Boy playing with toy gun is shot by sheriff's deputy

[WriteDown]

Source: LA Times

A boy in Palmdale who was playing cops and robbers with a toy gun was shot and wounded Sunday night by a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy, authorities said.

The boy was shot in the upper torso, said Deputy Ed Hernandez, a sheriff's spokesman. He declined to release the victim's name or age. A witness told reporters for KABC-TV Channel 7 that the boy was 15.


Deputy Jeff Gordon said the boy was airlifted to a local hospital and was in stable condition.

Gordon said deputies responded to reports about 8 p.m. that someone was riding a bicycle and brandishing a handgun. Deputies spotted the rider and ordered him to drop the weapon but instead, Gordon says, he pointed it at the deputies.

The deputies, fearing for their lives, shot him once," Hernandez said. "Later on, they determined it was a juvenile playing cops and robbers."

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-palmdale11-2009may11,0,6121270.story

---

Don't most teenagers know a little better?

[TwilightGardener]

1. 15? Probably can't blame the cops for not realizing he wasn't a crazy-ass adult.

But he sounds like he had some sort of developmental delay or other mental problem. 15 is too old to play cops and robbers and point a toy gun at cops.

[polmaven]

8. That was my first reaction too...

Not the normal age for a "boy" to be playing cops and robbers with a toy gun. Where were his parents?

[apnu]

45. No Kidding, playing "cops and robbers" at 15? (nt)

[apnu]

47. I stand corrected, the boy seems to have had some mental problems. (nt)

[Hepburn]

52. Why in the hell would any parent get a mentally disabled teenager...

...a toy gun?

:shrug:

[saigon68]

54. A water pistol

I'd like to see a photo of the "Heat"--he was packing

[Hepburn]

55. Well, yeah, good point...

...knowing a bit about the cops in Palmdale, it would not surprise me a bit if it looked something like this:

[saigon68]

68. When I was a kid we had these

When I was 18 I had one of these

[Hepburn]

71. You and I are about the same age, right?

All of that looks a might familiar.

:hi:

[saigon68]

78. 63

Its been a lovely life.

[Hepburn]

79. I will be 61 in July.

:hi: Yep, a lovely life!

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. Isn't 15 years old a little old to be playing cops and robbers?

[FailureToCommunicate]

3. I dunno. How old is Mel Gibson? Or Dick Cheney for that matter?

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. They use real guns

[JonLP24]

21. Real guns? Is that sarcasm?

Leathel Weapon 1-4 they had props.

[jsamuel]

14. not if he is mentally disabled

[saigon68]

42. Good Point Another neighbor said the teen is a special need student

Can't wait to hear the rest of it.


Another neighbor said the teen is a special need student who has never caused trouble before,

[Bombero1956]

4. we also don't the mental falculties of the victim

Could be he's autistic or mentally retarded.

[WriteDown]

6. Or we can at least hope he is.

:rofl:

[pschoeb]

12. KABC-TV is saying 15 yr old is mentally disabled, with squirt gun

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=6806768

[jsamuel]

13. that is what I thought when I read "15 year old" and "playing cops and robbers"

[RamboLiberal]

17. Replica Gun

Authorities say a 15-year-old boy in Palmdale brandishing a replica handgun was shot and wounded by a sheriff's deputy who mistook it for the real thing.

-----

Whitmore says the boy may have been playing "cops and robbers" with friends earlier in the evening but that was not the case when deputies arrived.

He says the replica gun resembled a black semiautomatic pistol.

http://www.kmph.com/Global/story.asp?S=10342523&nav=menu612_2_7

I'd bet they were playing with airsoft guns. Many are exact replicas of the real thing.

[Xithras]

29. What kind of moron parent lets a 15 year old handicapped kid run around outside with a toy gun?

Did it not occur to the parents that someone might be a tad bit alarmed at the sight of a teenager waving a gun around in an urban area? Palmdale isn't exactly a small town, so the parents should have been aware that people might freak out when they saw him.

[apnu]

46. Squit guns aren't, by law, not allowed to look anything like a real gun.

They can have the shape but are supposed to have loud, easy to see colors to identify them as not real to the cops.

I remember a bunch of kids, and I mean 7 year olds, got shot up by cops in the 1980s for playing with too realistic toy guns. The toy industry responded by changing the look of the guns and making other adjustments to them so they weren't "too" real.

But then, here in Chicago, I remember a kid being killed by a cop for playing Lazer Tag with equipment that looked like this:

[X_Digger]

49. Looks like this Beretta U22..

[apnu]

51. Did they have those in 1986?

Were they commonly found in urban areas? I really don't know much about Berettas. Maybe the cop did think it was a Baretta, its hard to tell.

Later generations of the Lazer Tag items looked very different from anything like a real gun. They have garrish colors (lemon green, safety orange etc) and really odd shapes.

The gun (called a "starlyte") also had a flashing red light (kinda like a Cylon's eye) that ran along the side when it was active and made this odd swooshing sound when you pulled the trigger. I had a set, used it often with my friends all through high-school, had a lot of fun with it.

This site has a great history of the Lazer Tag equipment, cites the shooting story, and shows you what the toys look like today: http://home.comcast.net/~ferret1963/Lazer_Tag_Brand.HTML

[X_Digger]

62. Nope, rather new gun..

.. but there were others available at the time that had a similar enough shape as to be confusing. Of course, if you point anything black and vaguely gun shaped at a cop, you're likely to be ventilated.

I remember laser tag well, me and a few friends got some of the stuff once it became less popular and hit the bargain bin at toys-r-us.

[NJmaverick]

7. I think a more appropriate headline would be

TEEN playing with toy gun shot by Sherriff's deputy

[TheWraith]

9. What the hell happened to the rules about toy guns?

Last I heard, they're all supposed to have big orange parts on them to make this sort of shit impossible.

And while we're at it, I thought that the police all wanted Tasers because they were supposed to be an alternative to firing a lethal weapon? Or are Tasers only for use on preteens and people who are in diabetic shock?

[WriteDown]

10. Ever here of spray paint? nt

[TheWraith]

11. Yes, I've "heard" of it.

But I don't assume facts not in evidence. And even so, it doesn't explain anything else about this incident.

[ManiacJoe]

16. Tasers are not replacements for guns.

Tasers are alternatives for non-lethal force (hands, OC, batons).

[JonLP24]

23. Cops effectively subdued Kip Kinkel w/ pepper spray

When he attempted suicide-by-cop. But it is hard to determine someone's mindset and based on the information I have I can't lay blame on the cops either.

[RamboLiberal]

72. Kinkel was wrestled down by other students before cops got to him

When his rifle ran out of ammunition and Kinkel began to reload, wounded student Jacob Ryker—recognizing from his own experience with guns that Kinkel was out of ammunition (and understood that this was the best chance to stop Kinkel)—tackled him, and was soon assisted by several other students. Kinkel drew the Glock, and managed to fire only one shot before he was disarmed, injuring Jacob Ryker again as well as another student. The students restrained Kinkel until the police arrived and arrested him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kipland_Kinkel

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

20. You have it wrong on Tasers.

[TheWraith]

27. That's the way I've always heard it sold to the public.

Though I shouldn't be surprised that that's not entirely honest.

If the choice is between a Taser and pepper spray or a baton, frankly I'd rather the police were carrying the latter. There's a lot less chance for accidentally killing someone with pepper spray.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

31. There should be a progression and usually is.

Pepper spray should be used before tasers in the force continuum.

[Demobrat]

15. You can't blame the cops.

There are so many guns on the streets now that anybody can get one, including the average 15-year old. If somebody's pointing a gun they have to assume it's real. Most are.

[EFerrari]

25. Maybe you can't blame the cops. I sure can.

[vadawg]

40. whats your solution, cops have to wait until someone actually fires at them before they can shoot

in the real world you dont get second chances when confronted with someone with a gun.

[BoneDaddy]

44. uh how?

[Raskolnik]

57. I'm sure you can. Whether or not that blame is reasonable, however, is another matter.

Obviously this is a terribly accident that (thankfully) could have ended much worse than it did.

What should this officer have done differently?

[ProudDad]

73. Don't wanna' be shot at

Don't be a f*ckin' COP!

The police forces now days are so filled with cowards it isn't funny.

They run around playing phony drug war instead of catching real criminals 'cause it's easy and safer.

They shoot kids and anyone "out of line" of a darker hue.

Cowards!

On edit: The Palmdale cops are notorious for shooting first and determining what's going on last...

[proteus_lives]

75. Have you ever had a gun pointed at you?

If someone points a gun at you, it's usually a good idea to shoot first.

[ProudDad]

80. Yes, I have

I've had guns pointed at me -- you do nothing...or you're dead

I've pointed guns at others -- they did nothing...they didn't get shot.

I sold the stupid fucking things -- If I ain't gonna kill anyone for simple robbery, I don't need the stupid fucking useless pieces of shit.

guns are nearly useless in all occasions...especially handguns.

Outlaw ALL handguns, collect 'em and melt em down for a huge monument to human stupidity and voraciousness.

[proteus_lives]

84. Here's the rub.

"I've pointed guns at others -- they did nothing...they didn't get shot."

He pointed the toy gun at the officers. Are police supposed to give people the first shot?

"Outlaw ALL handguns, collect 'em and melt em down for a huge monument to human stupidity and voraciousness."

Classic: Better add rocks, knifes, spears, cars, pointy sticks, blunt sticks, nunchucks, airplanes, rope, diseases, heavy books, handfuls of sand, nasty ideas and everything else we use to kill each other. Blame the person who uses the tool. And in this case, it's a mistake that's tragic for all parties.

[xchrom]

18. recommend -- DU is an interesting place sometimes. nt

[truthisfreedom]

19. Tragedy that could have happened in any of the last 15 decades.

Very sad, but hard to assign blame.

[JonLP24]

22. Nevermind, wounded probaly means alive. Could be suicide-by-cop

But I'm speculating like everyone else is.

[EFerrari]

26. He was a mentally handicapped 15 year old. n/t

[Mz Pip]

28. He's lucky to be alive

This could have ended so much worse.

I hope when he recovers his parents take away his toy guns. Cops have a split second to make a decision to fire.

[EFerrari]

30. The cops may have a split second in that situation but

they have all those previous other seconds to learn the neighborhood.

He is lucky to be alive.

[JonQ]

33. Shootings only happen

in certain neighborhoods?

I was of the impression that crazies could be found anywhere people are.

[EFerrari]

35. No. Cops work neighborhoods. They don't just cruise all over the country.

And someone who is a "crazy" to you may be my family member. You never know, do you?

[JonQ]

37. No you don't

which is why if some stranger pulls a gun on you it wouldn't be wise to assume either A) this is a nice neighborhood, so nothing bad can ever happen here or B) this must be a mentally challenged 15 year old playing around with a fake but incredibly realistic looking gun.

Every lowlife criminal is someones family member. And even seemingly nice people from nice neighborhoods can snap and start taking random shots at police officers.

THat's why it's best for them to not merely make assumptions that certain people are always harmless, or certain neighborhoods are always safe. Hell, if they were then why send cops there in the first place?

[EFerrari]

38. Let's try again. Cops don't randomly cruse around. They have

an area to cover. It's their job to know that area. So, it's not a matter of nice neighborhoods or nice people. It's a matter of how well you know the ground you're responsible for.

[JonQ]

39. So any given cop

is expected to have intimate, first hand knowledge of every single person in his area? That's a bit unrealistic.

Not to mention that wouldn't necessarily mean anything. Every time a serial killer is caught the neighbors swear up and down that he was the nicest guy, very normal. Criminals don't always announce their intentions before hand.

[EFerrari]

58. That's a good point about "the quiet neghbor".

But isn't that also why they are so hard to catch? Because everyone thinks they know them?

[inwiththenew]

41. Palmdale has a population of more than 151,000

In addition to that according to LA Sheriffs website

"Palmdale Station provides police service for the contract
City of Palmdale,as well as 700 square miles of unincorporated County
area from the Wrightwood ski area to Lake Hughes.
Palmdale City is one of the fastest growing cities in California "

This isn't Mayberry we're talking about here. If the kid was not a repeat offender or a known gang member it is very likely the Sheriffs have had no contact with him and don't know who he is.

[EFerrari]

61. In addition to gang members and serial offenders, families caring

for disabled family members often "register" them with the local LEA to prevent just these incidents.

You may be right that this kid had no prior contact with the local PD or Sheriff. But, simply excusing the death in that way is pretty much also consigning about 10% of the population to the status of fair game. We should be able to do better than that.

[Raskolnik]

60. And if you think it is feasible for every police officer to know by sight every special-needs

individual that may be within his or her patrol area, I respectfully suggest that you do not have a realistic notion of what that would entail.

[EFerrari]

63. That would be unrealistic, I agree. But these folks are in our neghborhoods

and are a significant portion of the population. The police are also supposed to serve and protect them. And what that usually means is neighborhood meetings that include the local LEA. It means identifying at risk people in your area as best as you can and constantly updating the information. That's the job.

I posted a thread about six months ago telling how my friend woke up at 1 am n the morning to two San Mateo County Sherrif's waving a warrant for her arrest in her BEDROOM. She has no criminal record. Apparently, she'd missed a court date for a traffic ticket because she didn't get the notice -- her street was re-numbered and she really didn't get the notice. Yesterday, she went to court on that arrest and after the judge heard the whole story, including how she was dragged to jail barefoot and wasn't allowed her call, it all got thrown out and there's going to be some kind of hearing for restitution.

We've allowed cop culture in this country to get completely out of hand. And, our own attitudes are an integral part of that degradation. When we defend the shooting of innocent teenagers before we think about how it could have been avoided, it shows you how complicit we are in our own mistreatment, imo. And the families of cops live in our neighborhoods, too. They don't live in some protected bubble. This is about all of our families and their safety.

[Raskolnik]

64. EFerrari, we are well aware that you do not like police, but I fail to see how your friend's story

has anything to do with whether police can reasonably be expected to know by sight every special-needs individual they may encounter.

You've agreed that this is unrealistic, but I suspect that you still think the officer in this case did something wrong. Am I correct?

[EFerrari]

66. How do you know I do not like police and who is this "we"?

I'm the contact in our neighborhood for our local station, the one that notifies them when our neighbor decompensates or when the bi-polar lady across the street is out looking for a fight. The guys would be surprised to find out at this late date that I don't like them.

My post was very clear. And I'm happy that our Captain agrees with me that these shootings are a threat to the safety of our communities and that we can do better than that.

/typo

[Raskolnik]

69. I will withdraw my observation, but submit that your posts speak for themselves.

And you earlier post *was* quite clear: you blame the officer in this instance for something, but I'm still not sure what that something is. So I'll ask as directly as I can: given the information currently available, what do you blame the officer for?

[EFerrari]

70. I hope my posts speak for themselves. Hiring someone to write them for me

would be prohibitive. :)

I wasn't at the scene. What I've been objecting to is the attitude that we should just chalk it up and forget about it. That we should never criticize the police or the outcome of their actions.

Critcism is, in itself, not a hostile act. And I don't know about you, but I'd rather have more brain cells than only those available to me working the problem of community safety.

[ProudDad]

74. Bullshit!!!

I'm certain they had more than a split second in this case and anyway they're paid to take chances so you don't have to...

That's what cops are for, protect white people against the underclasses...



Cop SHOOTS KID and it's the Kid's fault, and the kid's parent's fault and NOT the cop's!?!?!?!

What kind of bizarro fucking universe is this????

[proteus_lives]

76. I remember back when I was 7 or 8, my mom took away my real-looking guns.

I raised holy hell but this was during a round of cops shooting kids with real-looking guns. I realize now that it was a good idea now.


Don't point things at cops if you don't want to get shot.

[ProudDad]

81. Or hire something other than mentally defective cops (n/t)

[Raskolnik]

83. Could you point out what facts lead you to conclude that this officer was "mentally defective?" n/t

[proteus_lives]

85. So you expect perfection?

From all other human beings around you? Cops aren't human? They're not allowed to make mistakes?

You think they wanted to shoot a retarded kid? Or do you think they were acting on the bigger picture? Like, that person in the dark with the gun might shoot us or someone else with his weapon.

Bottom line: They told him to drop the object, he didn't and pointed it at them.

[ConcernedCanuk]

24. The days are gone when I could walk around with my "Have Gun Will Travel" holsters and revolvers

.
.
.

Today you can get shot by a cop for that

and the cop walks

"progress"

(sigh)

[Regret My New Name]

110. Yeah, I miss the days when I could point a gun at a cop and not have to worry...

[appleannie1]

32. Unless he is mentally challenged, he is a bit old to be playing cops and robbers

[JonQ]

34. And if he was mentally challenged

who gave him a realistic looking toy gun and sent him on his way?

[proteus_lives]

36. That's sad.

For both the kid and the cops.

[BoneDaddy]

43. Hard to blame the cops

in this situation, although I am sure some will. 15 is not a baby, he knows better.

[apnu]

48. See post #12 above. The boy was mentally handicapped. (nt)

[BoneDaddy]

50. And the police were supposed to know this information how?

innate psychic ability
omniscience

This is a horrible situation. If we are looking for accountability, perhaps the adult who let a mentally handicapped youth out with a gun replica should bear some onus.

I imagine myself as a police officer coming on the scene. They ask the youth to stop, he doesn't. In fact, he points the gun at them. Split second decison... What do you do?

[apnu]

53. They weren't but a bunch of people are wondering why a 15 year old was playing cops and robbers

That's all.

Having said that, the cops are accountable. Totally. The cop had a real gun and discharged it. Having a gun and using it goes along with the badge, its a responsibility. This cop failed in his responsibility.

The parents should have been more observant of the boy and his toys, sure, but letting him run around his neighborhood with a squirt gun is hardly a crime or dangerous, normally.

As for what I would do? Hold my fire and take a real good look at the supposed weapon. Then fire only if I'm in danger or the people around me is in danger. Criminals get to shoot indiscriminately, cops don't.

[BoneDaddy]

59. Of course the cop is accountable for discharging his weapon

and there are plenty of scenarios where cops have acted innappropriately in the least, criminally in the worst case scenario. But this accountability under these circumstances is appropriate, albeit very unfortunate. Under the circumstances, it is reasonable in my eyes.

[proteus_lives]

86. It wasn't indiscriminate.

It was night, he was told to drop the weapon. He instead pointed it at the officers. Are they supposed to allow him to shoot first? (Based on the fact they thought it was a gun.)

Is that fair?

[Dark]

104. How were they supposed to know he was playing cops and robbers? nt

[Raskolnik]

56. Jebus, that sounds like a horrible accident, and I hope the young man and the officer

are ok.

[closeupready]

65. It's difficult for me to blame the deputy.

n/t

[slackmaster]

67. My dad taught me at a very early age not to point things at strangers in general

Because of the possibility of such a misunderstanding.

[democracy1st]

77. 15 he's not a boy he's a teenager big difference!

[scheming daemons]

82. Sorry.... 15 isn't a "boy" in this context.

A 15-year-old carrying a weapon... or what could reasonably be assumed to be a weapon... is a threat. Especially when he points it at officers.


The headline for this story sucks.

[primavera]

87. Per the NRA, the problem here is that the kid didn't have a real gun...

... so that he might have had a fighting chance against those deputies, right? After all, more guns is the solution to every problem.

[Raskolnik]

88. Really?

Who precisely is it that's saying "more guns is the solution to every problem?"

[Exultant Democracy]

89. I don't believe the cops for a second. The I bet kid didn't point the gun at them

and it comes down to an itchy trigger finger.

[Raskolnik]

90. So...why is it that you think the officer shot this kid? n/t

[proteus_lives]

91. What's your logic?

The cops just saw him riding down the street and went, "Hey, let's shoot that kid."

Why an "itchy trigger finger?"

[Tzimisce]

92. Speaking as an...

...employee of my local police department, I find it pretty hard to lay blame at the officer's doorstep in this case. Officers are allowed to use lethal force if they reasonably believe their lives are in danger, and if they drew down on the kid and told him to stop and drop the weapon, the consequences are on him for choosing instead to ignore that command and point the toy gun at the officers. If a cop waits to be shot at, he's apt to wind up on a cooling board. If their rules are anything like my department's, they were justified in using lethal force in this instance. I'm sure this'll wind up with an IA investigation, and I hope they clear the officers of wrongdoing.

And ProudDad, I find your attitude extremely offensive. You're showing extreme prejudice towards these officers, and I'm sure you'd cry foul if someone showed that kind of prejudice towards a more "sympathetic" group. Yeah, cops know that there are risks in their profession, but you seem to demand 100% perfection from them, as someone else pointed out. Cops deal with some really, really crazy situations and people, and they are TRAINED to use lethal force if someone points a firearm at them. Judging by your attitude, you don't seem to care if a police officer gets injured or killed. Set aside your apparent antipathy towards a police officer himself, and spare some thought for the spouse or children an officer would leave behind if they hesitated to defend themselves. I find it very amusing that you expect, or rather demand, perfection from law enforcement. I take it you're perfect in your chosen field? Never make any mistakes? Never deal with a no-win situation? Right.

Yes, there are some cops who abuse their authority. Guess what? They're in the minority. I should know, since I work with police officers every day. Just because a minority of officers abuse their power, you seem to judge all officers as corrupt assholes, and that's just bogus, to be honest. If you were told about a situation where someone took a swing at an officer and was then subdued and arrested, would you blame the officer for the situation, or the guy who decided that physical violence was an acceptable response to being questioned, ticketed, or whatever? I hate it break it to you, but cops don't just walk up to someone and start swinging. If a contact turns violent, it's because the person that officer is dealing with chose to take it to that level. But since cops are corrupt pigs, I'm sure you don't agree with that, right?

And I'll also agree that the kid's parents need to shoulder some of the responsibility here. Sending your mentally handicapped kid out into the neighborhood with a toy weapon that looks real is just very, very poor parenting. If the kid is mentally challenged, his parents need to be supervising him, or at least making sure he's not engaging in activities that put him and others at risk. The kid is lucky he isn't dead, and his parents will hopefully wake up and smell the coffee and keep a closer eye on their son.

[TXRAT2]

96. Very well said!

[Exultant Democracy]

93. because people get shot at by cops with candy bars and wallets in their hands.

Seems like plenty of black people at least get shot all the time without the Police being in danger. I would bet that the kid on the bike never pointed the toy gun, but that cops seeing something similar to a gun decided to shoot without bothering to asses if they we being threatened.

[Paladin]

94. Prove It, Instead Of Just Running Your Mouth (n/t)

[TXRAT2]

95. Prove It, Instead Of Just Running Your Mouth

It seems some here are more comfortable just running they're mouth. Don't point guns at the police, don't point things that look like guns at police.

[Exultant Democracy]

99. Sorry I see cops do stuff like this all the time. How else can I prove that I don't believe the cops

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd5yrq2QB-g&feature=channel_page

[proteus_lives]

102. Slippery slope.....

So it's ok to judge an entire group of people by the actions of a few? What if the kid had been shot by a Mexican person saw the gun/gun shaped object and feared for their lives?

"Mexicans do stuff like this all the time, I don't believe them."

[proteus_lives]

97. Indeed, prove it.

Are these officers with a history of complaints? Is it a violent area? Was there a cover-up? Can your claim be backed up (or dis-proven) by eyewitnesses?

If the officers did the wrong thing, there must consequences. If not, the old adage proves true, don't point guns or gun-shaped objects at police officers.

[Exultant Democracy]

98. How can I further prove that I don't believe the cops?

If the kid wakes up and says yeah oops I pointed the gun at the cops then thats that. On the other hand if the kid says otherwise I'm going to tend to believe the kid over the cops.

[proteus_lives]

101. Why?

Why are police officers automatically guilty in your eyes?

[Tzimisce]

103. I'm pretty sure...

...some people automatically assume the guilt of police officers because they have problems with authority. People who hate cops are either criminals, or people who have a 6-year-old's reaction to authority figures, automatically resenting them. And it's really funny, too, because these people who hate cops and automatically believe the cop acted improperly will, of course, call 911 crying their eyes out and demanding help immediately when someone tries to break into their home.

It amuses me and annoys me at the same time. The vast majority of police officers are good people doing a difficult job, and their main goal is to protect and help people. Most officers chose their profession because they want to make a difference in their community and make it a safer place for their and others' children. But of course, according to people like Exultant Democracy, all cops are power-crazed assholes who just love to shoot people. That attitude is really disgusting.

[Exultant Democracy]

109. Wow personal attack classy. I know I'm not a criminal but I've been abused by the cops

ever since I looked like a teenage black male and it hasn't stopped as an adult. I had to get rid of my BMW because I was being pulled over too often for DWB. The prizes from last year are when I went to get something from my car and while I was walking away and I was ordered to the ground because it looked like I was robbing the car (my car.)

I know that the only people from my high school to end up on the police force all took section 4 english (which means they were barely literate)

The Awful truth, Michael Moore sheds light on the fact that some cops have a hard time distinguishing a wallet from a gun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeOaTpYl8mE

[Paladin]

105. Waiting For Actual Proof Before Drawing A Conclusion. What A Concept (n/t)

[JayMusgrove]

100. What is a 15 year old doing playing with toy guns?

I'm sorry, but I gave up toy guns by 11 or 12........

This story is just an outlier....a kid of 15 with a toy gun would appear threatening to anyone......

If the child didn't hear or understand a command to put down the weapon, of if the cop didn't follow procedure to command the kid to put the gun down, things like this will happen.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

106. I think I might have frozen in place if I were playing cops-N-robbers if a REAL cop showed up!

poor kid... game got too real to fast.

[TankLV]

107. Sorry - I'm with the Cops on this on - FIFTEEN?!!!

Sorry, but this is no "boy" it's a "TEENAGER" - BIG difference...

Cops don't have the luxury of chatting with EVERYONE to make sure the GUN POINTING AT THEM is OKIE DOKIE...

Tragedy all around - but the Cops did the correct thing...

[Infinite Hope]

108. It seems like he was asking for it. n/t