Drunk Man Shot by Police as He was Running Away

[Emmasmom]

That’s ridiculous. Everyone knows it’s against the law to drive drunk and if you get caught you go to jail. Who’s going to pay for the cab? I doubt the drunk will.

You guys are too wrapped up in how things are than how things could or should be. He doesnt need to be in jail for that. You only ever see one solution, and it's one that is clearly not working.The cops can pay for the cab, or tack it on to a citation. There could be a city fund for it. I guarantee it's a lot cheaper than the wrongful death suit that's coming down the pipe.

So raise taxes to pay for people’s bad behavior. Sometimes going to jail is a wake up call. This guy shouldn’t have died. But he also should have drove drunk, fought police, and stole a taser. Sleeping it off in a drunk take is better than just sending them home because what if they have another car and just go out again. And if they go out again and drive drunk that same night and kill someone people will say “why wasn’t something done to make sure he didn’t drive”

I agree. And in wondering if they realized it was a taser or if they thought he had grabbed a gun. I dont think they shot him strictly because he's black.

[Della]

Reality, Jes, Reality. It is not any cops job to take drunk drivers home then visit them the next day to give them a citation. They don't have enough time to do what they have to do, let alone play nice to some drunk. Drunk driving is against the law. If you fail a field sobriety test, it is their job to haul your drunk ass to jail, ticket you, then you call someone to come get you out of jail.

I honestly don't see how you function in the real world. Or do you?

They dont have enough time to do what they need to do (solve violent crimes, which they are terrible at), *because* they are called for stupid shit like this. Jail is overused. This guy wasn't driving drunk at the time, let the fire department or paramedics take him home, and mail him a F***ing ticket. Then a dude isn't dead and the cops can focus on actual crimes.

I understand your point, and as much as I might personally agree with it, it doesn't work this time. Society has demanded stricter laws about drunk driving. This guy was passed out in a drive-thru! He obviously drove there, drunk, and he obviously wasn't there too long... Police have to follow the laws, and if the law says book 'em when they are driving under the influence of alcohol, then they have to be arrested and booked into jail. The days of taking them to the jail to sober up and then go home with no consequences are long gone.

Ours didn't just go home with no consequences. They were arraigned the next morning.

[Carpy]

You guys are too wrapped up in how things are than how things could or should be. He doesnt need to be in jail for that. You only ever see one solution, and it's one that is clearly not working.The cops can pay for the cab, or tack it on to a citation. There could be a city fund for it. I guarantee it's a lot cheaper than the wrongful death suit that's coming down the pipe.

So raise taxes to pay for people’s bad behavior. Sometimes going to jail is a wake up call. This guy shouldn’t have died. But he also should have drove drunk, fought police, and stole a taser. Sleeping it off in a drunk take is better than just sending them home because what if they have another car and just go out again. And if they go out again and drive drunk that same night and kill someone people will say “why wasn’t something done to make sure he didn’t drive”

Generally if you get caught with a DUI, you are taken to the precinct (sometimes given an additional blood test) and if you have someone who can or you can bail yourself out, you are given a temporary license (until your court date) and then you can go home.

This is actually one of the complaints about the whole system of bail. Those who can afford it are released and those who can't are continued to be detained.

IMO, if an offense is non-violent and someone could be released on $500 bail, there is no reason for anyone to be incarcerated for that crime.

At the age of 21, I was DOA at the hospital because of a drunk driver. I consider that to be rather violent.

[Emmasmom]

Resisting arrest is not acceptable however in some police forces in the world, where police are generally unarmed, they are able to diffuse and still arrest without violent force.

True. I think in Japan they wrap people up in futons until they calm their drunk ass down. Lol!

Japan has some of the most rigid gun control in the world, their citizens aren’t allowed to own guns.

Yes they are. They can own shotguns and air rifles. The process to owning one isn't easy but the citizens can own them.

[Della]

So raise taxes to pay for people’s bad behavior. Sometimes going to jail is a wake up call. This guy shouldn’t have died. But he also should have drove drunk, fought police, and stole a taser. Sleeping it off in a drunk take is better than just sending them home because what if they have another car and just go out again. And if they go out again and drive drunk that same night and kill someone people will say “why wasn’t something done to make sure he didn’t drive”

Generally if you get caught with a DUI, you are taken to the precinct (sometimes given an additional blood test) and if you have someone who can or you can bail yourself out, you are given a temporary license (until your court date) and then you can go home.

This is actually one of the complaints about the whole system of bail. Those who can afford it are released and those who can't are continued to be detained.

IMO, if an offense is non-violent and someone could be released on $500 bail, there is no reason for anyone to be incarcerated for that crime.

At the age of 21, I was DOA at the hospital because of a drunk driver. I consider that to be rather violent.

What was the bail and consequence for the driver who hit you?

[Valentina327]

You guys are too wrapped up in how things are than how things could or should be. He doesnt need to be in jail for that. You only ever see one solution, and it's one that is clearly not working.The cops can pay for the cab, or tack it on to a citation. There could be a city fund for it. I guarantee it's a lot cheaper than the wrongful death suit that's coming down the pipe.

So raise taxes to pay for people’s bad behavior. Sometimes going to jail is a wake up call. This guy shouldn’t have died. But he also should have drove drunk, fought police, and stole a taser. Sleeping it off in a drunk take is better than just sending them home because what if they have another car and just go out again. And if they go out again and drive drunk that same night and kill someone people will say “why wasn’t something done to make sure he didn’t drive”

I agree. And in wondering if they realized it was a taser or if they thought he had grabbed a gun. I don't think they shot him strictly because he's black.

Did you watch the body cam footage? I don't think it had anything to do with it honestly. They were very cordial with him. They didn't lose patience with him as they questioned him, even though it took them several tries to get answers. They were very calm and respectful and he was very respectful also.

The interaction seemed perfectly by the book and calm until he decided to bolt. And they weren't even being brutal with him as he was fighting both of them. They were on the ground wrestling for a bit. And they were legitimately still just trying to get cuffs on him. They never beat him. They never seemed to step out of bounds.

Once he stole that tazer though, the concern then becomes him disabling the officers and taking their sidearm. I truly believe that this was a case of things escalating because of him trying to run. They were even doing CPR trying to bring him back. I don't believe either of them had malice in their hearts. I think it's just a horrible tragedy brought about by escalation.

[jessilin0113]

Get the hell out of that dream world you live in. It is the cop's job to arrest drunk drivers, whether they are passed out in a car or driving down the road. It is not the Firefighters nor Paramedics job to cart drunk drivers home. Or would you rather the cops let him sleep it off, then let him drive home still under the influence and kill somebody in a horrific accident., which wouldn't really be an accident.

If I were having a heart attack or fell and broke a leg and couldn't get a paramedic to come because he was off doing something that is not his job, I'd sue the crap out of the city's fire dept.paramedics. Same goes if my house burned to the ground while the firemen were off taking a drunk home.

Damn, imagine not having cops available for your home break-in because they are too busy responding to this stupid shit. Or a noise complaint. Or removing a homeless dude from a bench. Or trying to deal with a mentally ill person. Or any of the myriad of things we call the cops for that could be handled by better-equipped people.

Stupid shit? This guy was so drunk that he didn't know what town he was in, kept insisting he was on a street that was many miles away in a different town and was telling the officers he wasn't driving.

He wasn't innocently sleeping off a bender in his car, he was actively driving. He passed out IN the actual drive thru of the Wendy's. The employees had to call 911 to come get him out of the drive thru. He was so passed out that the officer had to really work at waking him so that he could pull his car forward. He ran up on the curb doing that even.

Imagine if he'd have kept going and passed out again while he was on the street. Imagine there was a car full of people and he plowed into them, killing them all. Is drunk driving still "stupid shit"?

This is proof that we absolutely do need police, because people are completely incapable of regulating themselves. We see proof time and again. We've seen it on vivid display the last 2 weeks with looting and rioting and setting everything they can on fire.

We also absolutely need prisons in a civilized society, because there are those that will habitually offend when there are zero consequences presented.

I have never said, nor will ever say, that we need to get rid of police or prisons entirely.

[Valentina327]

Damn, imagine not having cops available for your home break-in because they are too busy responding to this stupid shit. Or a noise complaint. Or removing a homeless dude from a bench. Or trying to deal with a mentally ill person. Or any of the myriad of things we call the cops for that could be handled by better-equipped people.

Stupid shit? This guy was so drunk that he didn't know what town he was in, kept insisting he was on a street that was many miles away in a different town and was telling the officers he wasn't driving.

He wasn't innocently sleeping off a bender in his car, he was actively driving. He passed out IN the actual drive thru of the Wendy's. The employees had to call 911 to come get him out of the drive thru. He was so passed out that the officer had to really work at waking him so that he could pull his car forward. He ran up on the curb doing that even.

Imagine if he'd have kept going and passed out again while he was on the street. Imagine there was a car full of people and he plowed into them, killing them all. Is drunk driving still "stupid shit"?

This is proof that we absolutely do need police, because people are completely incapable of regulating themselves. We see proof time and again. We've seen it on vivid display the last 2 weeks with looting and rioting and setting everything they can on fire.

We also absolutely need prisons in a civilized society, because there are those that will habitually offend when there are zero consequences presented.

I have never said, nor will ever say, that we need to get rid of police or prisons entirely.

That was a general statement from me, Jess. One or two people had mentioned in this thread not needing prisons or police. This event to me highlights the need for them.

[Valentina327]

You guys are too wrapped up in how things are than how things could or should be. He doesnt need to be in jail for that. You only ever see one solution, and it's one that is clearly not working.The cops can pay for the cab, or tack it on to a citation. There could be a city fund for it. I guarantee it's a lot cheaper than the wrongful death suit that's coming down the pipe.

So raise taxes to pay for people’s bad behavior. Sometimes going to jail is a wake up call. This guy shouldn’t have died. But he also should have drove drunk, fought police, and stole a taser. Sleeping it off in a drunk take is better than just sending them home because what if they have another car and just go out again. And if they go out again and drive drunk that same night and kill someone people will say “why wasn’t something done to make sure he didn’t drive”

Give him an ankle monitor and one of those car breathalyzer and a probation officer. Cheaper than a wrongful death lawsuit

And he very well may have ended up with that if this was his first offence. Unfortunately he didn't just go let the court sort it out. It's an absolutely horrible situation. I'm sure under normal circumstances he was a very nice man and probably wouldn't have taken any of those actions of he wasn't altered.

[Emmasmom]

So raise taxes to pay for people’s bad behavior. Sometimes going to jail is a wake up call. This guy shouldn’t have died. But he also should have drove drunk, fought police, and stole a taser. Sleeping it off in a drunk take is better than just sending them home because what if they have another car and just go out again. And if they go out again and drive drunk that same night and kill someone people will say “why wasn’t something done to make sure he didn’t drive”

I agree. And in wondering if they realized it was a taser or if they thought he had grabbed a gun. I don't think they shot him strictly because he's black.

Did you watch the body cam footage? I don't think it had anything to do with it honestly. They were very cordial with him. They didn't lose patience with him as they questioned him, even though it took them several tries to get answers. They were very calm and respectful and he was very respectful also.

The interaction seemed perfectly by the book and calm until he decided to bolt. And they weren't even being brutal with him as he was fighting both of them. They were on the ground wrestling for a bit. And they were legitimately still just trying to get cuffs on him. They never beat him. They never seemed to step out of bounds.

Once he stole that tazer though, the concern then becomes him disabling the officers and taking their sidearm. I truly believe that this was a case of things escalating because of him trying to run. They were even doing CPR trying to bring him back. I don't believe either of them had malice in their hearts. I think it's just a horrible tragedy brought about by escalation.

I did not but I absolutely agree with what you're saying. I'm just saying I'm wondering if they thought it was a giun.