1804

Well, this happened to somebody I know:

It’s surreal knowing she was here a week ago and now she’s gone. Hasn’t really sunk in yet.

Something must change.

1805

Really sorry to hear that.

“Obviously something was going on with that driver that wasn’t legal. That’s why she wouldn’t stop,” said Smith. The trooper “felt his life was in danger from the vehicle.”

Or she was having a seizure, or a heart attack, or a reaction to medication, or who knows what the fuck is going on - thanks for your expert input here, Bill Smith, president of the Florida Chapter of the FHP. What a shitshow. Cops sure fear for their life over just about everything these days.

1806

In this case, that cop actually did have some legitimate reason to be afraid, based on what’s in that video. Whether intentional or not, the driver almost ran him over with the car.

1807

I mean, I guess, but he was clearly to the side of the vehicle, and she was trying to drive around him. I agree that not stopping when a cop is telling you to stop your car is bad, but getting shot to death bad? Was that cop in danger of being injured? Maybe, but one could argue the officer firing his weapon in that crowded street (while walking backwards and tripping while firing) was even MORE dangerous.

This situation reminded me of the Jordan Edwards case, but not quite as black and white. To me, it seems that cops tend to justify driving a car as a reason for shootings more than is probably truthful. In the Edwards case, the cop was using the moving vehicle as justification for firing his service weapon, when in fact the car in question was driving away from the officer who had told them to stop. He had lied on his original report, saying the vehicle was backing directly at him, when crime scene evidence appeared to refute that. They had bodycam evidence, and without that, I would suspect that officer would still be menacing the population today.

Thank god the Edwards family was able to see justice served, even if that is a small bit of closure when compared to the overwhelming tragedy of losing a child.

I hope that the full investigation of this incident is fruitful in some way.

1808

Eh… he’s actually in contact with the car, in the front quadrant.

In that position, the driver can easily kill you if you don’t move right. If there wheel turns toward you, you go under the body of the car.

There are a lot of cases where i think cops overstate the danger they are in, but I’m not sure this is one of them.

1809

I’m very sorry for your loss.

1810

Timex, this may not be the best timing for that discussion.

1811

I realize the sensitivity of the situation, sorry.

1812

I’m sorry you experienced that.

1813

I’m honestly shocked at the incredibly low threshold of fear that cops apparently possess today. A car slowly moving, not targeting him at all from what I can see, is somehow a legitimate death sentence for her, for anyone else in the car, any bystanders that might be hit, etc. That seems insane to me.

I hope we get a full honest investigation of this.

1814

Too many 'Fraidy-Cops.

It’s their training, and it’s their legal defense to almost anything. It’s the thing that needs to change.

1815

Yeah, I sadly think the police department and/or courts will not take any action. I can only hope we eventually get a paradigm shift on how policing is done in the nation and corrective action on the laws which govern it.

1816

One can hope, Jordan Edwards’s killer was convicted of murder and was sentenced to 15 years last fall. Justice can happen, unfortunately injustice still appears to be the norm, however.

1817

I think a lot of high pressure macho environments operate a lot on fear. Fear of not being accepted by peers or superiors, fear of hazing, fear of losing status, homophobia, fear of other races in this case, fear of the poor. Fear of other people who don’t also fear the same things they do. Despite all the macho posturing. I don’t think sports teams or fraternities are that different. Start arming these sports teams and fraternities and there will be very little difference. It all trickles down from the top. I don’t think this is unique to the human species either.

My 2 cents.

1818

Sports teams and fraternities don’t benefit from the blue shield though. They’ll likely actually have to face the consequences if they shoot anyone. Not in every case I’m sure but it seems a direct opposite from a cop killing a suspect, or random innocent civilian.

1819

I think they are shielded from a lot of stuff by a lot of people. I’m sure this includes the blue shield on occasion.

I’m a bit tired, so the only high profile sports related example I can think of off the top of my head right now is Jerry Sandusky, though it involved coaches and team staff instead of the police AFAIK.

1820

You see, he was trying to shoot the harmless autistic guy, so it’s fine.

1821

You know how we have the Doomsday Clock? I feel there should be some other clock that gets edged forward every time we see some major BS like this.

1822

and

1823