Yet another NM Law Enforcement Issue

[ABQCOWBOY]

Here is another video that has gone national involving New Mexico Law Enforcement.

This is a video of State Police pulling over a women and her kids, from Tennessee. It goes bad quickly and the resulting actions of the Police Officers are now being investigated. Here is the link with the Video.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/1...r-investigation-after-firing-at-minivan-with/

 

[Denim Chicken]

Saw this on the news this morning. The police offers these days...It's getting worse and worse...They are seeing all civilians as criminals....I don't know.

 

[Idgit]

Firing on the minivan full of children is ridiculous, and unforgivable. Short of that, though, that woman--and her son's--behavior is insanely stupid.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I try to tell people what it's like down here but you really can't understand it until you actually live here. Law Enforcement, in this State, has consistently gotten worse, IMO, over the last 10 years and I do believe (I know I sound like a broken record) that it's due, in no small part, to the board situation. It's become an us or them kind of thing IMO.

The women is clearly in violation of the law and as such, responsible for whatever happened there but, the Law Officer who drew his weapon and discharged it is way out of bounds here IMO. The only time that should happen is if you are in danger from a suspect or if other people are in danger. Neither of those two situations existed here.

This is just wrong in so many ways, it's hard to even try to justify this officers actions.

 

[Idgit]

I try to tell people what it's like down here but you really can't understand it until you actually live here. Law Enforcement, in this State, has consistently gotten worse, IMO, over the last 10 years and I do believe (I know I sound like a broken record) that it's due, in no small part, to the board situation. It's become an us or them kind of thing IMO.

The women is clearly in violation of the law and as such, responsible for whatever happened there but, the Law Officer who drew his weapon and discharged it is way out of bounds here IMO. The only time that should happen is if you are in danger from a suspect or if other people are in danger. Neither of those two situations existed here.

This is just wrong in so many ways, it's hard to even try to justify this officers actions.

Yeah, he ought to pay a heavy price for that. It's unforgivable with a car full of kids.

 

[Denim Chicken]

It's everywhere ABQ. I see so many stories like this everyday.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Yeah, he ought to pay a heavy price for that. It's unforgivable with a car full of kids.

But you know what, he may not. These things have a way of just going away here. I've seen it way too many times. I hope that that officer is severely dealt with but it may not happen. That's just the truth of it.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

It's everywhere ABQ. I see so many stories like this everyday.

It didn't used to be that way here Denim. I used to know several cops, both APD and Staters and it didn't used to be this way. Now, it's not uncommon at all to see this kind of thing here.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

14 year old kid comes out swinging. Man, good one Brainiac.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

14 year old kid comes out swinging. Man, good one Brainiac.

Yeah, that was not smart but I think it's a situation where these folks from Tennessee are probably accustom to a certain behavior from law enforcement and that's not how it works here. I don't know that to be a fact but whatever the case, that young man clearly didn't understand what he was getting himself into there.

He's lucky he's not dead.

 

[Tabascocat]

I am trying to understand where the cops are at fault here. They tried everything before the gun was fired and it looks like it was fired at the tires. That 14-yo kid looked dangerous to me, was big enough to do some damage and he should have never left the car, could have even had a gun on him.

That family was completely in the wrong there IMO. I don't know the ages of the other kids in there(did not read the story, only watched) but the mom acted stupidly to put them in that situation.

Everything seemed warranted by the cops, only maybe taken a bit too far with the pistol if he was firing through the back window but didn't look like it to me.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I am trying to understand where the cops are at fault here. They tried everything before the gun was fired and it looks like it was fired at the tires. That 14-yo kid looked dangerous to me, was big enough to do some damage and he should have never left the car, could have even had a gun on him.

That family was completely in the wrong there IMO. I don't know the ages of the other kids in there(did not read the story, only watched) but the mom acted stupidly to put them in that situation.

Everything seemed warranted by the cops, only maybe taken a bit too far with the pistol if he was firing through the back window but didn't look like it to me.

You can not discharge your weapon unless you or other innocent citizens are in danger. Even if you are simply trying disable the vehicle, that's a no-no.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

This explains the mothers behavior and possible the 14 year old.

'She has since been released and faces charges of child abuse, fleeing and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia for a pair of marijuana pipes found in the van.'

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

This explains the mothers behavior and possible the 14 year old.
'She has since been released and faces charges of child abuse, fleeing and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia for a pair of marijuana pipes found in the van.'

She also has a history of DWI arrest, although here Lawyer claims that she has no convictions. I mean, there is no question that this women was in the wrong and plain stupid for her actions. Also that she endangered the lives of her children but the officer in questions had no legal justification for discharging his weapon in that situation.

 

[Tabascocat]

You can not discharge your weapon unless you or other innocent citizens are in danger. Even if you are simply trying disable the vehicle, that's a no-no.

The cops and the other children could have been in danger, they did not know the intentions of the kid charging at them. The mom pulling away twice put other drivers in danger by having police cars chasing them.

There was a whole lot of wrong there and most of it lies on the mom and son. It would be worse if the cops took it with a grain of salt and used pleasing and calming words just to have one of them pull a gun out and kill one. Once that kid left the van and went after them, they had to protect at that point.

Again, looks like he shot at the tires to try to keep her from running again. I think they had something to hide...............

 

[Denim Chicken]

I am trying to understand where the cops are at fault here. They tried everything before the gun was fired and it looks like it was fired at the tires. That 14-yo kid looked dangerous to me, was big enough to do some damage and he should have never left the car, could have even had a gun on him.

That family was completely in the wrong there IMO. I don't know the ages of the other kids in there(did not read the story, only watched) but the mom acted stupidly to put them in that situation.

Everything seemed warranted by the cops, only maybe taken a bit too far with the pistol if he was firing through the back window but didn't look like it to me.

Dude, you don't just start shooting at a car full of kids.

 

[Tabascocat]

Dude, you don't just start shooting at a car full of kids.

Like I said, I am assuming it was at the tires. If he shot inside the van, then the shooting officer was wrong.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Like I said, I am assuming it was at the tires. If he shot inside the van, then the shooting officer was wrong.

Either is wrong. You don't shoot at a car full of kids, regardless of where you're aiming.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

The cops and the other children could have been in danger, they did not know the intentions of the kid charging at them. The mom pulling away twice put other drivers in danger by having police cars chasing them.

There was a whole lot of wrong there and most of it lies on the mom and son. It would be worse if the cops took it with a grain of salt and used pleasing and calming words just to have one of them pull a gun out and kill one. Once that kid left the van and went after them, they had to protect at that point.

Again, looks like he shot at the tires to try to keep her from running again. I think they had something to hide...............

Doesn't matter. The rules that outline legal discharge of weapons in the course of duty are clear. There must be a threat present and it's not a threat of bodily harm. It's a threat that represents a threat of immanent danger. The Officer who discharged his weapon was the one who arrived as backup and was not even there when the teenager had the scuffle with the arresting officer. He pulled up as the Van was driving away, as I understand it. There is no excuse for that guy. An for the record, shooting out the tires on a moving vehicle is not justified as lawful reason for discharging your weapon.

 

[Tabascocat]

So, which is more dangerous to the kids...
1. shooting at the tires to keep her from leaving again
2. mom fleeing the scene for a second time with the kids in the van leading to a possible wreck from speeding away

They were put in a bad situation and both actions were wrong. The backup officer had to know about the scuffle, they communicate via radio.

If I were a cop and saw that kid charging at me while mom is trying to get away, I would see that as a clear threat. So, when can the officer see that his life is in imminent danger, after he is shot laying on the ground?

I am not excusing his actions for shooting, only stating that there was a threat there.