Post by irish2u2 on May 10, 2021 10:59:45 GMT -5
I don’t want to get political here, Gary, but did the cop really have to kill the girl to save the other? Can cops become better at shooting so that they can take down someone with a shot to the leg? She was 15 years old! You know how many “troubled teens” later turned around their lives and became wonderful people? She will never get that chance. But this is about the Knicks beating the Clippers, the best win of the year n my opinion because of the last two bad losses. I love this team too, and Jason you DID intend that pun! Even in the losses on this trip DRose has elevated his game and been the best Knick on the floor, and he was flat out the best player on either team yesterday, and the other team had Kawhi and PG! And kudos to Julius Randle, who after seeing how the defense dedicated itself to stopping him, unselfishly subjugated his game so that the offense ran through Derrick, but then came back to drill three straight clutch jumpers down the stretch. Remember early in the season when we were losing those close games because we didn’t have that go to guy down the stretch? Turned out we did! It’s funny, because when I think of next year’s team I know we have to get better to be true contenders, but I love this team so much that outside of the obvious, (that’s you Elf!) I want everyone back next year. At the top of the list of course is Derrick Rose, even if it’s as a backup to our brand new franchise point guard.
I don't want to get political either but I also believe in fairness and objectivity. The exigent data here is fairly simple and straightforward.
I have seen the video of event that killed Ma'Khia Bryant. Several times. For accuracy sake she was 16 and she was also a very large person with a knife in her hand. As a shooter who once competed in some shooting events with a pistol let me say the notion of shooting to harm is not practical or even feasible. Cops are taught to shoot center mass and to keep shooting till the assailant is down and incapacitated. To be able to target an assailant so as to just wound them is very difficult even with time. In circumstance such as the ones faced by that Columbus cop there was no choice to wound. There was no choice not to fire either.
When the LEO arrived on scene two things happened almost simultaneously. The girl who was shot was fighting with another girl and they spilled out to the side walk. Ms. Bryant IMMEDIATELY brandished the knife and cornered a third girl against a car. Meanwhile the original girl Ms. Bryant was fighting with was being assaulted by an adult male.
The cop arrives on scene and his body camera captures what happened next. He has two incidents going on simultaneously. Ms. Bryant is the most dangerous threat as she has a knife, clearly visible in the video, and she is less than 3' from her intended victim. Some tactical background is necessary here.
In all armed events there is a tactical zone of 7 yards (21 feet) that must be observed. This is the Death Zone. When shooting at the range I always have extended sessions at 7-10 yards as those are the most likely distances involved in a home defense situation. At or inside that zone demands a response because even with a knife you are less than a few seconds from being stabbed. Obviously if the assailant has a gun it's even more imperative to act but it's amazing and a bit terrifying to see how quickly a person can be assaulted with a knife or club inside that 7 yard zone. It should also be noted that non-lethal means like a Taser could not be employed in this attack. The attacker was too close to the potential victim and there is absolutely no guarantee a Taser stops that woman. It also takes more time to activate a Taser than a gun.
Ms. Bryant was no more than 3 FEET from a potential stabbing victim who was trapped against a car. So the cop arrives on scene and instantly he has to make a life or death decision. Does he not shoot and risk an innocent girl being stabbed? Keep in mind once the assailant actually attacks her victim shooting her is off the table and while trying to physically manhandle her, and remember she's a big girl, she would be able to deliver many more stab wounds. Quite possibly FATAL stab wounds. This is a between a rock and hard place decision but keep in mind if the officer HADN'T interceded he would been guilty in the public's eye for allowing an innocent victim to be assaulted or even murdered.
Before firing the officer did shout "Get Down!" three times. His commands were not followed. Then he fired four times. Ma'Khia Bryant dies later at a local hospital. Right from the beginning this was going to be a tragedy one way or another but because a white cop killed a black woman THIS event shouldn't draw comparisons to George Floyd or a number of cases where video showed the cop was wrong. This case, based on the actual video, was a justified shooting. The LEO used reasonable force to protect the innocent.
I understand the outrage. But at the same time every situation has to be examined independent of other situations. I am firmly behind prosecuting LEOs who break the law but I won't condemn any officer involved in an on duty shooting event till I hear, or in this case, see the facts.
I try to be fair and objective in my opinions. That said I also know things have to change because a significant portion of our citizens fear the police. With justification. Better training helps. Better screening of applicants helps. The most difficult obstacle to overcome is the Thin Blue Wall of Silence. If fellow cops had held Derek Chauvin accountable George Floyd would be alive today. IMHO FOUR cops murdered George Floyd and until cops everywhere understand truth and professionalism supersede blind loyalty cases like George Floyd will happen again and again.
My basketball response will be on the appropriate board.
