Man runs from the police, gets tased, and then he gets run over

[titan_tim]

If officers would lay off the damn donuts, maybe they could actually catch up to suspects and physically restrain them without the need to pull out their tasers or guns. This being America though, that's surely too much to ask for.

The last thing I'd want is for police to even need to tackle someone to the ground. That has too much of a possibility that it'll turn into a brawl. They need the ability to get the person to an incapacitated state as easily and safely as possible.

Unfortunately, tazers are the current best way to do that. Hopefully they'll come up with a better way in the future.

 

[Xzi]

The last thing I'd want is for police to even need to tackle someone to the ground. That has too much of a possibility that it'll turn into a brawl. They need the ability to get the person to an incapacitated state as easily and safely as possible.

Unfortunately, tazers are the current best way to do that. Hopefully they'll come up with a better way in the future.

Officers are taught multiple ways to take down and put suspects into "compliance holds." A police-grade taser is potentially lethal on its own, and any number of factors can make it more so. Tasers shouldn't be used unless a suspect is armed with a knife, and guns shouldn't be used unless a suspect is armed with a gun.

Let's say this guy simply got away, then what? They've got his car, they've got his name and address, and he has nowhere to go unless he makes a break for the Mexican border on foot. He'd either turn himself in or be caught later, and nobody would be dead. Police aren't required to turn a bad situation worse, that's something they actively choose to do.

 

[titan_tim]

Officers are taught multiple ways to take down and put suspects into "compliance holds." A police-grade taser is potentially lethal on its own, and any number of factors can make it more so. Tasers shouldn't be used unless a suspect is armed with a knife, and guns shouldn't be used unless a suspect is armed with a gun.

Let's say this guy simply got away, then what? They've got his car, they've got his name and address, and he has nowhere to go unless he makes a break for the Mexican border on foot. He'd either turn himself in or be caught later, and nobody would be dead.

I can't imagine the officer getting this guy into a hold any time soon. Hell, anyone would have a hard time getting someone to the ground if they're running away full speed. It's easy to say THAT'S the best possible solution, but it's not really realistic.

There are also too many unknowns for the cop. They're not 100% sure that it's his car, so they may never find him afterwards. They don't know if he doesn't have a weapon tucked in somewhere. If he got away, we don't know if he'd hijack another car. He was currently in the process of breaking the law, and it needed to be stopped.

I'm with you on the idea of hating sociopathic cops who took that job so that they could be feared. I can't stand people like that. This guy didn't seem like that at all. He banked his choice on hoping the SUV would see people on the road and slow down, and it didn't.

 

[Xzi]

There are also too many unknowns for the cop. They're not 100% sure that it's his car, so they may never find him afterwards. They don't know if he doesn't have a weapon tucked in somewhere. If he got away, we don't know if he'd hijack another car. He was currently in the process of breaking the law, and it needed to be stopped.

His offenses were an expired registration and running from the cops, they had zero reason to suspect he was a real danger to himself or anyone else.

He banked his choice on hoping the SUV would see people on the road and slow down, and it didn't.

A lot harder to see a person on the highway when they're lying prone. I don't think that calculus entered the cop's mind at all, he was already further to the right shoulder than the suspect when he fired off his taser.

 

[titan_tim]

His offenses were an expired registration and running from the cops, they had zero reason to suspect he was a real danger to himself or anyone else.

That's why they pulled him over, but that doesn't guarantee the person is the original owner of the car (I think). But then he lied about who he was, and then ran, which just leaves so many questions in the cops mind.

A lot harder to see a person on the highway when they're lying prone. I don't think that calculus entered the cop's mind at all, he was already further to the right shoulder than the suspect when he fired off his taser.

That's the only part where he could have done more. He could have stayed near him and waved down the SUV, but really, there was only a six seconds to do that. He even had the flashlight, and that didn't help either.

 

[tabzer]

@Xzi

Expiration was the reason for the stop. A fake name, which we can assume to be wholly unrelated to the registration of the vehicle is suspicious. Running from the cops on a highway is, in itself, proof that he was an endangering himself and others. I'm certain that the officer didn't intend for the situation to end the way it did, and he is no more responsible for the kids death than the kid or the SUV driver. Someone died and it doesn't have to because of murder. It was a clear accident.

I understand that you are paranoid about police, but diffusing the situation and complying is the rational decision. The person who ran endangered everyone. But you say,"hey, he didn't stop to do calculus". Absurd.

 

[Xzi]

That's the only part where he could have done more.

No this is an instance wherein he should've done less. If a person is crossing several lanes of highway on foot, trust your instincts and don't fucking chase 'em. The officer(s) added to the obstructions on the highway by doing so, and endangered themselves and others needlessly.

It was a clear accident.

It was a multi-pronged failure to think before acting, tantamount to criminal negligence at the very least. His family should also win a wrongful death suit.

 

[titan_tim]

No this is an instance wherein he should've done less. If a person is crossing several lanes of highway on foot, trust your instincts and don't fucking chase 'em. The officer(s) added to the obstructions on the highway by doing so, and endangered themselves and others needlessly.

I'm not going to try and guess what's in their training in this type of situation. Just from what I saw, I probably would have done the same in the situation.

There are lots of other police videos out there where I think they should lose their job or go to jail for what they do. I really can't say this is one of those situations.