Blackberry CEO 'Outraged,' Scolds T-Mobile Like A Child For Simple Sales Pitch To Blackberry Users

Cop Shoots Teen Holding Wii Controller In His Own Home

from the lack-of-control dept

Thu, Feb 20th 2014 7:06pm — Timothy Geigner

We've seen some fairly extreme examples of police involved in shootings that were, shall we kindly say, questionable. Whether it's charging the target of police firearms with assault over injuries incurred by bystanders, officers being given the opportunity to see the evidence in question of shootings before making their statements, or officers simply looking to destroy said evidence, there appears to be an epidemic of trigger finger in our nations protectors, even as the danger involved in their jobs dips to historic lows. It's difficult to know just what is responsible for these stories. Are we simply able to hold LEOs to task due to more ubiquitous video surveillance? Is there an officer education problem? Is a police force more militarized than ever naturally going to exhibit more aggressive behavior?

Whatever the cause, we had damned well better figure it out, because the stories keep rolling in. The latest is the tragic tale of a Georgia teenager who wanted to serve his country and instead ended up getting served with a fatal wound for the apparent crime of having a video game controller in his hand.

The family of a 17-year-old shot and killed by a Euharlee police officer has hired an attorney, and they say he had a remote control in his hand. They say it was not a gun.

Christopher Roupe, 17, was in the ROTC at Woodland High School and wanted to join the Marines. His friends said he looked after them.

The officer who shot him reportedly exited the home shortly after shooting Roupe, sobbing into her hands, a clear sign of remorse. Hell, it sounds weak, but mistakes happen, even tragic mistakes like this. Remorse is the proper response. The response offered in the officer's report of the incident, however, is not.

A female police officer told GBI investigators that Roupe pointed a gun at her when he opened the door.

“We don't know where that statement came from. The eyewitnesses on the scene clearly state that he had a Wii controller in his hand. He heard a knock at the door. He asked who it was, there was no response so he opened the door and upon opening the door he was immediately shot in the chest,” [attorney Cole] Law said.

Open the door with a controller in your hand and get a bullet in the chest. Then, to have the report deviate so completely from the eyewitness accounts just adds salt to the family's wounds. At some point people are going to have to realize that, despite what your favorite news program would have you believe, violent crime continues to diminish, while shootings by police have remained static. That simply doesn't make any sense.

That a young man who wanted to serve was caught by another officer with a trigger finger should sound the alarm that it's damned time something was done.

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Filed Under: georgia, police, wii

95 Comments

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That One Guy (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 5:37pm

Here's what I want to know:
Why, exactly, did the officer have her gun drawn in the first place?

A Wii controller doesn't look even remotely like a gun, and even a cursory glance will allow anyone to tell the difference, so to shoot him over that, she either already had the gun drawn when she knocked(an action that would raise even more questions), or took a glance, assumed it was a gun, drew, and fired without actually looking at the 'weapon'.

Also problematic, the officer was apparently there to serve a 'probation violation warrant' to the kid's father, and yet didn't identify herself, or even respond at all, when her knock on the door got a 'Who is it?'

If the father was really such a huge threat that the officer was that quick to pull and fire, why was there only one sent? Either the father has a nasty reputation, yet somehow they figured one officer would be enough, or she was insanely quick to go lethal.

Finally, while it's nice that she apparently was remorseful over her actions immediately afterwards, the fact that she then turned around and lied about it on the report to try and cover her ass pretty effectively wipes away any sympathy I might have had. Mistakes happen, I get that, but when the 'mistake' gets someone killed, the absolute least the person who screwed up can do is own up to it and admit their responsibility, not try and shift the blame to the victim.
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fogbugzd (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 6:44pm

Re: Here's what I want to know:
As local police get more militarized we can expect more of this type of story. Part of the militarization process is training regiments that see the public as the enemy. Ironically this forces citizens to see the militarized police as the enemy. We are in a very deadly spiral.

The police will usually justify this type of shooting as "Officer Safety" concerns. Where is the concern for "Citizen Safety?"
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Jay Fude (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 7:38pm

Bloody British
Ok, they have done it. Can we take away their guns, and give them tiny little batons? Or pool noodles? I would not trust most of these thugs with a Nerf gun.
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Bengie, 20 Feb 2014 @ 7:41pm

Missing something?
What am I missing that a police officer was in someone's home and had their gun drawn and a kid was playing video games not realizing that there was a situation that required a gun-drawn police officer to get called?
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The Mighty Buzzard (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 7:44pm

It's not complicated
Copping is dangerous work and every time they go into an unknown situation, most all of them, they're scared. Doesn't make mistakes any more palatable but it does make them understandable.
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That One Guy (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 7:50pm

Re: Missing something?
The kid was shot at the door, apparently almost as soon as he opened it, as for why the officer was there, she was serving a warrant for probation violation to the kid's father.
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That One Guy (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 7:55pm

Re: It's not complicated
If that 'unknown danger' factor is enough to cause a cop to be pulling out their guns at the slightest possible perceived threat, maybe they need to find another, safer, line of work, and let those that are stable enough to not let the potential danger influence them take their place.
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That One Guy (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 8:04pm

Re: It's not complicated
As a sort of 'continuation' of that idea, it might be worth looking into making police work less a lifelong career, and more a temporary one, or at least cycle officers between positions, from 'dangerous but active' work out driving and answering calls, to 'safe but boring' desk-work, where the greatest 'threat' they face is carpal tunnel.

So for example they'd do X number of years out in the 'field', say 5, and then they get reassigned to a desk job for the same number of years, then back out, and so on. This would allow them time to 'cool off', and help reduce the mindset where they'd start to see everyone else as a potential threat simply because it was safer that way, by replacing it with a nice, safe, yet boring job for a few years.
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Zem, 20 Feb 2014 @ 8:07pm

Re: It's not complicated
Something is wrong when every one living in a society is scared. The public, the police, the government. This does not lead to understanding, pity maybe, sadness surely, but not understanding.
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Just Sayin', 20 Feb 2014 @ 8:13pm

Re: Re: Here's what I want to know:
Have your considered just for a moment that all of this is as a result of the actions of the public?

Police are scared, they don't like taking risks with their lives or risks in violating the law or someone's inalienable right to be a total jerkoff and get angry with the police at every turn. What use to be two cops showing up at a door more often now is a whole team, because they don't know what is on the other side of the door and don't want to end up dead or in serious shit.

I also have to say that the story stinks of one sided treatment. First off, the kid wasn't sitting in his home randomly gunned down, he answered the door and apparently had the remote in hand in a manner that it could be seen, as least a bit. Second, while I don't count it against them, you might want to also consider that this shooting took place in a trailer park, and it wasn't a random situation - the father was getting served a warrant.

You don't have any of the background of the story here at all: What about the area, what about the father, what about the warrant... was the officer expecting a violent felon who was being busted for probation violations? Is the father a past violent felon? Is there a reason why the cops were at the door with weapons drawn? Did they perhaps knock repeatedly and announce themselves, but the kid didn't hear them because the video game was too loud? Did he only answer after they had just about busted the door down?

You see, you don't know - and so there is the potential that there is very much more to the story than what is being presented by the family's attorney, who will most certainly paint the kid as a little angel and absolute leave out everything about his father. It's pretty amazing because through all the reporting, there isn't any mention of his father's name - so there is no easy way for us to figure out the other pieces of the puzzle.

My guess is that he didn't think it was a cop, opened the door like he thought it was one of his friends and did something to startle the officer who already had her gun drawn against the risk of the convicted felon answering the door, and gave her only a very short period of time to take the fatal action.

That doesn't make for a very good "bad cops!" story, but it reads much more believable.
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ottermaton (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 8:14pm

Mr. Geigner,

That is the most compelling article I've read regarding these continuing incidents. My hat is off to you, sir.
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jim, 20 Feb 2014 @ 8:24pm

Remember, this a lawyer
Something doesn't ring true about this story. The source TechDirt is quoting is the victim's family's lawyer. The presented information is almost certainly spun to suite his case.

I don't doubt that the kid's shooting was a mistake / accident and a huge problem, but it seems obvious to me there mare more details here then "kid opens door holding wii remote and gets shot by police officer." The officer is probably still in the wrong, but I'd like to hear the rest of the details before climbing on my soap box.
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Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 20 Feb 2014 @ 8:25pm

This Doesn't Happen In Countries Where Guns Are Not So Prevalent
I think there is a tendency to see guns everywhere, simply because, in the US, they are indeed everywhere.
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Feb 2014 @ 8:25pm

More proof that video games turn people into violent murderers.
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This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it

Anonymous Coward, 20 Feb 2014 @ 8:51pm

Re: It's not complicated
Especially women are bound to act like this. Female cops that is. Sorry, just the truth. Their threshold for feeling threatened or scared is in GENERAL much lower and we had a study done in my canadian province showing just that.

Cops should not have guns. Batons and tazers maybe. That's it.
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G Thompson (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 8:53pm

Re: It's not complicated
If they are that fearful to be going into unknown situations then their is an underlying psychological problem that needs to be sorted out..

All military around the world get through this fear (which doesn't mean its not present just controlled) by training, training, and more TRAINING.

If by then there is still a fear problem, then the individual has a disposition that shows they should NOT be doing that kind of work nor be placed in that situations (this would result in a breach of Duty of Care by their superiors)

Also the BUDDY SYSTEM is used by military, LEO's, community health and welfare officers, even Tax officials the world over. So for her to be on her own and state she was fearful of the 'unknown' means she is also at fault for not insisting on another officer at the time of attendance.

Also a bit of due diligence on 'unknown' situations goes a long long way to protect all sides. who'd a think it hey!

Mistakes are ONLY understandable if there was no reasonable way in which they were not foreseeable in each situation. This is a foreseeable and based on your response known fearful instance and therefore this mistake should NEVER be made since it should be trained out of them.

To state otherwise or to call it a 'mistake' is only adding more apathy to the innate problem.
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Angel (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 8:59pm

Re: Re: It's not complicated
That is completely asinine. Most of the articles of seen about this kind of thing have have been at the hands of male police officers. Take your misogynistic BS somewhere else.
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zip, 20 Feb 2014 @ 9:10pm

"violent crime continues to diminish, while shootings by police have remained static."
Although I've not seen any statistics on this, I'd have a hard time believing that police shootings of pet dogs is anything but way up. I've seen reports that indicate police shootings in rural areas and small towns is an upwardly-trending statistic.

However, it seems that the FBI, despite tracking, assembling, and publishing a massive number of crime and police related statistics of every sort imaginable, for some strange reason does not compile 'death-by-police' statistics -- or at least doesn't release them publicly.
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kenichi tanaka (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 9:19pm

I think there's more to this story than was reported in the article. But, Tim leaves out one important thing:

"crime and violence in the country is on a decline while crime and violence inflicted on Americans by police officer is on the rise"

I take exception to police violence being static. If anything, it's on the rise and rapidly growing out of control. I'm loathe to say this but if police officers keep randomly shooting Americans, because they have a quota on how many lawsuits they can get filed against their own police departments, then there's something seriously screwed up.
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Feb 2014 @ 9:23pm

Re: Re: It's not complicated
That might seem a natural assumption that a lone policewoman would be the most likely to panic and go for her gun ... until you stop to think about the fact that in many police shootings of an unarmed person, there were several other policemen at the scene, and often times joining in the shooting.
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madasahatter (profile), 20 Feb 2014 @ 9:38pm

Re: Remember, this a lawyer
WSBTV is a local ABC affiliate in Atlanta and Euharlee is small town in the northwest metro area. The various reports indicate the kid was holding something in his hand. Most reports state it was Wii controller and a couple state it was a BB gun. He never fired a shot. At best the officer panicked and shot someone holding a BB gun. But there are no reports the kid provoked or threatened the officer, just that he opened the door and was almost immediately shot.

A several of the local PDs (using the term very loosely) are known to be trigger happy.
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Nobody Important, 20 Feb 2014 @ 9:57pm

I am surprised the press did not state that it was a semi-automatic Wii controller.
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pcdec, 20 Feb 2014 @ 10:03pm

As far as women feeling threatened sooner/more often than males I would agree.

And as far as the "male cops are worse" comments...
"in the United States, women today make up only 13 percent of the force"

http://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/07-2013/women_in_law_enforcement.asp

Yea you guys failed to realize the obvious...way more male cops. Not to mention the males are more gung-ho and hold higher rank so they call the shots more often.
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Feb 2014 @ 10:25pm

NSA's new target?
People killed by terorists in US < People killed by police in US therefore NSA should be spying on the police?
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Feb 2014 @ 10:41pm

I am sure we don't have all the info. There has to be some reason the cop was on edge to have her gun drawn at the door.

Most cop beats have buddy teams. I guess these trying economic times means cops get their training on the job instead of police academy. However something is wrong with this story and it's facts leading up to the event. It's just not all there to make any sort of call on opinion.

This write up appears to have an author that is very sensitive to the fact that increasingly it's the citizens that are getting killed and wounded and we are in no sort of civil war to set this type of back ground behavior.

Yet the cops and our government appear to be setting up for just this type of civil war scenario. That DHS needs enough ammo to fight the Afghanistan war for 20 years and calls it cheaper in bulk doesn't float as a reason. Nor does it float for the IRS department for buying huge amounts of ammo and last but not least, why is the US Postal Service buying sniper ammo? I mean it is not like the USPS has a daily job of setting out snipers to deliver the mail. All of this along with all the spying is setting up an us against them mentality that appears to be playing out in the streets and homes of this nation before there is any warfare.

When did we become Russia or China?
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Feb 2014 @ 10:48pm

where is money spent
in other countries police travel in pairs, in America, to keep costs down police operate in isolation.

in a land where there are more handguns than people, you have to wonder what sort of workplace pressure that policewoman was under to show how tough she was to confront some individual at home, at night, over some minor issue, alone.
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David, 21 Feb 2014 @ 12:28am

Re:
I am sure we don't have all the info. There has to be some reason the cop was on edge to have her gun drawn at the door.

Well, the information is "probation violation". That means she likely was supposed to bring him in, and he might be a troublemaker.

So she might want to surprise him, and might not want to identify herself in order to keep him from opening the door. And make sure he does not close the door on her again.

That's perfectly consistent with a drawn weapon and being on edge. It's not consistent with safety off.
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JMT (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 12:33am

Re: It's not complicated
No, continuing to work as an armed LEO when you're scared all the time would NOT be understandable, it would be irresponsible and stupid. In fact, superior officers allowing someone to keep working under those conditions would also be irresponsible and stupid.

I think you're wrong however. I don't think they all live in fear of their lives, it seems more likely they're poorly selected and poorly trained.
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JMT (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 12:38am

Re: Re:
When did the term "troublemaker" come to mean somebody who should only be approached with a drawn weapon? You're either using the wrong word, or you're suggesting an insane over-reaction.
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silverscarcat (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 1:49am

Re: Re: Here's what I want to know:
Illinois has it.

They can legally shoot cops if they feel extremely threatened by the police.

Of course, the police are arguing that it's not fair and it starts "open season on police officers".
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BentFranklin (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 1:58am

Re:
In other news, two 11-year-old boys were suspended for life for bringing Wii controllers to school.
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Aaron (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 2:04am

Re:
Just, not the people playing the video games.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 2:05am

Remember: cops are cowards
They're frightened, whining, lying cowards. So of course they shoot, they taser, they pepper-spray, they beat: they're scared out of their tiny minds.

With that in mind, none of these stories are surprising. Cowards panic. Cowards over-react. Cowards "protect" themselves even when there's no real threat.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 2:29am

Re: Remember, this a lawyer
Note, the officer knocked on the door and waited for a response. This is not the action of police officers who suspects that the occupants of the house may be dangerous. Police burst into house and shoot person holding a controller is a mistake. Police shoot person opening the door holding something after knocking is a panicking officer.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 2:35am

Ooops! That's one hell of a mistake to make. This definitely sounds like 2nd degree murder. Yes it was unintentional, but it's still murder.

She shot him in his own home, for Christ sake!
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Techanon, 21 Feb 2014 @ 2:42am

Re:
It was obviously a fully automatic, high caliber Wii controller.
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This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it

Emelio Lizardo, 21 Feb 2014 @ 2:45am

Little girls with guns
She was frightened to see a man and so shot him.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 3:20am

It's the fault of the morons who keep training these guys. They are the ones that basically tell them to SHOOT FIRST, ASK QUESTIONS LATER - anything to protect their own safety!

It used to be that cops had to be DAMN SURE that someone had gun before taking out theirs and starting shooting. Now at the slightest hand move they shoot fatally. Clearly it's a problem of training and the culture formed in police departments over the past years.
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Chris-Mouse (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 4:35am

Re: NSA's new target?
Who says they're not?
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 4:35am

a little more info
northwestgeorgianews.com

Seems there were two officerst present. Strange there is still no comment from the investigation (GBI) a week after the incident.
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Chris-Mouse (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 4:37am

Re: It's not complicated
Not according to statistics. Police work doesn't even make it into the top ten most dangerous jobs in America.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/08/22/americas-10-deadliest-jobs-2/
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 5:00am

Re:
the IRS department for buying huge amounts of ammo

They need the ammo to enforce Obamacare. If you don't buy insurance to stay healthy they will shoot you. See the logic there?
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 5:01am

How long will it take for lawyers to go after MD who certified moron cop to be fit?

Looks to me like genuine malpractice claim against the doctor as well. One such bankruptcy, and you will see existing standards being enforced.
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Crusty the Ex-Clown, 21 Feb 2014 @ 5:44am

Re: Re: It's not complicated
Police work ranks right up there with landscape gardening as a dangerous occupation. While it has a higher fatality rate than accounting, law enforcement has a long way to go to reach the level of danger inherent in logging or commercial fisheries.
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Joe, 21 Feb 2014 @ 6:12am

Video Games
Well, I guess video games can lead to violence after all....
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 6:16am

Way too little info about the kid.
I always use the opportunities to shittalk about the cops because they are idiots, and that max-iq barrier they have on recruitment is just sad, but in this case the cop was either very incompetent or she had a reason to believe that the kid would kill her.
Anyway just sayin the media always forgets to mention little details, so dont be too quick to judge.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 6:19am

Re: Re: Re: It's not complicated
Or even Verizon cellphone tower workers for that matter.
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The Groove Tiger (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 6:24am

Re: Re:
Look, he may have been playing Barbie Dreamhouse Party, for all you know the officer just prevented another Newtown massacre!
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 6:24am

Re: Remember, this a lawyer
Lawyers have way less reason to lie when they're already in a situation with evidence heavily on their side. The only defense this policewoman has is that they were just following orders... err procedures which were apparently written by someone so paranoid that General Ripper would tell them to chill out.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 6:29am

Re:
No, no, no, it was an assault Wii controller
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 6:34am

Re:
The kid could have been trying to cut her guts out with a wii remote and shooting him would still have been an overreaction!
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rycho (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 6:45am

Re: It's not complicated
... and shooting bystanders will solve fear that Police have of citizens. That's totally understandable.
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rycho (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 6:51am

Re: Re: It's not complicated
You lost me when you linked to a Forbes article. Maybe next time?
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rycho (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 7:00am

Re:
You definitely don't want to be hit in the face by a Wii controller. It hurts something bad. I'm sure it was just reflexes of the officer who probably plays Wii tennis a lot with her partner.
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Mark F, 21 Feb 2014 @ 7:02am

Stats?
I would love to see the stats that back up this statement:

violent crime continues to diminish, while shootings by police have remained static

I'm able to find violent crime stats easily enough but I'm having trouble finding police shooting stats over a similar period of time.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 7:17am

This is murder. Charges need to be filed, and this officer locked up for 20 to life. Even if he happened to be holding a BB gun, which he would have dropped had the officer identified herself, there is no reason to shoot him. If he's holding a BB gun, the maximum allowable response should be "Drop the weapon!" and maybe draw your own but DO NOT FIRE.
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rycho (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 7:21am

Back to the drawing board
Looks like Nintendo will have to update their Wii - Health and Safety Precautions instructions sheet.

WARNING - Opening Your Front Door
Give yourself plenty of room. You will probably be shot by Police while answering the front door while using the Wii Remote, so be careful that all areas that you might move into are clear of other family members. Make sure that furniture, objects and people are out of the kill zone so you don�t accidentally bump into them while falling to your death. Also, as indicated in the Wii Operations Manual, it is recommended to stay at least three (3) feet from Police holding firearms. To avoid sudden death, make sure you remove the Wii controller safety strap from your wrist and place the controller down before answering the front door.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 7:27am

Re: Stats?
I mean, you could have just clicked the link I included in the post....

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131230/15411225716/number-officers-killed-line-duty-drops -to-50-year-low-while-number-citizens-killed-cops-remains-unchanged.shtml
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 7:42am

Re: Re:
Next piece of important legislation...

From now on all video game controllers will have to be manufactured in blaze orange.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 7:48am

"The officer who shot him reportedly exited the home shortly after shooting Roupe, sobbing into her hands, a clear sign of remorse. Hell, it sounds weak, but mistakes happen, even tragic mistakes like this. Remorse is the proper response."

The hell it is the proper response. The proper response is to immediately call for a medical team and provide assistance not run out crying in saying your sorry.
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Deranged Poster (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 8:14am

Re: Re: Re: Here's what I want to know:
about time, they've had open season on us for years.
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WysiWyg (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 8:15am

Re: This Doesn't Happen In Countries Where Guns Are Not So Prevalent
Do you have any data to substantiate this claim?
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 8:27am

Re: This Doesn't Happen In Countries Where Guns Are Not So Prevalent
Would you prefer a sword or battle axe.I would actually.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 8:34am

The LEO was probably standing outside the door listening to the kid screaming at the tv, while he was trash talking to others about mauling his opponent , with his desert eagle (in game) .
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 8:46am

until there is a reigning in of powers for police officers and make them punishable for the crimes they commit, rather than as it is now, have a load of lies posted and witness statements written that condone the actions, there will be no change. the covering up and willful harassment of witnesses to an incident needs to be dealt with in the most extreme wat possible. if nothing is done, things will get worse! has a person got to get shot as soon as the door is opened, even before what he is holding has been identified? oops! too late! already happened!
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yeah right, 21 Feb 2014 @ 9:37am

Re: It's not complicated
It's called policing you idiot.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 10:44am

Re: Re: Re:
But now it looks like a nerd gun, which is just as dangerous!
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Richard (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 10:58am

Re: Re: This Doesn't Happen In Countries Where Guns Are Not So Prevalent
yes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_firearm-related_death_rate

Once you get through the South American and African countries there is the US - easily the top "first world" country by gun death rate.
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Richard (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 11:00am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
A NERD gun?
What is that?
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Gwiz (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 11:12am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
A NERD gun?
What is that?

I have no idea...but I'm pretty sure I want the latest release - with lots of gee-bees and some of those why-fi thingys too.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 11:13am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A NERD gun? What is that?
Bullseye from 1,000 yards: Shooting the $17,000 Linux-powered rifle.

ARM CPUs, lasers, and Wi-Fi make firing this weapon an experience like no other.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/03/bullseye-from-1000-yards-shooting-the-17000-linux-power ed-rifle/
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Jack, 21 Feb 2014 @ 11:27am

Re:
There is a reason for this - they don't want to release those statistics because they would cause a huge backlash from the general public. If violent crime statistics were graphed over police involved shootings and police killings on a per-capita basis, it should be shocking to even the most hardcore bootlickers.

Since there is no federal repository for this information there is no definitive data, but from the data people like policemisconduct.net collect, it appears this exactly the case.

And there probably never will be with the power the police unions and lobbys wield.
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Gwiz (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 11:47am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A NERD gun? What is that?
Shooting the $17,000 Linux-powered rifle.

Too funny. I posted my comment in jest at about the same moment you did and lo and behold such a thing does exist - with plenty of GBs and WiFi even.
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Anonymous Coward, 21 Feb 2014 @ 12:10pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A NERD gun? What is that?
Next we will see someone replicate it to make a poor man's version with a Raspberry Pi.
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That One Guy (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 1:08pm

Re: Re: Re: Here's what I want to know:
How about this then: Illinois gets rid of the law, and replaces it with one that strips police of their immunity, so if they shoot someone while on the job, they are investigated, tried, and jailed just like what anyone else would have to face, no more 'internal investigation, slap on the wrist' treatment.

Also, gotta love the hypocrisy of the "open season on police officers" idea. As opposed to the 'open season on citizens, pets, and anything else within range' they currently enjoy?
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Anonymous, 21 Feb 2014 @ 3:52pm

Another day, another reason to abolish the cops.
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Anonymous, 21 Feb 2014 @ 3:54pm

Re: Re: It's not complicated
Copping is what TSA agents do, as in copping a feel.
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Anonymous, 21 Feb 2014 @ 3:56pm

Re: Re: It's not complicated
If I was driving around in a car with a handgun, shotgun, rifle, taser, pepper spray, nightstick, and possibly a big dog in the back, I'd feel pretty safe. How 'bout you?
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Anonymous, 21 Feb 2014 @ 3:59pm

Re: Re: Re: It's not complicated
perhaps, Angel, you are unaquainted with the concept of free speech.
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TheLoot (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 5:22pm

Re:
And I sure you have the perfect replacement, eh? Or will you just use the opportunity to commit all the crimes you wanted to?
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BernardoVerda (profile), 21 Feb 2014 @ 8:18pm

Re: It's not complicated
Yet driving a taxi is more likely to get you killed. But a cab driver wouldn't be granted even a fraction as much leeway, should they ever shoot anyone on the job -- whether or not their was a credible threat.

Something is clearly out of whack -- probably either misdirected training, or paranoid law enforcement culture, or likely both.
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Anonymous, 22 Feb 2014 @ 3:59pm

You really don't understand the concept of anarchy, do you?
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Anonymous, 22 Feb 2014 @ 4:00pm

Re:
That was in reply to TheLoot.
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Antsan (profile), 23 Feb 2014 @ 12:51pm

Re:
I guess that this goes for most people. Trivializing the issue won't help your cause in any way.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Feb 2014 @ 5:30pm

Re: Re: Re: Here's what I want to know:
Everyone knows that you would shoot any video game player on sight because "pirate!".

horse with no name just hates it when due process is enforced.
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KissMyWookiee (profile), 23 Feb 2014 @ 8:44pm

If he was black...
If he had been black it would be getting a hell of a lot more press. The race-baiters called Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would be on every news channel there is. Even the racist gun-runner Eric (With)Holder might be threatening to look into pressing federal charges. The Destroyer In Chief would likely be shedding more crocodile tears in the rose garden, telling stories of how white people hate blacks that play video games.

Instead, the innocent victim happened to be white, so nothing can be gained politically from the shit-stirrers and the media couldn't care less.

At what point will something be done about police militarization? I heard one the other day refer to other cops as "the troops".

Will people take notice when a kindergarten is raided with flashbangs and tear-gas? ("I caught a whiff of a foul smell down wind... my dog gave the appropriate sign I ordered it to... we thought it was a meth-lab and that the GI Joe dolls were heavily armed militia members")

The fact is, when your own colleagues are the ones who investigate the fatal abuses of power, then you can be certain they'll cover your back. You'll even get to retire early on a comfy disability pension - you know, because of all the stress you endured after killing an unarmed innocent person.

When will those with their hands on the purse strings finally say "enough is enough"?

If Ruby Ridge or Waco is anything to go by then they never will reign in "the troops".
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Angel (profile), 24 Feb 2014 @ 1:48pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: It's not complicated
Perhaps I am acquainted with it and chose to exercise it in my reply.

That being said, this website is not the United States, it's privately owned and the concept of free speech does not apply here. The only comments allowed are those the techdirt staff deem appropriate. Should they choose to remove them then they have that right.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Feb 2014 @ 2:58pm

Re:
Perhaps it was one of those orange light guns and he was playing "duck hunt"....

We all know dangerous those new fangled "lazer light" guns can be, so I'm sure the response was totally called for.

NOT.... /sarcasm
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Feb 2014 @ 10:04pm

Re: Re: Re: Here's what I want to know:
"Have your considered just for a moment that all of this is as a result of the actions of the public?"

Yeah, it's the public! They're all criminals! It's the good guys (the cops) against the bad guys (the public). Why can't people understand this? Well, it's because most of them are the bad guys (the public)!
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DocRambo (profile), 25 Feb 2014 @ 10:53am

Re: Remember, this a lawyer
From family accounts, 17 yo was getting ready to watch movie with Wii controller in hand as he answered door. He was shot immediately. Cop terrorized little sister as she tried to help him, and she let kid bleed out on floor without trying to put pressure on wound or anything. Not a mistake. Not accidental. Gun was drawn and pointed as kid answered door. Warrant was for a misdemeanor. Out of control, poorly trained inept female POS LEO. If she had any honor, seppuku would be the best option.
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JD, 25 Feb 2014 @ 12:59pm

Re:
Why are you so desperate to excuse the police?

What is the pathological condition you're suffering where you can't accept/admit that police do terrible things?
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JD, 25 Feb 2014 @ 1:06pm

Re: If he was black...
Disgusting, bigoted racist!
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Pamela Garrett, 26 Feb 2014 @ 10:23am

Re: Re: Re: Here's what I want to know:
Exactly why they should have sent more than 1 officer to serve the warrant!

By the way, Policeman being shot are down by a good percentage while citizen deaths are rising!

I've always had respect for law enforcement, however, lately I've started to question my respect. There are just too many innocent people being hurt or killed by police officers that are sworn to "Protect and Serve".
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Phil, 13 Mar 2014 @ 12:56pm

let's see it.
Let's see the controller. If it looked like a gun, sure as hell they would of had a press conference to show off the "gun", so let's see what he actually had in his hands.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 May 2014 @ 12:54pm

A grand jury has found the officer was wrong in shooting the teen. The town's mayor disagrees.

http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/news/local/da-looking-for-more-evidence-in-death- of-euharlee-teen/article_8c360dbc-caeb-11e3-9645-001a4bcf6878.html
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