Nevada student, 14, who swung a knife at his classmates before being shot by police 'was bullied for days before he snapped and attacked his friends'

[sneakypete]

No questions just a straight up statement. The only thing you can say with confidence is that you are pretty certain that is how you MIGHT have reacted. You do not have either the right or the ability to speak for anyone else, much less your self in EVERY situation. Now you can be as cocky as you want but the facts are just that no on knows how they will react in EVERY situation.

@bolobaby   @verga

Previous behavior in multiple situations and circumstances is a pretty accurate indication of how anyone will act when once again put in similar situations.

You either have character,or you don't. Period.

[bolobaby]

"I have been trained to deal with potentially dangerous situations. I'm proud to have stood with truly brave men while serving in the infantry. I can tell you with confidence that none of the soldiers I worked with would have shot this kid. They would have gladly gone into hand to hand with him"

Another real life arm chair Rambo, I'm impressed.......

@Hot Tabasco

Are you just calling someone who actually served in the military as an infantryman an "arm chair(sic) Rambo?"

That's gonna earn you an immediate ignore and this is the first time I've ever seen your handle.

[bolobaby]

No questions just a straight up statement. The only thing you can say with confidence is that you are pretty certain that is how you MIGHT have reacted. You do not have either the right or the ability to speak for anyone else, much less your self in EVERY situation. Now you can be as cocky as you want but the facts are just that no on knows how they will react in EVERY situation.

@verga

True, but with training comes some measure of confidence. I've seen it countless times in the military. Instead of panic, a mind-clearing calm comes over you which allows you to properly assess the situation and make the right move.

As far as the right or ability to speak for others: I can say how we WANT cops to act in this situation. If they are failing to act in a reasonable manner, then their training should be altered.

You are correct that even with the proper training, you may not react in the desired manner, but - in this case and others similar to it - I've seen enough to say, with some measure of confidence, that we are teaching cops to be "always agressive" and to shoot too soon.

[driftdiver]

Yea, just one.  Since you and your fellow rambos  would rather go hand to hand combat with the kid, what ya gonna do when the kid is able to launch his own  knife attack on a helpless student within his range while you or your fellow rambos decide to engage him instead of shoot him?

Isn't hindsight and armchair quarterbacking a wonderful thing?  Under those conditions you never lose..........LOL!

@Hot Tabasco

We know the cops are trained to view every single person they meet as a threat.  We know they are told that it's a war out there.   We also know both of those views are false.

Yes there are bad people.  The good outnumber them by a wide wide margin.  The use of deadly force should be an absolute last option.   Instead it's the first option.    Life and people aren't binary decision trees.    Pepper spray or taser would have stopped this kid.    He wasn't a hardened gang member.   He's a desperate kid backed into a corner and the adults in that school have failed him.   

[verga]

@Hot Tabasco

Are you just calling someone who actually served in the military as an infantryman an "arm chair(sic) Rambo?"

That's gonna earn you an immediate ignore and this is the first time I've ever seen your handle.

Well the fact that you called a member of the law enforcement community a coward without actually being on the scene might have something to do with it. BTW you never addressed the issue of people not being a thread until they actually snap and go over the edge.
Not that I was actually expecting you to. Perhaps if you don't like the term armchair Rambo, you might like Monday morning quarterback better. As me I am waiting for all the evidence to be in. 

[bolobaby]

Well the fact that you called a member of the law enforcement community a coward without actually being on the scene might have something to do with it. BTW you never addressed the issue of people not being a thread until they actually snap and go over the edge.
Not that I was actually expecting you to. Perhaps if you don't like the term armchair Rambo, you might like Monday morning quarterback better. As me I am waiting for all the evidence to be in. 

@verga

That kid had already snapped in his own way. I can assure you that, when the cops arrived, he was already in a threatening posture and the cops had already assumed a defensive posture. (The surrounding kids, not so much. I guess they didn't quite feel threatened by this kid's antics.)

So let's think about this for a second, shall we?

I'm the cop. I arrive with my partner on scene where a scrawny kid is dancing around with a couple of knives like a Darth Maul wannabe, but doing so in such a spastic manner that other kids are circled about to watch and maybe even taunt him a bit.

Step one, as we are walking/running up: "Joe, draw your firearm just in case. I'm getting out my taser. Let me deploy first."
Step two, with a command voice: "Any kid that isn't in that parking lot (way) *over there* in the next 20 seconds will get arrested after this is over. MOVE! Teachers - get these kids out of here, now."
Step three, in a calm voice: "Hey kid, whatever you doing isn't worth it. Tell me what's wrong."

If he's talking there is probably no need to go beyond step three. We could talk for hours

Step four, if I can't get him talking: Tase.
Step five, if the taser doesn't work: Physical subdual if I think I can get away with it.
Step six, only if there is an *immediate* threat of bodily harm: Shoot.

Shooting is the last resort.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Why are we still arguing about this?


The kid is still alive right?

[driftdiver]

Why are we still arguing about this?


The kid is still alive right?

As really asinine statement.     

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

As really asinine statement.   

This coming from a Trump supporter. 

[driftdiver]

This coming from a Trump supporter. 

Yes you have no defense for a heartless unthinking comment so you go on the attack. 

There are other options besides use of deadly force in most situations.    Cheering the shooting of a kid like this is despicable.   

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Yes you have no defense for a heartless unthinking comment so you go on the attack. 

There are other options besides use of deadly force in most situations.    Cheering the shooting of a kid like this is despicable.

The kid is swinging the knife around like a maniac, he was shot, and he's alive.


Period. I'm not upset about this, Trump-licker.

[catfish1957]

The kid is swinging the knife around like a maniac, he was shot, and he's alive.


Period. I'm not upset about this, Trump-licker.

Aren't these guys assigned tasers?
Sad event.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Aren't these guys assigned tasers?
Sad event.

That is a good question.


But the kid could die from a taser too, right? At least he's still alive.


If he was black nobody would be arguing that he shouldn't have been shot IMO.

[driftdiver]

Aren't these guys assigned tasers?
Sad event.

OR pepper spray.    The kid wouldn't  have been hurt and the risk to those surrounding kids would have been significantly less.

[driftdiver]

The kid is swinging the knife around like a maniac, he was shot, and he's alive.


Period. I'm not upset about this, Trump-licker.

You're making Trump look like a sane guy with morals.   That takes some real effort.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

You're making Trump look like a sane guy with morals.   That takes some real effort.

Nobody could do that, Trump-licker.

[driftdiver]

Nobody could do that, Trump-licker.

Oh you're doing an outstanding job of it.  The first rule of being in over your head,  stop digging.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Oh you're doing an outstanding job of it.  The first rule of being in over your head,  stop digging.

If you say so. I have no problem with what happened to this kid.


If he was black he'd be dead IMO.

[driftdiver]

@verga

That kid had already snapped in his own way. I can assure you that, when the cops arrived, he was already in a threatening posture and the cops had already assumed a defensive posture. (The surrounding kids, not so much. I guess they didn't quite feel threatened by this kid's antics.)

So let's think about this for a second, shall we?

I'm the cop. I arrive with my partner on scene where a scrawny kid is dancing around with a couple of knives like a Darth Maul wannabe, but doing so in such a spastic manner that other kids are circled about to watch and maybe even taunt him a bit.

Step one, as we are walking/running up: "Joe, draw your firearm just in case. I'm getting out my taser. Let me deploy first."
Step two, with a command voice: "Any kid that isn't in that parking lot (way) *over there* in the next 20 seconds will get arrested after this is over. MOVE! Teachers - get these kids out of here, now."
Step three, in a calm voice: "Hey kid, whatever you doing isn't worth it. Tell me what's wrong."

If he's talking there is probably no need to go beyond step three. We could talk for hours

Step four, if I can't get him talking: Tase.
Step five, if the taser doesn't work: Physical subdual if I think I can get away with it.
Step six, only if there is an *immediate* threat of bodily harm: Shoot.

Shooting is the last resort.

@bolobaby

The cop wouldn't have earned a notch on his gun if he followed your method.   

[driftdiver]

If you say so. I have no problem with what happened to this kid.


If he was black he'd be dead IMO.

Cmon man you're better then this.  You've thrown out the Trump card and the race card.   How pathetic do you really want to be today?

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Cmon man you're better then this.  You've thrown out the Trump card and the race card.   How pathetic do you really want to be today?

If this was a black kid swinging a knife around, you don't think people would react differently?


I think he would have been killed, personally. This kid got off easy.

[sneakypete]

Well the fact that you called a member of the law enforcement community a coward without actually being on the scene might have something to do with it. BTW you never addressed the issue of people not being a thread until they actually snap and go over the edge.
Not that I was actually expecting you to. Perhaps if you don't like the term armchair Rambo, you might like Monday morning quarterback better. As me I am waiting for all the evidence to be in.

@vera

What do YOU call a man armed with pepper spray,a taser,and an autoloading pistol,that goes to the autoloading pistol to shoot a skinny 14  year old kid with two knives that obviously doesn't know how to fight or use them,and isn't even advancing on him,"hero brother cop"?

It's well PAST the time for people to wake up and call cops that do crap like this the cowards they are. Just like the current cop mantra of "the only thing that matters is WE get to go home at night" in the national anthem of cowards. You are hired to protect the PUBLIC,and to put the lives of the PUBLIC  ahead of your own in importance. If you are not willing to do this,hitch up your Big Boy Panties,admit you are punks,and hand in your badges.

[sneakypete]

Why are we still arguing about this?


The kid is still alive right?

@Weird Tolkienish Figure

ONLY because the cop was a lousy shot,and the kids that were standing behind him when the cop shot are only alive to do luck. You do NOT fire when there are innocents in the background when faced with a potential assailant that is only armed with a knife. ESPECIALLY not when you have pepper spray and a taser.

[sneakypete]

That is a good question.


But the kid could die from a taser too, right? At least he's still alive.


If he was black nobody would be arguing that he shouldn't have been shot IMO.

@Weird Tolkienish Figure

So desperate you have to drag out the Race Card?

Seriously?

WTF did the kids race to have with anything?

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

@Weird Tolkienish Figure

ONLY because the cop was a lousy shot,and the kids that were standing behind him when the cop shot are only alive to do luck. You do NOT fire when there are innocents in the background when faced with a potential assailant that is only armed with a knife. ESPECIALLY not when you have pepper spray and a taser.

Apparently you do fire if you think he's endangering people. We'll see how the system treats this. My guess is it that it will side with the cop, especially since the kid is still alive.