Officer Shoots Man with Knife

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TheeBadOne

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Cop blows away man in his front yard in front of his family

LONG BEACH — A "mentally ill" Long Beach man with a meat cleaver and a butcher knife was fatally shot today after charging at relatives and a police officer, authorities said.
The encounter occurred shortly before 9 a.m. in the 2000 block of Myrtle Avenue, said Long Beach police Officer Greg Schirmer. The armed man charged the officer and the family members, but they were not hurt, Schirmer said.

Authorities withheld the dead man's name.

The officer was responding to a reported disturbance involving "a mentally ill family member who was not taking his medication," Schirmer said.

While the officer was talking to family members in front of their residence, the man came out a back door and was holding a knife, Schirmer said.

"The suspect saw the officer and returned inside," Schirmer said. "The suspect then came back outside with a butcher knife and a meat cleaver and charged at the officer and the family members."

The officer ordered the man to stop, then fired when the suspect kept advancing, Schirmer said.

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This has got to be the ultimate "Oh sh1t!" call. Called for some Civil intervention/assistance, and suddenly you are attacked and presented with a deadly force situation! My thoughts are with the family, and with the Officer forced to do what he did.
One of the scary things about dealing with mentally ill people is you never know what will happen 1 second to the next. This fellow may never have had any violence in his background, and now he snaps, reacting incredibly violently.
:(
 
Guilt, shmilt. The guy won't be harming anyone ever again. If I shot the guy I wouldn't have another thought about it.

I'm sure the CA legislature will be working on legislation to outlaw knives and meat cleavers without a background check.
 
I guess that's what happens when you charge at a cop with a meat cleaver.

I wonder how he got past the background check.
 
That's a really sad story. I can't imagine the guilt the cop must be feeling

Got to agree with you there....

I myself would feel horrible if I ever had to take someone elses life even in the most egregious case of self defense..

I think that that guilt..or maybe it would be better to describe it as the realization that you have been forced to do something that is morally repugnant although legally justifiable...

That type of realization, conscience may be the best way to describe it, is the thing that separates us from the animals. Only psycopaths glorify in the death of another or feel no pangs about it.....

My daily prayer is that I never have to use a gun..

WildphilosophicalAlaska
 
I don't believe I'd feel any guilt at all in dropping some gang banger that attacked me, but I've been called cold-hearted before. I guess that makes me a psychopath eh WildAlaska? Actually it would make me a sociopath, but whatever. This situation is different though. I'd definitely feel bad about being forced to shoot someone that was mentally ill. If he'd gone back on his medication he may have been normal (whatever that is) by the next day. Instead, we have a tragedy that will affect many lives for a long, long time. My condolences to the cop and the family :(
 
Only psycopaths glorify in the death of another or feel no pangs about it.....

Well, "glorying" in and feeling remorse over are two different things. This is a case of mental illness, and the officer did what he had to do. OTOH, if I ever forcibly stop a criminal hell-bent on causing harm to me or my family, I don't have my guilt schedule planned out. Will I be affected? Sure. Police reports, possible hospital time if I've been injured, potential legal or financial problems- all these are real possibilities. Guilt? For doing what is not only the right thing but my duty?

Why should I feel guilty, in such a circumstance? Well, damn, I can't think of any reason. Life can be hard enough without unnecessary hand wringing.

John
 
I hope the officer doesn't feel guilty - he had no choice and he did what was called for.


But if he shrugs it of with NO sadness, he shouldn't be wearing a badge.


It's sad, but it's not wrong, like shooting a rabid dog.
 
Someone who is "not there" mentally is, I feel, quite different from someone who preys on others.

Let me be sure I understand you, Quartus. Regardless of his actions, even if they are always scrupulously correct and above reproach in a long and distinguished career- you want to judge those involved in shootings based on their feelings? :uhoh:

Since when is merely "doing the right thing" not enough? Since when is it my damn business- or yours, for that matter- what Joe Citizen or Joe Officer is feeling when he lawfully uses lethal force?

What difference does it make? What matters is doing the right thing. We are all humans, and we all have feelings, which are NEVER "right" or "wrong". Our ACTIONS are right or wrong.

Personally, it is very important for me to feel that I am doing the right thing. I also figure, if I'm doing something, I might as well feel good about it...whatever that action is. If I don't think I'll feel good about it, I don't plan on doing it. By your standards, guess I should stay clear of a career in LE too, eh?

Why have we as a society allowed ourselves to be brainwashed into believing we will suffer mental anguish if we protect ourselves? Hogwash.

John
 
JShirley, until you have sen the elephant no one really knows how they will react. It affects everyone a little differently.

Between working at a range and beoing a Police Equipment distributor i was able to interact with several officers from various departmants who were involved in shootings.

One officer who didn't seem to have any reaction at all. Except that he had to sell his revolver and buy a new one.

Another was angry at himself because he felt absolutely no remorse.

Another quit to become an EMT.

One became afraid he's be too quick to do it again. Thankfully, the need never arose again.

With some it's torment and with others it's just a monir event.


All I can say is that it's never fun and it doesn't get easier.
 
The thread title is completely inappropriate. Of course the officer shot the guy in front of his family. The guy was trying to KILL HIS FAMILY and the officer who were all together. That is sort of a no brainer. The 'blows away' reference is totally inflammatory and very insensitive to all persons involved.
 
It's sad, but it's not wrong, like shooting a rabid dog.

Good analogy, not to compare humans to animals. I do feel remorse when I have to kill an animal, even if I know it's best. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, and you move on.
 
Yes - didn't intend to compare humans to animals. Just the fact that both were necessary, but regretable. This violent mentally ill person is like a rabid dog in that he is not at fault for his illness, but still needs to be killed to protect others.




JShirley, my point was that killing a human being - even when necessary, is not a trivial thing. If a person can kill a mentally ill person (even though necessary) and not feel any sadness, that person is too cold hearted to be trusted with a badge.


That's aside from coping mechanisms which may bury feelings that are too strong to deal with at the time - I'm talking about someone who really doesn't think it's sad to have to kill someone like that.
 
"Officer Shoots Man with Knife"

My first thought upon reading this was, where do I get one of these shooting knives?

I think that folks should take it easy on TBO. I'm pretty sure that the title was not intended to be inflammatory. If you look at history, TBO is a big cop supporter, so it's illogical to think he'd deliberately try to make a cop look bad in a headline.

Of course, I could be wrong. It has never happened before, but italways could... :D
 
TBO is a big cop supporter, so it's illogical to think he'd deliberately try to make a cop look bad in a headline.


That's like saying that Michael Jordan is a big basketball supporter! :D


TBO IS a LEO, and his recent spate of cop shootings posts is not without purpose.

Yes, the thread title was intended to be inflamatory. But not in they way you took it.
 
Yes, Virginia, Problem #2 is always there, even in a clean shoot.

O.K., what's up with the po-po only sending uno policia out there for a EDP? Now, granted I live in foofooville [tree-lined, brick streets, Latte Huts, yuppies and soccermommies everywhere], but SOP here is for at least 3 to be sent.

I've read that Kalleeforneeah po-po are stretched thin (huge population, and financial difficulties), but only ONE cop for an EDP. Think the cops would know better.:eek: :confused:
 
Are you saying that the first responding officer should have waited for back up to arrive?
EVen if back-up was only 1 or 2 minutes away if something had happend to a family member in that time frame there would be an outcry that the police didn't do enough.
Let's face it this was a no win situation.
 
I wait for my back up.
My family expects me to come home alive.
The EDP and his family will just have to wait.
 
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