LA - Officer fatally shoots Alton Sterling outside store, Baton Rouge, 2016

[Leilei]

So this guy threatens someone with a gun, and these two officers are sent there to deal with an armed man who was brandishing a gun. And they give him commands to comply with them and he refuses. So then they end up in a physical struggle with the armed , defiant man.

So then what are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to wrestle with an armed man, that they were sent to detain, and they are not going to assume he might try and shoot them first?

How are cops supposed to do what we ask of them? How are they supposed to detain an armed man that was threatening others, without possibly shooting in their own self defense?

We don't know if they saw the victim trying to reach for his own gun or not. But why would they have shot him if he wasn't?

Wait, he was brandishing the gun? I thought that he had it in his pocket. I've been following this off and on today, but hadn't heard about the gun being brandished.

 

[LolaMoon08]

Convicted sex offender, gang banger with a gun.

That is all.

MOO!

I have no issue with this being dead... but I do believe we have had ENOUGH evidence (in the past few years) where Black people are fed up and I don't blame them. I would feel attacked and I am a White woman. Call it what you may, but I will NOT turn my head to a lot of what is going on and I WILL support them because as much as WE want to say 'All Lives Matter' ... if ALL lives mattered... we wouldn't STILL be here where we are today. It's a DISGRACE how we've taken steps backs...

 

[katydid23]

Wait, he was brandishing the gun? I thought that he had it in his pocket. I've been following this off and on today, but hadn't heard about the gun being brandished.

The 911 call was about a man brandishing a gun outside of the store. So when the cops were trying to detain him, they were aware of the 911 caller's accusation. When they were wrestling with him it was in his pocket, at the start. But we don't know if he tried to retrieve it or not.

 

[al66pine]

' ...was confronted by police after an anonymous caller said he had threatened someone with a gun outside the store ... '
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/head...hoots-man-outside-store-sparking-protests.ece ...

SBM^

Responding to post questioning whether Sterling showed/brandished gun.
From above, imo, seems he showed gun.
Or maybe just said he had it, did not brandish. IDK.

 

[bluesneakers]

I have no issue with this being dead... but I do believe we have had ENOUGH evidence (in the past few years) where Black people are fed up and I don't blame them. I would feel attacked and I am a White woman. Call it what you may, but I will NOT turn my head to a lot of what is going on and I WILL support them because as much as WE want to say 'All Lives Matter' ... if ALL lives mattered... we wouldn't STILL be here where we are today. It's a DISGRACE how we've taken steps backs...

Amen to that.

 

[bluesneakers]

So this guy threatens someone with a gun, and these two officers are sent there to deal with an armed man who was brandishing a gun. And they give him commands to comply with them and he refuses. So then they end up in a physical struggle with the armed , defiant man.

So then what are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to wrestle with an armed man, that they were sent to detain, and they are not going to assume he might try and shoot them first?

How are cops supposed to do what we ask of them? How are they supposed to detain an armed man that was threatening others, without possibly shooting in their own self defense?

We don't know if they saw the victim trying to reach for his own gun or not. But why would they have shot him if he wasn't?

Because that's what they do and they use the same excuses time after time - he was threatening, pointing a weapon, not obeying orders, lunged for their holsters, etc., etc. Maybe they do it because they're afraid, or because they're angry, or they don't know how to de-escalate a situation, or because it's easy and they know they can get away with it. Who knows why they do it - in this case or any other.

JMO

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Sterling shooting: Police dispatch tapes obtained

http://www.wafb.com/story/32384244/sterling-shootingpolice-dispatch-tapes-obtained

It seems he pulled a gun on complainant.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Sterling's mother revealed to the media that Sterling had a prior history with police that included felony arrests. Court records show his arrest history includes:

9/09/96 aggravated battery
10/31/97 2nd degree battery
1/06/98 simple battery
5/04/00 public intimidation
9/20/00 carnal knowledge of a juvenile
9/04/01 domestic violence
5/24/05 burglary of an inhabited dwelling place
7/11/05 receiving stolen things
9/12/05 burglary of inhabited dwelling place
3/17/06 simple criminal damage to property, simple robbery, simple theft, drug possession, misrepresentation during booking, simple battery, aggravated battery
4/12/06 aggravated battery, simple criminal damage to property, disturbing the peace, unauthorized entry
4/04/08 domestic abuse battery
6/03/09 resisting an officer, drug possession, receiving stolen things, possession of stolen firearm, illegal carrying of a weapon with CDs, sound reproduct without consent
10/12/09 illegal carrying of weapon, marijuana possession
8/13/15 failure to register as a sex offender
4/08/16 failure to register as a sex offender
6/14/16 ecstacy and marijuana possession

http://www.wafb.com/story/32384244/sterling-shootingpolice-dispatch-tapes-obtained

 

[drjones]

SBM^

Responding to post questioning whether Sterling showed/brandished gun.
From above, imo, seems he showed gun.
Or maybe just said he had it, did not brandish. IDK.

louisiana does not have a brandishing law afaik, but talking about this is sort of missing the point

it really doesnt even matter what he actually did or was guilty of, all that matters is that the police were in fact responding to a report that he had threatened someone with a gun

 

[Irish_Eyes]

If Ferguson taught is anything it is the need to withhold judgement until more facts are known.

I have not heard the 911 call. So I don't know if the officers were dispatched to handle a threat made by this specific man, or by a man matching his description, or just something more general like "man in front of store" that can quickly change. So knowing that would interest me.

I've heard that the officers' body cams were dislodged in the struggle. Watching the video I can see how that might have occurred. However, I would assume that there should be footage up until the time that occurred, right? Hopefully that contains useful info.

 

[drjones]

Sterling shooting: Police dispatch tapes obtained

http://www.wafb.com/story/32384244/sterling-shootingpolice-dispatch-tapes-obtained

It seems he pulled a gun on complainant.

well that settles that issue.

 

[drjones]

Because that's what they do and they use the same excuses time after time - he was threatening, pointing a weapon, not obeying orders, lunged for their holsters, etc., etc. Maybe they do it because they're afraid, or because they're angry, or they don't know how to de-escalate a situation, or because it's easy and they know they can get away with it. Who knows why they do it - in this case or any other.

JMO

and maybe, just maybe, sometimes they do it because that is exactly what happens.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Because that's what they do and they use the same excuses time after time - he was threatening, pointing a weapon, not obeying orders, lunged for their holsters, etc., etc. Maybe they do it because they're afraid, or because they're angry, or they don't know how to de-escalate a situation, or because it's easy and they know they can get away with it. Who knows why they do it - in this case or any other.

JMO

I understand that is your perception. I have studied this issue far to much to be able to support this kind of blanket statement. And I say that as the friend of a family who has suffered and lost from an unjust police shooting that is still making its way through the legal system.

 

[al66pine]

Sterling "was known to sell homemade CDs" at table there (sorry no link). Pix show table on walkway entry.
If store was open, seems maybe-not-quite-so-unusual, imo, for someone to have a table outside & sell CDs there.
If store was not open, well, IDK.
Is it possible he was selling something in addition to CDs? IDK.
Triple S Food Mart, 2112 N. Foster, Baton Rouge LA. W quick search on bus. directory sites, did not find. Anyone?

______________________________________________________

_____ time?............ = 911 call re man pointing gun, telling them to leave property.
"around midnight" = per store owner IIRC, sorry no link.
12:35 a.m.............. = BRPD offices responded at store http://theadvocate.com/news/1631198...r-drive?_ga=1.238535680.1282927472.1461653756 July 6

 

[LietKynes]

Even if you are being arrested and know that you're completely innocent.. it's never a wise choice to struggle and fight back. From the video it appeared Alton was resisting...

I feel for this man's family and it was good that people were filming it on their phones. And yes there needs to be a thorough investigation when what should've been a simple arrest goes wrong.

But I'll withhold judgement against law enforcement until I hear more.

Should the cops have WAITED until Alton actually had the gun in his hand and was pointing it at them --just to make sure he was dangerous ? I'm not a cop and I'm not sure at what stage of an arrest they're allowed to use force.

www.icrimewatch.net/offenderdetails.php?OfndrID=571319&AgencyID=54068
Alton was not a hero and he did have a record.
But, he still had the right to due process... it's sad he resisted arrest , and didn't just comply peacefully-- he might have received a citation/fine.

:moo:

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Sterling "was known to sell homemade CDs" at table there (sorry no link). Pix show table on walkway entry.
If store was open, seems maybe-not-quite-so-unusual, imo, for someone to have a table outside & sell CDs there.
If store was not open, well, IDK.
Is it possible he was selling something in addition to CDs? IDK.
Triple S Food Mart, 2112 N. Foster, Baton Rouge LA. W quick search on bus. directory sites, did not find. Anyone?

______________________________________________________

_____ time?............ = 911 call re man pointing gun, telling them to leave property.
"around midnight" = per store owner IIRC, sorry no link.
12:35 a.m.............. = BRPD offices responded at store http://theadvocate.com/news/1631198...r-drive?_ga=1.238535680.1282927472.1461653756 July 6

Even if the store wasn't open, if he had the store owner's permission I wouldn't find it that unusual. It depends on what clientele he was catering to with his CD sales.

I could see where a person might purposely set up at night if they were looking to capitalize on traffic from a crowd going to a ballgame or a nightclub district, for example.

 

[al66pine]

....I have not heard the 911 call. So I don't know if the officers were dispatched to handle a threat made by this specific man, or by a man matching his description, or just something more general like "man in front of store" that can quickly change. So knowing that would interest me....

sbm

Caller described "man in a red shirt selling CDs outside the store pointed a gun at someone, telling them to leave the property."
^ per BRPD spokesperson. bbm
http://theadvocate.com/news/1631198...r-drive?_ga=1.238535680.1282927472.1461653756 July 6

Is that description enough for LEOs to talk to man to ascertain other info to nail the ID? ITS. Enough to arrest him? IDK.

 

[bluesneakers]

and maybe, just maybe, sometimes they do it because that is exactly what happens.

I was answering a question:

We don't know if they saw the victim trying to reach for his own gun or not. But why would they have shot him if he wasn't?

I've seen it happen often enough I think speculating on why it happens is acceptable. Whether it happened here or not I don't know.

 

[Woodland]

So this guy threatens someone with a gun, and these two officers are sent there to deal with an armed man who was brandishing a gun. And they give him commands to comply with them and he refuses. So then they end up in a physical struggle with the armed , defiant man.

So then what are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to wrestle with an armed man, that they were sent to detain, and they are not going to assume he might try and shoot them first?

How are cops supposed to do what we ask of them? How are they supposed to detain an armed man that was threatening others, without possibly shooting in their own self defense?

We don't know if they saw the victim trying to reach for his own gun or not. But why would they have shot him if he wasn't?

UBM

Imo, that was the first stupid move. My life experience is, once something starts out bad or poorly or stupid, it continues that way until someone takes charge and starts back at the beginning to do it right.

 

[LietKynes]

Wonder who made the call to the police ?
AS was known to the store owner, Abdul. I'm curious if Abdul had previous altercations with AS as it's sometimes illegal to sell merchandise in front of a place of business.
:moo: