So tragic--escalated situation

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
This is so much like what so many of us go through with-our g'sfg that I couldn't help but post it. I completely understand the family's position. It did not have to escalate to this point. In this case, backing off would have worked. He only had a knife (in the beginning), and other people approached him, not the other way around. Maybe his life will be a lesson for police and SW in the future. One can only hope.
 

rejectedmom

New Member
OK how does a mentally ill person get to keep a gun and how does the family rationalize it as OK? There is so much wrong here. Why should/would police let a SW go in to a building to talk to someone that has been threatening them? I think that the family in their grief is not thnking right. No police officer would allow a civilian to go into a dangerous situation. Should they have shot to kill? Absolutly not. But it doesn't soulnd like that was the case it sounds like a volley tof shots that unfortunately connected with the victim in a lethal way. That is what flash bangs and tear gas is for but I doubt they had these things in the patrol car. It sounds like this happened very fast without time for a police negotiator to get involved. I think the police reacted before they thought it through. To little training most likly which is typical of small time police units. Tragic yes but not shocking. -RM
 

crazymama30

Active Member
We had a similiar incident in our area a few years back, but the man who was killed was either bipolar or schizo and off his medications. He was threatening people, but I don't believe anyone was in the house with him.

This is sad. It is just sad.
 
N

Nomad

Guest
How very sad. We have simiar situations going on around here. Police training is very important. An important story.
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
Tear gas may have worked.

I do wonder how he got a gun.

Tragic no matter which way you look at it.
 

Andy

Active Member
"Armed with a knife or other sharp object." Ummmm Let's see, what was he doing when they arrived? Oh, yes, grilling. Could that by any chance mean he was carrying around a steak knife and fork to turn the meat and cut it? Nope, not sure that anyone grilling would have knife and sharp object in hand, would they?

How about this: Attemp to contact. Contact fails. Go back to office and document, make one of those lovely reports that the powers to be loves to have SW's and policemen do. Then, contact the family member(s) who made request of evaluation and explain what happened. Family member(s) will confirm that he always has a knife and sharp object in hand while grilling (after all, he does have his normal moments just like everyone else) and family will help with another contact attempt. Next time, family member visits first or is with the SW and police to help with the introduction of what is happening.
 

Marguerite

Active Member
I'm not going to preach and say this wouldn't happen in Australia - because it does happen here, too. And it is just as unnecessary.

They're talking about arming more of our police with tasers, so that instead of firing a gun in these circumstances, our cops can use the taser and hjopefully immobilise someone who is a threat, but without hopefully killing him.

There was an incident some years ago, still talked about - on Bondi Beach, a man armed with a knife who was unstable and threatening people. He turned out to be mentall ill and having a psychotic episode but the police felt obliged to kill him. Very sad.

So this happens anywhere in the world. 20:20 hindsight can say that this or that shouldn't have happened but when you're in the crisis, it's hard to be infallible.

Marg
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Sad.

But I also think they should've backed off and regrouped at a later time with family help.

He didn't "threaten" anyone until they approached him, until then he was just a man grilling in the back yard.

To confront someone with known paranoia without the presence of family wasn't very bright. Then they clearly overreacted to the "threat". I know hindsight is 20/20...... But even if the cop didn't know to back off......the sw should have had enough education to approach the situation correctly. Otherwise, what good are they?

I watched my mother "take down" a cop twice her size in a paranoid episode because the fool was too pompous to take any uncooperation from a "crazy lady", despite his partner's urging him to back off. Lucky for Mom.....the cop with sense didn't let the situation esculate any further, and no charges were filed because the pompous cop was actually out of line.

Yup. Sad all the way around.
 
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