Minnesota

question everything

(47,538 posts) Sun Feb 9, 2014, 02:00 PM Feb 2014

Tirgger happy police officers?

No, never been a police officer, never been in a scene of a crime. But sometimes it appears as if police officers (and DNR officers) are too happy to shoot to kill. Several years ago there was a case of a mentally disturbed woman on the car pool lane on the 394. The other day, two individuals who actually left their car and started running. In this case, why not tasering? Or, at least, aim at the legs?

Again, I have no idea what police officers are faced when they decide to shoot, but I have to wonder whether aiming at the chest or the head is the only alternative.

9 replies

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Highlight:

Tirgger happy police officers? (Original Post) question everything Feb 2014 OP

This I-394 shooting? progree Feb 2014 #1

Yes, that's the one question everything Feb 2014 #2

How could the police officer determine in a split second what kind of shooter she was? progree Feb 2014 #3

She had a knife. They had guns. glinda Feb 2014 #4

She raised a gun according to everything I've read about it including according to the Grand Jury progree Feb 2014 #5

The couple killed on Hwy 212 last Friday also only had a knife. n/t dflprincess Feb 2014 #6

"ALSO only had a knife" ? progree Feb 2014 #7

The OP mentions the incident on 212 dflprincess Feb 2014 #8

LEOs do not aim at the head when shooting at a suspect. Jenoch Feb 2014 #9

progree

(10,920 posts)

1. This I-394 shooting?

Reply to question everything (Original post)

Sun Feb 9, 2014, 02:33 PM

Feb 2014

[font color = blue]>>Several years ago there was a case of a mentally disturbed woman on the car pool lane on the 394.<<[/font]

If you mean the Golden Valley police officer Robert Zarrett shooting Katherine Gordon in September 2011,

http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/newsarchive/index.php/2012/05/10/grand-jury-clears-golden-valley-police-officer-in-fatal-shooting/

She eventually pulled her car to the left lane of I-394 near Hopkins Crossroad, quickly exited the vehicle through the driver’s door, and pointed a handgun at Zarrett. In the interest of his own safety and that of others on the busy freeway, Zarrett fired upon Gordon, fatally wounding her. The gun was recovered next to Gordon’s body.

There were press reports at the time of at least one witness, if I recall correctly, to her pointing a handgun.

Can't say I would have reacted any differently.

I don't remember anything about being in the car pool lane, so it might be a different story than the one you have in mind.

question everything

(47,538 posts)

2. Yes, that's the one

Reply to progree (Reply #1)

Sun Feb 9, 2014, 02:46 PM

Feb 2014

As I say - I have no idea how I would react, I just wonder whether there was a way to incapacitate her, instead of killing her on the spot.

It's not as if she was a sharpshooter, as the police have.

progree

(10,920 posts)

3. How could the police officer determine in a split second what kind of shooter she was?

Reply to question everything (Reply #2)

Sun Feb 9, 2014, 02:58 PM

Feb 2014

And she doesn't have to be a "sharpshooter" to kill someone.

[font color = red]On edit:[/font]

Golden Valley Police Chief Stacy Carlson said in the news release. "After an officer-involved shooting, it is common for the public to ask why the officer didn’t just shoot the gun out of someone’s hand or hit them in the kneecap—like they do on TV. The answer is that TV is not reality, and many officers have been killed by someone who was able to continue firing a gun even after being partially wounded."

glinda

(14,807 posts)

4. She had a knife. They had guns.

Reply to question everything (Reply #2)

Thu Feb 13, 2014, 12:31 AM

Feb 2014

progree

(10,920 posts)

5. She raised a gun according to everything I've read about it including according to the Grand Jury

Reply to glinda (Reply #4)

Thu Feb 13, 2014, 03:58 PM

Feb 2014

Last edited Thu Feb 13, 2014, 04:47 PM - Edit history (1)

and at least one witness.

On Edit 245p -
[font color = blue] >> "they had guns" <<[/font]

There was only one police officer involved, not "they"

dflprincess

(28,082 posts)

6. The couple killed on Hwy 212 last Friday also only had a knife. n/t

Reply to question everything (Original post)

Thu Feb 13, 2014, 10:33 PM

Feb 2014

progree

(10,920 posts)

7. "ALSO only had a knife" ?

Reply to dflprincess (Reply #6)

Fri Feb 14, 2014, 12:23 AM

Feb 2014

The I-394 one back in September 2011, Katherine Gordon, was pointing a gun at the police officer. That's the only other case discussed in this thread so far.

dflprincess

(28,082 posts)

8. The OP mentions the incident on 212

Reply to progree (Reply #7)

Sat Feb 15, 2014, 12:47 AM

Feb 2014

Besides the main topic is "trigger happy cops" and last Friday's shooting seems to fit that.

Jenoch

(7,720 posts)

9. LEOs do not aim at the head when shooting at a suspect.

Reply to question everything (Original post)

Wed Feb 19, 2014, 01:01 AM

Feb 2014

They aim for body mass.

I too would like to know more about the 212 shooting. Apparently, the male suspect had a knife and would not drop it. The cops shot him and the female picked up the knife and would not drop it and she was shot. This probably took fewer than 5 seconds.

I wish I had more details.

I do know that if a suspect is within 21 feet of a cop and has a knife, the perp can stab the cop before he can respond by shooting them with a gun.

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