(Links via the Drudge Report)
Is the long hot summer starting? Watch this, then watch some of the other videos that will show up on the right from the cell phone cameras of various witnesses, none of who called the police.
I believe the failure of any of them to make that call is an important fact that should not be missed. All of them are complicit in this attack.
According to the news story, it appears that the officer has been the target of what might be called harassment from these or other juveniles, all of whom use this street as a route to school.
Watching the videos, note the restraint of the off-duty officer when confronted by the wolfpack tactics of the “children”, all of whom seem well-versed in just how to play this situation for the cameras.
I’m not going to defend the shot into the ground (which at first I thought was a negligent discharge), but I have to admit it had what I think was the intended effect–they scattered like roaches when the light goes on–and it finally attracted the attention of on-duty police units.
You need to note that these children are not children, no more than the children in “Lord of the Flies” were children. Individually I suspect they are fairly dangerous and in a group they obviously present the kind of clear and present danger that can justify the use of deadly force. Personally, I’d be less than surprised if some of them don’t have older siblings who are gang members. Hell, I’d be less than surprised if some of them aren’t already gang members–it would explain a few things.
I also note that if you are going to carry cross-draw, you’d better practice getting the gun out of the holster with your weak hand. If the attackers had been determined, we could be watching a very different video.
Due to the publicity surrounding this, the officer’s home has been vandalized, pointing out the dangers of residing in metro and suburban areas where this sort of thing is more likely to occur. It also emphasizes the need for having a safe location where you can bug out to for a few days if necessary.
I’m going to try and follow this story and see how it plays out. The outcome for the officer will be an important data point for those of us who might find ourselves caught up in a similar situation in the next few months.
