The video shows Officer Ryan Westlake speaking to Tavion Koonce-Williams through his car window and seconds later firing his weapon toward the teen, whose arms were raised.
have a new community controlled local police oversight board.
Who apparently are apparently not willing or allowed to provide actual oversight?
officer was called with the pretext that someone had been brandishing a firearm / pointing a gun at houses.
And all police officers should know that witness testimony is more often wrong than not.
You can’t see very well what the officer could see because the view is obstructed. It’s entirely possible that the kid complied but accidentally pointed the gun towards the officer.
I don’t know why you give someone with a history of violence, that includes brandishing a firearm at their own girlfriend the benefit of doubt?
The officer shot exactly 1 time and shot in a non-lethal manner (the hand was shot). This was not a murder attempt, this was in a way the extra mile, the kid will hopefully make a full recovery.
Essentially saying that he panicked and has poor aim. No one is taught to shoot “in a non-lethal manor”, you always aim for center mass.
The fake gun is not an orange tipped fake, it’s very similar to a real looking gun. The kid also was not with friends “playing pretend” or anything like that.
I’m sorry, is it illegal for him to be carrying a toy gun, or even a real gun? This is America, we are allowed to open carry, or conceal and carry with proper licensing. Did the officer ask if he had a weapon on him? Did he ask about licensing? Or did he just give a vague command for him to raise his hands?
soon as the kid started yelling the officer immediately deescalated the situation and moved towards first aid.
Most people don’t have to hear cries of anguish to avoid murdering children. Most people would do anything possible to avoid shooting children… Are we congratulating people for de-escalating problems they escalated in the first place?
officer does have a messy history, particularly when alcohol is involved and when off duty, but was entirely sober at the time of the shooting
The problem is he should have never been back on duty in the first place. He got suspended, fired, reinstated, suspended and when he returned from suspension, he was put back on suspension within a month.
locally particularly with teen violence. They’ve been trying to solve it, but some kids are carrying guns and robbing people, some kids have been carrying guns to protect themselves from the other kids, and evidently some kids are carrying fake guns too.
So we have a problem with children with firearms? And the solution is… to arm a man child with more firearms than the children, and somehow less violence happens?
They never should’ve walked around in public with a toy gun and “showed it off”, and I hope they never do this again.
I played with toy guns when I was little, hell I played with real guns when I was little. This is not a crime, and even if it were, would summary execution be appropriate?
Why do you hold children to a higher degree of responsibility than a police officer?
officer really did something wrong, I’m sure we’ll get to the bottom of it, but as it stands, I think the officer reacted reasonably.
He shot a child… One who was legally following his orders. In what circumstances is this not something wrong?
I don’t know why you give someone with a history of violence, that includes brandishing a firearm at their own girlfriend the benefit of doubt?
Because I try and give everyone the benefit of the doubt; even people who reply with a condescending tone. I also acknowledge that people make mistakes and people’s personal lives and professional lives are different things.
Essentially saying that he panicked and has poor aim. No one is taught to shoot “in a non-lethal manor”, you always aim for center mass.
Plenty of people go to a range and practice shooting. You’re making a lot of assumptions about skill here that are entirely your own bias.
I’m sorry, is it illegal for him to be carrying a toy gun, or even a real gun? This is America, we are allowed to open carry, or conceal and carry with proper licensing. Did the officer ask if he had a weapon on him? Did he ask about licensing? Or did he just give a vague command for him to raise his hands?
You are not allowed to go around and point a gun (real or not) at buildings. It’s called public menacing and it’s illegal. That is what the call was about.
And all police officers should know that witness testimony is more often wrong than not.
There is a big difference between eye witness testimony (i.e., remembering the facts and identifying people) and inaccuracies in reporting (I saw a car driving way too fast, I saw a person rob my grocery story, I saw a person shoot someone – these aren’t things people often get wrong).
The rest of this I’m not touching it’s loaded with biases, condescending tone, and disregard for the particulars of the situation.
Because I try and give everyone the benefit of the doubt; even people who reply with a condescending tone. I also acknowledge that people make mistakes and people’s personal lives and professional lives are different things.
Seems like you are more focused on giving that doubt to the officer than the boy who was shot…
Plenty of people go to a range and practice shooting. You’re making a lot of assumptions about skill here that are entirely your own bias.
Lol, I go to the range to practice. You know where they put the targets on the dummies…not on the hands. Firearms are not nonlethal weapons, anyone with any training knows this. When you learn to shoot, you are always told to shoot center mass.
You are not allowed to go around and point a gun (real or not) at buildings.
Any what evidence says he was pointing at building? A phone call from some random lady does not validate him shooting a child.
What if I randomly called the police on you and told them you pointed a gun at me, where would you like to be shot?
There is a big difference between eye witness testimony (i.e., remembering the facts and identifying people) and inaccuracies in reporting (I saw a car driving way too fast, I saw a person rob my grocery story, I saw a person shoot someone – these aren’t things people often get wrong).
That is semantic reasoning, there is no inherent difference between the two. Also, people file false police reports constantly.
not touching it’s loaded with biases, condescending tone, and disregard for the particulars of the situation.
Lol, like you don’t have a condescending tone to your writing? The difference being is that your claims actually deserve condemnation.
I stated what was going on, and what my take on it was with the local context. Have a nice day. You’re clearly not interested in an intelligent or otherwise nuanced conversion.
Who apparently are apparently not willing or allowed to provide actual oversight?
And all police officers should know that witness testimony is more often wrong than not.
I don’t know why you give someone with a history of violence, that includes brandishing a firearm at their own girlfriend the benefit of doubt?
Essentially saying that he panicked and has poor aim. No one is taught to shoot “in a non-lethal manor”, you always aim for center mass.
I’m sorry, is it illegal for him to be carrying a toy gun, or even a real gun? This is America, we are allowed to open carry, or conceal and carry with proper licensing. Did the officer ask if he had a weapon on him? Did he ask about licensing? Or did he just give a vague command for him to raise his hands?
Most people don’t have to hear cries of anguish to avoid murdering children. Most people would do anything possible to avoid shooting children… Are we congratulating people for de-escalating problems they escalated in the first place?
The problem is he should have never been back on duty in the first place. He got suspended, fired, reinstated, suspended and when he returned from suspension, he was put back on suspension within a month.
So we have a problem with children with firearms? And the solution is… to arm a man child with more firearms than the children, and somehow less violence happens?
I played with toy guns when I was little, hell I played with real guns when I was little. This is not a crime, and even if it were, would summary execution be appropriate?
Why do you hold children to a higher degree of responsibility than a police officer?
He shot a child… One who was legally following his orders. In what circumstances is this not something wrong?
Because I try and give everyone the benefit of the doubt; even people who reply with a condescending tone. I also acknowledge that people make mistakes and people’s personal lives and professional lives are different things.
Plenty of people go to a range and practice shooting. You’re making a lot of assumptions about skill here that are entirely your own bias.
You are not allowed to go around and point a gun (real or not) at buildings. It’s called public menacing and it’s illegal. That is what the call was about.
There is a big difference between eye witness testimony (i.e., remembering the facts and identifying people) and inaccuracies in reporting (I saw a car driving way too fast, I saw a person rob my grocery story, I saw a person shoot someone – these aren’t things people often get wrong).
The rest of this I’m not touching it’s loaded with biases, condescending tone, and disregard for the particulars of the situation.
Seems like you are more focused on giving that doubt to the officer than the boy who was shot…
Lol, I go to the range to practice. You know where they put the targets on the dummies…not on the hands. Firearms are not nonlethal weapons, anyone with any training knows this. When you learn to shoot, you are always told to shoot center mass.
Any what evidence says he was pointing at building? A phone call from some random lady does not validate him shooting a child.
What if I randomly called the police on you and told them you pointed a gun at me, where would you like to be shot?
There is a big difference between eye witness testimony (i.e., remembering the facts and identifying people) and inaccuracies in reporting (I saw a car driving way too fast, I saw a person rob my grocery story, I saw a person shoot someone – these aren’t things people often get wrong).
That is semantic reasoning, there is no inherent difference between the two. Also, people file false police reports constantly.
Lol, like you don’t have a condescending tone to your writing? The difference being is that your claims actually deserve condemnation.
I stated what was going on, and what my take on it was with the local context. Have a nice day. You’re clearly not interested in an intelligent or otherwise nuanced conversion.
And I explained with nuance, just how ridiculous each of those takes were.
Lol, says the person who won’t engage with criticism because they’re not presented in a way that massages his ego. Convenient.
Stop the bullshit virtue signaling, your beliefs are more volatile than any criticism I’ve laid at your feet.
Especially considering the whole “you can fuck off” comment that you deleted. Coward.