someone who i knew got killed by police

[jesseu2]

I don't know whether this should be here or in FYM but mods, put it where it belongs........

I just gotta say i am shocked this happened to a great cool guy, just found out couple hours ago that his girlfriend pissed him off to the point that the police came an were attacked by a chair, not a GUN but a CHAIR....i'm just appalled the police didn't use a baton instead of a damn gun, or is it the fact that the police were racist because he was black? i would go to macayo's (a mexican restaurant) and he'd say hello, an he'd help me unlock/lock my bike cuz i sometimes need help do to my abilities, i considered him a cool guy, i never met and don't know about his girlfriend tho cuz i heard he egged him on a lot.... i'm just beyond words now. I only knew him from the restaurant but it still hurts a bit that he's gone.

J.D.: It was nice knowing you man, have a good one up there.

Suspect shot, killed after Mesa officer attacked

Senta Scarborough
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 31, 2006 08:15 AM

A Mesa police officer shot to death a 35-year-old man early Friday after the man struck him in the head with a plastic chair, authorities said.

Police officers had moments earlier used pepper spray on the man, who reportedly was combative and not following commands, and thought they had him subdued when one of the officers went to handcuff the suspect, a police spokesman said.

Instead, the man allegedly grabbed a plastic chair and hit the officer, who lost his balance in the process. Police said the officer pulled out his gun, instructed the man to stop and, when the man picked up a second chair and came at him, opened fire.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer was treated at a Valley hospital and released later Friday morning. No names were immediately released.

The incident began about 2:25 a.m. after Mesa police were called to an apartment complex near Alma School Road and University Boulevard on reports of a man and woman screaming in the parking lot.

The police spokesman said the first officer on the scene spotted a man running through the complex. The officer called for backup after the man appeared combative, leading to the eventual deadly confrontation.

 

[jesseu2]

I did hear of 4 kids but not with the current woman, no taser guns? what the hell.. i hate police now, dammit.

Mesa officer, hit by chair, fatally shoots man during domestic call

Senta Scarborough
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 1, 2006 12:00 AM

A Mesa police officer who said he feared for his safety shot to death a 35-year-old man early Friday after the man struck him in the head with a chair and attempted to attack him again, police said.

Police officers had just used pepper spray on James Deon Lennox, who they say had been "extremely confrontational." They thought the suspect had calmed down enough for an officer to handcuff and detain him during a domestic dispute call, officials said.

When Officer David Kohler approached him, Lennox grabbed a hard plastic chair and struck Kohler in the head and threw the chair to the ground, police said. The suspect then picked up a second chair and came at Kohler, who fired his gun.

"At that point, he felt his life was threatened and he fired at the suspect and the suspect was hit," Mesa police Sgt. Chuck Trapani said.

Lennox, of Mesa, was pronounced dead at the scene. Kohler, a 16-year veteran and Central patrol district community action team officer, suffered minor head injuries and abrasions and bruising on his face. He was treated at Banner Desert Medical Center and released Friday morning.

Mesa's first officer-involved shooting this year began as a domestic disturbance call about 2:17 a.m. Police were called to the Rosewood Villas Apartments at 210 N. Alma School Road after neighbors heard a man and woman screaming, Trapani said.

The first officer on the scene spotted a man running southbound from the parking lot into the apartment complex's common area. The officer contacted the 6-foot-1, 250-pound Lennox, who orally threatened to assault him, Trapani said.

The officer then requested backup. When Kohler and another officer arrived, Lennox continued to fail to comply with oral commands and was still "confrontational," so he was pepper-sprayed, police said. The three officers did not have Taser guns with them.

Neighbor Matthew Arnold, 29, who witnessed the shooting, said, "It was unjustifiable. They could have used some other means of subduing him. My kids were a big concern. If there was a stray bullet it would have been in my direction and going into my house."

Lennox's brother, Anthony Jacobs, 26, described his brother as a hard-working father of four who was preparing to get married. He was a supervisor at Macayo's Restaurant.

"He loved his kids," Jacobs said. "He is laid-back, but just don't get in his space."

Lennox had nine contacts with Mesa police from 1997 until 2003.

This isn't the first time Kohler has been involved in an officer-involved shooting. In October 2000, Kohler, then a narcotics detective, shot and killed a suspected drug dealer in Phoenix without announcing he was an officer. He was cleared in the shooting, Trapani said.

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office will determine whether the officer will face charges. Kohler has been placed on routine three-day paid administrative leave.

 

[BonosBaby12]

Im really sorry about your friend that is horrible

Know this is hard but you can't blame all police for what one cop did. They are taught to shoot to wound in most situations unless it's a case where the officer's life is in danger. Your friend wasn't responding to oral commands and pepper mace wasn't working. Not trying to take sides as none of us were there and saw exactly what happened. Either way this is a tragedy and I offer my sincerest condolences to your friend's family and to you.

 

[fly so high!]

Ohh....that's awful

I feel for that guys family, a young life snuffed out because a cop did not have it together!!! That was certainly a bad mistake for the force,no police officer is trained to "wound" with a gun,they are trained to kill, and that technique was definately not warranted in that case, it was not a "reasonable force", your friend needed a negotiator not a death sentence.

 

[BonosBaby12]

I have a brother who is a police officer and he said when trained to shoot it's to wound. But when an officer's life is in danger than it's shoot to kill. Know the are some who don't even stop to think and are just out for the kill. What puzzles me though is why these officers weren't carrying tazer guns or calling in for more backup. If 3 of them failed to stabilize him for arrest than more assistance should have been requested. We are only going based on what was written in the article so it's assumption on our end with what really happened.

 

[fly so high!]

They are in fact trained to wound and when it warrants than it's shoot to kill. I have a brother and a couple of friends who are police officers and that is what they were taught in the academy.

What puzzles me is why these officers weren't carrying tazer guns or calling in for more backup. If 3 of them failed to stabilize him for arrest than more assistance should have been requested. We are only going based on what was written in the article so it's assumption on our end with what really happened. And I apologize if Im sounding cold because I don't mean to.

Seriously BonosBaby12, it's true unfortunately, police are trained to shoot the body centre mass(for max. chance of "killing"),there is talk currently going on in the states regarding"shoot to wound"policy but the bill has not been passed yet! I understand you know cops, so do I and there is absolutely no difference between our force and yours when it comes to this policy(as much as i hate to admit it!)

 

[BonosBaby12]

Seriously BonosBaby12, it's true unfortunately, police are trained to shoot the body centre mass(for max. chance of "killing"),there is talk currently going on in the states regarding"shoot to wound"policy but the bill has not been passed yet! I understand you know cops, so do I and there is absolutely no difference between our force and yours when it comes to this policy(as much as i hate to admit it!)

Fly Im not disputing what you are saying I am only telling you what I was told. So let's just agree to disagree with our views on this topic. I respect your opinion but I feel this is not the place to be debating this. I apologize if I have derailed the thread in any way.

 

[fly so high!]

Fly Im not disputing what you are saying I am only telling you what I was told. So let's just agree to disagree with our views on this topic. I respect your opinion but I feel this is not the place to be debating this. I apologize if I have derailed the thread in any way.

No worries Babes12,i'm sorry too for derailing guys!!!

 

[BonosBaby12]

Fly thanks

Jesse I honestly do feel for you with having lost a friend

 

[Mr. BAW]

Jesse, I'm sorry for your friend, however, its apparent that he was out of control, having escaped from the officer's control on at least one occassion, the officer may have considered, "What's gonna happen if he hits me with that chair and I lose consciousness and then he takes my gun...what might he do with my gun???" All of this within a split second...the officer believed that he was in fear for his safety, the safety of his fellow officers and other persons who might be around him...

We're all second guessing here and that's easy to do...I'm sure that this will be cleared as a "clean shooting"....

My commentary - I wore that badge and carried that gun for 18 years; no, I didn't shoot anyone, no I never killed anyone but if I had, it would not have been "shoot to wound"...that's a bullshit concept, if you're gonna fire that weapon, you've got less than one second to make certain that you've a good reason to use it and, if you're justified, make it count..."

One last thing, when a suspect breaks away during the handcuffing procedure, most times its when one wrist is already cuffed; that leaves the officer exposed to a potential deadly weapon; many, many officers have been injured and some maimed by the likes of this....

 

[BonosBaby12]

After much consideration I have decided just to let it go. Know there are some in law enforcement who agree with what I stated. Mean no offense to anyone by this post.

 

[Carek1230]

Wow this whole story is just sad.