California Man Defending Home From Theft Killed by Police

[Reptile]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,444667,00.html

AP
ANAHEIM, Calif. — A California man has been shot and killed by police after he stepped outside his home to confront suspected burglars.

Anaheim police say Julian Alexander heard an officer chasing four juveniles through his neighborhood early Tuesday and came out of his house with a broomstick to defend himself. Police say the officer ran into Alexander on his front lawn and shot him twice in the chest.

Alexander's wife and mother say the officer told them to stay inside, and from the window, they saw Alexander handcuffed and bleeding. He later died at a hospital.

Police Chief John Welter says Alexander was innocent.

The Orange County district attorney's office will investigate the shooting.

The officer's name has not been released.




I can not imagine why the cop shot this guy who was just holding a broom stick.

 

[CRSIII]

ticktickticktickticktickticktickticktick

 

[In_God_We_Trust]

Was it a

or a

 

[the jeff]

I hope the officer is charged.

 

[vicpinto]

I thought you said boomstick.

 

[vellnueve]

Reading behind the lines, looks like the chief won't be backing his officer on this one.

 

[In_God_We_Trust]

I thought you said boomstick.

Yes... I was making light of a bad situation.

I am glad to see in CA that you can have a AOW broomstick, worthy of taking two in the chest.

 

[terraformer]

Reading behind the lines, looks like the chief won't be backing his officer on this one.

How could he? What rationale would a sane person come up with? Even if the BG was the one with the broom, it was a frickn' broom. I guess this guy would disagree though...

But, I have to add that this guy should never have come out of the house. Having been in this very situation (2 BGs instead of 4), I can say that the best thing is "seal the perimeter" and stay the hell inside. I was at my GFs (in peabody) before we moved in together one sat night and cops were swarming. I went from 2nd floor to basement and then back up. Never left the house no matter how curious I (or more accurately her) was. A neighbor who is a cop in the town we now live in (aka; not in peabody) came out of his house to "help". Not sure how much "help" he really was or could have ever been. The only thing I did do is grab a phone and turn on all of the outside lights and I checked from the 2nd floor windows some good hiding spots in the backyard. Had I found someone, I would have called 911.
That is what I think was an appropriate response for a home owner. Getting involved and inserting yourself into the center of a situation is not defending your home, it is going on the offensive.

 

[HKdrummer]

where are the freekin libs on this one to start preaching about how even cops shouldnt have guns......oh sure johny officer shoots some guy with a broom hes a mis understood hero who reacted, joe the plumber shoots two guys try to rob and rape his family and hes a menace and should be locked up......please throw this guy to the wolves and mop up when theyre done

 

[doobie]

That is what you get for threatening police with a broom!

 

[tele_mark]

where are the freekin libs on this one to start preaching about how even cops shouldnt have guns......oh sure johny officer shoots some guy with a broom hes a mis understood hero who reacted, joe the plumber shoots two guys try to rob and rape his family and hes a menace and should be locked up......please throw this guy to the wolves and mop up when theyre done

The stinkin' little lefties believe those in "authority" have a right and DUTY to be armed. It's the private citizen who has no right to weapons.

 

[calsdad]

where are the freekin libs on this one to start preaching about how even cops shouldnt have guns......oh sure johny officer shoots some guy with a broom hes a mis understood hero who reacted, joe the plumber shoots two guys try to rob and rape his family and hes a menace and should be locked up......please throw this guy to the wolves and mop up when theyre done

The broomstick probably had a pistol grip on it - therefore it was an assault weapon.

 

[DickWanner]

I guess the police didn't like that he was trying to 'clean up the streets' himself....



I've never been in a chase situation as an LEO so I find myself having a hard time commenting (ie, Monday-morning-armchair-quarterbacking). The guy definitely should have stayed in his house and I'm wondering if the officer didn't exercise good judgement as well. Lose-lose all around here.

 

[clinotus]

While I understand some of the comments that he should have stayed inside the house I dont buy the followup implication that his death is his fault for not doing so.

Investigating a noise outside your house is rife with danger, but stepping outside your house and getting shot on your doorstep by the person who is supposed to be 'keeping the streets safe' seems to the antithesis of public safety.

I know, I know, we have to wait for more details of the story to emerge...I know, I know, Officer safety...I know I know....male in a dark environment with what looks like a weapon...I know...I know, but I believe its all bullshit.

 

[law dawg]

The only justification that makes sense to me would be if it were dark and the officer saw a man raise something that looked like a rifle or something of that sort.

Other than that, it would appear to be a bad shoot.

 

[Yelena]

 

[Chris]

Lets not forget, Lon Horiuchi, FBI Sniper that shot Vicki Weaver in the face while nursing her baby, has never so much has been put on leave for his actions.

 

[FunYun]

While I understand some of the comments that he should have stayed inside the house I dont buy the followup implication that his death is his fault for not doing so.

Investigating a noise outside your house is rife with danger, but stepping outside your house and getting shot on your doorstep by the person who is supposed to be 'keeping the streets safe' seems to the antithesis of public safety.

I know, I know, we have to wait for more details of the story to emerge...I know, I know, Officer safety...I know I know....male in a dark environment with what looks like a weapon...I know...I know, but I believe its all bullshit.

Every home owner has the right to see what the f*** is going on in his own damn yard.

I'm sorry, but officer saftey has its limit. It starts when he does not know what the f*** is going on and is entering a private non-suspect property. He failed to realise that he then becomes the intruder. He is the one mimicing illegal activty, and should expect to be confronted for such activity. At this point the onus is on him to stand down and identify himself, not shoot some who is 100% legal in his actions.

 

[ochmude]

That officer exhibited a severe lack of judgment. He obviously should have just shot the broom out of the guy's hand.

 

[Bassturd]

Every home owner has the right to see what the f*** is going on in his own damn yard.

I'm sorry, but officer saftey has its limit. It starts when he does not know what the f*** is going on and is entering a private non-suspect property. He failed to realise that he then becomes the intruder. He is the one mimicing illegal activty, and should expect to be confronted for such activity. At this point the onus is on him to stand down and identify himself, not shoot some who is 100% legal in his actions.

I can't help but agree.

 

[Supermoto]

The only justification that makes sense to me would be if it were dark and the officer saw a man raise something that looked like a rifle or something of that sort.

Other than that, it would appear to be a bad shoot.

How about using a f***ing flashlight and identifing your target...

but whatever gets the LEO home safely

 

[Scrivener]

Maybe there weren't any dogs to shoot.......

 

[law dawg]

How about using a f***ing flashlight and identifing your target...

but whatever gets the LEO home safely

Been in many shootings? A half a second is an eternity. Dig around for your flashlight, thumb it on, etc. all that takes time, especially if you've visually keyed on what looks like a threat and it has what appears to be the drop on you.

Not that I have a clue how it happened. If it happened that way I can at least understand it. Absent that, like I said, it looks to be a bad shoot unless another logical scenario exists (I just can't think of one).

But by all means let's rush to judgment. I mean, who needs the whole story?

 

[Supermoto]

Been in many shootings? A half a second is an eternity. Dig around for your flashlight, thumb it on, etc. all that takes time, especially if you've visually keyed on what looks like a threat and it has what appears to be the drop on you.

Not that I have a clue how it happened. If it happened that way I can at least understand it. Absent that, like I said, it looks to be a bad shoot unless another logical scenario exists (I just can't think of one).

But by all means let's rush to judgment. I mean, who needs the whole story?

Can't say I have been in a gun fight, but I can say when I was looking for something at night. I already had a flashlight out.

We don't need the rest of the story. The man had a broom, the is no justification for shooting him. No excuses can be made. The officer was wrong... end of story

 

[P-14]

Lets not forget, Lon Horiuchi, FBI Sniper that shot Vicki Weaver in the face while nursing her baby, has never so much has been put on leave for his actions.

Janet Reno heard his confession, gave him a drink of water, patted him on the head and sent him back to work.

 

[terraformer]

While I understand some of the comments that he should have stayed inside the house I dont buy the followup implication that his death is his fault for not doing so.

Investigating a noise outside your house is rife with danger, but stepping outside your house and getting shot on your doorstep by the person who is supposed to be 'keeping the streets safe' seems to the antithesis of public safety.

I know, I know, we have to wait for more details of the story to emerge...I know, I know, Officer safety...I know I know....male in a dark environment with what looks like a weapon...I know...I know, but I believe its all bullshit.

That is taking the implication too far. As with all incidents, multiple things lead up to the actual FUBAR. In this case, had the guy stayed inside, Ofc. Screwball would never have had occasion to shoot the guy. Not saying what Ofc Screwball did was right, on the contrary, he clearly had a shoot first and ask questions later approach to LE but the prudent thing would have been to stay inside.

 

[Supermoto]

but the prudent thing would have been to stay inside.

Really, Is this what it has come. we should stay inside... is it because the criminals are to dangerous or the Police