Someone pointing a gun at police is hardly innocent.
The video doesn't show Rice pointing his gun at the police. It shows him lifting his shirt to expose the gun.
Yes he was reaching for it. Grand Jury says enhanced video "clearly" shows his hand going for the gun.
Now....once it's pointed at you...bullets can fly. When someone is going for a gun....it's best to get your shot off BEFORE they can. Kinda like Old West duels. First to shoot usually wins a gunfight.
Now...in hindsight....this is tragic. Lesson is when cops arrive....SURRENDER WITH YOUR HANDS UP. Don't fight. Don't reach for a weapon.
Judging by present trends if you are black it doesn't matter what you do..armed or not, you have a high likely hood of being murdered by responding officers. White people fare much better.
On boards such as this,, RW groupthink is rampant; and, the attitudes of the dominant society ,in regards to racial matters, greatly amplified . Liberals , progressives and objective conservatives( a rare breed indeed) are a minority here but their voices bring balance . Without them, USMB would be little more than a sounding board for Storm-front ideology.
Casei in point:
The exoneration of officers in the killing of Tamir Rce is cheered and defended by many if not all but a few of those who self identify as conservatives on this board.
Rice, a 12 year old, brandishing a toy pistol, was shot within 2 seconds after police arrived on the scene.
Now the death of Rice might have been justified if the officer really thought his life was in danger. 2 seconds is crucial here because in that brief period the officer decided to kill rather than negotiate. 2 seconds isn't long enough to tel lsomeone to drop their weapon.
White men/boys are given far more leeway when confrontations with cops occur.
1. Armed White Guy Has Standoff With Police, Then Gets His Gun Back
2. White Guy Points Gun at Police Officers and Children During Hour-Long Standoff
3. White Man Arrested Twice For Road Rage With a Gun
4. White Guy Arrested for Firing BB Gun at Officers
5. Two White Men Shoot Up Walmart With BB Gun and Live to Tell the Tale
6. White Guy Arrested After Pointing Gun at Pennsylvania Police Officers
7. White Woman Dressed In Body Armor Arrested After Shooting Into Cars and Pointing Gun at Police
8. White Man Arrested After Pointing Gun at Phoenix Firefighters During Hour-Long Standoff
ALL of the above incidents can be read in detail
here
After reading these articles, I came away convinced even more that had Rice been White he would still be alive.