San Francisco police shot man 20 times, including 6 in the back

An autopsy report shows a young black man shot dead by San Francisco police suffered 20 gunshot wounds, including six in the back, and had drugs in his system when he died in the shooting that sparked protests and calls for the chief's removal.

The San Francisco coroner's report released Thursday showed that Mario Woods, 26, also had two gunshot wounds in his buttocks and others to his head, legs, abdomen and hands. Some of the wounds could have been from the same bullet, the autopsy says. It also shows that Woods had used methamphetamine, marijuana, antidepressants and cough medicine before he was shot.

Investigators have said five officers opened fire on the knife-wielding Woods on Dec. 2 and that 27 shell casings were recovered at the scene where Woods died. Police had encountered him while searching for an assailant who stabbed a stranger earlier in the day. Police say Woods ignored commands to drop the knife and resisted even after he was shot several times by a "bean-bag" gun and pepper-sprayed.

The shooting was captured on video and circulated widely online, igniting ongoing protests over police tactics.

LINK

Not sure how I feel about this one. It appears the man shot refused to release a knife and was suspect concerning a local stabbing but six rounds in the back? To me that is a cowardly move in part of the police. IMO If you are going to shoot someone then look them in the eyes but IMO I don't understand why not just shoot him in the shoulder or leg? Why kill the guy?

Is killing the answer to disarming a suspect, especially when the suspect is not carrying a gun? The use of deadly force needs to be redefined and clarified at the federal level and enforced. I believe this will stop a lot of useless killing by government employees.

Firing squad. 27 shots-- once one officer fired, they all did. Harder to prosecute all of them, seeing as how the situation was so dangerous between five side arms and one knife.

After action report will reflect that they all had to discharge to save the officer who 'got in the way'.

See that? The officer moved to block the subject, presenting ever greater danger to himself and the subject.

He should have kept his distance.

Instead, upon seeing their fellow officer in such imminent danger, one of them discharged the first round.

That whole imminent danger, necessary deadly force falls apart though when we see the video. Just the critical part…

a reply to: DeathSlayer

So let me get this straight.

He was high on what can be described as a cocktail of drugs and refused to drop the knife even after non lethal force was used...

What else are they supposed to do? Sing him a song?

As for in the back, well when you're surrounded, that's almost certainly going to happen.

Tell me, if you were behind a guy wielding a knife at your partner, and you were armed, what would you do?

Ask him ever so politely if he could face you before shooting him dead?

Only 20 gunshot wounds; they must have been low on ammo...a reply to: DeathSlayer

a reply to: intrptr

I see we have an armchair expert here, keenly trained in knowing exactly how people should act in a tense situation.

If their aim was to murder him, why the non lethal rounds first?

a reply to: Chadwickus

What else are they supposed to do? Sing him a song?

They could have borrowed a ladder from a nearby shop or even a fireman's hose. They could have used a pole, a tree branch, a taser, dog, lets see, a garbage can, rake, anything to pin him down to disarm him…

…but you're right bullets are so much lazier.

Being hi isn't an automatic death sentence, neither is non compliance. He was shot trying to walk away.

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: DeathSlayer

So let me get this straight.

He was high on what can be described as a cocktail of drugs and refused to drop the knife even after non lethal force was used...

What else are they supposed to do? Sing him a song?

As for in the back, well when you're surrounded, that's almost certainly going to happen.

Tell me, if you were behind a guy wielding a knife at your partner, and you were armed, what would you do?

Ask him ever so politely if he could face you before shooting him dead?

I would shoot him in the shoulder which would disable his arm that held the knife. The impact and wound made by the caliber of the round would restrict movement of the arm. and if that was not good enough, take a 12 gauge shotgun and blow his hand off..... in the end the suspect would be alive.

Not too hard to figure out.

a reply to: Chadwickus

If their aim was to murder him, why the non lethal rounds first?

To give the appearance of using non lethal force? Non lethal force is expected as long as he isn't actually rushing the officer while brandishing a weapon. He wasn't, he was trying to walk away.

The obvious sign they were intending to overkill him was when he tried to walk away and the officer used his body to block his path, forcing a lethal confrontation one way or the other.

The officer forced escalation and they all opened up at point blank range. You call that what you will, I saw it with my own eyes.

a reply to: intrptr

They tried 2 different types of non lethal rounds and pepper spray.

And he still didn't drop the knife.

a reply to: DeathSlayer

Best you read about how cops are taught to shoot.

This isn't Hollywood!

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: intrptr

They tried 2 different types of non lethal rounds and pepper spray.

And he still didn't drop the knife.

So what? Like they have a hair appointment to get to? Its their all day long duty to take suspects into custody, not execute them in cold blood.

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: DeathSlayer

Best you read about how cops are taught to shoot.

They are 'taught' to shoot only in self defense.

Which officer was shooting in defense of his life, all of them?

Firing squad. 27 shots-- once one officer fired, they all did.

a reply to: intrptr

This seems to be the norm when it comes to police facing an armed suspect. Instead of having one officer assigned to immobilize the suspect with a tazer or a single gun shot, they all engage in target practice. I don't know if this is part of police training, but you would think they would be trained to avoid a kill shot when someone isn't close enough to them to be an immediate threat. This type of firing squad reaction by police is beginning to be all too common.

a reply to: intrptr

You were trying to make out as if they went straight to the lethal option first. That's clearly wrong and misleading.

The cops claimed there were bystanders in the direction he was heading.

I guess he should have just let him get close to them huh?

Cops also claimed he told them to pull the trigger too...

m.sfgate.com...

a reply to: Chadwickus

The cops claimed there were bystanders in the direction he was heading.

I guess he should have just let him get close to them huh?

Cops are especially trained in crowd control, too.

As far as cops claiming they were 'fearing for others lives', how ironic.

a reply to: intrptr

Clearly you have an agenda here to hate on the cops regardless of what's fact and fiction. Some of your assumptions have already been proven incorrect, yet the hyperble continues..

It's actually quite lucky you weren't there otherwise you may have tried to subdue him with a tree branch..

a reply to: DeathSlayer

Sigh. Another "shoot'em in the shoulder/leg" guy. Do you have any idea of the stress involved during a defensive shooting? Do you actually know anything about guns? Or do Hollywood movies comprise pretty much all your firearm knowledge?
We are taught to shoot center mass for a reason. Fine motor control is gone in a life or death situation and the "shoot'em in the leg" crap won't work. Thread a needle while you're scared out of your mind and get it right on the first try, then you can say "Shoot'em in the shoulder".

a reply to: Chadwickus

Clearly you have an agenda here to hate on the cops regardless of what's fact and fiction.

The 'haters' are the ones gunning down someone thats inebriated, mentally handicapped, depressed…

Your agenda is to defend the police, regardless of their actions?

a reply to: Chadwickus

Cops also claimed he told them to pull the trigger too...

Now that makes sense. "Suicide by cop."

He got exactly what he wanted. I'm happy for him. He's definitely no longer in pain.

But, I have to wonder how do the cops feel? What kind of emotional toll does it take on someone who has taken another person's life?

-dex