Police Shootings

I checked again today for the governmental investigative report on the November 29, 2019, London Bridge attack and still can't find one.

--Percy

I haven't commented here on most of the police murders from George Floyd onward because it's all so much same-old same-old: entitled and legally nearly invulnerable policemen use lethal force against someone alleged to have committed some minor infraction. Last night it was Duane Wright, a black man shot and killed after a traffic stop in Minneapolis. He did have a warrant out on him.

Why police do this? Who knows? After the killing protesters gathered, there was looting, and the national guard was called out.

Wouldn't it have been more in the interest of safety for all concerned had they just let Mr. Wright go on his way, especially since he seemed determined to leave and given that they had his name, vehicle license number, and all the associated information of a registered vehicle. I wonder what the warrant was for? I'm guessing something heinous like possession of more than an ounce of marijuana, drinking in public, or jaywalking.

Most police don't need guns, and obviously many do not have the proper temperament or training to have them.

--Percy

Percy writes: I wonder what the warrant was for?

It appears it was for:

"Court records show Wright was being sought for fleeing from law enforcement officers and for possessing a gun without a permit during an encounter with Minneapolis police in June. In that case, a statement of probable cause said police got a call about a man waving a gun who was later identified as Wright."

That makes sense. Nothing like feeling they're in danger to make police shoot first and ask questions later.

--Percy

Here's an interesting wrinkle: Officer who shot Daunte Wright meant to use Taser but fired gun, chief says

This officer's training was so good, his poise in anxious situations so profound, that when he reached for his Taser he instead pulled his gun. Despite a Taser's shape, feel, weight, trigger and just about everything else being very different from a gun, he continued to think his gun was his Taser as he aimed it at Daunte Wright and pulled the trigger.

That's absurd, of course, and of course he's lying. He acted on impulse and anger in a bad moment, just like all human beings have bad moments. What caused the bad outcome here was that a gun was present.

--Percy

Fortunately, my handgun is still present. Lately it's been an FN 1906 that was most likely made in 1913 or early 1914.