The world is a better place without wood carvers...

When cops are present...just stand there dont move or even breath to much!!

 

It never ceases to amaze me how ignorant some people are....

Edit: I apologize if this offends anyone! Ok, not really.

 

LEOs, please do not take my comment personally. In my opinion, if an officer feels as though his life is threatened by a hippie with a pocketknife, he has chosen the wrong career.

I expect an officer to throw himself in front of a train to protect me if need be....I've always felt that one became a law enforcer to protect the citizenry at all costs.

 

So did he charge the cop? Because if he was just standing there with a blade, he was harmless. And according to bystander reports, he apparently did nothing that appeared threatening. Perhaps a cop suffering from some PTSD?

 

IIRC, the CHP and local law enforcement around here removed the "protect and serve" from their vehicles. I think they now say something like "safety and service" or some shit.

My opinion - this guy was out of line. I hope he loses his job and gets slapped with some violent crime charge so he cant own firearms anymore.

 

You'd think he would have at least called in for a paramedic as well

 

Ahhhhh the sweet sound of a rational person!!!

 

Another story:

http://tinyurl.com/2687bcp


Knife wasn't even open:

 

more info:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013443640_policeshooting16m.html

 

Some things we know:

- Williams (50) was a homeless man and chronic inebriate (drunk).

- There were at least 2 civilian witnesses.

- The officer issued a warning of rapid progression to "drop the knife."

- There was less than a 15 second span from the time that the officer issued commands to drop the knife before firing shots.

- The suspect was hit with 4 rounds on the right side of his body, suggesting he was not facing the officer at the time of the shooting, and was hit at a distance of 9-10 feet.

- The officer was not equipped with a Taser.

Things that have been speculated, but reported and collaborated by outside sources:

- The victim was deaf in one ear and was wearing headphones at the time.

- The officer initially stated that the victim advanced on him, but later retracted that assertion.

I've been watching this story closely as well. It is very heated here in the Seattle area. Boren and Howell is right downtown, and there are lots of indigent people, many with a history of mental illness.

I personally do not know what to make of this case.

 

"Witnesses to the shooting told police investigators that Williams did nothing to threaten or attack Birk, according to the filing, which includes transcribed statements from eight witnesses."

 

It is interesting how in Birk's statement he said that Williams was facing him while all the witnesses stated that he was not facing Birk. Also the 4 bullets in the side of Williams chest is a good indicator... THAT BIRK IS A LIAR!

I guarantee you that they are going to come up with some lame ass excuse of how the knife ended up closed. When Birk went to place his foot on the knife it magically closed itself. It is perfectly logical people, come on.

 

All I have to say is DAMN.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fctDFORJKQ&feature=player_embedded#!

Full dash-cam video of the shooting which captures a lot of the conversations and radio chatter.

The officer's description of the event is more or less "He wouldn't stop carving up that board so I shot him" to which another officer said "You did the right thing".

Also apparently the guy was known in the community for being a talented wood carver.

 

why not put the cruiser in a position between the suspect and the officer, so that if the suspect did lung at the officer the cruiser would have acted as a sheild giving the officer more time to react in a more thought out matter.

 

How many "hippies" and drifters started out as Vietnam era Marines/Special Forces?? How many little dudes are triple black belts?? How many nerdy looking kids in black coats have shot up schools??
How someone looks has little to no bearing on what they are capable of in a large array of situations.

Shots fired rolls a whole slew of folks without having to ask for each one individually. A (or several) supervisors, extra patrol units, medical.

Wasn't the OP article stating that the shooting was already deemed "not justified"??

1) You are arm chair quarter backing. If this situation was completely different and the man was dangerous- You don't just sit back and let stuff happen.
2) You are trying to apply logic to a situation were legal basis, training, and logic were ignored. If he was in a shoot out or up against a guy with a long sword- Maybe he would have kept the care between him and the subject. Instead for whatever reason he decided to get out of the car- He started making bad choices there...

 

I think he stated making bad choices when he joined the academy.