after a Los Angeles police officer there shot a 13-year-old boy playing cops and robbers, leaving him paralyzed.

At a news conference with their lawyers, Andy's father asked for "justice," and relatives wiped away tears. Attorney Arnoldo Casillas said the lawsuit over Andy Lopez's death will ensure an "honest" investigation into what happened.

The suit names Sonoma County and Deputy Erick Gelhaus, the sheriff's deputy who fatally shot Andy on Oct. 22. Gelhaus's attorney said in an interview with NBC Bay Area on Monday that his client only fired because he was staring down the barrel of a rifle that looked real

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Andy-Lopez-Family-to-File-Federal-Lawsuit-Claiming-Violation-of-Fourth-Amendment-230501401.html

[xfreeper]

Gelhaus's attorney said in an interview with NBC Bay Area on Monday that his client only fired because he was staring down the barrel of a rifle that looked real

Horses**t

[truth_seeker]

I'm not that cynical.  Today's police forces have it drummed into them that THEY should never place themselves at risk.

That's why cops seems to be so trigger-happy. Shooting dogs, kids, mentally ill people.  We never heard of this shooting-gallery mentality until recently.

Had a discussion with a younger cop on an unrelated subject a few days ago. It was like he didn't hear a word I said.

I got the impression he felt none of us could possibly understand what their work was like, so we should STFU and get lost.

We had an incident a few years ago, involving a teenage girl, with a knife in a school playground, not during school hours. She lunged somewhat towards the officers, and they shot her dead.

The city tries to keep the resulting lawsuits and settlements out of the news, so it will be forgotten.

The quickest way to get the police, is to check the 7-eleven at Indianapolis and Newland streets.

[flowers]

For later