Olympia Wash. cop shoots 2 unarmed men in chest for shoplifting beer at safeway

shame there's not like, a camera on the officer or anything to get the actual story.

For all we know, these kids just had skateboards when they were executed on sight, and the officer is trying to cover his ass- as anyone would do after blatant murder.

Maybe one of the kids tossed his skateboard in the general direction of the officer thinking it'd give him a chance to escape.

Either way, the kids are dead over some beer. This world has become a very sad place to live.

originally posted by: Greathouse
a reply to: alienjuggalo

Your title is misleading, I would not describe them as unarmed.

As a matter of fact the title is even more misleading. It claims the men were shot for shoplifting beer. The article states they did not get away with the beer. The title should've stated that they were shot for attempting to shoplift beer.

a reply to: ISawItFirst

No sir you are correct! People are on their agenda on the internet!!!

Kiro 7 News Report

The two men tried to steal beer and got caught by the store, they ran, and left the beer. An hour or less later a cop found them and approached them. Something happened. A shot was fired. The two men ran into the woods. They were hiding. When they came out of the woods to the road the police shot one of them multiple times in the torso.

They definitely didn't deserve to be shot! And yes they got shot for trying to steal beer!

They're skateboarders with social media accounts, they would have been caught, the next day, or week at the skate park...The man hunt for a failed midnight beer run is ridiculous!!! Shame on those cops!!!

a reply to: game over man

I should have known. Someone comes along and calls someone's position indefensible, because a skateboard is a weapon, and it is plain to see that was not the posters position. Just an emotional statement at the end of his post.

Then we get the whole, oh I'm only talking about weapons when I said that guy was fos. Read my posts.

Why can't anyone bother to read the OP, the story, or the posts they reply to before pooping on people.

Hubris abounds, as per usual.

I was also under the impression both were killed. I read so many today, this time I may be conflating something. According to your source, they both fled and one was shot when emerging. Was one fleeing while already shot, and the other shot after? We're they both shot on emerging? So much is unclear.


Whomever said they probably threw the skateboard to buy a few seconds to flee rings true to me. Either that or a classic case of police escalation, I mean, is attempted shoplifting even a crime? I bet they were sized up for a resisting charge on sight. So the officer is already considering them felons, before the interaction. Makes the jump to shooting psychologically easier.

Then again, I have no clue how they do things in WA.

originally posted by: alienjuggalo

originally posted by: Greathouse
a reply to: alienjuggalo

Your title is misleading, I would not describe them as unarmed.

Well all they had were skateboards.

I can kill you in seconds with a skateboard.

The story says he shot one and they ran into the bushes and when they reemerged he shot the other one..why did he shoot the second one?

a reply to: Pimpish
Wow, what kind of cockroach gives a felony charge for passing gas.

Starting to protest

originally posted by: alienjuggalo
Starting to protest

Your telling me that pic is them protesting right now? It looks a little to light to be right now.

Honestly, at this point I think law enforcement officers should not attempt to pursue, or physically engage anyone that is not committing a violent felony.

There are just too many chances that the situation will escalate to the point where physical force (sometimes deadly force) is used by either the suspect, the officer, or both.

I think that when the police encounter anyone committing anything other than a violent felony, they should give an order for the suspect to stop and lay prone on the ground for cuffing.

If they do not cooperate and decide to run, so be it. Take the report and call it a day.

Once it is known that the police will not pursue, or engage any other way than verbally for crimes less than non violent felonies, people will simply run away unharmed. No altercation drastically lessens the chance of the situation escalating to a use of force scenario.

Officer involved shootings will decrease substantially.

I can say that there would be a good chance that I would shoot somebody that was violently swinging a skateboard (with metal trucks nonetheless) at my head. That goes for anyone swinging a bat, metal pipe, golf club, hammer etc at me.

If that makes me a pu**y, so be it. I would rather be a pu**y than be severely injured or dead (no longer able to provide for my family) such as in these cases.

www.mercurynews.com... (beat to death with a skateboard)

fox2now.com... (beaten with skateboard critical condition)

www.wbtv.com... (beaten to death with baseball bat)

www.dailymail.co.uk... (beaten to death by golf clubs)

a reply to: TorqueyThePig
I am more questioning why the second guy was shot as the pair re emerged from the woods? not enough info.

a reply to: thesaneone

twitter.com...

a reply to: vonclod

Maybe he felt that after being attacked with a skateboard the other suspect was going to try to kill or cause harm to him as well.

Say as a private citizen, if you carried a concealed weapon, and you got into a physical altercation with two guys, one swings a skateboard, bat, tire iron, or whatever at you and you shoot him.

The second person runs into the woods, or into his car, or into another room, or wherever, and then comes charging back at you (after his friend already attacked you with a potentially deadly weapon and you shot him), what would you think/feel/assume his intentions were?

I can say that I would probably feel his intent was to cause me bodily harm. I would then give him verbal commands to stop advancing towards me, and if he didn't, I would feel that using a firearm to stop the threat would be justified.

I wasn't there, I don't know what happened, and I honestly don't care.

Just food for thought.

originally posted by: vonclod
a reply to: TorqueyThePig
I am more questioning why the second guy was shot as the pair re emerged from the woods? not enough info.

How did they emerge. Not enough info to say either way, and it's possible the cop should be tried, but either way I won't shed a tear over criminals. It's the innocent people we should focus on.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig
If they advanced after being warned then I would expect a response ..just pondering as there isn't much info.
Cheers

a reply to: OccamsRazor04
I understand about innocent victims..2 days ago I watched some piece of crap wanna be gangbanger get a verdict of manslaughter for shooting a good friend of mine in the face with a 12 gauge..it was a robbery and they got about a hundred bucks. 2 pled guilty and got 5 years..they get time and a half since they have been in custody so they will really do about 4 years..that's what a life is worth. The 3rd guy who had his verdict the other day might get 7-8 years, he has another murder and an attempted murder to go so he will hopefully get life between all of it.
Sorry not trying to derail just letting you know I complety understand having gone to about 40 some court dates/trial in support of my friends family

originally posted by: TorqueyThePig
Honestly, at this point I think law enforcement officers should not attempt to pursue, or physically engage anyone that is not committing a violent felony.

Just as a point of curiosity, what's the deal with arresting on a misdemeanor not witnessed by the LEO? I have this vague recollection of a LEO friend (actually have a few) telling a story the punchline of which included them not being allowed to arrest on a misdemeanor they didn't personally see occur.

Not that it would apply here, as I suspect the store owner would press charges, but if the guy drops the beer and runs for it and the store owner's not willing to sign the thing that says they'll appear in court, can you arrest at all?

This is just getting surreal......these 2 were shot for running from the police and having skateboards......the mindset of police being so fearful of the average citizen surely must be raising eyebrows......as much as every citizen having the right to carry a firearm seems free or and act of freedom it really seems that it is not at all,it seems to create fear and some really twitchy trigger fingers.....this whole situation is one big clusterf###

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: TorqueyThePig
Honestly, at this point I think law enforcement officers should not attempt to pursue, or physically engage anyone that is not committing a violent felony.

Just as a point of curiosity, what's the deal with arresting on a misdemeanor not witnessed by the LEO? I have this vague recollection of a LEO friend (actually have a few) telling a story the punchline of which included them not being allowed to arrest on a misdemeanor they didn't personally see occur.

Not that it would apply here, as I suspect the store owner would press charges, but if the guy drops the beer and runs for it and the store owner's not willing to sign the thing that says they'll appear in court, can you arrest at all?

I believe they threw the beer at employees making it assault.

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
This is just getting surreal......these 2 were shot for running from the police and having skateboards

No, they were not. Can you show me how you deduced as much?