Cop Shoots guy whittling

Slugs · 19-12-2010 05:56PM #1

Thought you guys might this interesting.

Video included:-
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=956_1292627716

LiveLeak wrote:

A dash cam video from the officer who shot and killed Native American woodcarver John T. Williams was released Friday, showing Williams ambling slowly across the street in a crosswalk before the officer opens fire.

Although most of the action takes place off-screen, Williams is seen walking across the street in front of the patrol car in the video, dated Aug. 30.

The patrol car starts to pull forward, then stops.

Officer Ian Burke can then be seen walking after Williams and shouting, "Hey, hey, hey! Put the knife down! Put the knife down!"

The officer walks off-screen and then five shots ring out in rapid succession, killing Williams.

Birk's badge was later pulled after a Seattle Police Department Review Board and Chief John Diaz reached a preliminary finding that Williams' shooting was not justified.

A judge ruled Thursday that the clip from officer Ian Birk's car could be released to the public after prosecutors had a chance to notify witnesses not to view the tape.

The tape's release comes after a public disclosure request from the Seattle Times.

An inquest into Williams' shooting death by Officer Ian Birk has been set to begin on Jan. 10. The facts of the case will be laid out in the open through the process.

Apparantly the victim was 9-10 feet away from the officer and was also known to be hard of hearing and often inebriated

Your thoughts?

Ross_Mahon · 19-12-2010 06:01PM

Only in America

Dyr · 19-12-2010 06:03PM

Slugs wrote: »

Apparantly the victim was 9-10 feet away from the officer and was also known to be hard of hearing and often inebriated

Your thoughts?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tueller_Drill

Donkey Oaty · 19-12-2010 06:06PM

Officer Ian Burke can then be seen walking after Williams and shouting...

...An inquest into Williams' shooting death by Officer Ian Birk has been set to begin on Jan. 10.

They got the wrong guy!

mikemac · 19-12-2010 06:08PM

Slugs wrote: »

and often inebriated

Drunken Indian, there's a stereotype right there

Slugs · 19-12-2010 06:41PM

Bambi wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tueller_Drill

As far as anyone can tell, the victim made no agressive movement towards the officer, and rather than a warning shot or a disabling shot, the officer went for 5 fatal shots.

19-12-2010 06:44PM

Poor Guy Whittling

He will surely be missed.

Dyr · 19-12-2010 06:47PM

Slugs wrote: »

As far as anyone can tell, the victim made no agressive movement towards the officer, and rather than a warning shot or a disabling shot, the officer went for 5 fatal shots.

No american police force fires warning shots or disabling shots. You should probably read up on use of force policy.

19-12-2010 06:49PM

Land of the free right there

What a police state, cops are round there like a swarm of flies...patting his back.

sonic85 · 19-12-2010 06:51PM

"cowboys ted, theyre a bunch of cowboys"

gondorff · 19-12-2010 06:53PM

Guy Whittling R.I.P.

af_thefragile · 19-12-2010 07:03PM

"f*cking savages..."

Son Of A Vidic · 19-12-2010 07:17PM

American cops don't do 'reasonable' force.

Donkey Oaty · 19-12-2010 07:37PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Poor Guy Whittling He will surely be missed.

Let's have some respect for the deceased Native American.

His name was not "Guy Whittling".

It was "Whittles A Lot".

RIP "Used To Whittle A Lot".

Augmerson · 19-12-2010 07:37PM

****ing unreal. The chap is walking on, clearly minding his own business, with carving knife and piece of wood in his hand. If he had bad intentions and meant to do harm to someone, surely he would not be walking straight infront of a cop car? And by that I mean he would have atleast concealed the knife or something.

If the Cop was really that worried that this man would attack him, why didn't he shoot him in the leg first and disable him?

And then at the end, about 5 cop cars turning up, Jesus Christ.

19-12-2010 07:56PM

So is the cop up for murder?

IvySlayer · 19-12-2010 08:00PM

I'm no police officer, but could he not of told the guy to drop his knife from the safety of his squad car?

Sugar Free · 19-12-2010 08:01PM

A bit of common sense from the officer would have went a long way there, whatever their standard procedures may be.

MagicSean · 19-12-2010 08:04PM

Augmerson wrote: »

****ing unreal. The chap is walking on, clearly minding his own business, with carving knife and piece of wood in his hand. If he had bad intentions and meant to do harm to someone, surely he would not be walking straight infront of a cop car? And by that I mean he would have atleast concealed the knife or something.

If the Cop was really that worried that this man would attack him, why didn't he shoot him in the leg first and disable him?

And then at the end, about 5 cop cars turning up, Jesus Christ.

Because it's not a movie?

LionelNashe · 19-12-2010 08:16PM

Typical, bringing a knife to a gunfight

wotzgoingon · 19-12-2010 08:17PM

I didnt know wot whittling was but i watched the video and heard the cop say he was carving a piece of wood. And it kind of clicked then and i then google searched it just to be sure.

But like if u see someone carving a bit of wood with a knife u dont go up and shoot them (well i wouldnt).
It would be different if he was running around and chasing people or running twards the cop then maybe he had a right to shoot him but id still say that is excessive force as well.
When did this happen??
Anyone know wot happened the cop he should be suspended if he shot someone for that he will obviously do it again without thinking.

Skerries · 19-12-2010 08:35PM

happened in August and his badge has been taken and it goes to trial in January
I know cops in America have a shoot first and ask questions later policy but he gave the victim **** all time to understand what was happening and he shouldn't have put himself so close to danger that he needed to react in such a violent manner

Lumen · 19-12-2010 08:37PM

There is no such thing as a "disabling shot". When you shoot, you shoot to kill because there is no practical alternative.

That's why tasers and other usually-non-lethal weapons have become so popular. They're supposed to be used in cases where you'd otherwise have to shoot (and therefore kill) someone; the victim should be grateful for not being dead.

Chucky the tree · 19-12-2010 08:50PM

Lumen wrote: »

There is no such thing as a "disabling shot". When you shoot, you shoot to kill because there is no practical alternative.

That's why tasers and other usually-non-lethal weapons have become so popular. They're supposed to be used in cases where you'd otherwise have to shoot (and therefore kill) someone; the victim should be grateful for not being dead.

Reading isn't your strong point is it?

Wicklowrider · 19-12-2010 08:59PM

k_mac wrote: »

Because it's not a movie?

Lumen wrote: »

There is no such thing as a "disabling shot". When you shoot, you shoot to kill because there is no practical alternative..

Bambi wrote: »

No american police force fires warning shots or disabling shots. You should probably read up on use of force policy.

You have to smile at people who post as if deadly force is something they encounter everyday on the way to their keyboards. Heres one example of why above posters are incorrect : http://www.youtube.com/watch?=ff4XuPtAOUk
There are many more if you google.

There are real life clips shown on TV regularly where similar shots are taken
without lethal consequences. These are real professionals where the guy who shot the Indian was a trigger happy gob****e. Reminds me of the "41" shots incident.

Bambi - are you seriously expecting us to believe you are familiar with the Use of Force Directives of EVERY US police force?

Lumen · 19-12-2010 09:06PM

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Reading isn't your strong point is it?

Making a point isn't yours.

Augmerson · 19-12-2010 09:33PM

k_mac wrote: »

Because it's not a movie?

I don't see your logic here, but for me, if I was a Police Officer and I was attempting to apprehend a man with a Knife who would not put it down but who was not actually charging me, why not shoot him in the leg? These people are trained to be excellent marksmen, shooting him in the leg would have brought him down and allowed the Cop to move in - now granted, it doesn't solve the problem, the man with the Knife will probably be very pissed now, but atleast he knows the Cop means business and atleast the Cop has avoided taking a life.

kowloon · 19-12-2010 09:45PM

Should have shot the knife out of his hand, and maybe the block of wood with a second shot. If the guy was still a danger after that the only choice would have been to shoot open his shoe laces causing him to trip over, rendering him harmless.

Yo Buddy. You still alive? · 19-12-2010 09:48PM

Augmerson wrote: »

And then at the end, about 5 cop cars turning up, Jesus Christ.

Not to mention the to Mountain bike cops.

That was a Cop coked off his noggin in my uneducated opinion. Or high on sh1t from pumping weights in the gym or something. Please let it be so

Midnight_EG · 19-12-2010 10:02PM

Lumen wrote: »

Making a point isn't yours.

Point being the victim is dead.

Your move.

Manic Moran · 19-12-2010 10:03PM

You have to smile at people who post as if deadly force is something they encounter everyday on the way to their keyboards. Heres one example of why above posters are incorrect : http://www.youtube.com/watch?=ff4XuPtAOUk
There are many more if you google.

There are real life clips shown on TV regularly where similar shots are taken
without lethal consequences.

I would be very curious if you can provide an example where such a shot was taken by a patrolman with a handgun on short notice, and not a designated marksman with a rifle and a bit of time to settle in and aim.

if I was a Police Officer and I was attempting to apprehend a man with a Knife who would not put it down but who was not actually charging me,

The clip is, unfortunately, useless to us. What the man is doing on the video is totally irrelevant to what happens offscreen, he may have actually acted in a manner the cop perceived as threatening. However, there do seem to be plenty of witnesses, so if the investigation showed it was an unjustified shooting, then so be it, that's the preliminary answer.

So is the cop up for murder?

No. An inquest is due to be started on 10JAN11, the results of that will determine if an indictment is to be heard, and if that says 'yes', then there will be a trial. It may not necessarily be for 'murder', it could be unjustifiable homicide or manslaughter.

NTM

Cop Shoots guy whittling

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