Latest In A Long Series Of Murders By American Policemen

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34926104

"Officer Jason Van Dyke has been charged with first-degree murder"

This time the murderer has been caught on dash cam ! Is it any wonder that the black American public are losing confidence in their Police !

[Mosaic]

Baldric, is that standard issue for that police force?

[Mamyalynne]

I beg your pardon have listened to the statement again....


// There was a brief pause and the officer saw he was preparing to reload his weapon//


I hope fervently the right decision is reached.

[Baldric]

Mosaic, Sorry, Don't know, but it's not an uncommon spec for a hand gun

https://uk.search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A9mSs2tnL1dWGK0AYqlLBQx.;_ylc=X1MDMjExNDcxNzAwMwRfcgMyBGZyA21jYWZlZQRncHJpZAN0dS5WLmRBQ1NJcXppVVZQLm1HU3RBBG5fcnNsdAMwBG5fc3VnZwMxMARvcmlnaW4DdWsuc2VhcmNoLnlhaG9vLmNvbQRwb3MDMQRwcXN0cgNoYW5kZ3VuBHBxc3RybAM3BHFzdHJsAzI2BHF1ZXJ5A2hhbmRndW5zIDE1IHJvdW5kIG1hZ2F6aW5lBHRfc3RtcAMxNDQ4NTU1NDA5?p=handguns+15+round+magazine&fr2=sa-gp-uk.search&fr=mcafee&type=C211GB691D20151119

[Baldric]

///Latest In A Long Series Of Murders By American Policemen///

Doesn't quite tie in with ...

///The shooting of Laquan McDonald occurred on October 20, 2014, in Chicago, Illinois. McDonald, a 17-year-old African-American, was shot 16 times by Chicago Police ...///

does it?

[jackthehat]

It is the *latest* one of which we have heard......even if it isn't the *latest* one chronologically.

[Baldric]

Nothing to do with someone not reading the links he posts then?

[Mamyalynne]

The footage was only released on Tuesday, so it understandably one of the 'latest' regarding talking points.

[Bazile]

//Mr Van Dyke has said through his lawyer and police union he had feared for his life //

Mr McDonald had been carrying a knife when he was stopped by police in 2014 but had not been threatening them or moving towards them

I don't see how this can be anything other than an execution .

[Mosaic]

In the footage that I watched, I was curious why the youth was walking in amongst the traffic (seemed to be). Does anyone know how the incident came about?

[sp1814]

Just want to clarify something. Did the officer have a gun that is capable of firing off sixteen shots in one go?

And if so, was he about to reload after those sixteen shots?

I ask because after making someone dead, you can't actually make them more dead.

It's a pretty final state.

[retrocop]

Was the knife not in his hand with the folding blade open then? I don't know because I wasn't there but I can' think why he should carry an open bladed knife in the street?? Sharpening pencils do you think ?

[jackthehat]

I don't think there is any doubt that McDonald was carrying an open-blade. But in doing so he was not presenting and threat to either Officers or the public.

Officer Van Dyke, from reading the reports, seems to have pulled up, got out of his patrol-car and almost instantly opened fire.

[shoota]

//A post-mortem examination showed McDonald had been shot at least twice in the back, and had hallucinogenic drugs in his system.//

//Chicago police say McDonald threatened officers with a knife and slashed the tyres and windows of a patrol car.//

//Officer Van Dyke fired the shots six seconds after arriving.//

So you arrive on scene to find a drug fuelled, knife wielding youth who has already threatened Police and damaged a vehicle walking down the middle of the road in your direction and towards other officers, you get out of the vehicle, wait for six seconds (a long time, count it) during which you may shout something along the lines of 'Drop the knife or you may be shot' which elicits no compliance. What would you do?

[Mamyalynne]

Stop shooting once he hit the deck.

[shoota]

Only if he was totally incapacitated when he hit the deck.
9mm service rounds don't carry much stopping power - that's why they have large capacity magazines.

[mikey4444]

Retro. I have just come in from work. In response to your post at 10:44, its not up to me to decide that this Officer over-reacted or not. As it happens, I and many others here on this thread think he did.

But much more importantly, the authorities have come to the same conclusion, which is why he has been charged with first degree murder.

And for the life of me, I can't see the relevance of this murder being committed over a years ago, unless its to question why it has taken those same authorities such a long time to decide the charge the Officer. Perhaps the dash cam evidence has only recently come to light

Its now up to a Jury to decide if Mr Van Dyke is guilty or not.

[Mamyalynne]

So - You shoot him , he hits the deck and suddenly you fear he has turned into an Olympic standard javelin thrower who will launch the knife at you.


Ok.

[Mamyalynne]

Absolutely Mikey - we'll see.