Police kill transgender man who gained viral fame last year with dog

[flowers]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/02/06/police-kill-transgender-man-who-gained-viral-fame-last-year-with-dog/

Arizona police shot and killed a transgender man who gained viral fame last year after uploading a video showing his service dog calming him during a meltdown.

The 24-year-old, who had Asperger’s syndrome, was legally known as Danielle Jacobs, but identified as Kayden Clarke and hoped to transition from female to male, friends told the Arizona Republic. Police were at his home Thursday morning after being alerted to a suicidal email he had sent out, according to the Associated Press.

A pair of officers tried to talk to Clarke through an open doorway as a third officer retrieved a “less-than-lethal option,” a Mesa police spokesman said Friday, according to video uploaded by the Republic. Clarke came to the door with a large kitchen knife in hand, said the spokesman, who referred to Clarke as a woman.

[A year of reckoning: Police fatally shoot nearly 1,000]

“She lunged, extending the knife towards the officers from a very close distance,” Detective Esteban Flores said. “The officers felt threatened at that point,” and so they shot him. Clarke was taken to a hospital but did not survive, the Republic reported.

[truth_seeker]

Very big question mark for me, that police "had" to kill this human. Too bad anyway.

[flowers]

Very big question mark for me, that police "had" to kill this human. Too bad anyway.

they got a tip about a suicide email. one would think they would have had tazers not guns at the ready?

[mountaineer]

She "hoped to transition, " but let's call her "he" anyway. 

[flowers]

She "hoped to transition, " but let's call her "he" anyway. 

"dead" is the description now for this one. 

[sinkspur]

Very big question mark for me, that police "had" to kill this human. Too bad anyway.

Cops shoot. It's what they do.

[sinkspur]

She "hoped to transition, " but let's call her "he" anyway. 

Which, of course, is completely beside the point.

[truth_seeker]

Cops shoot. It's what they do.

That is a very big downside of contact with law enforcement. My BIL played his frequent gig, at a local tavern in Murrieta Calif. a few nights ago. He left around midnight, for about 2 mile drive home.

He does not drink or use drugs, but does a fantastic Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute.

He goes a short distance, and is pulled over. He asks the officer why. Officer tells him things are going downhill. My BIL said he thought at that moment, his life might be in danger.

Anyway it resulted in no citation, but a warning to not ask too many questions.

[240B]

I have heard stories like this all my life. Somebody becomes suicidal. Someone (parents, wife, boyfriend/girlfriend) calls the cops. Cops show up and shoot.

Anytime you are in contact with police, no matter what for, there is a chance you will get shot, and there is a chance you will go to jail. Another ironic case which is fairly common, is parents will call the cops on their son/daughter because they are acting up. The cops show up, and very bad things follow.

There should be an unarmed division of the police that acts as more of a counselor than a cop, to respond to suicide and other domestic calls which are not criminal. If you get a regular cop on the scene, they only know two things. Shoot them, or take them to jail. That is what they do.

[Wingnut]

The cops show up, and very bad things follow.

Amen.  I learned at a very young age that there is no situation that cannot be made worse until the police are involved. 
Rule 1. Never talk to the police unless absolutely necessary. 
Rule 2. Never ever talk to the press. Ever.

[mountaineer]

Which, of course, is completely beside the point.

Please describe the point, then. The writer of the article seems to have thought the person's sexual confusion significant,  or it wouldn't have been highlighted.