Cops Kill Good Guy
This story is just awful. Medical sales rep Erik Scott was shot dead by local police after Costco employees reported he had a gun in the store. But his gun was legal and he tried to comply with police orders. This tragic story highlights many problems facing modern america.
Erik Scott made a career of helping people with medical technology but because of the places he had to go it was necessary to carry a weapon. Since he was on call 24/7 he had to carry a pistol whenever he went out. This put him in a store where an over zealous employee made up a rule, probably due to his fear of guns, that resulted in store security calling the police. The police are in constant fear of death and injury so they got trigger happy and blew Erik away. He died because of fear.
The defibrillator company feared for their employees, the Costco employees feared for their lives and lawsuits if customers were hurt and the police feared for their lives. The breakdown in trust in america has made everyone fearful. Everyone overreacted to mistrust and fear so Erik had to die.
I have a lot of respect for most police officers. Hamstrung by endless rules they go out on the street every day and night where they must deal with fucked up people that most of us would cross the street to stay away from. They must make decisions constantly that most of us would run from every time. And some of the people that they deal with would kill them without cause in the twinkle of an eye.
This police shooting was absurd. Three officers with pistols drawn, backup everywhere and a suspect who was trying to comply with multiple instructions was not a situation that required one shot, let alone several. Read this account by a witness. This was a murder by terrified, untrained police officers. The blame goes from the cops who killed this innocent man all the way up to the incompetent chief who runs this department.
Officers William Mosher, Joshua Stark, Thomas Mendiola and Chief Joseph Chronister need to be charged with homicide and if found guilty go to jail. The city of Las Vegas should be sued for wrongful death and pay a hefty settlement if found negligent. The city needs to get their department trained and weed out trigger happy cops like these three.
I hope the Costco clerk that made up a rule, his manager who overreacted and the security kid who called the police realize that they killed Erik Scott as much as the trigger happy cops who pulled the triggers. I hope they think about it every night when they close their eyes.
There is a lesson for us normal folk here too. If you are going to conceal carry, do so discreetly. Erik was complacent about revealing his weapon and the safety of his permit. Most people are afraid of guns and will act stupidly if they see one. Cops are people too.
Erik blundered when he moved one arm. If a cop draws a weapon on you, get your hands up and freeze. Never move at all. Let the cops move you. You're better off being tased than shot.
Carrying a weapon is a dangerous business. Never carry unless you absolutely have to and realize that it can get you killed, even if you are the good guy.
Erik Scott made a career of helping people with medical technology but because of the places he had to go it was necessary to carry a weapon. Since he was on call 24/7 he had to carry a pistol whenever he went out. This put him in a store where an over zealous employee made up a rule, probably due to his fear of guns, that resulted in store security calling the police. The police are in constant fear of death and injury so they got trigger happy and blew Erik away. He died because of fear.
The defibrillator company feared for their employees, the Costco employees feared for their lives and lawsuits if customers were hurt and the police feared for their lives. The breakdown in trust in america has made everyone fearful. Everyone overreacted to mistrust and fear so Erik had to die.
I have a lot of respect for most police officers. Hamstrung by endless rules they go out on the street every day and night where they must deal with fucked up people that most of us would cross the street to stay away from. They must make decisions constantly that most of us would run from every time. And some of the people that they deal with would kill them without cause in the twinkle of an eye.
This police shooting was absurd. Three officers with pistols drawn, backup everywhere and a suspect who was trying to comply with multiple instructions was not a situation that required one shot, let alone several. Read this account by a witness. This was a murder by terrified, untrained police officers. The blame goes from the cops who killed this innocent man all the way up to the incompetent chief who runs this department.
Officers William Mosher, Joshua Stark, Thomas Mendiola and Chief Joseph Chronister need to be charged with homicide and if found guilty go to jail. The city of Las Vegas should be sued for wrongful death and pay a hefty settlement if found negligent. The city needs to get their department trained and weed out trigger happy cops like these three.
I hope the Costco clerk that made up a rule, his manager who overreacted and the security kid who called the police realize that they killed Erik Scott as much as the trigger happy cops who pulled the triggers. I hope they think about it every night when they close their eyes.
There is a lesson for us normal folk here too. If you are going to conceal carry, do so discreetly. Erik was complacent about revealing his weapon and the safety of his permit. Most people are afraid of guns and will act stupidly if they see one. Cops are people too.
Erik blundered when he moved one arm. If a cop draws a weapon on you, get your hands up and freeze. Never move at all. Let the cops move you. You're better off being tased than shot.
Carrying a weapon is a dangerous business. Never carry unless you absolutely have to and realize that it can get you killed, even if you are the good guy.
posted by lugh lampfhota at 10:51 PM
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