VIDEO: Black youth deliberately draws St. Louis police to sceen "Shoot me" and they oblige

[Constitutional Paulicy]

Man shot and killed by St. Louis Police
By Dana Ford, CNN
August 21, 2014 -- Updated 0305 GMT (1105 HKT)

(CNN) -- St. Louis police shot and killed a young African-American man Tuesday after authorities say he brandished a knife.

The shooting took place not far from Ferguson, Missouri, where the shooting death of black teenager Michael Brown by a white police officer has touched off violent protests.

"The suspect, who right now is described as a 23-year-old African-American, was acting erratically -- walking back and forth up and down the street," St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson told reporters.

"As officers arrived, the suspect turned towards the officers and started to walk towards them clutching his waistband. He then pulled out a knife ... and told the officers, 'Shoot me now. Kill me now,'" the chief said.
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Responding officers told the man, repeatedly, to stop and drop his knife, Dotson said. He continued to approach, coming within about four feet of one of the officers, Dotson said, adding that both officers then fired their weapons, striking the suspect.

According to the St. Louis police chief, the suspect was involved in an incident earlier in the day at a convenience store, where he is accused of walking out with two energy drinks and a package of pastries without paying.

Asked about whether he was concerned Tuesday's shooting could inflame passions further in nearby Ferguson, Dotson talked about the importance of officer safety.

"If you're the family of a police officer and somebody approaches you within three feet with a knife, I think you have the right to defend yourself and protect yourself. So I think it certainly is reasonable that an officer has an expectation to go home at the end of the night," he said.

source here... http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/19/us...ing/index.html

[Constitutional Paulicy]

more here.... http://www.nbcnews.com/video/rachel-...13725#55913725

[orenbus]

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...illing-GRAPHIC

[CPUd]

[Schifference]

There was no need to confront the person. Cops could have driven up rolled down the window safe in the car. Driver could have backed up if need be. Call in someone with better skills.

[FindLiberty]

That looked like a textbook "suicide by cop".

The suicidal guy apparently even double checked the background (@1:33) as he set up his own provoked execution (to minimize the risk to bystanders that might have been located behind him and in the line of fire). He literally asked for it.

[KingNothing]

What a sad story. I wish we'd get better at handling these issues. Truly a shame that people feel so defeated and depressed that they'd look for a way out like this.

[KingNothing]

There was no need to confront the person. Cops could have driven up rolled down the window safe in the car. Driver could have backed up if need be. Call in someone with better skills.

That's hard to say. I agree that deadly force was almost definitely unnecessary, but they had to do something.

[Dr.3D]

That looked like a textbook "suicide by cop".

The suicidal guy apparently even double checked the background (@1:33) as he set up his own provoked execution (to minimize the risk to bystanders that might have been located behind him and in the line of fire). He literally asked for it.

He might have been hoping to be a martyr for the cause.

If one guy being shot to death in a town nearby caused so much media attention, perhaps he hoped he could get some in his town.

[juleswin]

There was no need to confront the person. Cops could have driven up rolled down the window safe in the car. Driver could have backed up if need be. Call in someone with better skills.

Not just that, they could have used all those non lethal weapons the tax payers buy for them.

We should have been watching a cop using a truncheon or a tasers, but no, all we get to see is a fatal shooting

[SeanTX]

That's hard to say. I agree that deadly force was almost definitely unnecessary, but they had to do something.

In many of these cases, with more than one cop on the scene, sometimes maybe even a dozen or more, why can't they have at least ONE of them attempt some non-lethal approach ? If the tasering or beanbag round or whatever fails to work and he madly charges while wildly slashing, there will still be plenty of bullets flying his way.

I suppose the reason is the usual one : "we do it this way because we can, and because f*** you!" . The taxpayers pay all this money for these non-lethal things like tasers and beanbag rounds, but they seem to only use them fto punish people who aren't "complying."

[Schifference]

The cop could start off by rolling up in the car with window down and telling the wanna be suicide guy, "No dude I am not going to shoot you but I won't stop you from taking that knife and killing yourself either." Ask the guy about his family or loved ones. Let him talk. Engage him from a safe distance and radio for someone that can mitigate the situation in a non lethal manner.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

Maybe they should've called Dirty Harry.

[Christian Liberty]

Well, technically didn't the man kind of consent to being killed anyways? I'm as anti-cop as anyone who isn't Chris Cantwell, and yes, they could have done a non-lethal action, but they literally asked for it.

I'd fire them... I think any cop who kills ever should be fired simply because it should be a last resort, but I'm not sure I'd criminally charge them.

[CPUd]

The cop could start off by rolling up in the car with window down and telling the wanna be suicide guy, "No dude I am not going to shoot you but I won't stop you from taking that knife and killing yourself either." Ask the guy about his family or loved ones. Let him talk. Engage him from a safe distance and radio for someone that can mitigate the situation in a non lethal manner.

If he wanted the cops to do that, he would have taken hostages.