Pregnant woman loses eye after police shoot bean bag at her

[damnedifIknow]

A pregnant St. Louis woman lost her left eye after a violent run-in with law enforcement earlier this week.

Dornnella Conners says an officer fired a non-lethal bean-bag round at the car she was in – shattering the passenger side window.

Shards of glass bloodied her face and robbed her of sight in her left eye, according to reports.

“I will have justice for what they did to me but I’m happy I’m alive,” she wrote on Facebook on Thanksgiving.

Conners was injured early Tuesday morning shortly after the announcement that Darren Wilson would not be indicted in the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

Crowds of demonstrators had taken to the streets to protest what they consider a travesty of justice.

Conners, who was angry about the grand jury’s decision, and her boyfriend, De’Angelas Lee, were parked at a BP gas station on New Halls Ferry Road in St. Louis, just north of Ferguson, KMOV reported.

As her boyfriend started to drive away, she says, several police officers arrived.

“They pulled up while we were coming towards the street, De’Anglas was trying to get away, they blocked us from the side, front and back,” Conners told the CBS affiliate.

That’s when an officer fired the bean bag round because he feared for his safety, police said.

http://news.yahoo.com/pregnant-st--louis-woman-left-eye-blind-ferguson-174119853.html

[GGJohn]

1. A warrant for Lee's arrest has been issued?

For what?

[cstanleytech]

2. Probably to cover their own butts as the most I could find was another article where it said

"Police say Lee drove away but he was not the only one causing trouble at the gas station. Sixteen people were arrested on the lot and police say they still do not know who is responsible for firing numerous gunshots at the location." and it doesnt go into detail at all as to what "trouble" they were causing if any other than allegedly some gun shots were fired.

[Wella]

3. The police were answering a call about gunshots in the area: the BF drove his car toward them

and tried to get around them. Maybe they think he is a suspect?

http://www.kmov.com/news/editors-pick/Pregnant-woman-loses-left-eye-during-protests--284108551.html

Conners says as she and her boyfriend were driving away from the station multiple police officers showed up.

“They pulled up while we were coming towards the street, De’Anglas was trying to get away, they blocked us from the side, front and back,” Conners said.

Conners says her boyfriend was trying to drive around St. Louis County Police but police say he drove towards them. Police say the officer, fearing for his safety, used his less lethal bean bag round, striking the front passenger window causing it to shatte

Read more: http://www.kmov.com/news/editors-pick/Pregnant-woman-loses-left-eye-during-protests--284108551.html#ixzz3KPViZONC

[GGJohn]

4. So why not arrest him then and there?

Why wait until later to issue a warrant? Sorry, but it sounds like CYA time to cover their fuck up at blinding that young lady in her left eye.
Lately, I have a hard time believing anything coming out of cops pieholes.

[Wella]

6. Maybe they found outstanding warrants later that had nothing to do with the original situation

It's hard to tell with details so scarce. I'll keep looking and see if Reuters or AP has updated the case.

[GGJohn]

7. That doesn't make sense.

Why would they issue a warrant for warrants already issued?
I'll see if I can find out more through my google fu skills.

[Wella]

8. That depends on whether or not the news got it right--maybe the warrant issued was old

I don't trust the news to get the facts right, though. Will search too.

[GGJohn]

9. Another poor case of bad journalism.

Seems to be the norm now rather than the exception.

[Wella]

10. No kidding.

I'm having a hard time getting on AP at the moment. Still trying.

[Wella]

11. From KMOV

Police say Lee drove away but he was not the only one causing trouble at the gas station. Sixteen people were arrested on the lot and police say they still do not know who is responsible for firing numerous gunshots at the location.

Read more: http://www.kmov.com/news/editors-pick/Pregnant-woman-loses-left-eye-during-protests--284108551.html#ixzz3KQSHAqV7

It sounds like the cops had their hands full and just let Lee go. That's why I think there is some past warrant. I'm not sure if they would risk a coverup in the current environment.

[uponit7771]

5. The officer feared some demons so ... he gets off Scott free

[Judi Lynn]

12. Wretched, dishonest, cowardly cops. They've stolen this woman's vision, one eye.

Are we to consider she's lucky she still has one eye left?

My god.

Hope somehow she's going to be O.K., with one half her sight.

Best wishes, and hope to Dornnella Conners.