I've been very frustrated with the lack of progress in reducing or ending police violence and killing in this country. Indeed, the rate of police homicide has gone up, not down, since the advent of nationwide protest actions against it after the execution of James Boyd by police snipers in Albuquerque in March of 2015.
Police killed more civilians in 2015 than they did in 2014 and there seems to be no focused effort on curbing the killing.
Protest has not accomplished that goal -- if it even is a goal anymore.
Recently the San Diego DA released video of a police killing that happened there in April. It's yet another shocking indication of police mis-interpreting far too many individuals and actions as threats that MUST be met with lethal force, which in almost every case is defended by their departments and DAs as somehow necessary to the protection and well being of cities and society.
NO! These killings create chaos and destruction, they ruin lives, families and communities. They are doing just the opposite of what so many defenses of police killing and violence claim. They are insane. They MUST STOP.
This defense of the police killing of Fridoon Nehad in San Diego makes no sense at all.
The officer who killed him had no knowledge of the "threat" except that provided by the dispatcher based on erroneous information relayed to 911 by a clerk at a bookstore who thought he saw the victim brandishing a knife. The victim was not armed. He DID NOT HAVE A KNIFE. Even if he had been armed with a knife, HE WAS NOT THREATENING ANYONE, and even if he had been, doing so IS NOT A DEATH PENALTY OFFENSE.
Repeat: Brandishing and even threatening with a knife IS NOT A DEATH PENALTY OFFENSE.
Furthermore, police are not intended to be judge, jury and executioner whenever they feel afraid.
The officer in this case was so frightened by the mere presence of this man who he believed was the suspect in an ERRONEOUS 911 call and dispatch that he shot him essentially on sight.
This has happened HUNDREDS of times so far this year. And it must STOP.
STOP THE KILLING. STOP THE KILLING NOW.
Happy Holidays...
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