A story I came across today was as stupid as it is sad. A California police officer shot an innocent man today. He was a newlywed expecting a baby in December 2008. He had stepped outside of his home to confront alleged burglars he thought were trying to break in and was shot by police officers who thought he was one of the alleged burglars. That was the reason given by the police department. Now let me ask you a question. Why is it OK for them to say, “Oh we thought he was a burglar and that’s why we shot him!” Don’t the alleged burglars deserve their day in court or are we administering street justice now?
 
The fact that this young man was killed is sad. The fact that he was shot by a police department that uses the justification of trying to kill an alleged burglar instead WITHOUT the due process of the law is just plain stupid. The police department’s job is not that of executioner….well, at least it shouldn’t be. Police are supposed to get you to the point where you can be judged by a jury of your peers. I guess the police officer involved thought the alleged burglars had no peers or maybe he knows of a secret court that only people who are dead can go to. Maybe he was REALLY trying to help the alleged burglars out by using the business end of his gun. Why didn’t he have a taser? Wouldn’t that bring a suspect down? Is it too much to ask for cops to learn how to use non-lethal means of restraining someone?
 
I think that we are becoming too accustomed to police shootings and we aren’t saying enough or doing enough to start making officers accountable when they pull the trigger or police departments accountable for not training their officers in the art of non-lethal restraint. Whatever is done or not done, this young man won’t have a chance to see it. He won’t have a chance to see his son or daughter either. This whole situation is just very, very stupid.
 
Here is a link to the story.