But you can also see that with 25 fatal shootings of citizens by officers in the past 4 years why the citizens would be up in arms--especially with all of the lawsuits lost by the police and the DOJ condemnation of their actions, right?

 

I agree, it's just I didn't think the officers were as at fault in that instance than the others.

The guy was laying on his back on the ground and he walked up and ended him. How can anyone say that's acceptable?

 

Is that how it happened? I didn't read the article thoroughly, but it sounded as if they were approaching him and they thought he had a gun.

Is that how it happened? I didn't read the article thoroughly, but it sounded as if they were approaching him and they thought he had a gun.

 

From the article:

 

"The 19-year-old, Andrew Lopez, caught Albuquerque police officers' attention while driving with dim headlights and no taillights; when police tried to pull him over, he led them on a low-speed chase before parking and taking off on foot, the report said.

 

Five officers gave chase, and when Lopez reached a fence and began to turn around, one of the officers fired three times, hitting Lopez once. The nonlethal shot put Lopez on his back, the report said, and the officer approached him and fired a fourth shot into his chest, killing him.

"

I agree, it's just I didn't think the officers were as at fault in that instance than the others.

 

Did you even read the article? I don't see anywhere that it mentions being 'armed'.

Is that how it happened? I didn't read the article thoroughly, but it sounded as if they were approaching him and they thought he had a gun.

 

Nevermind.

 

You should probably read the article fully before commenting about how you don't see anything wrong with it and inserting facts into the equation that just aren't there.

 

$25 million owed to taxpayers in civil suits is a heck of a lot of money.

 

Nevermind.

 

You should probably read the article fully before commenting about how you don't see anything wrong with it and inserting facts into the equation that just aren't there.

 

$25 million owed to taxpayers in civil suits is a heck of a lot of money.

 

I said this one instance, everything else I'm that article was bad. I just didn't think the cops reacted way out of line in that one story.

Also u haven't inserted any facts really. All I said was you shouldn't be running from the cops or else something bad will happen to you.

Also u haven't inserted any facts really. All I said was you shouldn't be running from the cops or else something bad will happen to you.

 

 

Yea... in Albuquerque, you'll be killed in cold blood.

 

I'm assuming you mean that you haven't inserted any facts. But I'm pretty sure you were saying that the police thought he had a weapon, but maybe I'm reading Post #17 wrong.

 

Here's what the article actually said: "In the Lopez case, police said they thought he was involved in a prior incident involving a gun, and the officer who shot him said that when he confronted Lopez, he believed Lopez was carrying "the biggest handgun he had ever seen." The car Lopez was driving did not match the make, color or type of vehicle used in the previous incident, and Lopez turned out to be unarmed, the Justice Department report says."

 

Sure, they MISTAKENLY thought he had a gun, but you conveniently left out the part where none of that was substantiated in the least (and let's be honest, it was probably some cop with little education saying it after the fact to try and get himself off). I say little education because I don't think it's very smart to try and claim someone has "the biggest gun you've ever seen" when they are unarmed.

 

The article did mention the US Department of Justice blasting the APD in a report, and that they've paid out $25 million in damages for civil claims in the past year.

 

I guess maybe it's just the big bad US Department of Justice and the local Judges and juries out to get the fine people of the APD, and will do anything in their power to slander their good name and see them go down because you know what, everyone hates police. :ohbrother:

 

The article did mention the US Department of Justice blasting the APD in a report, and that they've paid out $25 million in damages for civil claims in the past year.

 

I guess maybe it's just the big bad US Department of Justice and the local Judges and juries out to get the fine people of the APD, and will do anything in their power to slander their good name and see them go down because you know what, everyone hates police. :ohbrother:

 

They have a history of going to far which I've noted in almost every single one of my posts in this thread. If this kid didn't run from the cops he'd still be alive

Also in that post where it said "u didn't insert any facts" it was supposed to read "I didn't" .... fat fingers

They have a history of going to far which I've noted in almost every single one of my posts in this thread. If this kid didn't run from the cops he'd still be alive

 

Understand, but that's still not an excuse for them killing him. What happened in that case appears to be homicide under the letter of the law that the police have sworn to uphold.

 

Not saying that this excuses it, but I at least feel as though I think I understand why someone who is an impoverished minority would run from the police in those circumstances. Assuming that someone is innocent, I doubt that police who'd kill as recklessly as those did really care very much about getting the right person, so I can understand someone doing the calculus in their head and thinking, "what's an evading charge on top of everything else they might unfairly hit me with".

 

Again, not saying that's an excuse for evading, but I'd be guessing that the majority of people who flee in the situation described above have that going through their minds. I say that because these probably aren't young men with "pay lawyers" (to borrow from The Wire) on standby when they are arrested. They see running as something in their control whereas potentially being charged with a crime they didn't commit as something that isn't in their control. Again, not saying that is the best course of action or that I encourage illegal behavior, I'm just taking an educated guess at what is going through the mind of a young male in the situation described in my above hypothetical who flees.

Here's some of the problem with the APD. One of the officers that shot the homeless guy that was illegally camping in March made a joke about shooting the camper in his privates with a shotgun to a former colleague with the New Mexico State Police 2 hours before actually shooting him. He claims he was talking about shooting him with a taser shotgun but he changed his story. The recording doesn't sound like he says taser shotgun. He initially told IA that he was joking about shooting him in his privates as locker room type banter. Once he found out about the recording he changed his story to say he was talking about the taser shotgun. Which wouldn't have made any sense--after he made his statement about shooting him in the privates with a shotgun the NMSP officer asks if he has any less-lethal means.

 

APD Officer makes remark about shooting James Boyd 2 hours before shooting | KOB.com

 

 

Why was he a former colleague? Because the APD officer, Keith Sandy, had been fired by the NMSP. When he was hired by the APD it was with the understanding that he would not carry a badge or gun. Instead he ended up on both the tactical team and the VICE squad. This guy sounds like a bad egg.

 

http://krqe.com/2014/03/19/cop-involved-in-sunday-shooting-had-rocky-past-performance/

 

Albuquerque has been on the razor's edge for several months with the situation between citizen's and the police department. I can only think this will make it worse. The FBI continues to investigate the incident.

I am not saying there are not issues with the PDs in New Mexico, but it is a product of the dangerous climate. You could not pay me enough money to live in that state. Dangerous does not begin to describe it. I know a previous officer from Roswell and the stories are disturbing.

I am not saying there are not issues with the PDs in New Mexico, but it is a product of the dangerous climate. You could not pay me enough money to live in that state. Dangerous does not begin to describe it. I know a previous officer from Roswell and the stories are disturbing.

 

Let me guess.

 

Aliens.

Let me guess.

 

Aliens.

 

Set that one up on a tee for you.

 

But yes, aliens.