Bodycam shows white cop fatally shooting fleeing black dude

[Pogo]

It doesn't even matter if he was facing the officer or not, he was clearly a danger to anyone. That white car's driver was just a few feet away from the thug drawing his weapon. Is the cop supposed to let the thug possibly shoot some bystander?

Why would anyone expect him to do that? What did the car do?

Any runner with a gun like that should be shot.

Gun control freak.

Why do you think a maniac on the run with a gun is going to adhere to logic? You can't sit here and Monday Morning quarterback what he logically would had done. The guy could of been batshit crazy and was willing to kill, why else would he run from a cop and draw his weapon? The cop saw his gun, he really had no choice but to shoot the man in that situation.

You are really stretching on this one.

No, I agree. I already said that. I watched it in slo-mo; the cop fires while the kid's trying to pick the gun up. That's fine -- that's what he should be doing. There's no issue with him doing that as far as I know. I noted earlier that's what he should have been doing and got jumped on for saying it.

The problem comes up after that, when the kid does pick up the object and resumes running directly away. That's when the officer shoots him at his back three times -- and tries to shoot twice more after he's already hit and downed.

And as laid out before, from what we know the entire chase itself was something that need not have happened. This guy tried to do it alone. That gave the kid a motive to break as well as a direction to run.

In fact it appeared on close inspection that the last shot Officer McMillin fired was the kill shot. It was also his last bullet. Now what if that shot misses? The kid gets away and there's no backup to corral him, because McMillin couldn't wait and had to do it all himself, in a situation that, when he arrived, was calm and didn't look to require an immediate confrontation.

That's stupid. And that's why I say he came in with a bad plan and set up a situation that didn't need to happen.

The thug went for his gun, at that point he has to open fire. At no point did the thug drop the weapon, so why would he stop firing? You seem to be under this impression that as long as a thug is turned around he cannot be shot. That is BULLSHIT. If a thug is armed and already resisted arrest a police officer cannot let him run freely. What if he got away and killed several people? Then you would be here saying the cop didn't do his job in killing him when he had the chance.

No, he dropped his gun -- accidentally. If that is a gun he's dropping. And even so, at that point McMillin DID open fire.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

It doesn't even matter if he was facing the officer or not, he was clearly a danger to anyone. That white car's driver was just a few feet away from the thug drawing his weapon. Is the cop supposed to let the thug possibly shoot some bystander?

Why would anyone expect him to do that? What did the car do?

Any runner with a gun like that should be shot.

Gun control freak.

Why do you think a maniac on the run with a gun is going to adhere to logic? You can't sit here and Monday Morning quarterback what he logically would had done. The guy could of been batshit crazy and was willing to kill, why else would he run from a cop and draw his weapon? The cop saw his gun, he really had no choice but to shoot the man in that situation.

You are really stretching on this one.

No, I agree. I already said that. I watched it in slo-mo; the cop fires while the kid's trying to pick the gun up. That's fine -- that's what he should be doing. There's no issue with him doing that as far as I know. I noted earlier that's what he should have been doing and got jumped on for saying it.

The problem comes up after that, when the kid does pick up the object and resumes running directly away. That's when the officer shoots him at his back three times -- and tries to shoot twice more after he's already hit and downed.

And as laid out before, from what we know the entire chase itself was something that need not have happened. This guy tried to do it alone. That gave the kid a motive to break as well as a direction to run.

In fact it appeared on close inspection that the last shot Officer McMillin fired was the kill shot. It was also his last bullet. Now what if that shot misses? The kid gets away and there's no backup to corral him, because McMillin couldn't wait and had to do it all himself, in a situation that, when he arrived, was calm and didn't look to require an immediate confrontation.

That's stupid. And that's why I say he came in with a bad plan and set up a situation that didn't need to happen.

The thug went for his gun, at that point he has to open fire. At no point did the thug drop the weapon, so why would he stop firing? You seem to be under this impression that as long as a thug is turned around he cannot be shot. That is BULLSHIT. If a thug is armed and already resisted arrest a police officer cannot let him run freely. What if he got away and killed several people? Then you would be here saying the cop didn't do his job in killing him when he had the chance.

No, he dropped his gun -- accidentally. If that is a gun he's dropping. And even so, at that point McMillin DID open fire.

We have no reason to think it wasn't a gun, correct? Other than general suspicion that is. So, he was facing the cop with a freaking gun. Now, maybe the cop could've been a nice cop and said, hey I don't want to shoot a fleeing suspect. Of course, he would have been risking his own life to do that. It's easy to judge when it's not your life. And frankly, this cop knew that this guy was maybe going to go murder someone if he got away (he was on a call cos the guy had threatened to kill his gf); so, he would have had to have been a helluva benevolent cop.

Now, I know that someone might watch that and say I don't think he really had to kill him. They're probably right. The guy was likely just running like a dumb ass with no intention or limited intention of shooting. But the cop had all of a half second to determine that while his life was literally on the line.

P.S. Sorry about the name calling; I shouldn't have been so quick to go there.

 

[theHawk]

It doesn't even matter if he was facing the officer or not, he was clearly a danger to anyone. That white car's driver was just a few feet away from the thug drawing his weapon. Is the cop supposed to let the thug possibly shoot some bystander?

Why would anyone expect him to do that? What did the car do?

Any runner with a gun like that should be shot.

Gun control freak.

Why do you think a maniac on the run with a gun is going to adhere to logic? You can't sit here and Monday Morning quarterback what he logically would had done. The guy could of been batshit crazy and was willing to kill, why else would he run from a cop and draw his weapon? The cop saw his gun, he really had no choice but to shoot the man in that situation.

You are really stretching on this one.

No, I agree. I already said that. I watched it in slo-mo; the cop fires while the kid's trying to pick the gun up. That's fine -- that's what he should be doing. There's no issue with him doing that as far as I know. I noted earlier that's what he should have been doing and got jumped on for saying it.

The problem comes up after that, when the kid does pick up the object and resumes running directly away. That's when the officer shoots him at his back three times -- and tries to shoot twice more after he's already hit and downed.

And as laid out before, from what we know the entire chase itself was something that need not have happened. This guy tried to do it alone. That gave the kid a motive to break as well as a direction to run.

In fact it appeared on close inspection that the last shot Officer McMillin fired was the kill shot. It was also his last bullet. Now what if that shot misses? The kid gets away and there's no backup to corral him, because McMillin couldn't wait and had to do it all himself, in a situation that, when he arrived, was calm and didn't look to require an immediate confrontation.

That's stupid. And that's why I say he came in with a bad plan and set up a situation that didn't need to happen.

The thug went for his gun, at that point he has to open fire. At no point did the thug drop the weapon, so why would he stop firing? You seem to be under this impression that as long as a thug is turned around he cannot be shot. That is BULLSHIT. If a thug is armed and already resisted arrest a police officer cannot let him run freely. What if he got away and killed several people? Then you would be here saying the cop didn't do his job in killing him when he had the chance.

No, he dropped his gun -- accidentally. If that is a gun he's dropping. And even so, at that point McMillin DID open fire.

If he reaches for it, which clearly he did, he has to be shot. And I thought the gun was on him when the cops arrived and they picked it up from the creek he fell in, it wasn't on the street.

It was a textbook clean kill. Get over it.

Of course the progs are so desperate to start a race war, I'm sure they'll use this as another call to arms for their mindless followers.

 

[Pogo]

Why would anyone expect him to do that? What did the car do?

Gun control freak.

Why do you think a maniac on the run with a gun is going to adhere to logic? You can't sit here and Monday Morning quarterback what he logically would had done. The guy could of been batshit crazy and was willing to kill, why else would he run from a cop and draw his weapon? The cop saw his gun, he really had no choice but to shoot the man in that situation.

You are really stretching on this one.

No, I agree. I already said that. I watched it in slo-mo; the cop fires while the kid's trying to pick the gun up. That's fine -- that's what he should be doing. There's no issue with him doing that as far as I know. I noted earlier that's what he should have been doing and got jumped on for saying it.

The problem comes up after that, when the kid does pick up the object and resumes running directly away. That's when the officer shoots him at his back three times -- and tries to shoot twice more after he's already hit and downed.

And as laid out before, from what we know the entire chase itself was something that need not have happened. This guy tried to do it alone. That gave the kid a motive to break as well as a direction to run.

In fact it appeared on close inspection that the last shot Officer McMillin fired was the kill shot. It was also his last bullet. Now what if that shot misses? The kid gets away and there's no backup to corral him, because McMillin couldn't wait and had to do it all himself, in a situation that, when he arrived, was calm and didn't look to require an immediate confrontation.

That's stupid. And that's why I say he came in with a bad plan and set up a situation that didn't need to happen.

The thug went for his gun, at that point he has to open fire. At no point did the thug drop the weapon, so why would he stop firing? You seem to be under this impression that as long as a thug is turned around he cannot be shot. That is BULLSHIT. If a thug is armed and already resisted arrest a police officer cannot let him run freely. What if he got away and killed several people? Then you would be here saying the cop didn't do his job in killing him when he had the chance.

No, he dropped his gun -- accidentally. If that is a gun he's dropping. And even so, at that point McMillin DID open fire.

We have no reason to think it wasn't a gun, correct? Other than general suspicion that is. So, he was facing the cop with a freaking gun. Now, maybe the cop could've been a nice cop and said, hey I don't want to shoot a fleeing suspect. Of course, he would have been risking his own life to do that. It's easy to judge when it's not your life. And frankly, this cop knew that this guy was maybe going to go murder someone if he got away (he was on a call cos the guy had threatened to kill his gf); so, he would have had to have been a helluva benevolent cop.

And that's why I keep raising the question -- if this kid is thought to be so dangerous, and armed, what the hell is McMillin doing accosting him alone?

Now, I know that someone might watch that and say I don't think he really had to kill him. They're probably right. The guy was likely just running like a dumb ass. But the cop had all of a half second to determine that while his life was literally on the line.

P.S. Sorry about the name calling; I shouldn't have been so quick to go there.

Thanks. These things get heated; cooler heads must prevail.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

I'll say this much. It's sad. I don't envy that cop. I think that shooting an armed fleeing suspect is a gray area. But I concede that the cop's life was threatened, and he was technically justified.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

And that's why I keep raising the question -- if this kid is thought to be so dangerous, and armed, what the hell is McMillin doing accosting him alone?

I don't know. Did they have a report that he was armed? I still don't know if it was a celphone or gun; but the cop was pretty adamant that it was a gun and he called it a gun in the video on several occasions while knowing that they were being filmed. And no other officer refuted that. But why was he alone when it seemed the whole damn police department was there in about two to three minutes? That's a fair question. I'm not saying he broke protocol. But it seems shortsighted.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

He was picking up a gun, you dolt. Should the cop wait until the first round hits him in the forehead before dispatching the ARMED perpetrator?

If he believes the kid is picking up a gun -- and it's entirely reasonable to presume he is -- why doesn't he shoot at the gun or the kid's hand to keep it out of his control? And perhaps he did but unsuccessfully, whereupon the kid begins to run off. He then continues firing at a running target that's in no position to shoot back.

I can't believe I just read that. Good lord you libs are fucking stupid.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

And that's why I keep raising the question -- if this kid is thought to be so dangerous, and armed, what the hell is McMillin doing accosting him alone[

I rewatched the vid.

Can't make it out for sure; but it looks more like a gun than celphone. And he held onto the gun likely b/c of the grip. Had it been a cel, it's likely that it would have dropped out of his hand.

Also, his possession of a loaded firearm after making a threat to kill someone would explain his shakes (and his reason for going back to pick it up).

I wouldn't fully rule out a conspiracy, but I'm just not seeing it at this point.

 

[Ernie S.]

Is the Possum still claiming everyone else is wrong and he is superior? Just ignore him and save some aggravation.

 

[theHawk]

Pogo is just upset because there is a 98% chance that the nation lost another Obama voter.

Everything is politics with these people.

 

[Pogo]

He was picking up a gun, you dolt. Should the cop wait until the first round hits him in the forehead before dispatching the ARMED perpetrator?

If he believes the kid is picking up a gun -- and it's entirely reasonable to presume he is -- why doesn't he shoot at the gun or the kid's hand to keep it out of his control? And perhaps he did but unsuccessfully, whereupon the kid begins to run off. He then continues firing at a running target that's in no position to shoot back.

I can't believe I just read that. Good lord you libs are fucking stupid.

Again, no counterargument, just ad hom.

Zzzzz...

 

[Pogo]

And that's why I keep raising the question -- if this kid is thought to be so dangerous, and armed, what the hell is McMillin doing accosting him alone[

I rewatched the vid.

Can't make it out for sure; but it looks more like a gun than celphone. And he held onto the gun likely b/c of the grip. Had it been a cel, it's likely that it would have dropped out of his hand.

Also, his possession of a loaded firearm after making a threat to kill someone would explain his shakes (and his reason for going back to pick it up).

I wouldn't fully rule out a conspiracy, but I'm just not seeing it at this point.

I can't see why he'd stop to pick up a cellphone in that situation. A gun makes the most sense, although at that point it's stupid to stop to pick it up regardless what it is.

 

[Pogo]

And that's why I keep raising the question -- if this kid is thought to be so dangerous, and armed, what the hell is McMillin doing accosting him alone?

I don't know. Did they have a report that he was armed? I still don't know if it was a celphone or gun; but the cop was pretty adamant that it was a gun and he called it a gun in the video on several occasions while knowing that they were being filmed. And no other officer refuted that. But why was he alone when it seemed the whole damn police department was there in about two to three minutes? That's a fair question. I'm not saying he broke protocol. But it seems shortsighted.

Right, that's my point. Actually it was the OP's point but he never came back to defend it.

 

[The Professor]

Shot in the back while running away. The cop murdered him and will go to prison.

Don't bet on it. He'll be given every possible benefit of every possible doubt, then he'll be back on the job.

Believe what you want. He clearly stopped facing the officer and had his hands around his ankles. The cop had half a second to react. The suspect WAS armed.

Maybe he was. I don't know, we have no reliable source. In any case the kid's running away. He shot him in the back. We do have reliable evidence for that.

He slowed down nearly to a stop to reach down and grab a gun....to do who knows what. Shoot the cop? Maybe.

Had he left the gun on the ground and kept running...hed be alive today.

Had he not ran...and just gotten arrested for illegally carrying a gun...he gets probation and is out by the Super Bowl kickoff next week.

But...he didnt.

Doesn't look like it. He's running away from the camera when he's shot -- five times no less.
Far as I know that's not a position from which it's even possible to shoot to your rear.

It comes down to a question of: running from a cop is illegal, but is it punishable by getting shot in the back? Because that's exactly what took place.

In fact, just now watching again -- he tries to shoot him seven times. He ran out of bullets.
--- which also means when he's brandishing the gun to keep the pastor and others away, he's doing so with an empty gun.

Would have been interesting to see the pastor ignore him and go ahead and check on the kid as he was pleading to do. Of course it would have also been interesting to see what he would have done in that scenario if the gun was not exhausted.

You asked, “It comes down to a question of: running from a cop is illegal, but is it punishable by getting shot in the back?” The answer is that deadly force is allowed to prevent the escape of a dangerous felony suspect.

In Tennessee v. Garner, the SCOTUS examined a Tennessee State statute which allowed the police to use deadly force against ALL fleeing felony suspects. The following are pertinent portions of the Court's findings (highlights are my own):

“The use of deadly force to prevent the escape of all felony suspects, whatever the circumstances, is constitutionally unreasonable. It is not better that all felony suspects die than that they escape. Where the suspect poses no immediate threat to the officer and no threat to others, the harm resulting from failing to apprehend him does not justify the use of deadly force to do so. It is no doubt unfortunate when a suspect who is in sight escapes, but the fact that the police arrive a little late or are a little slower afoot does not always justify killing the suspect. A police officer may not seize an unarmed, nondangerous suspect by shooting him dead. The Tennessee statute is unconstitutional insofar as it authorizes the use of deadly force against such fleeing suspects.”

“It is not, however, unconstitutional on its face. Where the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a threat of serious physical harm, either to the officer or to others, it is not constitutionally unreasonable to prevent escape by using deadly force. Thus, if the suspect threatens the officer with a weapon or there is probable cause to believe that he has committed a crime involving the infliction or threatened infliction of serious physical harm, deadly force may be used if necessary to prevent escape, and if, where feasible, some warning has been given. As applied in such circumstances, the Tennessee statute would pass constitutional muster.”

Tennessee v. Garner Cop Block

It is clear that deadly force cannot be used to prevent the escape of ALL felony suspects; however, it is justified when a suspect has inflicted or threatened to inflict serious physical harm. Since Walker had threatened to kill his girlfriend, it appears deadly force was justified to prevent his escape.

CAUTION: The right to use deadly force to prevent the escape of a dangerous felon applies only to the police. The general public has no such right. I want to make that clear.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

How many of the five shots struck the fleeing subject?

We can only go by the target's reaction -- it's all the info we have for now.
Watching it in slo-mo, the target doesn't react or change his movements in reaction to any shooting until the last bullet. The first two are fired while he's facing the ground fumbling to pick up the object. They do not seem to hit or affect the target's movements. The next three shots are fired at his back after he has resumed running directly away. On shot 5 he drops, though it's not clear exactly where he's hit.

As he goes down Officer McMillin continues to pull his trigger twice more, getting only clicks as his ammunition was already spent with shot 5.

--- which means, at that moment, with people clamoring to his side and a target down but not yet firmly established as disabled, McMillin is effectively unarmed and has no weapon except his voice and its power of suggestion. And he's also alone. Which is one of the reasons I surmise it was stupid to initiate the confrontation with no help around.

So it appears shot 5 hit the target. If any previous shots hit, they did not do so effectively enough to affect his retreat. 5 was the only one that produced a visible reaction.

So you actually think a semi auto handgun "clicks" when empty?
And to top that off you think that pistol only holds 5 rounds?
Oh one other thing dumb shit....when someone or something gets shot they/it dont always drop instantly. It depends where they/it are hit.
Are you a chick by any chance?(no offense to chicks intended) Or maybe just a metro sexual?
Your lack of firearms knowledge and their effects is staggering.
You've never even held a gun have you....

 

[airplanemechanic]

He's certainly never shot one. His monday morning quarterbacking is unbelievable. And what's worse, he's never watched a football game in his life so he makes a terrible official.

 

[dannyboys]

There is an unmentioned added benefit to having the cops wear body cams.
Now when a cop is positive if he/she shoots and kills a scum-bag it will be seen as a warranted shot the cop is much more inclined to pull the trigger. In some cases when no body cam is on the cop he/she may have given the scumbag the benefit of the doubt. Not anymore.
There's always a silver lining right?

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

He was picking up a gun, you dolt. Should the cop wait until the first round hits him in the forehead before dispatching the ARMED perpetrator?

If he believes the kid is picking up a gun -- and it's entirely reasonable to presume he is -- why doesn't he shoot at the gun or the kid's hand to keep it out of his control? And perhaps he did but unsuccessfully, whereupon the kid begins to run off. He then continues firing at a running target that's in no position to shoot back.

I can't believe I just read that. Good lord you libs are fucking stupid.

Again, no counterargument, just ad hom.

Zzzzz...

You are a dumbass is the only counter needed. Just shoot him in the pinky lol

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

He was picking up a gun, you dolt. Should the cop wait until the first round hits him in the forehead before dispatching the ARMED perpetrator?

If he believes the kid is picking up a gun -- and it's entirely reasonable to presume he is -- why doesn't he shoot at the gun or the kid's hand to keep it out of his control? And perhaps he did but unsuccessfully, whereupon the kid begins to run off. He then continues firing at a running target that's in no position to shoot back.

I can't believe I just read that. Good lord you libs are fucking stupid.

Again, no counterargument, just ad hom.

Zzzzz...

You are a dumbass is the only counter needed. Just shoot him in the pinky lol

Watched to much Roy Rogers as a kid apparently.

 

[Ernie S.]

He was picking up a gun, you dolt. Should the cop wait until the first round hits him in the forehead before dispatching the ARMED perpetrator?

If he believes the kid is picking up a gun -- and it's entirely reasonable to presume he is -- why doesn't he shoot at the gun or the kid's hand to keep it out of his control? And perhaps he did but unsuccessfully, whereupon the kid begins to run off. He then continues firing at a running target that's in no position to shoot back.

I can't believe I just read that. Good lord you libs are fucking stupid.

Again, no counterargument, just ad hom.

Zzzzz...

Again no point, other than to point out that I insulted you for being an idiot. Sorry if you think my pointing that out is an ad hom, it's not. You have made it the point of the discussion by your idiotic argument.
Again: Idiots that know nothing about guns should not discuss what a cop should do when confronted by a gun.