Clearly this officer is/was going thru some serious mental issues. The guy flat out snapped. The stress levels dealing with the environments the CPD work in daily have to be off the charts. I'm wondering if that might not be his defense strategy at the trial. My bigger question is the timeline it took to get to here. It may have be warranted' date=' we will have to see. I'm also curious if Obama sends the DOJ into his hometown where some of his friends could be in trouble.[/quote']

 

 

How do we know he snapped or has mental issues?

I'm guessing he hires several psychiatrists to say he is. Weather he is or not.

 

After watching the tape common sense has to tell you its his only defense.

 

Im guessing/hoping CPD goes thru yearly evaluations to determine if officer's are having mental issues.

The fallout from this will be interesting to follow. There's no question the officer was charged BECAUSE the video was forced to be made public. That's what it is upsetting to blacks around the country. We can all say (and be right) that these types of shootings are SUCH a small percentage of incidents BUT we also have to be smart enough to understand the cynicism in the black community. It's easy for many to ask "How many of these do we NOT know about because there is no video?"

 

Then add in human failures and breach of ethics like we have in Georgia going on from a 5-year-old case that is now being dredged back up. You have a DA in cahoots with the police to help them in a trial where a woman was shot and killed by officers. Debate the shooting all you will as it's the secondary issue.

 

http://investigations.myajc.com/overtheline/#da-misconduct

 

We should all understand the cynicism even if we do not understand the responses.

My understanding there was already a joint investigation into this shooting and the city was waiting for the federal piece to wrap up. They decided awhile ago to charge the officer but didn't want to announce until the Federal investigation decided what to do. The judge forcing the release of the video sped up the process to charge the officer.

 

Top prosecutor moved up announcement of charges against cop because of video - Chicago Tribune

One thing that I haven't seen but I may have missed it is a discussion about how many times and officer or soldier have no idea how many times they fired their weapon. I've seen video's of officers saying they thought they may have shot 3, 4 maybe 5 times and in reality they fired 10+ shots.

Shooting targets and even simulators is much different than shooting a person that is a real or perceived threat. Adrenaline takes over and in most cases soldiers and police officers fire until the threat quits moving, not just when they fall. It's not because they are brutal or mental it is just how it is in a live fire environment.

 

If most agree that him spinning quickly with a knife in his hands warrants him being shot and possibly killed, does it matter how many times he shot him?

 

I understand that some may look at it like, the threat was down and this was an execution, I'd bet that's not what was going through the police officers mind when he was pulling the trigger.

 

I would agree with this but the officer unloaded his clip into him and then started to reload his weapon before his partner stopped him according to the police statements. He obviously knew he unloaded his clip.

The fallout from this will be interesting to follow. There's no question the officer was charged BECAUSE the video was forced to be made public. That's what it is upsetting to blacks around the country. We can all say (and be right) that these types of shootings are SUCH a small percentage of incidents BUT we also have to be smart enough to understand the cynicism in the black community. It's easy for many to ask "How many of these do we NOT know about because there is no video?"

 

Then add in human failures and breach of ethics like we have in Georgia going on from a 5-year-old case that is now being dredged back up. You have a DA in cahoots with the police to help them in a trial where a woman was shot and killed by officers. Debate the shooting all you will as it's the secondary issue.

 

http://investigations.myajc.com/overtheline/#da-misconduct

 

We should all understand the cynicism even if we do not understand the responses.

 

Are you saying there is no cynicism by anyone but the black community?

 

Why does it have to be made about race every single time? I'm sure we could dredge the internet and find any number of combinations of shootings that are questionable, black cop/black perp, black cop/white perp, white cop/white perp, asian cop/black perp, asian cop/white perp, etc. etc.

 

Was this a bad shoot, yes. I think solely due to the fact that the officer continued to fire after the man was down. I think he had a legitimate reason for the initial action. You are taught to fire until the threat is eliminated. Clearly after the subject is down the immediate threat is eliminated.

 

My other issues are with the administration of Chicago. From the mayor on down. No way a $5 million dollar settlement get approved without the mayor knowing and knowing why. He and the rest of the chain of command need to be held accountable.

 

Last, but not least, the family. I would like to know who got the $5 million. I have read reports that CPS had removed him from his home as a young child due to abuse. If this is the family that received the settlement, I have an issue with that.

I would agree with this but the officer unloaded his clip into him and then started to reload his weapon before his partner stopped him according to the police statements. He obviously knew he unloaded his clip.

Yeah you know your empty because the slide locks back...when that happens training has you automatically drop empty and slap in a full magazine...but until that slide locks back you may not be aware of how many shots you have fired. That is all I am saying.

 

When I go shooting, I don't count shots. I shoot until I hit all of the targets I'm shooting at or the slide locks back...I don't know anyone even during target practice that counts how many shots they have fired unless they have a predetermined number they are wanting to fire.

Are you saying there is no cynicism by anyone but the black community?

 

Why does it have to be made about race every single time? I'm sure we could dredge the internet and find any number of combinations of shootings that are questionable, black cop/black perp, black cop/white perp, white cop/white perp, asian cop/black perp, asian cop/white perp, etc. etc.

 

I'm baffled that you read Clyde's post and came away with this??

I'm baffled that you read Clyde's post and came away with this??

 

Did you miss my question to begin my post and then not read the rest of my post? If you had read the rest of my post and been kind enough to respond to all of it you would see I am cynical also.

 

That was the point of my post.

Eliminate the threat.

Are you saying there is no cynicism by anyone but the black community?

 

Why does it have to be made about race every single time? .

 

1. No but I shouldn't have to state that.

2. Race matters because of perception and history. Again, shouldn't have to state that.

The fallout from this will be interesting to follow. There's no question the officer was charged BECAUSE the video was forced to be made public. That's what it is upsetting to blacks around the country. We can all say (and be right) that these types of shootings are SUCH a small percentage of incidents BUT we also have to be smart enough to understand the cynicism in the black community. It's easy for many to ask "How many of these do we NOT know about because there is no video?"

 

Then add in human failures and breach of ethics like we have in Georgia going on from a 5-year-old case that is now being dredged back up. You have a DA in cahoots with the police to help them in a trial where a woman was shot and killed by officers. Debate the shooting all you will as it's the secondary issue.

 

http://investigations.myajc.com/overtheline/#da-misconduct

 

We should all understand the cynicism even if we do not understand the responses.

 

I am late to the debate but well said Clyde.

 

Also, is the Justice Department getting involved? Unlike some other places (where I am not sure if the Justice Department was needed) I think the Justice Department needs to get involved. Additionally I think the Justice Department needs to get involved if for no other reason than the Justice Department needs to pick on someone their own size for once. I realize they are not equal but Chicago has the resources to fight the Feds unlike most of the other places the Feds get involved. That's not to defend anything that has happened here but rather to address the larger issue of fairness when the Feds get involved.

1. No but I shouldn't have to state that.

2. Race matters because of perception and history. Again, shouldn't have to state that.

 

1. Your post seemed to allude to that.

2. Race shouldn't matter. Would it not be equally as bad if it were white on white, black on black, etc.?

1. Your post seemed to allude to that.

2. Race shouldn't matter. Would it not be equally as bad if it were white on white, black on black, etc.?

 

In a perfect world you're 100% correct... Race shouldn't matter.

 

Unfortunately, in the real world... It does matter.

1. Your post seemed to allude to that.

2. Race shouldn't matter. Would it not be equally as bad if it were white on white, black on black, etc.?

 

In a perfect world you're 100% correct... Race shouldn't matter.

 

Unfortunately, in the real world... It does matter.

 

To use your word, unfortunately race matters far too much.