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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHuffPost - SHOCK VIDEO: STL COPS GUN DOWN MAN-Video at odds with story
St. Louis Police Release Video Of Kajieme Powell Killing That Appears At Odds With Their Story
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/20/kajieme-powell-shooting_n_5696546.html
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department released cell phone footage Wednesday of the police shooting of Kajieme Powell, a 25-year-old black man killed on Tuesday in St. Louis, according to St. Louis Public Radio.
(snip)
St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson said Tuesday that both of the officers opened fire on Powell when he came within a three or four feet of them holding a knife "in an overhand grip."
But the newly released cell phone footage undermines the statement, showing Powell approaching the cops, but not coming as close as was reported, with his hands at his side. The officers began shooting within 15 seconds of their arrival, hitting Powell with a barrage of bullets.
Warning: The below video includes graphic content.
https://www.youtube.com/verify_controversy?next_url=/watch%3Fv%3Dj-P54MZVxMU
Tribalceltic
(1,000 posts)I'd say this is getting out of hand but... too late.
I hope he is no longer in pain or afraid.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)This new case needs it's own investigation.
It will become a distraction, please don't help them.
Tommymac
(7,263 posts)It is just as bad as Mike Brown. Except this time a camera caught the whole thing. It is entirely related.
OMG this needs to be spread far and wide.
I cried when I watched it. I finally realize what it means to be a black person in a racist world. I finally grok how my skin has made life safer.
It needs to be watched.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)You're falling for tactics, maybe, distraction 101.
Chill.
Post new posts about this new case, don't play the game, it'll kill you.
They are going to take, maybe, a weak case, and extrapolate this new case of a crazy kill me dude to Mike Brown.
Could you do me a little favor and NOT help them???
fuck.
Tommymac
(7,263 posts)Calling him a 'crazy kill me dude' tells me all I need to know about where you are.
Do me a favor, don't tell me what 'tactics' I am 'falling for' because I am NOT going to SHUT UP when a person has just been murdered.
He deserves Justice just as much as Mike Brown does. Instead of whining about distractions and tactics like this is all some sort of game, how about showing some human compassion for a man who was unjustly killed?
Warpy
(110,913 posts)and that reason is a couple of jacked up cops executing a young black male whose shoplifting would have netted him a misdemeanor charge, time served, community service, and a fine, not summary execution.
This is all part of the same thing, cops deciding to be judge, jury and executioner because they believe a lot of crap about young black men.
Voice for Peace
(13,141 posts)than what is on the camera, if you watched it, with apparently zero
danger to themselves they shot him nine times. So it's not a distraction,
it's an addition, & should not be a subtraction.
valerief
(53,235 posts)Like the guy taking the video said, the could have tased the guy. Or talked to him, at the very least. It all happened in less than 5 seconds.
This is what the war on poverty is. A shooting war.
arcane1
(38,613 posts)He was belligerent but he could've easily been tazed.
valerief
(53,235 posts)arcane1
(38,613 posts)Then he jumped over that little wall and appeared to be trying to run in the opposite direction of their car.
Travis_0004
(5,417 posts)At no point did he try to get away.
arcane1
(38,613 posts)and then proceeded to run parallel to the street.
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)HAve you ever seen a white officer kill a black man where you didn't support the white officer?
Tommymac
(7,263 posts)Police apologists make me sick when they try to deny the truth we can see with our very own eyes.
Especially in this case, when they needlessly gunned down and ended A FUCKING PRECIOUS UNIQUE HUMAN LIFE.
THEY EVALUATED FOR 15 FUCKING SECONDS AND THEN GUNNED HIM DOWN LIKE AN ANIMAL, EXECUTION STYLE.
They had Tasers - the chief admitted that. They had a car to stay safe in. They had a bullhorn to try and talk him down. Reinforcements were moments away. The man was not a reasonable threat at that moment to ANYONE!!!!
kentuck
(110,950 posts)Shoot first - ask questions later, I guess?
arcane1
(38,613 posts)or alcohol of some kind
Regardless, the police went WAY too far here, as far as I can tell.
valerief
(53,235 posts)And he was running away when he got shot. Hell, those killer cops could have lassoed him instead of killing him.
arcane1
(38,613 posts)They also could've just chased his ass and called for backup, like normal cops used to do.
valerief
(53,235 posts)BobbyBoring
(1,965 posts)N/t
Travis_0004
(5,417 posts)He was walking right at the cops
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)notadmblnd
(23,720 posts)Why did you assume it was alcohol?
arcane1
(38,613 posts)Since empty containers of alcohol can get one in legal trouble in public, I made that assumption. I'm also drinking a beer myself
I posted downthread that I should have paid additional attention to the audio and avoided that error.
valerief
(53,235 posts)justiceischeap
(14,040 posts)He went there to make a point. He stole those drinks and created that confrontation so he'd be shot.
I can't make out everything he said before the police get there but he told people to back away, said something I couldn't make out, then said something like, you'll know my name and I'm tired of this shit and then you can hear him yelling at the police to shoot him. At no time did he run, he hopped on that wall and advanced towards the rear officer when the forward officer didn't shoot him right away.
If you can take it, watch the video again. That was suicide by cop right there. I'm not saying the cops had to comply but that's what it was.
Tommymac
(7,263 posts)Police are supposed to be trained how to deal with Suicide by Cop. It is standard training. They don't need to comply to the request. Saying otherwise is pure BULLSHIT.
But this is the RW talking point meme - it will be Suicide By Cop. Already started.
The playbook is intact.
The code has been given out.
Another HUMAN LIFE had been needlessly ended.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)I've seen this already, I believe this victim and the circumstances are substantially different from the Mike Brown case.
Let's be sober. Yes, both victims are black, shot by a largely white PD, in the greater St. Louis area.
Be be sane. Be careful how you take in these two events.
It's a pattern, to be sure, but they are not the same people, this dude with a knife and Mike Brown.
If you aren't careful, you'll be inviting crazy people to say that the two men are just the same.
Guess what, they are NOT the same man, each is an individual.
I stand with Mike Brown.
I doubt he ever met this victim.
Keep it real.
valerief
(53,235 posts)kentuck
(110,950 posts)Perhaps it was not factual?
valerief
(53,235 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)notadmblnd
(23,720 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)This other shit is a distraction.
Watch what the media does with it for the news cycle and then get back to me.
notadmblnd
(23,720 posts)Why do you think that the STL Police would want to distract us with this?
lumpy
(13,704 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)and would never lie about their jobs!
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)Logical
(22,457 posts)And the cops reported he was 3-4 feet away with the knife held overhead.
Not seeing that in the video.
Travis_0004
(5,417 posts)Overhand does not mean overhead. It means the knife was in a reverse grip.
Logical
(22,457 posts)MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)But the cops have murder in their hearts. They love them some guns.
I guess cops are the ultimate gun humpers.
Logical
(22,457 posts)MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)lumpy
(13,704 posts)Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)After 9 shots and he was clearly fucking dead, they roll him over and cuff him. Then when the cavalry arrives they immediately start treating the public in a hostile manner.
valerief
(53,235 posts)Logical
(22,457 posts)Tommymac
(7,263 posts)Logical
(22,457 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)EVERY cop ANYWHERE near St. Louis would be using billy-clubs, or tasers.
But they're not: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025420433
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)I had the sad experience today of driving 4 hours to Bakersfield this morning and 4 hours back.
Mostly RW radio shows. Themes emerge, sometimes DU echo these themes.
We would be really really wise to not presume the patterns (that we know exist) and then make conclusions based on these things.
Ferguson is horrendous enough, there isn't a need to include "supportive events". And only fools, at this early stage, would conflate what happened with this new case of apparent suicide by cop, with Mike Brown's demise.
It really stinks, by the way of: "Well, they are both in the St Louis area and they are both Black".
Do you get what I'm saying??? I hope???
Fuck, wow.
WillyT
(72,631 posts)And, BTW...
Why do you suppose 'suicide by cop' is so EASY these days ???
Strelnikov_
(7,772 posts)Because you give them any reason at all, no matter how flimsy, they'll fill you full of lead.
Black, zero margin. White but poor, not much better.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)EEO
(1,620 posts)Not that I am implying this is a case of that (not enough info). But police have more nonlethal methods than ever before, and it seems like guns are the preferred method of dealing with far too many situations.
Kablooie
(18,571 posts)Would the reaction have been the same?
Logical
(22,457 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)The OP might not realize it but this is a game.
Mike Brown and Ferguson needs to be dealt with WITHOUT DISTRACTION.
Fucking stop it right now.
valerief
(53,235 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Don't conflate, don't make it a conjoined deal.
You know why? Because they are both war crimes, and if this new one turns out somehow to be tainted by "use of PCP" for example, then the Mike Smith case goes in the wrong direction.
Mike Smith's case stands on its own, don't take the fucking bait, PLEASE!
It's a legit action, a new case, but they are NOT RELATED in a way that will serve justice.
Turn off the right wing radio, think for yourself, put your self or your son or daughter in the victims' shoes.
Fuck!
Moostache
(9,895 posts)I am not following why there can be not outrage over a second, not entirely dissimilar shooting death 3 miles away from the spot Mike Brown was killed....(confused....)
notadmblnd
(23,720 posts)People do not deserve to be gunned down in the street because they committed petty theft or because they yelled shoot me at the police.
I seem to remember a certain Dr. who was more than happy to oblige people who were suicidal. I also recall that he spent a great deal of time in prison for it.
lumpy
(13,704 posts)Generic Brad
(14,270 posts)He needed help, not to be gunned down. This is not what any of us should expect from our public servants.
Strelnikov_
(7,772 posts)Well said.
Instead, we have a bunch of thugs who will gun you down if given half a chance.
whereisjustice
(2,941 posts)insures that only total psychopaths will join the police. No intelligent, sane person would ever join the police force at this point. Police will never be looked at with respect again. They may enjoy our compliance, but they cannot escape the seething resentment and hatred they are fueling by way of cowardice, corruption, racism and brutality.
think_in_code
(6 posts)They were still unloading rounds in him when he was on the ground. Wow.
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)ncjustice80
(948 posts)You cant shoot a man who only has a knife- and tjere were 2 of them! Your tellimg me two trained cops cant take a knife from a young boy???
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)It can't be!!!!!