Hundreds protest Fort Worth police shooting

Article

FORT WORTH -- A 32-year-old man who was fatally shot by a Fort Worth police officer Monday night had been under surveillance on suspicion of narcotics trafficking, police officials said Tuesday.

The story is a bit lengthy, so ill try to sum it up the best I can.

The guy who was shot, Thomas, has been under survellience because he might have something to do with drugs. He gets pulled over and an officer tells him hes under arrest. The officer reaches in the window and Thomas starts driving away and rolls up his window, with the officers arm still inside. Im not sure what speed he was going, but it sounds like he was accelerating pretty fast.

"The officer was able to place his feet on the driver's side running board, unholster his service weapon and order the driver to stop," the release stated.

Thomas refused to stop and was shot several times. There were 3 children in the car at the time.

Now to the protests part.

The incident sparked protests Tuesday in the Stop Six neighborhood, where participants called the shooting unjustified and said they will push for a federal investigation.

"Word has to get out concerning what's happening in the black community," said the Rev. Randolph Shaheed, who helped organize the protests. "We're not trying to be radical as it relates to violence. We're out here trying to be radical as it relates to change. Change has to come."

Some of the protesters said the officer used excessive force, and others say officers frequently target the black community.

"We've been getting dragged through our own community for years now," said Kendrick Moore, a friend of Thomas'. "We're grown. Now we've got some power behind us, whether the police department knows it or not, and we're fixing to take action. This was wrong."

Another protester, Terrance Montgomery, called the police "just another form of militia -- they're just an organized gang."

Simmons said her niece said her handicapped father was reaching for his cane when the officer "let loose" with gunfire.

Im kind of split on this one.

First, if there was no "war on drugs", I doubt this would of happend.

But, atleast from what I understand, the officers life was drastically in danger, and had to save his own life.

I dont really know what to think about this one.

If my arm was deliberately trapped like that and I had a gun, I would not hesitate to use it after I had made it clear the person was to stop attempting to kill me and they refused to comply.

But, what with the historical abuses towards the American Black Community, it's no suprise they would be highly suspicious of any death at the hands of Law Enforcement.

reply to post by buni11687


With all the police brutality threads I have read I am not sure if this is a race issue so much as an excessive force issue.
Would the same thing happen if he was white?
Who knows?

I am split on this as well because the officer's life was in danger but am unsure if its a race issue.
Excessive force should be the issue in my eyes instead of race but then again I don't live there so I could be wrong.

#1 Without a warrant, the police officer was in the wrong.

# 2 The victim showed no weaponry or threat.

# 3 This obviously is a case of shoot first, ask questions later.

# 4 If I come into your home, and come after you, and you try to slam the door on my face, can I claim you are threatening my life and proceed to shoot you? NO.

This was straight up tyranny.

I hope they protest this till hell freezes over.

Originally posted by OptimisticPessimist
If my arm was deliberately trapped like that and I had a gun, I would not hesitate to use it after I had made it clear the person was to stop attempting to kill me and they refused to comply.

But, what with the historical abuses towards the American Black Community, it's no suprise they would be highly suspicious of any death at the hands of Law Enforcement.

Wrong. Putting your hand in someone else's private space means YOU ARE TRYING TO KILL THEM.

Stop protecting tyranny with excuses of "threats to the tyrants life".

What do you defend the rights of thieves who break in a home to kill the home's residents because they threaten the lives of the criminal who broke in?

Thats what your logic equates too.

Im for what the cop did.

The guy could have just got arrested, put on bail and be out that same night. The officer did what he had to do, to save is own life. These people are mad becuase it was a white cop shoting a black guy. Im hispanic, if this would have happen to a hispanic person, ohh well. You run from a cop and drag him using your car, the cop has every means to save his life.

The officers life was not in danger until he made a warrant-less intrusion without provocation.

And whatever claims of provocation they make are baseless due to the fact this man was clearly an innocent victim of GUNSHOT WOUNDS.

Christ how can anyone think cops have the right to just barge in without warrants. What happened is everyone a mindless slave now?

I refuse to comply with this insanity.

Give me liberty or shoot me too.

First thing that popped into my mind is that if this guy was griving away so 'FAST', wouldn't the LEO have been in more danger of shooting the DRIVER of the vehicle and crashing?

No. 2.... The 'war on drugs' is a complete joke. Another non-violent offender shot dead. I guess the Ft. Worth police can add another mark to the score board.

MOTF!

reply to post by muzzleflash


The weapon was the moving car and he MIGHT have felt his life was at risk.
I don't know how fast it was going tho so its hard to say without speculation.
Other then that...good points.

Originally posted by prone

The guy could have just got arrested, put on bail and be out that same night. .

Yeah lets bend over and pay 1000s of dollars in BAIL and comply with slavery and tyranny. What kind of cowardice is this?

You are not American?? You are from Red China or something? We don't do things like that here. This is land of the FREE , not land of the compliant slaves to police state!!

Anyways Bail is a CRIME against freedom.

Bail-bond eliminates equal protection by law. It allows those with tons of money to easily post and get out today. While those with no money cannot post and get out at all.

THERE IS NO EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW. There is Financial Favoritism.

I just hope we can rout these tyrants and their illegitimate unfair laws out of this country. I am sick of being pushed around by National Socialists who hate freedom and equality.

reply to post by muzzleflash


Did you even bother to read the article before posting ?

Apparently not . As for your "no warrant" and "no threat" claim :

At the undercover officers' request, the patrol officer, later identified as Romer, pulled over Thomas' black 2005 Ford Expedition in the 6000 block of East Rosedale Street and told Thomas that he was under arrest on warrants issued in Dalworthington Gardens, police said.

The officer reported that a man was in the front passenger seat and that three children were in the back seat.

"The driver stated that he was not going to jail and locked the door," the release stated. "The officer reached into the half-opened window and attempted to unlock the door to extract the driver. While reaching in the window, the driver rolled up the window, trapping the officer's arm, while simultaneously accelerating towards the freeway."

Read more: www.star-telegram.com...

reply to post by ReRun


No sorry, I only read the text in the OP, of which i saw no mention of a warrant. I guess the OP was designed to mislead me from knowing that.

Anyways, so you think a piece of paper is legitimate grounds for a shooting death?

Shouldn't the cop have shot the tires out and called back up to surround the guy?

He was Unarmed.

But I admit you got me there. Touche'. He had a warrant. +1 you, -1 me. Good game. Starred for proving me wrong. But the OP needs this information posted. I dont have virus protection I am only opening wikipedia or other trusted sites. I expect you people to provide me with facts.
I still don't see it as qualification for a death sentence.

Cops are judge jury and executioner these days I guess.

You win. I lose.
But please shoot me too while you guys are clearing out the garbage.

This man did need to answer to his warrants though. You are correct. But death? Cmon???

The OP did not mention a warrant anywhere. I rechecked it.

Why is this not there?

But they mention the 3 kids in the car during the shooting....which is pretty insane.

Who would fire shots into a human being with 3 kids sitting a few feet away??? When the shooting victim wasn't even armed???

Even with a warrant I think this cop went a bit too far. It's murder pretty much. And 3 kids just had blood splattered all over their face.

Over what? Sheesh.

The Tarrant County medical examiner's office found that Thomas died of gunshot wounds and ruled the death a homicide.

I found this very interesting, the medical examiner ruling the cause of death as homicide. It's not uncommon for officers to lie and say their lives were in danger to justify killing and something else to think about, these kinds of incidents aren't limited to the "black and or poor communities". I can't say what happened that day but I propose people really give this matter some objectivity before declaring the officer was in danger. Keep in mind the children in the car have a different story than the police officer.

reply to post by muzzleflash

"The driver stated that he was not going to jail and locked the door," the release stated. "The officer reached into the half-opened window and attempted to unlock the door to extract the driver. While reaching in the window, the driver rolled up the window, trapping the officer's arm, while simultaneously accelerating towards the freeway." Read more: www.star-telegram.com...

When he did this he turned his SUV into a weapon. The police officer shot him to save his life.

reply to post by Buster 2010

When he did this he turned his SUV into a weapon. The police officer shot him to save his life.

Unfortunately you are assuming this is what actually happened to warrant the shooting.

reply to post by buni11687

Well if the driver drove off with the police officer hanging through the window then definitely its the Driver's fault. What would you think if someone speds off with you hanging outside their car window and when he/she tries to reach for something with their hand while driving? Already you will be scared of falling down from the car and hurting yourself possibly killed at the same time with all the adrenaline rushing through your head, any action on the driver's part will seem offensive. I think the officer had no choice even if the driver reached for the cane and not a weapon, the Driver is still at fault. Its common sense and it is very easy for us to sit here and debate and justify just like the media and the protestors but in reality, things happen so fast that it becomes a split second decision point between life and death situation.

Okay , since I am the type who tends to look for the facts , instead of just following the herd-mentality , I took the time to run a background check on this guy .

Charal Timothy Thomas has been arrested 22 times since 11-10-97 on drug-related charges . Those arrests have all resulted in probation revocations and/or convictions .

The charges range from simple possession of marijuana to possession of a controlled substance to manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance .

Clearly , this guy was not some choir-boy , as some of you are trying to portray him as being .

The guy had a lengthy history of manufacturing and selling drugs , the guy stated he was not going back to jail , he refused to comply with the order given to him by a duly-authorized officer of the law , the guy had warrants out for his arrest , and the guy put the officer's life in danger by closing the window on his arm and dragging him down the street with his vehicle .

Now , one of you bleeding-hearts please show me where the officer shouldn't have popped several caps into his stupid ass .

reply to post by ReRun


So far I've not read a post that stereotyped the dead man as a choir boy, the article clearly mentioned he had a record. If you are going to draw conclusions from past behaviors wouldn't it make sense to also look into the officer's past? Also the statement Thomas supposedly made, "he was not going back to jail", is what the police said so with this investigation that should be considered heresay until proven otherwise.

reply to post by muzzleflash

Anyways, so you think a piece of paper is legitimate grounds for a shooting death?

Shouldn't the cop have shot the tires out and called back up to surround the guy?

He was Unarmed.

The 'piece of paper' wasn't what got him shot . Dragging the officer down the street with his vehicle got him shot .

Go outside and roll your arm up in a car-window and tell me how easy it would be to shoot the tires out on the car while you are being dragged down the street .

He was not 'unarmed' , he became armed the moment he chose to use the vehicle as a weapon .