Police Officer Shoots 12-Year-Old Boy Carrying BB Gun
A Cleveland police officer shot a 12-year-old boy (not pictured) outside a city recreation center late Saturday afternoon after the boy pulled a BB gun from his waistband, according to police.
A relative of the boy is seen crying on the ground after hearing of the shooting
“The guy keeps pulling it in and out…it’s probably fake, but he’s scaring the s*** out of people,” he added.
Cleveland.com reports that the rookie officer saw a black gun sitting on the table, and he saw the boy pick up the gun and put it in his waistband, Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association President Jeffrey Follmer said.
When the officer got out of the car, he told the boy to put his hands up.
That’s when the boy reached into his waistband, pulled out the BB gun and the rookie officer fired two shots, Tomba said.
According to Tomba, the child did not threaten the officer verbally or physically. The weapon was not pointed at police officers.
The child was shot in the stomach and transported to a local hospital. He’s listed in serious condition.
“We don’t come to work everyday and want to use force on anybody,” Tomba said. “That’s not what our job is. We’re part of this community.”
“When an officer gives a command, we expect it to be followed,” Tomba said. “The way it looks like right now, it wasn’t followed, but we’re going to continue our investigation.”
According to 19 Action News, police say the weapon was an “airsoft” type replica gun, resembling a semi-automatic pistol, with the orange safety indicator removed.
Watch:
19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|News, Weather, Sports
H/T: The incomparable @CarlaAkins with thanks.
Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Anomaly100
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 15:41
poor foul mouthed fool, getting all angry and stupid
Jan Lind November 23rd, 2014 at 15:57
The officer was justified in this shooting. It doesn’t matter the age of the person holding the weapon, real or not. Someone called 911 because this little thug was trying to intimidate people. When he was told to put his hands up, he should have done just that instead of reaching for the perceived weapon. You can scream all you want about this being a child and over-reacting police but if I would have been the person in place of that officer, I would not have hesitated to put rounds into him.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 16:07
Police are never justified to kill unarmed people or kids with toys. It’s their job to know when they are in danger and when they are not. This cop was never in danger.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 16:17
The only reason you know that is because you read about it after the fact.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 16:29
I knew well before this article that the police are shooting far to many people in this country, many are unarmed. Their training is flawed, they have a military style attitude where they shoot on contact, that’s NOT what we should expect from our police.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 16:31
That’s a gross generalization and it is based on conjecture.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 16:36
This little boy should be alive today, that’s not conjecture at all, it’s a fact. The rookie cop wasn’t experienced or trained well enough to deal with a kid with a toy gun. Remember, the initial report was someone with a gun…not a shooting incident.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 16:50
How many times does it have to be said? IT IS NOT A TOY. How many people would need to be shot in your mind before the police treated a report of a kid with a gun as a report of a kid with a gun?
Here’s a picture. You have 2 seconds to determine how many of these guns are real and how many of them are airsoft. If you can’t do it, you would be dead several times had someone been carrying them.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 16:58
So, any gun is a real gun in your world?
Perhaps children shouldn’t be allowed to have toys then?
If they were trained to know the difference between a park filled with kids with a report of one pointing a gun at everybody and a situation where shots were fired, they would have more than 2 seconds to decide what to do. If they are trained to approach every situation the same then innocent people will continue to be killed.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 17:10
It is not a firearm, but it is a gun. Some of them can fire projectiles at speeds greater than 440 miles per hour. Why is that so difficult for you to understand?
How many different times do you have to hear that it is not a toy before it sinks in? The manufacturer says it’s not a toy. The box says it’s not a toy. The instructions say it is not a toy. That means it is NOT A TOY. They are replica guns.
Children should not have airsoft guns because they are not toys. You would prefer there to be a body count before cops take the situation seriously? How many people would have to be shot? 1? 2? 3?
Is there another language that I need to write “Not a toy” in for you to understand it?
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 17:15
How many people were reported shot by his not a toy gun? How many died? None?
Exactly what should have been the alert level in the cops mind when he approached the kid, knowing that no one was shot, no one died, no ambulance calls were made, no reports of shots fired?
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 17:17
So you’d prefer to wait for someone to be shot?
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 17:20
Of course not. I’d prefer the police know when to shoot and when not to. This situation never required lethal force and the cop should have known it based on the initial report that he dealing with a kid in the park.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 17:25
Look around in this comment section and you will see several other places where I listed 12 year old kids who shot or stabbed other people. Cops get a call that a kid is waving a gun around and scaring the s**t out of people. It might be fake. It might not. The police can’t afford to wait and see if it’s real or not when the kid goes reaching for it after being confronted. They can’t afford to wait and see if a bullet comes out when the trigger is pulled or a bb comes out when the trigger is pulled. All they know is the kid has a gun and is reaching for it. That’s it. That’s all. He made the fatal mistake of reaching for it and he died because of it.
He never should have had it in the first place. His parents are the ones to blame in all of this.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 17:34
The question we should be asking is when are parents going to start taking responsibility for the actions of their children? They never should have bought him that airsoft gun. They never should have allowed him to leave the house with it. They should have known that it is illegal for him to even have it in the park. They should have known that he was not mature enough to have proper judgement when handling it. They should have taught him how to handle it safely. They should have read the box where it said “For ages 18 and up” instead of buying it for him just because he wanted it.
It’s parents like these that buy computer games rated M (intended for ages 18 and up) for their 10-12 year old kids and then complain that they are too violent or gory.
It’s parents like these that need to learn how to use the word, “no.” If his parents hadn’t been so damned negligent and irresponsible, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 17:36
I agree with you 100%, well said.
katyladygolfer November 23rd, 2014 at 19:18
You are way off base. Would you allow somebody to point a gun at you and shoot, hoping that the gun isn’t real? If you say yes, I don’t believe you.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 20:50
I didn’t read where it said he pointed the gun at the officer, in fact it said he didn’t. It looks more like he was taking it out to show the cop it was a bb gun and was shot ….
katyladygolfer November 23rd, 2014 at 22:52
He was reaching for the gun. The police officer did exactly what he was trained to do. He shouldn’t wait around for a suspect to take the gun out and shoot him. I don’t own a gun, but I can tell you that if I were in that situation and had a gun, I’d shoot it, rather than take the chance of being shot.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 23:13
AH!! Yes…What he was trained to do!! And his training is flawed since a 12 year old child is dead!!
Had he reacted with caution and kept a distance until the situation could be calmed, he wouldn’t have been, as you claim, forced to gun the kid down.
katyladygolfer November 24th, 2014 at 09:03
You are woefully naive; keep his distance? The kid had a gun, not a sword. Bullets travel fast and far. Yes a 12 year old is dead, but I don’t believe the officer did anything wrong. The fault was the child’s. Yes, it was a big mistake, the kid’s mistake, not the officer’s.
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 17:48
spam king strikes again
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 18:26
I agree with you on some points, but what are your views on Open Carry? I’m just curious.
I see it as the same issue. I also see that Open Carry groups have desensitized the public, so much so, that we’re having this debate whereas in recent years gone by, it would be a no-brainer.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 18:44
Open carry is fine when it is legal, though just because it’s legal, it doesn’t mean that everyone has to do it. There are times and places when carrying it is unnecessary and only done to be inflammatory. Common sense should be applied to the situation.
However, in this particular case, there is a city law against carrying bb/pellet/airsoft guns in public.
Cleveland (§ 627.10(a)) prohibits any person from carrying or having in his or her possession or ready at hand any BB or pellet gun while at or about a public place.
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:39
No, I was not asking you about this particular case. I had a sense that you support Open Carry.
I agree that this boy did not show common sense. By the way, if an Open Carry activist were shot (it would never happen. They run in gangs filled with white ‘patriots’), would you still come to the same conclusion?
That’s a rhetorical question.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:06
Regardless of you saying that it was a rhetorical question, I’m going to answer it anyway. If an open carry activist was shot by a police officer for making a play for his weapon after being told to put his hands up, yes. I would still come to the same conclusion. Skin color doesn’t mean anything. If you’re told to put your hands up and you reach for your gun instead, you’re going to get shot. Plain and simple.
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:15
The devil is in the details. For example, an Open Carry activist was asked for his ID. He resisted. The cop explained that he’s carrying and he wants to make sure he’s legal. The guy said no, it is his right to carry and he hasn’t broken any laws.
Miraculously (heavy sarcasm), he was not shot. In the video comment thread, I was ridiculed by Open Carry extremists for saying he should have shown his ID.
I have no problem with responsible gun ownership. I do have big issues with Open Carry supporters though. The two don’t jive.
Cozmo1138 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:26
Great point, and I agree with you. BUT…reason should also be applied to the situation. Is it REASONABLE ENOUGH to assume that a 12-year-old’s gun is real AND THAT HE’LL SHOOT YOU WITH IT? What I mean by that is, is it unreasonable to expect that the police officer would have recognized the kid was about 12, and taken an extra five seconds to say, “Put your hands up in the air, kid. If you grab your gun, we’ll shoot you.”
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 19:34
Regardless of the accuracy of your statement, the child thought it was a toy.
mea_mark November 23rd, 2014 at 20:06
Wrong, I have a lot more than 2 seconds because I am not going to put myself in front of a gun, I am going to take cover and talk like a rational human. I am going to try and figure out what is going on before I take action that might get someone hurt or killed. If and when shots are fired the scenario changes, until then it is time to talk and babysit. Time is on my side until a shot is fired, no crime has been committed and the suspect is just a suspect until a trial determines guilt.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:14
While you were running for cover, you would have been shot by two of them. If not you, then someone else would be shot while you were trying to negotiate and you would have to explain to the victims’ families why you didn’t stop the shooter before they killed anyone.
No crime has been committed? Are you forgetting this?
Cleveland (§ 627.10(a)) prohibits any person from carrying or having in
his or her possession or ready at hand any BB or pellet gun while at or
about a public place.
That = crime committed. You don’t need to go through trial in order for a crime to have been committed. Were that the case, then you’re saying that serial killers who haven’t been caught yet didn’t kill anyone. Try explaining that to the families.
katyladygolfer November 23rd, 2014 at 19:16
No, it’s Darwinism plain and simple. He pulled a stupid move, waving a real-looking gun around, and didn’t comply with a police command. He was shot because he was ignorant.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 19:32
No, he was shot because he was young and his frontal lobe not fully formed. Both the child and the rookie officer could have done better.
whatthe46 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:47
most children are ignorant.
katyladygolfer November 23rd, 2014 at 22:55
Most young children are ignorant, but a 12 year old has the mental capacity to recognize the authority of a police officer. He knows that the officer has a gun. But not this kid, so there’s the Darwinism at work.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 20:42
No it isn’t. It was a kid being a kid. You tell a kid to stop, he’s liable to run, you tell a kid to lay down, he’s liable to get up, you tell a kid to be quiet, he’s liable to start yelling, that’s what kids do!!
They are not little adults who know better, in a lot of cases they simply don’t know.
This kid made some mistakes, he shouldn’t have tried to hide the gun and he should have never pulled it out. The cop made mistakes to, he should have stayed a safe distance away until he could determine what the threat level was. Obviously, the threat level was low since it was a toy gun.
katyladygolfer November 23rd, 2014 at 22:46
I don’t know about you, but most kids would listen to a police officer. Kids don’t listen to parents, but police officers are not the same old familiar authority figures and are, therefore, obeyed. I’ve been a teacher for years; I know that kids are not little adults, but thanks for your opinion.
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 20:15
Why is it white felons who are shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are shot dead w/TOYS in their hands?
Brian K EyeRappino November 23rd, 2014 at 16:26
He wasn’t unarmed. He had a gun
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 16:27
brietbart swill
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 19:15
Tracy – this is a perfect example of what I was saying. There is no indication this reader has anything to do with Biebart, I read all of his Disqus comments as well as reviewing his FB page. His comment is civil and accurate. The child had a gun, it doesn’t mean that I think he should have been shot but attacking this reader serves no purpose.
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 20:26
Yes, his history is Carla. I made sure, very sure. I do not like angering the people who run the site I enjoy.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 21:13
Then we must have been looking at different histories because the poster in question did not have any posts to Briebart, Drudge or any conservative site. His FB page had no posts and had liked no fringe or conservative sites. Telling people to shut up is not an effective means of communication. I could understand if it were a last resort, but you start with these comments. Please consider that you, along with the other regulars are the face of the site and in part you represent Alan.com.
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 21:16
I only said that after he told me and stony, I threw his words back. I took what you said seriously
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 22:03
I don’t believe you did Tracy, because you continue to address people in the same manner. Please try and offer your view instead of attacking theirs. I have real assholes to deal with, please don’t force me to address an issue with someone whose opinion I agree.
Cozmo1138 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:22
No, he had a toy gun. Because he was a kid. That’s not even the same as being armed. If he’d been even 16 and went for the gun, that would have been different. But it was a child. Children sometimes need things explained to them slowly and carefully.
My guess is the warning was something like, “POLICE!!GETYOURHANDSINTHEAIRGET’EMUPNOWISAIDGETEMUPPUTYOURHANDSINTHEAIRBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAM!”
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 20:15
Why is it white felons who R shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are shot dead w/TOYS in their hands?
Brian K EyeRappino November 23rd, 2014 at 16:27
And if you think the police are supposed to be shot at first so that they know the gun is real, your an idiot
mea_mark November 23rd, 2014 at 19:57
The officer should have taken cover and talked first.
native new yorker November 23rd, 2014 at 17:08
This is a tragedy. Cops have to assume that the gun is real.
mea_mark November 23rd, 2014 at 19:56
No they don’t. They can take evasive maneuvers, acting like the gun is real with out shooting and try and talk the situation down, then determine whether the gun is real or not.
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 20:14
Why is it white felons who are shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are shot dead w/TOYS in their hands?
eyelashviper November 23rd, 2014 at 16:08
“little thug”??….well, your bigotry is evident.
Kids have played with toy guns since they were invented, so it is OK in your angry little mind to shoot them…or is it just black kids?
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 16:22
careful, calling racists racist gets you deleted
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 18:24
Since when?
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 19:09
I deleted some of Tracy’s comments when she called other readers racists. But she deserved it.
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:33
Good call.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 19:58
I may have over-stepped. I posted a featured statement addressing the out of control posting issue.
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:11
You did not overstep:-)
Sean Barrett November 23rd, 2014 at 18:05
Thug Life
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 18:24
He won’t be back.
Jan Lind November 24th, 2014 at 14:29
Yeah, but how many stupid enough to reach for it when a cop approached. Also, I said “thug”, not “black thug” so just keep trying to reach.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 17:07
Police are never justified to kill unarmed people or kids with toys. It’s their job to know when they are in danger and when they are not. This cop was never in danger.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 17:17
The only reason you know that is because you read about it after the fact.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 17:29
I knew well before this article that the police are shooting far to many people in this country, many are unarmed. Their training is flawed, they have a military style attitude where they shoot on contact, that’s NOT what we should expect from our police.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 17:31
That’s a gross generalization and it is based on conjecture.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 17:36
This little boy should be alive today, that’s not conjecture at all, it’s a fact. The rookie cop wasn’t experienced or trained well enough to deal with a kid with a toy gun. Remember, the initial report was someone with a gun…not a shooting incident.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 17:50
How many times does it have to be said? IT IS NOT A TOY. How many people would need to be shot in your mind before the police treated a report of a kid with a gun as a report of a kid with a gun?
Here’s a picture. You have 2 seconds to determine how many of these guns are real and how many of them are airsoft. If you can’t do it, you would be dead several times had someone been carrying them.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 17:58
So, any gun is a real gun in your world?
Perhaps children shouldn’t be allowed to have toys then?
If they were trained to know the difference between a park filled with kids with a report of one pointing a gun at everybody and a situation where shots were fired, they would have more than 2 seconds to decide what to do. If they are trained to approach every situation the same then innocent people will continue to be killed.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 18:10
It is not a firearm, but it is a gun. Some of them can fire projectiles at speeds greater than 440 miles per hour. Why is that so difficult for you to understand?
How many different times do you have to hear that it is not a toy before it sinks in? The manufacturer says it’s not a toy. The box says it’s not a toy. The instructions say it is not a toy. That means it is NOT A TOY. They are replica guns.
Children should not have airsoft guns because they are not toys. You would prefer there to be a body count before cops take the situation seriously? How many people would have to be shot? 1? 2? 3?
Is there another language that I need to write “Not a toy” in for you to understand it?
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 18:15
How many people were reported shot by his not a toy gun? How many died? None?
Exactly what should have been the alert level in the cops mind when he approached the kid, knowing that no one was shot, no one died, no ambulance calls were made, no reports of shots fired?
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 18:17
So you’d prefer to wait for someone to be shot?
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 18:20
Of course not. I’d prefer the police know when to shoot and when not to. This situation never required lethal force and the cop should have known it based on the initial report that he dealing with a kid in the park.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 18:25
Look around in this comment section and you will see several other places where I listed 12 year old kids who shot or stabbed other people. Cops get a call that a kid is waving a gun around and scaring the s**t out of people. It might be fake. It might not. The police can’t afford to wait and see if it’s real or not when the kid goes reaching for it after being confronted. They can’t afford to wait and see if a bullet comes out when the trigger is pulled or a bb comes out when the trigger is pulled. All they know is the kid has a gun and is reaching for it. That’s it. That’s all. He made the fatal mistake of reaching for it and he died because of it.
He never should have had it in the first place. His parents are the ones to blame in all of this.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 18:34
The question we should be asking is when are parents going to start taking responsibility for the actions of their children? They never should have bought him that airsoft gun. They never should have allowed him to leave the house with it. They should have known that it is illegal for him to even have it in the park. They should have known that he was not mature enough to have proper judgement when handling it. They should have taught him how to handle it safely. They should have read the box where it said “For ages 18 and up” instead of buying it for him just because he wanted it.
It’s parents like these that buy computer games rated M (intended for ages 18 and up) for their 10-12 year old kids and then complain that they are too violent or gory.
It’s parents like these that need to learn how to use the word, “no.” If his parents hadn’t been so damned negligent and irresponsible, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 18:36
I agree with you 100%, well said.
katyladygolfer November 23rd, 2014 at 20:18
You are way off base. Would you allow somebody to point a gun at you and shoot, hoping that the gun isn’t real? If you say yes, I don’t believe you.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 21:50
I didn’t read where it said he pointed the gun at the officer, in fact it said he didn’t. It looks more like he was taking it out to show the cop it was a bb gun and was shot ….
katyladygolfer November 23rd, 2014 at 23:52
He was reaching for the gun. The police officer did exactly what he was trained to do. He shouldn’t wait around for a suspect to take the gun out and shoot him. I don’t own a gun, but I can tell you that if I were in that situation and had a gun, I’d shoot it, rather than take the chance of being shot.
Foundryman November 24th, 2014 at 00:13
AH!! Yes…What he was trained to do!! And his training is flawed since a 12 year old child is dead!!
Had he reacted with caution and kept a distance until the situation could be calmed, he wouldn’t have been, as you claim, forced to gun the kid down.
katyladygolfer November 24th, 2014 at 10:03
You are woefully naive; keep his distance? The kid had a gun, not a sword. Bullets travel fast and far. Yes a 12 year old is dead, but I don’t believe the officer did anything wrong. The fault was the child’s. Yes, it was a big mistake, the kid’s mistake, not the officer’s.
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 18:48
spam king strikes again
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:26
I agree with you on some points, but what are your views on Open Carry? I’m just curious.
I see it as the same issue. I also see that Open Carry groups have desensitized the public, so much so, that we’re having this debate whereas in recent years gone by, it would be a no-brainer.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:44
Open carry is fine when it is legal, though just because it’s legal, it doesn’t mean that everyone has to do it. There are times and places when carrying it is unnecessary and only done to be inflammatory. Common sense should be applied to the situation.
However, in this particular case, there is a city law against carrying bb/pellet/airsoft guns in public.
Cleveland (§ 627.10(a)) prohibits any person from carrying or having in his or her possession or ready at hand any BB or pellet gun while at or about a public place.
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:39
No, I was not asking you about this particular case. I had a sense that you support Open Carry.
I agree that this boy did not show common sense. By the way, if an Open Carry activist were shot (it would never happen. They run in gangs filled with white ‘patriots’), would you still come to the same conclusion?
That’s a rhetorical question.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 21:06
Regardless of you saying that it was a rhetorical question, I’m going to answer it anyway. If an open carry activist was shot by a police officer for making a play for his weapon after being told to put his hands up, yes. I would still come to the same conclusion. Skin color doesn’t mean anything. If you’re told to put your hands up and you reach for your gun instead, you’re going to get shot. Plain and simple.
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 21:15
The devil is in the details. For example, an Open Carry activist was asked for his ID. He resisted. The cop explained that he’s carrying and he wants to make sure he’s legal. The guy said no, it is his right to carry and he hasn’t broken any laws.
Miraculously (heavy sarcasm), he was not shot. In the video comment thread, I was ridiculed by Open Carry extremists for saying he should have shown his ID.
I have no problem with responsible gun ownership. I do have big issues with Open Carry supporters though. The two don’t jive.
Cozmo1138 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:26
Great point, and I agree with you. BUT…reason should also be applied to the situation. Is it REASONABLE ENOUGH to assume that a 12-year-old’s gun is real AND THAT HE’LL SHOOT YOU WITH IT? What I mean by that is, is it unreasonable to expect that the police officer would have recognized the kid was about 12, and taken an extra five seconds to say, “Put your hands up in the air, kid. If you grab your gun, we’ll shoot you.”
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 20:34
Regardless of the accuracy of your statement, the child thought it was a toy.
mea_mark November 23rd, 2014 at 21:06
Wrong, I have a lot more than 2 seconds because I am not going to put myself in front of a gun, I am going to take cover and talk like a rational human. I am going to try and figure out what is going on before I take action that might get someone hurt or killed. If and when shots are fired the scenario changes, until then it is time to talk and babysit. Time is on my side until a shot is fired, no crime has been committed and the suspect is just a suspect until a trial determines guilt.
RD81 November 23rd, 2014 at 21:14
While you were running for cover, you would have been shot by two of them. If not you, then someone else would be shot while you were trying to negotiate and you would have to explain to the victims’ families why you didn’t stop the shooter before they killed anyone.
No crime has been committed? Are you forgetting this?
Cleveland (§ 627.10(a)) prohibits any person from carrying or having in
his or her possession or ready at hand any BB or pellet gun while at or
about a public place.
That = crime committed. You don’t need to go through trial in order for a crime to have been committed. Were that the case, then you’re saying that serial killers who haven’t been caught yet didn’t kill anyone. Try explaining that to the families.
katyladygolfer November 23rd, 2014 at 20:16
No, it’s Darwinism plain and simple. He pulled a stupid move, waving a real-looking gun around, and didn’t comply with a police command. He was shot because he was ignorant.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 20:32
No, he was shot because he was young and his frontal lobe not fully formed. Both the child and the rookie officer could have done better.
whatthe46 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:47
most children are ignorant.
katyladygolfer November 23rd, 2014 at 23:55
Most young children are ignorant, but a 12 year old has the mental capacity to recognize the authority of a police officer. He knows that the officer has a gun. But not this kid, so there’s the Darwinism at work.
Foundryman November 23rd, 2014 at 21:42
No it isn’t. It was a kid being a kid. You tell a kid to stop, he’s liable to run, you tell a kid to lay down, he’s liable to get up, you tell a kid to be quiet, he’s liable to start yelling, that’s what kids do!!
They are not little adults who know better, in a lot of cases they simply don’t know.
This kid made some mistakes, he shouldn’t have tried to hide the gun and he should have never pulled it out. The cop made mistakes to, he should have stayed a safe distance away until he could determine what the threat level was. Obviously, the threat level was low since it was a toy gun.
katyladygolfer November 23rd, 2014 at 23:46
I don’t know about you, but most kids would listen to a police officer. Kids don’t listen to parents, but police officers are not the same old familiar authority figures and are, therefore, obeyed. I’ve been a teacher for years; I know that kids are not little adults, but thanks for your opinion.
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 21:15
Why is it white felons who are shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are shot dead w/TOYS in their hands?
Brian K EyeRappino November 23rd, 2014 at 17:26
He wasn’t unarmed. He had a gun
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 17:27
brietbart swill
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 20:15
Tracy – this is a perfect example of what I was saying. There is no indication this reader has anything to do with Biebart, I read all of his Disqus comments as well as reviewing his FB page. His comment is civil and accurate. The child had a gun, it doesn’t mean that I think he should have been shot but attacking this reader serves no purpose.
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 21:26
Yes, his history is Carla. I made sure, very sure. I do not like angering the people who run the site I enjoy.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 22:13
Then we must have been looking at different histories because the poster in question did not have any posts to Briebart, Drudge or any conservative site. His FB page had no posts and had liked no fringe or conservative sites. Telling people to shut up is not an effective means of communication. I could understand if it were a last resort, but you start with these comments. Please consider that you, along with the other regulars are the face of the site and in part you represent Alan.com.
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 22:16
I only said that after he told me and stony, I threw his words back. I took what you said seriously
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 23:03
I don’t believe you did Tracy, because you continue to address people in the same manner. Please try and offer your view instead of attacking theirs. I have real assholes to deal with, please don’t force me to address an issue with someone whose opinion I agree.
Cozmo1138 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:22
No, he had a toy gun. Because he was a kid. That’s not even the same as being armed. If he’d been even 16 and went for the gun, that would have been different. But it was a child. Children sometimes need things explained to them slowly and carefully.
My guess is the warning was something like, “POLICE!!GETYOURHANDSINTHEAIRGET’EMUPNOWISAIDGETEMUPPUTYOURHANDSINTHEAIRBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAM!”
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 21:15
Why is it white felons who R shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are shot dead w/TOYS in their hands?
Brian K EyeRappino November 23rd, 2014 at 17:27
And if you think the police are supposed to be shot at first so that they know the gun is real, your an idiot
mea_mark November 23rd, 2014 at 20:57
The officer should have taken cover and talked first.
native new yorker November 23rd, 2014 at 18:08
This is a tragedy. Cops have to assume that the gun is real.
mea_mark November 23rd, 2014 at 20:56
No they don’t. They can take evasive maneuvers, acting like the gun is real with out shooting and try and talk the situation down, then determine whether the gun is real or not.
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 21:14
Why is it white felons who are shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are shot dead w/TOYS in their hands?
eyelashviper November 23rd, 2014 at 17:08
“little thug”??….well, your bigotry is evident.
Kids have played with toy guns since they were invented, so it is OK in your angry little mind to shoot them…or is it just black kids?
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 17:22
careful, calling racists racist gets you deleted
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:24
Since when?
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 20:09
I deleted some of Tracy’s comments when she called other readers racists. But she deserved it.
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:33
Good call.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 20:58
I may have over-stepped. I posted a featured statement addressing the out of control posting issue.
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 21:11
You did not overstep:-)
fondlebus November 23rd, 2014 at 19:05
Thug Life
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:24
He won’t be back.
Daddy Big Dix November 24th, 2014 at 15:29
Yeah, but how many stupid enough to reach for it when a cop approached. Also, I said “thug”, not “black thug” so just keep trying to reach.
Jones November 23rd, 2014 at 16:52
It’s not the first time a child has been shot with a toy gun. Lethal force is used on children because the risk of a toy gun being real is too great for brave police who put their own safety first. Never take a personal risk just to avoid killing a child…
whatthe46 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:42
well if a man can be shot in a toy section of a toy store holding a toy gun, no one should be surprised by this.
Jones November 23rd, 2014 at 17:52
It’s not the first time a child has been shot with a toy gun. Lethal force is used on children because the risk of a toy gun being real is too great for brave police who put their own safety first. Never take a personal risk just to avoid killing a child…
whatthe46 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:42
well if a man can be shot in a toy section of a toy store holding a toy gun, no one should be surprised by this.
Ryan James Helman November 23rd, 2014 at 17:18
the person mention that it was probably a fake gun, kid was just screwin around at the park…. hell his family was probably around there somewhere. and jan lind how can he be such a huge thug? he wasn’t intimidating anyone at all he was just having a little fun. you sound like a thug to me
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 17:47
the family lived right across the street, he was there most days having fun. The toy gun was not his and his family was not allowed to go to their child before the ambulance took him away. The caller said it was a kid on the swing set, the story changed to make him a more “menacing” child
Ryan James Helman November 23rd, 2014 at 18:18
the person mention that it was probably a fake gun, kid was just screwin around at the park…. hell his family was probably around there somewhere. and jan lind how can he be such a huge thug? he wasn’t intimidating anyone at all he was just having a little fun. you sound like a thug to me
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 18:47
the family lived right across the street, he was there most days having fun. The toy gun was not his and his family was not allowed to go to their child before the ambulance took him away. The caller said it was a kid on the swing set, the story changed to make him a more “menacing” child
JordanM November 23rd, 2014 at 18:01
See? This is why having fake guns that look enough like real guns is fucking stupid. Paint them bright orange or blue or something. I’m sorry the kid got shot, but he’s twelve. That’s old enough to follow instructions from police. I know it might seem like bad cops with the recent state of the US, but I really think this guy was just nervous and worried.
whatthe46 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:41
i think the kid was likely very confused at the command. not realizing how serious the situation had become and was clearly “not thinking” as 12 y/o usually don’t do. he knows its a toy and so in his mind why doesn’t anyone else. as far as the color goes, he should have been instructed by the parents not to take the tip off. they are there for a reason. my son has several and they were never allowed to remove or color over the orange tip, let alone take them off our property.
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 20:13
Why is it white felons who are shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are dead w/TOYS in their hands?
JordanM November 23rd, 2014 at 19:01
See? This is why having fake guns that look enough like real guns is fucking stupid. Paint them bright orange or blue or something. I’m sorry the kid got shot, but he’s twelve. That’s old enough to follow instructions from police. I know it might seem like bad cops with the recent state of the US, but I really think this guy was just nervous and worried.
whatthe46 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:41
i think the kid was likely very confused at the command. not realizing how serious the situation had become and was clearly “not thinking” as 12 y/o usually don’t do. he knows its a toy and so in his mind why doesn’t anyone else. as far as the color goes, he should have been instructed by the parents not to take the tip off. they are there for a reason. my son has several and they were never allowed to remove or color over the orange tip, let alone take them off our property.
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 21:13
Why is it white felons who are shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are dead w/TOYS in their hands?
Cozmo1138 November 23rd, 2014 at 18:31
Really saddened by this story. This just seems like a massive failure on so many fronts.
Failure of the kid to put his hands up when the cops told him to.
Failure of the parents to teach their kid not to point guns at people, and to comply with law enforcement when they ask you to do something.
Failure of the dispatcher to pass along the caller’s comment (which the caller made TWICE) that the gun was “probably fake.” This information could have changed the mindset of the police as they approached the situation.
Failure of the officers (as a pair) to fully assess the situation (and I know I wasn’t there, so take it with a grain of salt). According to the news reports, the cops drove up and saw the toy gun sitting on a table under the pavilion with a bunch of people sitting around it, and the kid just walked up and put the gun in his waistband.
Failure of the officers to realize that a 12-year-old kid sometimes needs consequences explained to them. Whatever you choose to think, 12-year-olds are still kids. And sometimes kids need things explained. I fail to see how the rookie officer (or the veteran riding along with him) couldn’t have said, “Put your hands up, kid. Do not reach for the gun or we will shoot you.” Because I don’t know of any 12-year-old who WANTS to get shot if they can avoid it.
Failure of the rookie cop to slow his roll a bit, take a deep breath, and not just REACT REACT REACT REACT as it appears he did.
Failure of the veteran cop to coach his rookie partner and talk him through it.
All of these failures culminated in a kid getting killed, when it could have ended in a ride home in a squad car and a conversation with the parents about gun safety and the dangers of kids waving around toy guns.
Cozmo1138 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:31
Really saddened by this story. This just seems like a massive failure on so many fronts.
Failure of the kid to put his hands up when the cops told him to.
Failure of the parents to teach their kid not to point guns at people, and to comply with law enforcement when they ask you to do something.
Failure of the dispatcher to pass along the caller’s comment (which the caller made TWICE) that the gun was “probably fake.” This information could have changed the mindset of the police as they approached the situation.
Failure of the officers (as a pair) to fully assess the situation (and I know I wasn’t there, so take it with a grain of salt). According to the news reports, the cops drove up and saw the toy gun sitting on a table under the pavilion with a bunch of people sitting around it, and the kid just walked up and put the gun in his waistband.
Failure of the officers to realize that a 12-year-old kid sometimes needs consequences explained to them. Whatever you choose to think, 12-year-olds are still kids. And sometimes kids need things explained. I fail to see how the rookie officer (or the veteran riding along with him) couldn’t have said, “Put your hands up, kid. Do not reach for the gun or we will shoot you.” Because I don’t know of any 12-year-old who WANTS to get shot if they can avoid it.
Failure of the rookie cop to slow his roll a bit, take a deep breath, and not just REACT REACT REACT REACT as it appears he did.
Failure of the veteran cop to coach his rookie partner and talk him through it.
All of these failures culminated in a kid getting killed, when it could have ended in a ride home in a squad car and a conversation with the parents about gun safety and the dangers of kids waving around toy guns.
Trevor Miller November 23rd, 2014 at 18:57
This is the kids fault, not the guns. Stop blaming replica guns just because they had something to do with it. A good parent would tell them what to do and what not to do with it. If you buy a child something like that, you make sure they know what the rules are. In Ohio, you have to be 18 to buy an airsoft gun. This kid obviously isn’t 18, which means an adult or guardian purchased it for him. It should be their fault for this, for not telling him what to do.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 19:07
Not so sure about beating up the parent – he’s 12. A time of rebellion for most kids and a complete lack of reason. I’m not assigning blame to anyone but to expect the child to make adult decisions and expect the parents to know everything a 12 year old does is unrealistic.
Trevor Miller November 23rd, 2014 at 19:29
I do agree with what you’re saying. It just angers me when something like this happens and everyone starts blaming replica guns.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 19:31
I agree that its never the guns fault, and this story aside – it’s always some irresponsible gun owner that owns the responsibility.
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 20:12
Why is it white felons who are shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are shot dead w/TOYS in their hands?
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 20:19
the parents did NOT buy the gun, it was a friends. He lived across the street and was usually there playing, people knew him
Trevor Miller November 23rd, 2014 at 19:57
This is the kids fault, not the guns. Stop blaming replica guns just because they had something to do with it. A good parent would tell them what to do and what not to do with it. If you buy a child something like that, you make sure they know what the rules are. In Ohio, you have to be 18 to buy an airsoft gun. This kid obviously isn’t 18, which means an adult or guardian purchased it for him. It should be their fault for this, for not telling him what to do.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 20:07
Not so sure about beating up the parent – he’s 12. A time of rebellion for most kids and a complete lack of reason. I’m not assigning blame to anyone but to expect the child to make adult decisions and expect the parents to know everything a 12 year old does is unrealistic.
Trevor Miller November 23rd, 2014 at 20:29
I do agree with what you’re saying. It just angers me when something like this happens and everyone starts blaming replica guns.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 20:31
I agree that its never the guns fault, and this story aside – it’s always some irresponsible gun owner that owns the responsibility.
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 21:12
Why is it white felons who are shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are shot dead w/TOYS in their hands?
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 21:19
the parents did NOT buy the gun, it was a friends. He lived across the street and was usually there playing, people knew him
GreenLantern November 23rd, 2014 at 19:15
This is not the officer’s fault. The kid was an idiot and decided waiving a fake gun around. It looked real
Cozmo1138 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:19
But he wasn’t waving it around. It was in his waistband.
GreenLantern November 23rd, 2014 at 19:20
“The guy keeps pulling it in and out…it’s probably fake, but he’s scaring the s*** out of people,” he added.
Cozmo1138 November 23rd, 2014 at 19:36
That was before the cops arrived. And why was that bit of information “it’s probably fake” not passed along? Cops need every bit of intel in order to do their jobs properly.
But I do see where I misinterpreted your post…I thought you were saying the kid was waving the gun around in front of the cops.
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 20:19
child
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 19:57
Ask yourself why is it that white felons armed w/AR15’s who have been shooting at LEO’s are taken alive w/o injury and black children and teens are shot dead w/toys in their hands?
Marvin Rhone November 23rd, 2014 at 21:47
The KID was 12 years old! Calling him an idiot for being a KID says a lot about you. What if when you were playing dress up with your mom’s rings and what not, you went outside a pointed your mom’s ring at people and a cop shoots you? Spandex and all!
GreenLantern November 23rd, 2014 at 20:15
This is not the officer’s fault. The kid was an idiot and decided waiving a fake gun around. It looked real
Cozmo1138 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:19
But he wasn’t waving it around. It was in his waistband.
GreenLantern November 23rd, 2014 at 20:20
“The guy keeps pulling it in and out…it’s probably fake, but he’s scaring the s*** out of people,” he added.
Cozmo1138 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:36
That was before the cops arrived. And why was that bit of information “it’s probably fake” not passed along? Cops need every bit of intel in order to do their jobs properly.
But I do see where I misinterpreted your post…I thought you were saying the kid was waving the gun around in front of the cops.
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 21:19
child
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 20:57
Ask yourself why is it that white felons armed w/AR15’s who have been shooting at LEO’s are taken alive w/o injury and black children and teens are shot dead w/toys in their hands?
Marvin Rhone November 23rd, 2014 at 22:47
The KID was 12 years old! Calling him an idiot for being a KID says a lot about you. What if when you were playing dress up with your mom’s rings and what not, you went outside a pointed your mom’s ring at people and a cop shoots you? Spandex and all!
Debra L Brown November 23rd, 2014 at 19:18
I’m not gun expert, but even I could tell that wasn’t a real gun. And a question having nothing to do with placing blame, why do cops always go for a kill shot? An arm that’s holding the gun? A shot to the leg to knock them down? What is wrong with those options?
GreenLantern November 23rd, 2014 at 19:19
I’m sure you wouldn’t be able to tell if it was a real gun. He removed the orange tip
Gerald Vimont November 23rd, 2014 at 19:55
You don’t have a freakin’ clue do you???? First of all, with a gun REPLICA and the orange safety indicator taken off it’s very hard to tell if a gun is real or not unless you actually see the barrel of the gun. Cops go for the “kill shot” because they are taught from day 1 to “shoot to stop”. Going for a thin part of the body like an arm or a leg is not shooting to stop. You pretty much always go for the torso. Post again when you actually have a clue.
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 20:06
Why is it white felons who are shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are shot dead w/TOYS in their hands?
Debra L Brown November 23rd, 2014 at 20:18
I’m not gun expert, but even I could tell that wasn’t a real gun. And a question having nothing to do with placing blame, why do cops always go for a kill shot? An arm that’s holding the gun? A shot to the leg to knock them down? What is wrong with those options?
GreenLantern November 23rd, 2014 at 20:19
I’m sure you wouldn’t be able to tell if it was a real gun. He removed the orange tip
gvravel November 23rd, 2014 at 20:55
You don’t have a freakin’ clue do you???? First of all, with a gun REPLICA and the orange safety indicator taken off it’s very hard to tell if a gun is real or not unless you actually see the barrel of the gun. Cops go for the “kill shot” because they are taught from day 1 to “shoot to stop”. Going for a thin part of the body like an arm or a leg is not shooting to stop. You pretty much always go for the torso.
edmeyer_able November 23rd, 2014 at 21:06
Why is it white felons who are shooting at LEO’s w/AR15’s are taken w/o injury and black children and young men are shot dead w/TOYS in their hands?
RonHess November 23rd, 2014 at 19:37
While this is a tragedy, it happens quite a lot these days, due to the military mentality ingrained into police now. But we only seem to see it hyped on the national media if the victim is not a white person. Everyone has heard about the Trayvon Martin shooting, but has anyone made a study of all the attacks made upon white people in the months after, where the assailant even specifically says “this is for Trayvon,” or words to that effect? Just like the LA Riots in 1992, this was a case of media specifically inciting random acts of violence against white people, and Zimmerman was not even white himself. And have any of you here heard the name Jonathan Foster? He was a 12 year old little red-haired white boy who was tortured to death with a blowtorch. This would probably have made national news if the assailant had not been a black woman. You “liberals” see only what you want to see, and I will not be surprised if this comment is censored as well.
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 20:21
why are you deflecting from the actual story?
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 20:30
This liberal sees that Zimmerman got away with murder.
Lynn November 23rd, 2014 at 20:50
Why does it have to be liberals and just not PEOPLE? I watch a lot of crime and justice on tv and they hide and or don’t tell the jurors so much, how can they make decision based on such?
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 21:02
I only used the liberal term in response to the comment.
RonHess November 23rd, 2014 at 21:36
Exactly. That’s what you want to see because you go from an almost religious supposition that blacks are not any more violent than whites, while the crime statistics prove this to be in error. This is also probably why blacks are incarcerated more often and wind up in more altercations with the police. It has nothing to do with white cops hating black people. This has only gotten worse since the 60s, when people began making excuses for and thus encouraging black violence, and then from about 1990 when the “gangsta – thug life” culture became popularized and young blacks followed this as an example. No one seems interested in any real efforts to get the black community out of this rut. It’s always about blaming “whitey” for being “racist.” If we could get rid of this thug culture, we could also get rid of militarized cops as well (which would lower the police brutality against EVERYONE – yes, they terrorize and murder whites as well.) As to your assertion that Zimmerman got away with murder, would justice have been served if Zimmerman had been disarmed by gun control legislation and Trayvon Martin had been free to continue bashing his skull on the sidewalk until Zimmerman died? Well, if that had happened, none of us would ever have heard about that case in the first place, so we could all go on thinking everything was just fine with the world.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 21:57
No, because Zimmerman had no business stalking someone committing no crime and then shooting him dead. Period.
Dashing28 November 23rd, 2014 at 20:53
I hadn’t heard of the story, but I’m guessing that you’re saying that justice wasn’t served and that the black woman got away with it, right??
Oh wait. I just read the artlcle and the woman got life in jail….so what’s your point?
Unfortunately, crime happens. It’s tragic and terrible every time, regardless of the race of the victim or the perpetrator.
The issue here is not the existence of crime. The issue is that there is a disproportionate amount of cases where innocent black boys and men are killed and the perpetrators of violence that are non-white never receive justice.
George Zimmermann is free and he killed an innocent young black boy. As did the cops who killed Sean Bell. Darren Wilson will go free. As will all of the cops who choked the black man in Staten island to death for selling cigarettes. As will the cop who shot the black man in the gas station who wasn’t doing anything wrong. As will the cops who shot the black man in Walmart who was carrying a toy gun.
RonHess November 23rd, 2014 at 20:37
While this is a tragedy, it happens quite a lot these days, due to the military mentality ingrained into police now. But we only seem to see it hyped on the national media if the victim is not a white person. Everyone has heard about the Trayvon Martin shooting, but has anyone made a study of all the attacks made upon white people in the months after, where the assailant even specifically says “this is for Trayvon,” or words to that effect? Just like the LA Riots in 1992, this was a case of media specifically inciting random acts of violence against white people, and Zimmerman was not even white himself. And have any of you here heard the name Jonathan Foster? He was a 12 year old little red-haired white boy who was tortured to death with a blowtorch. This would probably have made national news if the assailant had not been a black woman. You “liberals” see only what you want to see, and I will not be surprised if this comment is censored as well.
tracey marie November 23rd, 2014 at 21:21
why are you deflecting from the actual story?
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 21:30
This liberal sees that Zimmerman got away with murder.
Lynn November 23rd, 2014 at 21:50
Why does it have to be liberals and just not PEOPLE? I watch a lot of crime and justice on tv and they hide and or don’t tell the jurors so much, how can they make decision based on such?
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 22:02
I only used the liberal term in response to the comment.
RonHess November 23rd, 2014 at 22:36
Exactly. That’s what you want to see because you go from an almost religious supposition that blacks are not any more violent than whites, while the crime statistics prove this to be in error. This is also probably why blacks are incarcerated more often and wind up in more altercations with the police. It has nothing to do with white cops hating black people. This has only gotten worse since the 60s, when people began making excuses for and thus encouraging black violence, and then from about 1990 when the “gangsta – thug life” culture became popularized and young blacks followed this as an example. No one seems interested in any real efforts to get the black community out of this rut. It’s always about blaming “whitey” for being “racist.” If we could get rid of this thug culture, we could also get rid of militarized cops as well (which would lower the police brutality against EVERYONE – yes, they terrorize and murder whites as well.) As to your assertion that Zimmerman got away with murder, would justice have been served if Zimmerman had been disarmed by gun control legislation and Trayvon Martin had been free to continue bashing his skull on the sidewalk until Zimmerman died? Well, if that had happened, none of us would ever have heard about that case in the first place, so we could all go on thinking everything was just fine with the world.
Carla Akins November 23rd, 2014 at 22:57
No, because Zimmerman had no business stalking someone committing no crime and then shooting him dead. Period.
Dashing28 November 23rd, 2014 at 21:53
I hadn’t heard of the story, but I’m guessing that you’re saying that justice wasn’t served and that the black woman got away with it, right??
Oh wait. I just read the artlcle and the woman got life in jail….so what’s your point?
Unfortunately, crime happens. It’s tragic and terrible every time, regardless of the race of the victim or the perpetrator.
The issue here is not the existence of crime. The issue is that there is a disproportionate amount of cases where innocent black boys and men are killed and the perpetrators of violence that are non-white never receive justice.
George Zimmermann is free and he killed an innocent young black boy. As did the cops who killed Sean Bell. Darren Wilson will go free. As will all of the cops who choked the black man in Staten island to death for selling cigarettes. As will the cop who shot the black man in the gas station who wasn’t doing anything wrong. As will the cops who shot the black man in Walmart who was carrying a toy gun.