Cops Shot And Killed 17-Year-Old Girl At Texas Police Station

[ABX]

I have to start off by saying, this story has really pissed me off. Not because of what happened, that is a very sad situation for everyone, but because of how people are reacting.

What this story does not tell you is:

1. She was in the public lobby around not just police officers but many civilians when she did this.
2. This police station is right next door to a public library.
3. This police station is right across the street to a children's park called Safety City where children are brought after school and in the evenings for safety programs.

Now for the cop bashing spin on it from TPM (more of my commentary at the end).

The Longview Police Department placed three officers on leave after a 17-year-old girl was shot and killed in the lobby of the station last week, the Marshall News Messenger reported.

According to officials, Kristiana Coignard entered the Texas police station on Thursday evening brandishing a weapon. Police spokeswoman Kristie Brian said Coignard used a phone in the lobby to call police dispatch and asked to see an officer.

When officers arrived in the lobby, she "came at the officers" with a weapon, according to Brian. Police did not confirm what type of weapon Coignard had, but Longview Mayor Jay Dean said that she was carrying a knife, according to the Marshall News Messenger.

Justice of the Peace James Mathis said Coignard was shot "multiple times," according to the Marshall News Messenger.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/texas-police-shoot-kill-teen

More of the story that TPM did not cover.

1. Due to the media 'bad cop' firestorm, Anonymous has attacked our city and police department's websites and plan a protest in town.
2. Autopsy initial results came out today, she was shot 4 times (apparently by 3 officers).
3. Her guardian (not sure if it a step-mom as her mother died when she was 4) went to Think Progress not even a day after the incident screaming of police brutality and talking about her daughter's mental condition. She is riling up the local Organizing For America chapter (same folks who have been rabble-rowsing in town for a while) to have an anti-police protest.
4. The kid was pretty messed up. Involved in some weird alien cult stuff. Her last posting on Facebook a few days before the incident was a strange cryptic image posted below. (translate as you will)
5. She had attempted suicide several times before and was heavily medicated.
6. She supposedly had dropped out of school at 16.







All of that being said, this was a poor, messed up kid who probably committed suicide by cop. I don't know if someone needs to look into the cult pages or groups she was a part of but that may be something to check.

Not only did the police officers in the office have the right to defend themselves, they had the obligation to defend the other civilians in that office (it was in the public lobby).

Every site so far has been tearing into the cops, they should have done this or that. Police officers in town who are my good friends are being trashed because of this and harassed by people not even from town.

[ABX]

This is her facebook page (confirmed, not a fake). Yes, a little 17 year old girl, but one with the intention to kill or harm others based on her actions.

https://www.facebook.com/kristiana.coignard.58?fref=ts

[rangerrebew]

I worked with kids such as she for over 25 years.  There were many of them who I would not have hesitated to permanently stop if they came at with a weapon and I had one.  Age has no effect on the mean nature of people.

[ABX]

I worked with kids such as she for over 25 years.  There were many of them who I would not have hesitated to permanently stop if they came at with a weapon and I had one.  Age has no effect on the mean nature of people.

The mom of one of the cops I know on Facebook posted, then took it down (probably was asked not to reveal it yet) that they did try to taze her, and talk her down but she was screaming wildly and swinging the knife at people. In addition to her normal mental state, I wonder if she was hopped up on drugs? 

I am just so pissed reading the reaction to this and now Anonymous is attacking our city's web. All these arm chair quarterbacks would probably have a panic attack faced with the same situation.

Some of the suggestions I've seen include:

Shoot the knife out of her hand. (Annie Oakley apparently wasn't available)
Mace her (remember this is a closed lobby full of civilians).
Taze her (common suggestion, they may have tried)
Kick the knife out of her hand (Jackie Chan was not available for comment)
Hit her with a chair.
Throw a blanket over her.
Pray with her.
Send her positive vibrations.

[GourmetDan]

 
#WhiteLivesMatter...

[sinkspur]

Sorry. Three cops (and many more than that were in the police station) couldn't bring this girl down without shooting her? 

The willingness of LEOs to use lethal force today is simply astounding.  Everybody's a threat, even one kid with three (and more) big ole East Texas boys around her.

My nephew is an officer with the same force in the Mid-Cities in between Dallas and Fort Worth and has been with them for 16 years. He's never come close to shooting anybody.

Over what period of time did this happen?  Did they confront her and then 2 minutes later she was shot?

Looking at the girl, she probably weighed all of 90 pounds. Three big guys couldn't figure out a way to bring her down? 

I just don't believe that.

[ABX]

Sorry. Three cops (and many more than that were in the police station) couldn't bring this girl down without shooting her? 

The willingness of LEOs to use lethal force today is simply astounding.  Everybody's a threat, even one kid with three (and more) big ole East Texas boys around her.

My nephew is an officer with the same force in the Mid-Cities in between Dallas and Fort Worth and has been with them for 16 years. He's never come close to shooting anybody.

Over what period of time did this happen?  Did they confront her and then 2 minutes later she was shot?

Looking at the girl, she probably weighed all of 90 pounds. Three big guys couldn't figure out a way to bring her down? 

I just don't believe that.

So how many people in the lobby did she have to injure or kill while they 'figured it out'? 

[sinkspur]

So how many people in the lobby did she have to injure or kill while they 'figured it out'?

How many people were in the lobby? There's nothing in the story about people in the lobby.

I'm sure these cops will be cleared, just like every other cop that shoots somebody is cleared. I hope their consciences are clear. Mine wouldn't be.

A scrawny girl scares three big cops into killing her?

This stuff is getting out of hand.

Cops shoot because they CAN and they know they'll get away with it.

[sinkspur]

So how many people in the lobby did she have to injure or kill while they 'figured it out'?

Over what period of time did this happen?

[sinkspur]

So how many people in the lobby did she have to injure or kill while they 'figured it out'?

You didn't tell us this was the THIRD lethal police shooting in Longview, a town of about 60,000 people, in the PAST YEAR.

"Quick on the trigger" would be an understatement for Longview cops.

[aligncare]

Quite a difference here from Ferguson ....

Not being there it's hard to say whether they were justified in shooting. On its face, seem that something else could've been done.

[ABX]

You didn't tell us this was the THIRD lethal police shooting in Longview, a town of about 60,000 people, in the PAST YEAR.

"Quick on the trigger" would be an understatement for Longview cops.

Actually, closer to 100K people now, 89K as of the last census and we have incorporated a lot of land in the past decade.
One shooting, a guy was pulled over and pulled a gun on a police officer. This was a guy who had threatened to shoot police officers in the past.  (Reagan Wagner case)
Second shooting was a 15 year old illegal, Justin Aguilar who opened fire on police when he tried to rob a convenience store.

Quick on the trigger, yea right. All three cases would be justifiable use of lethal force by ANY citizen, not just law enforcement.

[ABX]

How many people were in the lobby? There's nothing in the story about people in the lobby.

It was before 6:30 on a weeknight, it would have been packed with people paying tickets and such before the cashier window closed, and from witness accounts, it was. She not only threatened police officers but everyone in that lobby.

The police station is also right next door to a public library and across the street from a children's 'safety city' park.

[truth_seeker]

Cops shoot because they CAN and they know they'll get away with it.

I think the cops shoot to kill, because that is how they have been trained, and how they are equipped.

Cops need better non-lethal equipment and training, for the range of situations.

In my town cops were not charged, when they shot a teenage girl with a knife at a schoolyard location.

[sinkspur]

It was before 6:30 on a weeknight, it would have been packed with people paying tickets and such before the cashier window closed, and from witness accounts, it was. She not only threatened police officers but everyone in that lobby.

The police station is also right next door to a public library and across the street from a children's 'safety city' park.

I've been in police stations and they are rarely "packed with people."  There may have been people in the lobby, but I'm betting not many.

Oh, I'm sure the cops will be cleared. They always are. Most of the time, they should be.  The fact that the Texas Rangers are investigating this means the political leadership in Longview know that they can't do an investigation themselves without appearing tainted.

There were three cops in that lobby and not a level head among them. Cops ALWAYS go for their guns because they know they can and odds are they'll be cleared.

[mountaineer]

Cops ALWAYS go for their guns because they know they can

Oh, well, if you say so. 

[ABX]

Oh, I'm sure the cops will be cleared. They always are. Most of the time, they should be.  The fact that the Texas Rangers are investigating this means the political leadership in Longview know that they can't do an investigation themselves without appearing tainted.

Actually, the Texas Rangers are involved because they are required to investigate all incidents like this. It is one of their functions.

[sinkspur]

Actually, the Texas Rangers are involved because they are required to investigate all incidents like this. It is one of their functions.

Not true. They investigate when they are specifically ASKED to investigate.  They cannot step into a jurisdiction uninvited. 

Three police shootings in Fort Worth last year and the Texas Rangers didn't investigate any of them.

[Bigun]

Not true. They investigate when they are specifically ASKED to investigate.  They cannot step into a jurisdiction uninvited. 

Three police shootings in Fort Worth last year and the Texas Rangers didn't investigate any of them.

In the State of Texas the Rangers can go anywhere they feel the need to go and the do not need any invitations!

[ABX]

In the State of Texas the Rangers can go anywhere they feel the need to go and the do not need any invitations!

Exactly, and investigating officer involved duties is right there listed in statement of responsibilities. Just because the media may not have reported their involvement in certain cases doesn't mean they weren't involved.  http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/TexasRangers/

[sinkspur]

In the State of Texas the Rangers can go anywhere they feel the need to go and the do not need any invitations!

Local law enforcement agencies or city political officials will invite the Rangers to investigate or cooperate alongside their own agencies. But I have never heard of a case where the Rangers are involved without the express invitation of the municipality or county or agency.

Investigations of crimes are the responsibility of the law enforcement agency where the crime occurred. The Rangers do not intervene unless asked.

[sinkspur]

Exactly, and investigating officer involved duties is right there listed in statement of responsibilities. Just because the media may not have reported their involvement in certain cases doesn't mean they weren't involved.  http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/TexasRangers/

So, in your view, the Texas Rangers can simply take over a case from a city police department? On what grounds do they do this?

[Lando Lincoln]

Per wikipedia:

The duties of the Texas Ranger Division consist of conducting criminal and special investigations; apprehending wanted felons; suppressing major disturbances; the protection of life and property; and rendering assistance to local law enforcement in suppressing crime and violence. The Texas Ranger Division is also responsible for the gathering and dissemination of criminal intelligence pertaining to all facets of organized crime. The Texas Ranger Division joins with all other enforcement agencies in the suppression of the same; under orders of the Director, suppress all criminal activity in any given area, when it is apparent that the local officials are unwilling or unable to maintain law and order; also upon the request or order of a judge of a court of record, Texas Rangers may serve as officers of the court and assist in the maintenance of decorum, the protection of life, and the preservation of property during any judicial proceeding; and provide protection for elected officials at public functions and at any other time or place when directed. The Texas Rangers, with the approval of the Director, may conduct investigations of any alleged misconduct on the part of other Department of Public Safety personnel.[38]

From my phone - if you need the link, I will follow up later.

[Charlespg]

aren't the police taught disarming techniques ?

[sinkspur]

aren't the police taught disarming techniques ?

When you have a gun, everything is a mortal threat.