Everyone knows that Walmart sells guns, real and toy.
At least I thought everyone knew that, but on August 5th a man named John Crawford was reported to police, via a 911 call, by a Walmart customer for carrying a weapon inside the store.
Police responded by shooting John Crawford, still holding the air rifle/pellet gun that was intended as a gift.
The following video has been made public after a grand jury decided not to indict officers in the Ohio Walmart shooting.
My take on this is mixed. Yes, Walmart sells guns but the air rifle selected by John Crawford was not in the box like the others on shelf display. I thought Walmart's policy on sales required boxed items be unopened with readable bar-codes.
Also, Walmart stores can offer all "weapons" sales behind-the-counter for safety of staff and customers. I'm puzzled by pellet guns being offered in aisle displays, very strange to me.
In the video there does not seem to be much time for the police to offer John Crawford a warning to "put down the weapon", or that could be editing.
The Eldorado is dead. Long live the Eldorado.
Are you sure you want to delete this post?
Yes |
No
It's certainly a sad situation, that goes without saying.
My opinion is that most cops are just flat-out drunk with power and most are crooked. They get a badge and a gun and suddenly they feel as if they're untouchable. I've met very few cops that weren't total morons/jerks.
My opinion? The cops should be arrested for murder.
Are you sure you want to delete this post?
Yes |
No
There is another one where a black man was shot to death trying to get the seat belt caught on his leg. The cops then lied and said he was reaching for a knife, but none was found. Even if he was you were 10 fucking feet away!
I'm generally on the side of the police, but I'm sick of these spastic cops that shoot first and ask questions later. Don't even get me started on the dogs they shoot just because the dog went towards them when mace or a tazer could have worked. Jurors always let them off because they see the victims as thugs.
It wasn't long ago that police officers only seemed to shoot when a gun was pointed at them. Now they shoot when they even suspect a person may have a gun. The officers were in the wrong in both shootings and should at the very least never work in law enforcement again. There is no doubt if these were white men the officers wouldn't have been so quick to shoot.
There needs to be a law that an officer must be fired if they shoot someone unarmed or if no weapon is pointed at them.
Honestly I think this comes down to the fact that men as a whole are becoming weak. Its hard to find brave men. They are on edge because they are weak and scared. I also think they go through so much what if training now that they see every situation as a worst case.
Are you sure you want to delete this post?
Yes |
No
That's quite insightful, I've not considered the quality of today's law enforcement officers. Most local officials brag about the high level of training police go through.
In most every situation law enforcement spokesmen talk about additional training in the works due to recent public outcry over another "justified shooting".
In the case of the John Crawford shooting, no further action is forthcoming from the local authorities. The U.S. Justice Department may file a case, but that remains to be seen.
Walmart has released a statement, the Beavercreek Store in Ohio will remove all air rifles and pellet guns from aisle displays. Note: only the Beavercreek Store is required to make this change.
Personally, I would like to see all big-box stores sell firearms "over-the -counter" for the safety and appearance of customers and store employees. It is so sad that John Crawford is dead because one Walmart customer, in a store with many customers at the time, jumped to the wrong conclusion.
The Eldorado is dead. Long live the Eldorado.
Are you sure you want to delete this post?
Yes |
No
