CO - Jessica Hernandez, 17, killed by police after LEO struck by stolen car

[katydid23]

Pretty sure it standard operating procedure for a LEO to NOT stand in front of a car that is "pulled over"

He was NOT directly in 'front.' Again, the picture tells the story perfectly. The alley is small. The cop parked his SUV facing the stolen car, in the middle of the alley, blocking the way forward. So jessica had to drive to the left and try to squeeze through the narrow remaining space. the cop was against the fence on the left. If the car wanted to squeeze through it would have hit the cop.

The cop was not right in FRONT of her car. He was off to the side, right where she needed to go if she wanted to flee.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Three shots. that takes about 1/4 of a second to shoot. Have you ever been to the target range and seen how accurate working cops are?

I'm not an expert but have done a lot of handgun shooting over the years. The shots in this case are not exceptional because of the short range. JMO.

 

[katydid23]

I think he was arriving as backup and came on the scence from the wrong direction. A mistake for sure but not one that makes him responsible for Jessica trying to run him over. JMO.

I think he came that way on purpose to block their access to escape. He was not standing directly in front of the car. he was up against the fence on the side of the alley.

 

[Fred Hall]

That sounds like a reasonable scenario to me. At that distance it wouldn't be that hard to track a moving target and get some hits. Fits with the facts as we know them. JMO.

I agree. This is what I suspect happened. No police officer would approach a suspicious vehicle from the front.

 

[katydid23]

Again, conflating fleeing with intentionally ramming an officer.

I am not conflating the two. I am just saying that the space avaliable for her car to fit through was so tiny that she would probably hit the officer if she tried to fit through there. Have you seen the picture back upthread?

A cop in that position does not have the chance to try and decide if the driver is intentionally ramming them or not. They yell STOP, and then shoot if the person keeps moving towards them.

 

[CoolJ]

He was NOT directly in 'front.' Again, the picture tells the story perfectly. The alley is small. The cop parked his SUV facing the stolen car, in the middle of the alley, blocking the way forward. So jessica had to drive to the left and try to squeeze through the narrow remaining space. the cop was against the fence on the left. If the car wanted to squeeze through it would have hit the cop.

The cop was not right in FRONT of her car. He was off to the side, right where she needed to go if she wanted to flee.

He must have been directly in front if she only swerved "slightly left"

She needed to go directly into the fence and building to flee?

 

[Fred Hall]

In my opinion, :cow: , the cops walked up, said PLEASE STEP OUT---and she quickly gassed the car to flee as they opened fire. A cop standing alongside could get off three shots very quickly, imo.

This scenario is not a justified shooting.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I think he came that way on purpose to block their access to escape. He was not standing directly in front of the car. he was up against the fence on the side of the alley.

You could be right. Either way it's not his fault that Jessica tried to run him over. JMO.

 

[katydid23]

I agree she was trying to flee - have all along. It's no reason for LE to shoot. Not yet anyway.

She was trying to flee. Have you seen how very small the area was that she had to fit her car through?

 

[Fred Hall]

Of course. But the cops are the ones that testify to the crimes. if they tell the driver of a stolen car TO STOP and that driver flees in the stolen car, the cop is witnessing a FELONY. And thus, they can determine that the driver is a fleeing felon. Cops do not have to wait for the trial to put the 'fleeing felon' response into effect.

Fair enough. But the simple fact of being a fleeing felon does not justify shooting.

 

[katydid23]

This scenario is not a justified shooting.

If she was heading dangerously towards a trapped officer then it was justified. And she did hit him, so it looks like the cops were correct in their concern.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I am not conflating the two. I am just saying that the space avaliable for her car to fit through was so tiny that she would probably hit the officer if she tried to fit through there. Have you seen the picture back upthread?

A cop in that position does not have the chance to try and decide if the driver is intentionally ramming them or not. They yell STOP, and then shoot if the person keeps moving towards them.

The officer was in danger as soon as the car started moving towards him. Both officers were justified in using deadly force to stop that threat. JMO.

 

[katydid23]

Fair enough. But the simple fact of being a fleeing felon does not justify shooting.

But a fleeing felon heading towards a trapped officer---that is justified.

 

[Fred Hall]

Three shots. that takes about 1/4 of a second to shoot. Have you ever been to the target range and seen how accurate working cops are?

Honestly I know nothing about firearm or marksmanship. The only way I see three side-on shots being possible is if the car was moving at walking speed.

 

[CoolJ]

But a fleeing felon heading towards a trapped officer---that is justified.

She wasn't heading toward the officer until she was shot and lost control... According to the witness anyway.

 

[katydid23]

View attachment 68452

Look at how tiny her escape route was.

 

[katydid23]

She wasn't heading toward the officer until she was shot and lost control... According to the witness anyway.

look at the picture. I just linked it. How could she NOT be heading towards him? The only way out for her car was right where the cop was standing.

 

[katydid23]

Honestly I know nothing about firearm or marksmanship. The only way I see three side-on shots being possible is if the car was moving at walking speed.

3 shots can be shot in a split second. bambambam.

 

[CoolJ]

Katy, The only way out was into the fence and building?

 

[katydid23]

Katy, The only way out was into the fence and building?

No, the only way out was squeezing tightly against the fence and in between the LE SUV. And the cop was standing right there when she hit the gas, heading towards him.