Tucson officer shoots knife-wielding wheelchair guy in back 9 times

[Suck My Glock]

So guy in wheelchair shoplifts from Walmart. When asked for a receipt as he's rolling out the door, he shows his knife and says "here's your receipt".

TPD officer moonlighting as private security follows suspect out into parking lot. Tucson PD is called and en route. At some point the suspect tells the officer following him around the lot he'll have to shoot him to get him to drop the knife.

Responding TPD officer rolls up as the suspect is about to enter a nearby Lowes. It was at this point the officer shot him 9 times from behind.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sHRMERov0E&t


Now, if we remove from this equation that the suspect was in a wheelchair, I can see where it [highlight=yellow]MIGHT[/highlight] be justified. If the armed suspect is allowed to enter another confined space where innocent bystanders could be at risk, it could be reasonably argued that the police have a duty to protect the public and prevent him from entering and ending everything then and there.

But jumping jehosaphat,...there's soooo many other things this officer could have done, both before the responding officer got there, and after. For one;...kick his chair over! He won't get far. Or mace him. Or give him a good ol' tonk on his hand and see how well he steers his chariot. Grab a broom and jam his spokes.

And even if somehow shooting the guy was necessary;...9 times? I can see 9 shots when you're facing someone aiming a gun at you. You shoot until they drop. But the officer could have walked up behind him and capped him once in the noggin, if he absolutely had to. WTF?!?!?!

 

[kenpoprofessor]

Yep, keep backing the Blue, this is what we'll get from our "public servants" who put our life on the line every day.


Have a great, gun carryin, Kenpo day|

Clyde

 

[QuietM4]

A medium sized stick in front of the wheel chair would have stopped it.

 

[pneuby]

Better camera coverage, just f/f to one -minute mark for just before the pew-pew starts.

https://tucson.com/news/local/watch-now-tucson-police-body-cam-and-surveillance-footage-show-fatal-shooting/video_c43398dd-3354-5082-9576-cd156b4dc99d.html#tracking-source=home-trending

He'll lose his job based on policy issue/s. However, I don't think he'll be charged. Were I on this copper's defense team in court, I 'could' articulate a good defense for him. But, I am with the o/p, and Clyde on this one....senseless.

 

[cool arrow]

I watched the video(s) and tried really hard to find a way to justify this, but couldn't.

This did not need to happen the way that it did, and the cop should be held accountable.

 

[smithers599]

Yep, that there is murder right there. Cop needs to be in jail.

Tip the wheelchair over, or just hold onto the back of it so he can't go anywhere.

Dumbass.

 

[kenpoprofessor]

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-breaking/2021/11/30/tucson-officer-fired-after-fatally-shooting-man-9-times-behind/8815159002/


Cop got fired, now let's see the murder trial. Putting "our lives" on the line every day for sure.


Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

 

[smithers599]

Lucky thing the poor schmoe he shot was white. If he had been black, there would be a mushroom cloud over Tucson right now.

 

[OH-MAN]

Stopsticks perhaps?

 

[kenpoprofessor]

Lucky thing the poor schmoe he shot was white. If he had been black, there would be a mushroom cloud over Tucson right now.

I'd love to see them burn down Tucson, it needs a Sodom and Gomorrah cleansing.

Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

 

[brian10x]

I live in Tucson, and I agree Clyde.

 

[BigNate]

Cops have millions of interactions with people each year and very few end in a way that is not justified.

Almost every time I see people bitching about an "evil cop unnecessarily shooting some poor innocent cherub" and I can get to the video - I can see why they did what they did and would side with the cop - ALMOST every time. This ain't one of those situations. There were WAY too many options, better options, than to do that. If dude had a gun and was rolling into the store - different story - but its a wheelchair bound paraplegic with a knife moving at the speed of smell.

"But he's rolling towards a clerk with a knife..." Yeah well... let's try: "Hey lady - get away from him please - he's got a knife..." Immediate problem solved and now you have a few seconds to figure out how to get him cornered, high centered on a broom handle, tazed, knocked out of his chair with a shovel, lasso'd with a garden hose, or any one of 1000 other options to stop a wheelchair bound paraplegic with a knife. If he dies because he stabs himself with his knife when falling out of his chair when tazed - I'm on the cop's side all day long.

At a minimum a person who can't find a better solution to that problem should not be a cop. IMHO unless there is information not in the video (let's say he had flashed a firearm and then put it away and started rolling with a knife) - he should probably be facing murder charges.


As to Tucson in general - yeah - I'm generally with Clyde on this one...