Salem police shoot a man threatening suicide

You're from salem NH einstein. I'm talking salem MA. Jesus christ...do you really think I'm that retarded? Plus, salem has no say over your ccw...it's state issue....which makes me wonder if you actually own a firearm....you'd know that

dude what I'm from new hampshire? of course I am that's why I posted the article. you think I give ass about salem mass witches or not lol
 
dude what I'm from new hampshire? of course I am that's why I posted the article. you think I give ass about salem mass witches or not lol

hahaha Dude my bad on this lol. I thought you were from MA lolol. I officially apologize. hahahaha and the mook of the day award goes to michaeljr
 
I think that "ward", whatever his last name is, story is stealing the spotlight. just interesting to see how this will unfold in a time like hopefully this week\ ( article said like 7-10 days)
 
Does this qualify as a success for the cops? They've got tasers, shotgun beanbags, shotgun nets, sticky foam sprays, and who knows what other non-lethal methods to subdue him and they opt to simply shoot the guy?

did anybody hear about this? didn't see it.


"SALEM — An apparently suicidal man armed with a knife was shot multiple times by police yesterday morning, according to the state attorney general's office.

Police arrived at 155 S. Policy St. at 10:37 a.m. yesterday, after receiving a 911 call about a man who was making suicide threats at the address, Senior Assistant Attorney General Jeffery Strelzin said yesterday."



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW-UYWAwkvg&feature=player_embedded


http://www.eagletribune.com/latestnews/x1733408715/Salem-police-shoot-man-threatening-suicide

discuss
 
Does this qualify as a success for the cops? They've got tasers, shotgun beanbags, shotgun nets, sticky foam sprays, and who knows what other non-lethal methods to subdue him and they opt to simply shoot the guy?

I'd say it depends entirely on what prompted the shooting. I have to assume that something prompted the officers to shoot. If, perhaps, the guy lunged at them with his knife, shooting him is completely justified in my eyes. Deadly force is met with deadly force, not something less. I have no clue what actually happened, though, so I'm just speculating.
 
Does this qualify as a success for the cops? They've got tasers, shotgun beanbags, shotgun nets, sticky foam sprays, and who knows what other non-lethal methods to subdue him and they opt to simply shoot the guy?

Again - none of us were there. Let's just say for example, that the guy turned the knife on an officer and ran toward him. Let's say it was Officer Swampy. You have a gun, a taser and a can of mace. The guy has a 12" kitchen knife and is running toward you swinging it wildly and closing fast.. What does Officer Swampy do?
 
not that Im doubting the cops here....but isn't this exactly what tasers were meant for?

I'm no so sure I'd be thinking 'Taser' if I had a gun and someone was coming at me with a knife - regardless of his motivation.

do you really think I'm that retarded?

I think everybody does. I'm convinced you are.

should you have to pay the cops before they assist you in your suicide? or is that what your tax dollars pay for? either way, someone's gotta pay.

He should. Attempted suicide is an 'extreme sport' where he is DELIBERATELY taking a risk. Like the X-Games.
 
None of us were there, (I think). The article is incomplete, (as most articles tend to be). If you present yourself to law enforcement with a weapon - any weapon, in an aggressive manner - expect to be shot. It would be all warm an fuzzy if they had a nice softy net gun for this idiot, but alas - they showed up with guns. Big woop. It's pure conjecture, but if I am armed with a gun, baton, mace, taser and a fist or two and someone comes at me with a knife, guess what?

Well, there's also the "patrol car" option.... [laugh]

 
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Well I guess you could say the suicidal dude got his wish.

The bigger question here is, is this still considered a suicide attempt? or murder on behalf of the officer?

Hmm.
 
I've never seen a cop in MA carry a Taser, unless they were working for a Federal agency. (I remember noticing one on a National Parks Service Ranger and thinking it was odd, as I'd never seen one carried in MA). I think the ban on their sale doesn't provide an exemption for police officers.

The Framingham PD carries tasers.
 
The Framingham PD carries tasers.

It's a rough town afterall.

It's too bad the didn't opt for the bean bag option. Those things will shut down most anyone, hence their constant use at supermax facilities on the biggest problems you'll find in our country. It's too bad someone felt the need to tap out like that, and in a case like this, I feel for the PD. They had few choices, and while they may not have chosen the best one, this guy was dedicated to the process of going, and well, he didn't take anyone with him.
 
ya something is screwy here, I agree with the taser remark or maybe those were left out of the budget this first quarter. anyways, I think that if the man doesn't survive there will be some more in depth internal review, or at least I would like to believe.
***update, oops, great minds think alike***

How about a beanbag round out of a shotgun. I rode along with a local cop friend and he tooke me through everything in his car on the slim chance I ever needed it. The beanbag shotgun was pretty cool.
This was a perfect use for one of those. Great standoff distance, excruciating pain with little chance of death.
 
***update, oops, great minds think alike***

How about a beanbag round out of a shotgun. I rode along with a local cop friend and he tooke me through everything in his car on the slim chance I ever needed it. The beanbag shotgun was pretty cool.
This was a perfect use for one of those. Great standoff distance, excruciating pain with little chance of death.

Depends on how much time the officers had to make the decision to use a less than lethal option. From the article:
"A confrontation ensued shortly after the officers arrived, and during that confrontation, shots were fired,"

Unless they just rolled up and popped him with a beanbag round immediately and asked questions later, it doesn't sound like they had time to do much of anything.
 
These cops were VERY patient.
I doubt you would have seen American cops show so much restraint. Especially with the current militarization of or PDs.

i tired searching for an old "vintage" video from an old episode of C.O.P.S that took place on route 107 (Marsh road) in Saugus between Lynn PD and MSP where they pretty much did the same thing.

guy had a knife and was walking down the middle of a divided highway.. it was in the late 80's / early 90's.
 
Somewhere somebody has done a comedy sketch about this.

This is just another example of "law enforcement" run amuck IMHO.

"To protect (ourselves) and to serve (you a bullet if you break a law)"
Isn't it illegal to attempt suicide? I remember reading something to that affect years ago.

Hey, someone wants to explore purgatory, you can't really stop them.
 
Does this qualify as a success for the cops? They've got tasers, shotgun beanbags, shotgun nets, sticky foam sprays, and who knows what other non-lethal methods to subdue him and they opt to simply shoot the guy?

Yup,a lot of cops have a lot of things on their side to make the job easier.Now if they can get the people in their town to support them it might end up being a good job?
 
not that Im doubting the cops here....but isn't this exactly what tasers were meant for?

Nope. Threaten a police officer with a knife and expect to be shot. LEOs jobs are hard enough without trying to play action movie hero for every loon who is about turn his or her life around.
 
Nope. Threaten anyone with a knife and expect to be shot.

Fixed it for you. If some guy threatens someone else with a weapon, one should expect that escalation to or above the level of force presented is on the table.

-Mike
 
Nope. Threaten a police officer with a knife and expect to be shot. LEOs jobs are hard enough without trying to play action movie hero for every loon who is about turn his or her life around.

I agree completely. While it seems ridiculous that the cops kill the guy for threatening suicide, if he made a move towards them with a knife, they'd be justified in lighting him up.

The use of less lethal force like a beanbag is at the cops discretion. If they didn't have time to retrieve and load the beanbag shotgun then its unfortunate for the guy.
If it was the kind of standoff that I suspect it was, then the cops should have at least made an attempt to use a less lethal weapon. But with the information we have now, we certainly can't second guess the LEOs.
 
I agree completely. While it seems ridiculous that the cops kill the guy for threatening suicide, if he made a move towards them with a knife, they'd be justified in lighting him up.

The use of less lethal force like a beanbag is at the cops discretion. If they didn't have time to retrieve and load the beanbag shotgun then its unfortunate for the guy.
If it was the kind of standoff that I suspect it was, then the cops should have at least made an attempt to use a less lethal weapon. But with the information we have now, we certainly can't second guess the LEOs.

Where was it reported that he didn't? The article linked in the OP didn't give any details at all. All it said was the officers responded and shortly after that gunshots were heard. From what little was reported, it didn't sound like there was a standoff at all.
 
once I catch another article in the paper about the findings here (if there is any) I will be sure to link it in the OP in this thread, and in a newer post. I have my eyes out, it'll be interesting to see whether or not he turned the knife on the officers if he was the one initially turning the knife on himself. does anybody know if suicide is illegal?
 
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