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30
Hmmm, Columbian. So white enough for an empty expression of regret, but dark enough that the guy who killed him won't face any actual consequences.
13
He did something illegal. Then he ran away from the cops. Who tazed him. Everything was according to the book here. A tragic accident doesn't warrant punishment.
2
Fucking brilliant.
12
Yeah,"the book" is the fucking problem. "The book" favors harsh and extrajudicial measures when handling "suspects". "Suspects" are, by definition, disproportionately black, brown, and poor.
When "the book" involves raiding frat houses and arresting white kids for doing blow and banging under age girls then maybe "the book" will have some ethical or logical purchase. Until then, its just an instrument of arbitrary of state violence.
1
Go away, you little troll. In this particular case, everything was done appropriately. A suspect caught red-handed fled and the police tazed him to subdue him, which was the right thing to do because they wouldn't be able to catch him otherwise and the other option was to shoot him, which would've been overreach considering he was only suspected of tagging.
Go whine about police bruality and racial profiling somewhere else. This is not the article to do so on.
9
Tragic, but at least they didn't shoot him for fleeing. How could they know he'd die?
28
Maybe because there have been tons of cases where people have died after being tasered? Yes, most people won't die, but some will, which makes it a potentially lethal weapon that should only be used against violent or dangerous people.
4
Was the taser necessary?
10
Protip: don't run from cops.
I feel bad for the cop as well as the family, he thought he'd be able to get the perp with a traditionally non-lethal weapon, then it ended up killing the kid... You can tell he wasn't out for blood because he didn't use his sidearm. At least that's how I see it.
2
I don't know how taggers are in Florida, but in Southern California most are gang bangers and attack anyone who sees them or tries to stop them from vandalizing property.
9
Jesus... probably fat, out of shape cops who couldn't run ten feet if their life depended on it so they tasered him. I grew up with graffiti and graffiti writers always run. It's part of the game. If they catch you, fine a couple shots to the face for making them run is expected but don't bring these potentially deadly weapons into a non violent minor property crime.
1
According to the linked to report, the cops chased him for what is implied to be some distance. So they were keeping up with him. They just weren't faster than him, a requirement for catching someone who gets a head start.
They had to be keeping up with him to tase him because those weapons do not exactly have a long range to precision ratio. Fatalities resulting due to tasing are rare and often they occur as a result of the victim suffering from some illness of weakened state.
6
So this kid with seemingly a bright future ahead of him is just "collateral damage". Let's keep using these potentially lethal electrocution devices on non-violent offenders who pose no threat to anyone because it's really really rare that they kill people, and the 500+ people who have died? Well, too bad, fuck them...they must have been weak.
1
Tasers are generally only potentially lethal against people who are suffering from debilitating diseases and/or medical conditions. And such people can also die from being tackled to the ground. It's why they're legal in some many jurisdictions.
Also, what's the alternative here? Not giving police tasers, leaving them the option of:
A) Letting the suspect get away unless the police officer can outrun them
B) Shooting them with an actual gun
What's your source for 500+ people having died from being tasered?
2
Or, alternately, stop tagging buildings and live.
8
The easiest way to not get murdered by cops is to not commit crimes.
2
Also helps to be white.
2
Tell that to Amadou Diallo.
3
he tagged a fucking wall.
1
You do remember the concept of "innocent until proven guilty," don't you? The cops have no business intentionally injuring anyone who isn't presenting a threat to themselves or other people. This isn't Judge Dredd.
