CA: Don't bring a spatula to a gunfight

[seamusTX]

In Modesto, California, early today, police were called to a home where a reportedly drunk, belligerent man was harassing family members. Police used a taser to no effect (not uncommon with intoxicated persons). Then the man pulled a steel spatula from his waistband. Officers fatally shot him.

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/09/301554 ... olved.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Check out the panel on the right with the list of police-involved shootings. They have been getting some target practice.

This is why I say to grab some cumulus clouds when the cops show up.

- Jim

[Pete92FS]

The guy must have been pretty snockered if he grabbed a spatula from the dish rack instead of a knife like he thought and put it in his waist band. It would almost be funny if not for the out-come.

[esxmarkc]

The guy must have been pretty snockered if he grabbed a spatula from the dish rack instead of a knife like he thought and put it in his waist band. It would almost be funny if not for the out-come.

Or better yet.... Just before he's whipping out a spatula we cut over to a scene (this is the movie version of course) where his wife standing over the pancake griddle reaches in the drawer and whips out a .38

[seamusTX]

The goal is to stop the threat, not to kill someone. One-third is about normal.

I dug up an analysis of New York City police shootings. Only a small percentage resulted in the target being struck, let alone killed.

- Jim

[WildBill]

This reminds me of a story from a few years ago in San Jose, California where police shot a 4 ft 9 in 95-lb Vietnamese woman. According to the local rag, the community was outraged. The initial stories say that she was holding a vegetable peeler when shot by the police. The police were called by relatives to their home because she was acting irrationally. Police and media reports after the death focused on Ms. Tran's history of mental illness, without mentioning that it might seem unusual for an officer to fire within seconds of arrival on a scene.


As the story progressed it was revealed that she threatened the police with a "dao bao" [a Vietnamese vegetable peeler] which looks like a meat cleaver (See picture in link below). Among other things, the local rag blamed the shooting on cultural differences: Vietnamese people consider the "dao bao" to be a kitchen utensil and not a weapon. They couldn't completely play the race card because one of the officers at the scene was Chinese.

http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2003/Mo ... 6jul03.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[seamusTX]

Ya know, I'm a libertarian, and I can't blame the cops. When someone reaches for their belt line and pulls out something shiny, there's only a fraction of a second to make a decision.

Reach for the stratosphere. That's all there is to it.

Probably there was a language issue in the case that you referred to. The police have a lot of trouble with people who don't speak English, Spanish, or any other language that the responding police officers may know.

Maybe someday they will perfect the sticky net technology that has been researched, but until then the police don't have a lot of alternatives.

- Jim

[hangfour]

He said police often operate using the "21-foot rule," which means an officer standing 21 feet from someone armed with a knife most likely won't be able to unholster his weapon before being hurt if that person was to charge. Moran was about eight to 12 feet away from officers, according to Modesto police.

From the newspaper account it looks like the police had very little time to act (after he reached into his waistband). This could be a suicide by police.

[WildBill]

Probably there was a language issue in the case that you referred to. The police have a lot of trouble with people who don't speak English, Spanish, or any other language that the responding police officers may know. - Jim

In my post, the officers did not understand Vietnamese and the woman who was shot probably had limited English skills. When I visited foreign countries I think I could understand enough to know not to mess with an LEO pointing a gun at my head.

[seamusTX]

When I visited foreign countries I think I could understand enough to know not to mess with an LEO pointing a gun at my head.

It is pretty much the universal language.

I remember encountering a military training exercise in Colombia, where these kids, and I do mean kids who looked like they didn't need to shave yet, were running around wearing fatigues and carrying machine guns. It got my attention.

(The draft age in Colombia used to be 16. I don't know if they still have that policy.)

- Jim

[Tass]

In Modesto, California, early today, police were called to a home where a reportedly drunk, belligerent man was harassing family members. Police used a taser to no effect (not uncommon with intoxicated persons). Then the man pulled a steel spatula from his waistband. Officers fatally shot him.

- Jim

A cast iron skillet, in properly ticked-off female hands, can be considered a lethal weapon in some parts....

[mctowalot]

It's a shame this guy flipped out like that.