Cops on stakeout see 12-year-old kid running with a toy gun, and shoot him dead

[悪魔天]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2007/nov/07/7west/

West Memphis police officer Erik Sammis did not violate 12-year-old DeAuntae Farrow’s civil rights when he killed the child on June 22, the Department of Justice has concluded.

“After careful consideration, we concluded that the evidence does not establish a prosecutable violation of the federal criminal civil rights statutes,” Mark J. Kappelhoff, chief of the Criminal Section of the department’s Civil Rights Division, wrote in a letter dated Oct. 31.
Sammis shot DeAuntae when the boy and a friend ran by Sammis and another officer, Jimmy Ellis, who were on a stakeout at an apartment complex.
Police have said Sammis fired when it appeared DeAuntae was holding a weapon and moved after officers told them to stop.
Police said it turned out to be a toy gun that was taken into evidence. Police Chief Robert Paudert showed a reporter a photograph of it this afternoon.
Arkansas State Police also investigated the shooting; their conclusions, if they have reached any, have not been made public.
The state police will not take the Justice Department decision into account in making its determination, Paudert said.

 

[knowsbleed]

Ok...your limit on weirded out and depressing news threads has been reached for today.

 

[悪魔天]

Ok...Two a day it is.

 

[Obi-Ron]

West Memphis police officer Erik Sammis did not violate 12-year-old DeAuntae Farrow’s civil rights when he killed the child on June 22, the Department of Justice has concluded.

I'm sure the Farrow family is relieved to hear this.

 

[Superhobo]

What in the blue hell is going on with police this year? Am I the only one who's noticed this, or what?

 

[xisaacx]

parents shouldnt let their kids play with guns

 

[Jerry!]

What in the blue hell is going on with police this year? Am I the only one who's noticed this, or what?

These kind of incidents happen every year. Imagine the stuff that isn't known about.

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

That is sad,you should never shoot someone.Police should know the difference.

 

[lollycop]

There are no such things as cops.

 

[Zero_Vault]

There's more to this story than what meets the eye.

 

[Matt]

That is sad,you should never shoot someone.Police should know the difference.

Its tragic, but the fact is, sometimes you just can't tell. I'm guessing it was dark. I really doubt the cop set out to kill a 12 year old. But when you are putting your life on the line and you make a split second decision that can determine whether you live or die...well, who are we to second guess his decision? Its sad...really...it is, but I really don't think the cop is responsible.

 

[AhabTheArab]

Its tragic, but the fact is, sometimes you just can't tell. I'm guessing it was dark. I really doubt the cop set out to kill a 12 year old. But when you are putting your life on the line and you make a split second decision that can determine whether you live or die...well, who are we to second guess his decision? Its sad...really...it is, but I really don't think the cop is responsible.

and imagine that on your conscience... every day... every time you wake up....

 

[Matt]

and imagine that on your conscience... every day... every time you wake up....

Yep. That guy is going to be suffering more than enough without losing his job to boot.

 

[twylight]

You know what's even sicker about this? We have regular shoot outs on the border with drug dealers and the Border Patrol is only allowed to use rubber bullets... They're on a stakeout with the possibility of not even having to use their weapons and they get real bullets.

*rants*

I hope to God that he sees that child's face every time he closes his eyes.

 

[Matt]

You know what's even sicker about this? We have regular shoot outs on the border with drug dealers and the Border Patrol is only allowed to use rubber bullets... They're on a stakeout with the possibility of not even having to use their weapons and they get real bullets.

*rants*

I hope to God that he sees that child's face every time he closes his eyes.

I think there is an inherrant difference. Drug dealers on the border are a minimal occurence and not nearly as much as the media portrays. Most people trying to cross the border are simple illegal immigrants. Lower class Mexican citizens looking for work. A lot of them won't stop if you pull a gun on them. You can't shoot them for that. Rubber bullets are a good alternative. Not to mention there ARE special teams that use live fire arms for major shoot outs on the border.

This guy on the other hand was a cop on stake out who was faced with a split second decision. It could've been a suspect just as easily. And I'm sure you don't need to wish that on him as he probably will.

 

[twylight]

I think there is an inherrant difference. Drug dealers on the border are a minimal occurence and not nearly as much as the media portrays. Most people trying to cross the border are simple illegal immigrants. Lower class Mexican citizens looking for work. A lot of them won't stop if you pull a gun on them. You can't shoot them for that. Rubber bullets are a good alternative. Not to mention there ARE special teams that use live fire arms for major shoot outs on the border.

This guy on the other hand was a cop on stake out who was faced with a split second decision. It could've been a suspect just as easily. And I'm sure you don't need to wish that on him as he probably will.

...I don't watch the news, all I know is what I see and what I hear. I don't know what part of the country you live in but I live 15 miles from the border and have a Border Patrol Station in town, and I hear and see plenty of things, there are areas in the surrounding area that Border Patrol tells us to stay away from.

He acted with a split second reaction, but it was a child, is the world so jaded that he'd rather save his own life than risk killing a potential innocent?

 

[Kritish]

You know what's even sicker about this? We have regular shoot outs on the border with drug dealers and the Border Patrol is only allowed to use rubber bullets... They're on a stakeout with the possibility of not even having to use their weapons and they get real bullets.

*rants*

I hope to God that he sees that child's face every time he closes his eyes.

That's because of the socio-ethnocentric special interests groups. They'd rather protect the criminals *cough* illegals *cough* then protect the officers.

 

[Matt]

...I don't watc the news, all I know is what I see and what I hear. I don't know what part of the country you live in but I live 15 miles from the border and have a Border Patrol Station in town.

He acted with a split second reaction, but it was a child, is the world so jaded that he'd rather save his own life than risk killing a potential innocent?

Be fair. We don't know much about the stake out. What he was staking out or who the suspect was. For all we knew the suspect who was targeted had a violent record. May have been believed to be armed. Yes, it is sad. But isn't he innocent too? What about his wife and kids who would have to live without a husband and father if he was killed in the line of duty? What about his partner mentioned in the article. Doesn't his safety matter? He saw a possible suspect with a gun and did what he is trained to do. Neutralize the target. It is tragic as hell. But I doubt he knew the kid was 12 or knew it was a toy gun. I'm guessing it was dark and he saw a silloutte with a gun. The article states that ordered the suspect to drop it and he did not listen. What would you have done?

 

[ShadowBoxing]

This story isn't nearly as bad when you realize they were on a stakeout to catch George "Baby Face" Nelson

 

[bullets]

was the gun even pointed at the officers?

 

[Matt]

It doesn't matter. Police are trained to use force one step above what the suspect is using. In otherwords, if they see a gun, they are trained to take two shots to the center mass and one to the head.

 

[Sloth7d]

I want to know why the picture of the gun hasn't been released. Maybe it didn't look that similar to a toy after all. Ugh, these cops make me sick.

 

[bullets]

i guess this is good practice in case of the real thing.

 

[twylight]

Be fair. We don't know much about the stake out. What he was staking out or who the suspect was. For all we knew the suspect who was targeted had a violent record. May have been believed to be armed. Yes, it is sad. But isn't he innocent too? What about his wife and kids who would have to live without a husband and father if he was killed in the line of duty? What about his partner mentioned in the article. Doesn't his safety matter? He saw a possible suspect with a gun and did what he is trained to do. Neutralize the target. It is tragic as hell. But I doubt he knew the kid was 12 or knew it was a toy gun. I'm guessing it was dark and he saw a silloutte with a gun. The article states that ordered the suspect to drop it and he did not listen. What would you have done?

I take an old fashioned to things like that, when you're in any public service, you put the lives of those you serve above yours. If there could be any reasonable doubt as to the guilt of someone you don't take the shot.

As for not stopping, it's a 12 year old kid. We don't know what was going on, but to be honest if some strange man with a gun who *might* have been in civilian clothes told me to stop, I sure the heck wouldn't. Even if he was in an identifiable police uniform, do you really think a 12 year old would stop if asked? he gets bossed around enough at school and home, I'm nod condoning him not listening, but it's a kid. *shrugs*

If anything it's a lesson to children to listen. But at the same time, I feel the officer should have used more caution.

Another question I have about it, is *if* the child was running by, which I read as 'past' why were they stopping him? Didn't they have enough data on the situation to be able to tell if the child was a part of whatever they were staking out? Why break cover over a child?

 

[bullets]

I want to know why the picture of the gun hasn't been released. Maybe it didn't look that similar to a toy after all. Ugh, these cops make me sick.

if it was a super-soaker , that'd be funny and horrible.