That's what I saw too. However.... I said he was hit because an article said that. Now, whether or not the cop was actually hit or he just went to the hospital saying he was hit is up for debate. Bottom line, it seemed excessive. I defend cops any time I can because it's hard to always do right in the heat of the moment when anyone could put you in danger but this appears to be over the line.
My best friend is did 2 combat tours in Iraq and 2 in Afghanistan, and now serves on the Fort Worth Police dept. Gang Unit and he said it was excessive.
I blame dumb policies more than anything. What are they doing ambushing ANYONE in this manner in street clothes brandishing guns? That would freak me out too. They could have apprehended him as he casually strolled out of the gas station mini mart. How could their surveillance be so inept that they didn't even realize that their suspect (the woman) wasn't in the car or with the pastor any longer? And how stupid is it to discharge a firearm at a GAS STATION? Those bozos could have blown the place sky high. But the #1 question of all is: Why are cops using SWAT tactics to go after drug users?
i think that speculation of excessive force is quite different than speculation he was soliciting a prostitute. Video evidence would lead one to believe that excessive force was used. Just because he was with a woman who was suspected of being a cocaine dealer does not mean she was a prostitute and he was soliciting. He was a pastor, pastors quite often do things for people in their community, give them rides, help them out. As Rex B said, why not shoot the tires out. There were no drugs found in his car. Fact is this guy was killed for no reason, and a child will be fatherless, and a mother without a husband. But being that he was a man of faith, maybe this was in his god's plan to get dirty cops off the streets, before they did something worse like fired on an innocent kid.
Totally agree. They claimed they yelled "Police. Stop!" He was in his car, freaked out and maybe never heard it. The most egregious thing to me is the way it went down. You have a bunch of guys (one apparently wearing a wife beater) jump out of a car with guns screaming at you. It's a tough position to put someone in.
because of out dated policies that are a complete and utter failure. 80% of the money that goes into this stupid drug war are spent on cops, weapons, and jails. In mexico, 17 people in a rehab were lined up and executed by Cartels. Gunmen kill 17 people at a drug rehab in Mexico - Yahoo! News This is what happens when you use prohibition as a way to combat something. You create gangsters, and cartels. But as long as politicians can keep their special interest groups happy alcohol companies, tobacco industry, clothing industry, and their favorite, DRUG COMPANIES, happy, those companies will keep throwing money at lawmakers to keep drugs illegal, and to keep locking people up for non violent drug offenses. Take a look at these numbers. Prisons & Drug Offenders | Drug War Facts keep the fight alive Robidoux.
They weren't using SWAT tactics, they were undercover agents. A SWAT team would have been obviously police with badges, helmets, and POLICE written across their body armor. Undercover drug agents look remarkably like drug dealers.
