LAPD 'top shot' officer sued for shooting, killing man who advanced with a 'box cutter'

[kingfisher]

View attachment 373721

She's beautiful. Thanks for posting the photo.

That looks like a slow reload, but she was probably just posing and doesn't do it that way when time matters.

I know some of you are now asking yourself... "she was doing a reload?"

 

[pastera]

The body camera expands distance because of it's extreme field of view.
I thin kthe distance was somewhere around 30' for the shoot.
First shots were definitely clean - guy was down then tried to get get up so second set was clean. She continued until he stopped moving at that point. Were those last shots clean? To us, yes. To an uninformed jury?

 

[Andy in NH]

She had a really good cadence to her shots also.
Almost as if she was reciting to herself; front sight, press... front sight, press... for each pair of shots she delivered.

 

[Individualist]

The body camera expands distance because of it's extreme field of view.
I thin kthe distance was somewhere around 30' for the shoot.
First shots were definitely clean - guy was down then tried to get get up so second set was clean. She continued until he stopped moving at that point. Were those last shots clean? To us, yes. To an uninformed jury?

To an uninformed or rather media conditioned jury that perceived far distance is going to hurt her. Also the second round of shots came rather quick, obviously from good training, and that too will hurt her. I would expect them try to make it seem like she did not give enough time to de-escalate the situation, and once down was no longer a true threat.

“Another avoidable murder by a trigger happy cop, where a trained social worker would have made all the difference and not carelessly taken the life of this poor troubled sole... blah, blah, blah.”

Oh, and seriously Not Guilty! I’d train under her any day or night of the week.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I don't wish her legal and financial troubles ahead on anybody.

She can expect all legal fees to be paid by the city or union, and all damages to be paid by the city.

 

[pastera]

Didn't need to see her picture to say I would train with her - even during a SHTF situation she remained in control and gives clear, precise instructions.

 

[Deleted member 12999]

Oh.... one of Taran's skanks is getting jammed up for finally getting her CONUS kill? Hmmmmm....

 

[Varmint]

The body camera expands distance because of it's extreme field of view.
I thin kthe distance was somewhere around 30' for the shoot.
First shots were definitely clean - guy was down then tried to get get up so second set was clean. She continued until he stopped moving at that point. Were those last shots clean? To us, yes. To an uninformed jury?

Yeah I noticed that on the new GoPro we got, things seem super far away on the video. Guy on meth coming at you with a knife you've got a second maybe to put 4 rounds in him.

 

[Wickedcoolname]

Box cutter. Yet another term that annoys me. Back when many people had some trade skills that tool was known as a utility knife. The term 'box cutter' was used by unskilled laborers who worked in warehouses and department stores. But ever since 9/11 the news reporters constantly called them box cutters. Big deal, right?
Well, it kind of is. I think it is an example of the gulf that exists between blue collar people who grew up working in a skilled trade vs. some white collar people who's only physical job may have been after school working in a store.
Any carpenter or plumber or drywaller or electrician knows it's a utility knife. But most shelf stocker's would call it a box cutter.
Box cutter doesn't sound all that dangerous to some, but a razor knife or utility knife has more of a weapon sounding name.
If I were defending the cop I'd always refer to it as a utility knife or razor knife.

 

[richc]

Can I just point out that the deceased was in the process of KILLING HIMSELF when the police arrived?

Well she did a fine job making sure he didn't commit suicide!

 

[lowbuckbob]

Good shoot and definitely NOT guilty!

 

[Varmint]

Box cutter. Yet another term that annoys me. Back when many people had some trade skills that tool was known as a utility knife. The term 'box cutter' was used by unskilled laborers who worked in warehouses and department stores. But ever since 9/11 the news reporters constantly called them box cutters. Big deal, right?
Well, it kind of is. I think it is an example of the gulf that exists between blue collar people who grew up working in a skilled trade vs. some white collar people who's only physical job may have been after school working in a store.
Any carpenter or plumber or drywaller or electrician knows it's a utility knife. But most shelf stocker's would call it a box cutter.
Box cutter doesn't sound all that dangerous to some, but a razor knife or utility knife has more of a weapon sounding name.
If I were defending the cop I'd always refer to it as a utility knife or razor knife.

After some Saudis took down 3 airplanes with box cutters I think people get how dangerous they are. Some guy in my wife's office did a real number on his hand with one too. I'm careful when I use them.

 

[Andy in NH]

Another viewpoint of the distance.
Maybe a little more than two car lengths?

 

[alx]

She could have paid a bit more money and get a better chin pull face job. I know her kind.

I know I am the minority here, but I watched the video and I believe that her choice of shooting distance is at best questionable and at worst- blood thirsty. The guy had a box cutter, not anything remotely capable of hurting anybody at the distance she opened fire. Couple more seconds of yelling and persuasion might have been enough To save a life. Maybe not. Who knows. I personally would have engaged him at much closer distance.

At least the video is of good quality so I am sure the justice will prevail either way.

 

[free]

Box cutter. Yet another term that annoys me. Back when many people had some trade skills that tool was known as a utility knife. The term 'box cutter' was used by unskilled laborers who worked in warehouses and department stores. But ever since 9/11 the news reporters constantly called them box cutters. Big deal, right?
Well, it kind of is. I think it is an example of the gulf that exists between blue collar people who grew up working in a skilled trade vs. some white collar people who's only physical job may have been after school working in a store.
Any carpenter or plumber or drywaller or electrician knows it's a utility knife. But most shelf stocker's would call it a box cutter.
Box cutter doesn't sound all that dangerous to some, but a razor knife or utility knife has more of a weapon sounding name.
If I were defending the cop I'd always refer to it as a utility knife or razor knife.

You are wrong in these wrong things you say.

 

[Varmint]

I know I am the minority here, but I watched the video and I believe that her choice of shooting distance is at best questionable and at worst- blood thirsty. The guy had a box cutter, not anything remotely capable of hurting anybody at the distance she opened fire. Couple more seconds of yelling and persuasion might have been enough To save a life. Maybe not. Who knows. I personally would have engaged him at much closer distance.

At least the video is of good quality so I am sure the justice will prevail either way.

I think she could have let him get another 5 feet closer but it's easy to nitpick from the living room.

 

[richc]

You are wrong in these wrong things you say.

That sounds like the title of a Dr. Seuss book...

 

[ThePreBanMan]

I thought that was pure CYA theater for the body camera. I dunno, I did not see what y'all saw. To any one of the bystanders milling around that would have looked like the popo rolled up and almost immediately capped one of the victims of the motor vehicle accident. She looked like a narcissist in a blue uniform itching to demonstrate her 15 yard shooting skills to me. I doubt the man who was shot heard a single word she said....in English. That dude did clearly want to die at that moment though.

Here's the suicidal perp with his deadly boxcutter. I would not assume this case will be a slam dunk for the LEO.

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You know just a reminder, almost 3,000 people are dead because of a couple of towel heads who had box cutters on 9/11/01...

 

[mibro]

You know just a reminder, almost 3,000 people are dead because of a couple of towel heads who had box cutters on 9/11/01...

I'd be more impressed if they'd killed them all with the boxcutters.

 

[Palladin]

During my LE years, it was always suggested that being a competitive shooter would go against you in a civil case. You know... the old "This officer is an expert, and could have clearly shot the deceased in the leg" line.

Because training records could be subpoena'd, we didn't market scores on them, just pass/fail at the appropriate level. Targets went straight into the burn barrel as soon as scores were recorded.

We all compared scores for bragging rights, of course... but didn't publish them anywhere.

And yes, she was one of Tarran's instagram gun bunnies.

Yup. When dad was on BPD, when qualifying at Long Island, one if his buddy's gave him a Fail notice. He treasured that for the next year.

 

[Andy in NH]

She could have paid a bit more money and get a better chin pull face job. I know her kind.

I know I am the minority here, but I watched the video and I believe that her choice of shooting distance is at best questionable and at worst- blood thirsty. The guy had a box cutter, not anything remotely capable of hurting anybody at the distance she opened fire. Couple more seconds of yelling and persuasion might have been enough To save a life. Maybe not. Who knows. I personally would have engaged him at much closer distance.

At least the video is of good quality so I am sure the justice will prevail either way.

Have you trained in the practical realities of the Tueller Drill?

 

[Wickedcoolname]

You are wrong in these wrong things you say.

Usually.

 

[Wickedcoolname]

After some Saudis took down 3 airplanes with box cutters I think people get how dangerous they are. Some guy in my wife's office did a real number on his hand with one too. I'm careful when I use them.

True. But calling a utility knife a box cutter is like calling a hammer a paint can lid resealer.

 

[Palladin]

She can expect all legal fees to be paid by the city or union, and all damages to be paid by the city.

Until qualified immunity ends, then it becomes a shitshow

 

[mibro]

Have you trained in the practical realities of the Tueller Drill?

The problem with the Tueller Drill is it assumes a competent, motivated attacker who intends to stab/cut you. In practice it has become a justification to shoot any impaired idiot with any kind of bladed weapon.

I get that you can not predict the future behavior of any individual but that does not mean the threat assessment should always be turned up to 11 imo.

I liked the professional actions of the fat female jam-clearing cop we saw recently much more than this sharp-shootin' LEO. A competent lawyer will make her look bad in front of a jury imo.

 

[Andy in NH]

I liked the professional actions of the fat female jam-clearing cop we saw recently much more than this sharp-shootin' LEO. A competent lawyer will make her look very, very bad in front of a jury imo.

The situation for the Michigan deputy almost turned out poorly as she clearly didn't understand the time/distance relationship.
The LAPD officer gave herself more space and hence more time to safely react.
A competent lawyer can justifiably explain the officer's reasonable actions to a jury.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

"How to get shot 101". Arm yourself with a knife and advance toward the police. Simple as that. Jack.

 

[general disorder]

He played a stupid game and won the ultimate stupid prize.

 

[Broc]

To an uninformed or rather media conditioned jury that perceived far distance is going to hurt her. Also the second round of shots came rather quick, obviously from good training, and that too will hurt her. I would expect them try to make it seem like she did not give enough time to de-escalate the situation, and once down was no longer a true threat.

“Another avoidable murder by a trigger happy cop, where a trained social worker would have made all the difference and not carelessly taken the life of this poor troubled sole... blah, blah, blah.”

Oh, and seriously Not Guilty! I’d train under her any day or night of the week.

I think the only thing that can play against her is shooting him when he was down.

Distance on camera, not an issue, you can show the Jury how close she really was using a measuring tape.

Training- she is a god damn cop, their job is to be properly trained on using guns. But I can see how a bunch of morons could see it as a negarive. Her lawyer will have to really s*ck to not be able to talk her out of that. You could argue her training helped her not hit "civilians".

A big positive; she is a woman, and not a big woman, young and innocent looking. And she has the Union behind her.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Until qualified immunity ends, then it becomes a shitshow

The chapter of who pays the legal fees has yet to be written. Union contract negotiations and all.

Anyone doing merc work (armed security for the private sector) would be borderline crazy to do it without a contract guaranteeing that the employer pays all legal fee for any on-duty action.