SWAT Team Shoots 'Armed' Fla. 8th-Grader - Page 2

03cavPA · #16 01-16-2006, 04:27 PM

It wasn't a freak accident at all. The kid brought it to school, fought with another student over it, then raised it up and AIMED IT at a law enforcement officer, just like a real freaking gun.

Another report said he intentionally covered over the orange tip, so it couldn't be identified as a pellet gun. I have a Crossman single shot pellet gun, spitting image of a .45 ACP. You don't have to be that far away to mistake it for the real thing, especially in a stessful situation. Of course, I also own an M1911A1 (the real thing) and I can tell the difference.

It sucks to be everybody in that town, but actions have consequences. If we hamstring the police over this, maybe they won't be so quick to protect someone from kids armed with real firearms the next time.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

2strokebloke · #17 01-16-2006, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 03cavPA

It wasn't a freak accident at all. The kid brought it to school, fought with another student over it, then raised it up and AIMED IT at a law enforcement officer, just like a real freaking gun.

I don't know where you live, but here that sort of thing doesn't happen everyday. Seems to be a pretty out of the ordinary event to me. At least enough so that it was covered in the news.

Oz · #18 01-16-2006, 06:08 PM

All for the right for every US citizen to bear arms? I wonder why all the cops are so trigger happy? How rediculous. From the only small minded, backward, insecure "world leader / superpower" that's left.

RSX-S777 · #19 01-17-2006, 01:05 PM

Dumb kid, unfortunate occurence. Darwinism. At 15 you should know better than to aim a real-looking gun at a SWAT officer in a hostage situation.

Oz · #20 01-18-2006, 04:58 AM

If there aren't any guns around, a lot less people would get shot.

It's too obvious isn't it?

GTP Dad · #21 01-18-2006, 12:01 PM

It appears the most of us are on the side of the police officer as I am. I am certain that the officer feels a lot of remorse for what he did but if we were in the officer's shoes we have to ask ourselves what would we have done when faced with someone pointing a "gun" at you. There have been a lot of kids shot who pointed a pellet gun at police. Unfortunately the problem is that it is extremely hard to tell the difference in some cases.

I believe that if any one of us were faced with someone pointing a gun at us and if it came down to kill or be killed we would do the same thing the officer did.

Yes there are good cops and bad cops, there are truths and fabrications but in the scheme of things the officer did what he was trained to do and unfortunately a 15 year old kid suffered the consequences. Maybe other kids will learn from this unfortunate incident and leave guns at home real or otherwise.

carrrnuttt · #22 01-18-2006, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oz

If there aren't any guns around, a lot less people would get shot.

It's too obvious isn't it?

But what does that have to do with a pellet gun? Should those be banned too, or should we then assume that when your dream society bans handguns, that everything that looks like one is a toy?

Oz · #23 01-18-2006, 05:49 PM

Banning pellet guns too - what a great idea. It might help to stop the institution of guns on the American psyche.

driftinggrifter2 · #24 01-18-2006, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Yes there are good cops and bad cops, there are truths and fabrications but in the scheme of things the officer did what he was trained to do and unfortunately a 15 year old kid suffered the consequences. Maybe other kids will learn from this unfortunate incident and leave guns at home real or otherwise.

Are you kidding? How many headlines in the past 5 yrs have heard of kids doing this... despite this tragedy kids are still going to do stupid shit like this and think they can get away with it. Ban guns all you want they'll just use other weapons. While parents and politicians worry about banning movies,games, and other pointless things they need to pay more attention to the youth.

BNaylor · #25 01-19-2006, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTP Dad

It appears the most of us are on the side of the police officer as I am. I am certain that the officer feels a lot of remorse for what he did but if we were in the officer's shoes we have to ask ourselves what would we have done when faced with someone pointing a "gun" at you. There have been a lot of kids shot who pointed a pellet gun at police. Unfortunately the problem is that it is extremely hard to tell the difference in some cases.

I believe that if any one of us were faced with someone pointing a gun at us and if it came down to kill or be killed we would do the same thing the officer did.

Yes there are good cops and bad cops, there are truths and fabrications but in the scheme of things the officer did what he was trained to do and unfortunately a 15 year old kid suffered the consequences. Maybe other kids will learn from this unfortunate incident and leave guns at home real or otherwise.

Normally I would agree Lynn but until the facts are in there is too much in dispute. And if the below is true it would be nice to know at what point in time did the police know it was a pellet gun...before or after the shooting? Where was the communications breakdown?

Although the deputy was a seasoned SWAT officer he is the one that has to live with this. He will always be wondering whether he did the right thing regardless of the results of the investigation.

I believe that parenting and the family environment is a major factor in these nutbag cases with kids.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...V&SECTION=HOME

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"Seminole County Sheriff Don Eslinger said the boy was suicidal and couldn't be talked into surrendering the weapon. The teen was shot after he raised the gun at a deputy, Eslinger said.

The sheriff said it wasn't until after the incident that authorities realized the weapon was only a pellet gun.

Nation said Saturday the boy's father, Ralph Penley, told authorities during a cell phone call as he rushed to the school after hearing of the confrontation that it wasn't a real gun. Nation said police wouldn't let the father inside when he arrived, and it wasn't clear if Christopher was shot before his arrival.

However, the Sentinel reported Sunday that Eslinger said Penley wasn't told of the events until after his son was shot.

"It's a total misunderstanding," Eslinger told the newspaper."

"The officer who fired, Lt. Mike Weippert, a 16-year SWAT team veteran, has been placed on restricted duty, a routine action when a deputy is involved in a shooting, Eslinger said."

GTP Dad · #26 01-19-2006, 01:15 PM

I have to agree with you Bob that there are a lot of unanswered questions about this shooting and until the investigation is completed there will be tons of accusations thrown around about who knew what when! The unfortunate thing is that the kid made a mistake in pointing a gun, any gun at an armed police officer.

BNaylor · #27 01-19-2006, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTP Dad

I have to agree with you Bob that there are a lot of unanswered questions about this shooting and until the investigation is completed there will be tons of accusations thrown around about who knew what when! The unfortunate thing is that the kid made a mistake in pointing a gun, any gun at an armed police officer.

I agree Lynn.....a deadly mistake. I blame the parents.

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