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NEW YORK — A candy bar, a wallet, even a pair of baggy pants can draw deadly police gunfire.
The killing of a hairbrush-brandishing teenager last week was the latest instance of police shootings in which officers reacted to what they erroneously feared was a weapon. It has revived debate over the use of force, perceptions of threats and police training.
"We have cases like that all over the country where it can be a wallet, a cell phone, a can of Coca-Cola and officers have fired the weapon," said Scott Greenwood, a Cincinnati attorney who has worked on police use-of-force cases across the country and who is a general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union.
"It does not necessarily mean it was excessive use of force," he added. "However, those types of incidents do give rise to greater suspicion on the part of the public about how police use force and they call into question the training departments are using to train officers to perceive and respond to threats."
The New York Police Department says the officers who fired 20 shots at 18-year-old Khiel Coppin on Nov. 12 were justified in their use of force. The mentally ill teenager approached officers outside his mother's home with a black object in his hand — the hairbrush — and repeatedly ignored orders to stop.
The officers were responding to a 911 call in which Coppin could be heard in the background saying he had a gun. But in a second 911 call Coppin's mother told the operator her son wasn't armed, and after officers arrived she repeated that to them.
"Why did the police not heed the warnings ... that her son was unarmed?" said Paul Wooten, the family's attorney. "Why was it necessary for the overwhelming use of deadly force? Five police officers, 20 shots, eight hits. Is there no proportionality?"
Last year, New York officers fired 50 bullets at three unarmed men in a car, killing Sean Bell on his wedding day and seriously wounding his two friends. Three officers are scheduled for trial in February.
In 1999, four New York City undercover officers fired 41 shots at Amadou Diallo, striking him 19 times, when the 22-year-old man reached for his wallet while standing in an apartment building vestibule. The officers said they thought Diallo was reaching for a gun.
The 2001 Cincinnati police killing of Timothy Thomas — the 15th black resident to die at police hands since 1995 — led to the city's worst civil unrest since the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Thomas was unarmed, but was reaching to pull up his baggy pants while he was being chased.
In that case, as in other police shootings, the officer who fired said his actions were triggered by fear for his own safety.
At least 64 U.S. law enforcement officers have been killed by gunshots this year, according to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund.
Andre Burgess was walking down a New York street in 1997 when an undercover federal agent shot him in the thigh, saying he thought the foil-wrapped Three Musketeers candy bar in his hand was a gun.
Violent confrontations between police and crime suspects occur daily in big cities, and officers are often called upon to make snap judgments on the use of force.
Early Sunday, officers in Brooklyn shot two people who they believed were dangerous; one was a suspect in a stabbing who police said advanced on officers with a broken bottle.
"Just because a subject has something unidentifiable in his or her hands, that's never an automatic justification for the use of deadly force," Greenwood said.
However, "If someone is carrying around a toy pistol we don't expect the police to know it's a toy," he said.
Critics of police shootings have said racial stereotypes factor into officers' perceptions of threats. Some studies, for example, have shown that police use less force on white suspects than on nonwhite suspects. Thomas, Bell, Diallo, Burgess and Coppin were black.
NYPD instructors say recruits are repeatedly cautioned to be aware of their surroundings and to try to take cover and assess a situation before opening fire. But once shooting starts, officers are trained to "shoot to stop" by firing at a target's "center mass" or torso.
Despite the Bell and Coppin deaths, police officials argue that statistics show the NYPD has become more restrained: Officers fired 540 shots last year, down 13 percent from 616 in 2005. In 1996, the total was 1,292. This year, members of the 36,000-officer department have killed 10 people. Last year, the total was 13 people, up from nine in 2005, and in 1996 it was 30.
___
Associated Press writer Tom Hays contributed to this report.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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{"commentId":1196509,"authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}
Reminds me of a cartoon I saw about a certain major city's police force. (No way am I going to specify WHICH one) Cartoon shows a cop with his gun drawn, chasing a suspect down the street. Cop shouts, "Stop or I'll (BANG) shoot!" I don't know what to think. Don't they ever try aiming for a leg or something? I don't think it should be a hard-and-fast rule to always go for the torso.
{"commentId":1196509,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}
- 6 votes
#1 - Sun Nov 18, 2007 3:35 PM EST{"commentId":1196542,"authorDomain":"walketim"}
No. If they fire the weapon they do so ONLY with the intent to kill.
{"commentId":1196542,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"walketim"}
- 5 votes
{"commentId":1196942,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
Don't they ever try aiming for a leg or something? I don't think it should be a hard-and-fast rule to always go for the torso.
It's not like in the movies. The problem is that an arm and a leg are extremely small targets especially from distances in hard to see areas. What happens if you miss the arm or leg and the stray shot hits an innocent bystander?
Of course if the person is actually brandishing a weapon hitting them in the arm or leg may not even stop them from firing. They may not fire accurately, but then that again means they could hit innocent bystanders. The first rule for shooting is to aim for the torso because that gives you the biggest target and the least chance of missing and having the bullet find something else.
{"commentId":1196942,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1196558,"authorDomain":"prez"}
Perhaps our officers should start wearing glasses so they can identify what is being waved at them.
Either that or let their ridiculous justifications for armed force carry over to the civilian side...
{"commentId":1196558,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"prez"}
- 5 votes
#2 - Sun Nov 18, 2007 3:58 PM EST{"commentId":1196634,"authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}
One should always keep their hands held high and in plain sight when confronted by the cops.
{"commentId":1196634,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}
- 5 votes
#3 - Sun Nov 18, 2007 4:33 PM EST{"commentId":1196701,"authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}
Thats not horrid advice and while I'm not justifying any of these shootings, cops jobs are stressful, extremely so in bad crime areas, some of us might deal with one or two scummy people a day at our place of biz, these guys deal with the dredge of society all day. You're told to be sure, but hesitancy can cost your life or your partners. And some times the wrong descions are made There are ways though to bring a cops blood pressure down. Like if you get pulled, turn on the interior lights, open the glove box and put your hands on the wheel. Will a cop shoot you if you dont?? probably not but for me I'd like him to feel as safe as possible as well and keep his blood pressure low.. I dont know who he pulled before me, or what condition his mental state is, i say best be safe.
And once again I am not justifying the shootings, just saying if you live in a bad neighborhood or find your self confronting the police, it is best to show them quickly that you arent a threat.
{"commentId":1196701,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}
- 5 votes
{"commentId":1196807,"authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}
The cops main job is to go home that night alive.
{"commentId":1196807,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1196827,"authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}
@JoulesBeef,
Like if you get pulled, turn on the interior lights, open the glove box and put your hands on the wheel. Will a cop shoot you if you dont?? probably not but for me I'd like him to feel as safe as possible as well and keep his blood pressure low.. I dont know who he pulled before me, or what condition his mental state is, i say best be safe.
Smart.
And don't forget to "Yes" him to death.
{"commentId":1196827,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1197525,"authorDomain":"jasonford"}
And don't forget to "Yes" him to death.
I prefer yes sir or yes maam.
{"commentId":1197525,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"jasonford"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1197655,"authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}
Like if you get pulled, turn on the interior lights, open the glove box and put your hands on the wheel.
Um, open the glove box? That sounds like bad advice to me, I'd think the cop would see you as reaching for a weapon if you did that.
{"commentId":1197655,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}
{"commentId":1197664,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
The glove box is usually where your registration and proof of insurance is located, which they almost always ask for.
{"commentId":1197664,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
{"commentId":1197686,"authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}
Right - and you should pull it out when they ask for it. Glove boxes are also a convenient place to keep guns, so suddenly going for it might make the officer think you're going for a gun.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/266231/what_to_do_during_a_traffic_stop.html
Just sit still inside your vehicle. Don't start getting out your driver's license or insurance papers yet. The police officer can't tell the difference between you reaching for insurance papers or a gun out of your glove box.
As the officer starts to approach the car, keep your hands on the steering wheel in plain sight. It helps to have your vehicle turned off. Preferably put your keys on the dashboard easily visible to the police officer. Sit calmly until the officer reaches your car.
{"commentId":1197686,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}
{"commentId":1197750,"authorDomain":"jordang"}
Don't open or reach for anything, just put your hands on the wheel.
When they ask for your license and registration,
say "Yes Sir, my license is in my back pocket and the registration is in the glove box." Sure, you could be lying, but they do seem to appreciate it when you notify them you're going to be reaching certain places for certain things.
{"commentId":1197750,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"jordang"}
{"commentId":1197850,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
On one hand it's sad that you have to be so careful to show that you are completely innocent when you get pulled over, but then there is the other hand and how would you feel being the cop pulling over random car after random and never knowing who has a gun and is ready to use it.
{"commentId":1197850,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
{"commentId":1196703,"authorDomain":"devoinregress"}
There needs to be better training and accountability. A friend of a friend got shot recently for giving a cop the finger, witch was dumb but definitely not warranting death. Racism in the NYPD must be stopped through better training and anti racism programs within the force.
{"commentId":1196703,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"devoinregress"}
- 2 votes
#4 - Sun Nov 18, 2007 4:59 PM EST{"commentId":1196716,"authorDomain":"partisanhack"}
Of course, one alternative would be to have omnipresent surveillance as they do in the U.K. I don't think that today's violence against Americans by the state is acceptable, but we need to look at alternatives carefully.
{"commentId":1196716,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"partisanhack"}
- 1 vote
#5 - Sun Nov 18, 2007 5:05 PM EST{"commentId":1196934,"authorDomain":"bartning"}
Somehow the civilian watchdog agencies they put into place to protect the public become rather complacent about police abuse. It's happened here in San Jose. In 2005, Sunnyvale and San Jose conducted an illegal raid on my place, held me at gunpoint in my room, put me in handcuffs after throwing me outside, were rude and abusive. The court hasn't helped, neither did Sunnyvale and San Jose internal affairs, nor the civilian watchdog group, its "independent auditor." Moreover, it's only one incident out of several. At least New York has found some of its officers in the wrong in the past, even convicting them on civil-rights violations and other charges.
{"commentId":1196934,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"bartning"}
- 3 votes
#6 - Sun Nov 18, 2007 6:40 PM EST{"commentId":1197595,"authorDomain":"partisanhack"}
Point taken. It's ugly out there, and yet it's morning in America...right?
{"commentId":1197595,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"partisanhack"}
{"commentId":1197020,"authorDomain":"brusnews"}
The mentally ill teenager approached officers outside his mother's home with a black object in his hand — the hairbrush — and repeatedly ignored orders to stop.
I think some more information is needed here.... was he aiming the black object at officers? With their arms trained on him, they would have had time to wait until the object was raised at one of the officers. If he actually did have the hairbrush in a "shooting" position, then I think it is more understandable.
"Why did the police not heed the warnings ... that her son was unarmed?" said Paul Wooten, the family's attorney. "Why was it necessary for the overwhelming use of deadly force? Five police officers, 20 shots, eight hits. Is there no proportionality?"
Yes, this does seem to be overdoing it a bit. Although with such a low hit-to-shot ratio, I think it's safe to assume either the officers were either not very close or it was very dark outside. In either case, a hairbrush may have been hard to differentiate from a weapon. Why did police not heed the warnings? The officers were responding to a 911 call in which Coppin could be heard in the background saying he had a gun. Once that was heard, they are going to assume a weapon is involved, no matter what is relayed in a later phone call. Of course now we know a mentally ill person was involved, but one can't tell from the article if they knew that then.
I think the main point here is that officers should only be shooting when something is aimed at them... a person carrying a candy bar wrapper, it could be assumed, would not have said object pointed at someone like a weapon.
{"commentId":1197020,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"brusnews"}
- 3 votes
#7 - Sun Nov 18, 2007 7:11 PM EST{"commentId":1197046,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
I'm not sure about up in NYC, but in Philly there have been something like 4 to 5 police officers shot to death in the past two or three weeks alone. That is an environment ripe for incident, but could you blame the police when a moments hesitation could mean their death?
All I know is that this article doesn't give anywhere close to enough details to decide if the shooting was just or what exactly went wrong. It's so easy to Monday morning quarterback and so different to actually be there.
I couldn't even think of being a police officer. It's not even just the danger involved, but if you did accidentally shoot an innocent, that has got to scar someone for life.
{"commentId":1197046,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
- 6 votes
#8 - Sun Nov 18, 2007 7:22 PM EST{"commentId":1197085,"authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}
There are only three types of people in the world in the eyes of a cop:
Dirtbags
Civilians
Other Cops
(credit Joesph Wambaugh on this one)
{"commentId":1197085,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}
#9 - Sun Nov 18, 2007 7:45 PM EST{"commentId":1197092,"authorDomain":"jimdouglas"}
Damn. You American kids live in fear of your own police. That's a hell of sad place to be.
{"commentId":1197092,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"jimdouglas"}
- 1 vote
#10 - Sun Nov 18, 2007 7:46 PM EST{"commentId":1197160,"authorDomain":"PamelaDrew"}
Many grown ups fear them too, not all, we're not able to tell by looking who's a threat, just like terrorists
{"commentId":1197160,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"PamelaDrew"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1197191,"authorDomain":"jimdouglas"}
Police and terrorists in the same sentence; you realise how not normal that idea is for a free democracy, don't you? And let's just get this straight. Every shooting should be regarded as a tragedy. Every single one.
{"commentId":1197191,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"jimdouglas"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1197208,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
That's what happens when all you know about America you get from the media.
{"commentId":1197208,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1199096,"authorDomain":"jimdouglas"}
Actually, that's what happens when all I know about America I get from news comments :) But point taken...
{"commentId":1199096,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"jimdouglas"}
{"commentId":1198369,"authorDomain":"j-elder"}
We live in a culture of fear. One that has been created and constantly magnified.
You want to know why cops usually think the people they deal with are bad guys and why there are cops who get killed regularly? .......mainly its the war on drugs, a war raged on the people by their own government and manufactured and maintained through hysteria.
And now we have the war on terrorism, created and magnified through hysteria. One that has led to unjust wars overseas and to a domestic war on our liberties.
Our elites have been putting us on a path towards fascism for a while now, it is time for us to wake up and change things.
It is time for us to evolve.
{"commentId":1198369,"threadId":"177802","contentId":"1106128","authorDomain":"j-elder"}
#11 - Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:17 AM EST{"canLink":false,"threadId":"177802","isPrivate":false}
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