Kid with pellet gun shot

[packinnova]

The media side of this doesn't look good.

Police: Teen Shot And Killed Had Pellet Gun - News Story - WGCL Atlanta

Hopefully they left a few things out and we'll get the other side soon.

Police: Teen Shot And Killed Had Pellet Gun

POSTED: 6:03 am EDT April 18, 2008
UPDATED: 6:36 am EDT April 18, 2008

MARIETTA, Ga. -- A 16-year-old who was shot and killed by Marietta police officers carried a pellet gun that resembled a semiautomatic handgun, investigators said.

Rafael Christian died Wednesday night after being shot by officers who were responding to a report of a suspicious person with a weapon.

His mother, Brandy Phillips, said the family moved with from Cincinnati five months ago to escape violence. Phillips said the shooting doesn't make sense.

"I brought him down here for better college opportunities, and now he's gone," Phillips said.

The teen and four friends were at an apartment complex about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. He was showing his friends the air-powered pellet gun he had bought.

Police said the officers on the scene believed Christian's pellet gun to be a Beretta .22 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Police spokesman Mark Bishop said the gun looks like a real gun.

Caliph Hudson, a witness who watched the shooting from his apartment window, said the teen told police not to shoot and that the gun was fake.

"There has got to be a better way. There has to be better communications between young African-American men and law enforcement," said Rev. Markel Hutchins, a community activist.

My question is WHAT was he doing that prompted the police response in the first place? I can't believe the LEO just showed up and shot him for handling a pistol(which the officer would have NO IDEA whether it was real or fake - would HATE to be in that situation). The dummy had to be pointing it at someone or something.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[goldshellback]

That's one of the WORST nightmare sceaniros..........
Hope the whole story comes out.....there's more I'm sure.

Prayers to both

[ccw9mm]

He was showing his friends the air-powered pellet gun he had bought.

Police ... said the gun looks like a real gun.

... a witness ... said the teen told police not to shoot and that the gun was fake.

From the "facts" described in the story, the implication is that police were called to inspect reports of a gun in the area, then gunned down a child who was (a) merely displaying it to his friends and (b) notified police that his gun was a fake/pellet type.

I have a hard time believing that someone complying with police commands to stand still, drop the weapon, go face down, etc, would be gunned down out of hand, particularly with so many other people around.

My view: there is a lot missing, here, that this story fails to show.

[boardsurfer]

The kid would have had to point it at someone to prompt a shooting no? Surely the LEO asked him to put it down? Why wouldnt the kid do that? Who called in the cops in the first place?

Crappy article, so many questions.

[ccw9mm]

According to some articles describing the situation, apparently when the police were called the teens scattered and failed to comply with commands. If true, then it's interesting to note that the teen who froze in his tracks when commanded didn't get shot.

[mcp1810]

All I need to know is did the deceased obey the officers commands. If officers are approaching with weapons aimed, that is not the time for debate, discussion or argument. That is the time for compliance. You can start debating the issues of the day after the scene is secure and weapons are holstered.
If the officers are right they are right. If the officers are wrong, the dead kid isn't going to be able to enjoy the proceeds from the law suit.

[cvhoss]

According to the report in the video, when confronted by the police, they scattered and took off running. The one with the gun was running up a hill when shot by the police. This is already a bad situation for the family, but sounds like it could end up being very bad for the officers involved.

Hoss

[MadDog]

It's dumb to run from the cops, when you’re a suspect with a “weapon”
If the boy would have complied with the orders of the police they would have got the situation cleared up. Instead, in fear of getting in trouble the kid had to pay the ultimate price. I feel sorry for the loss of the family and the cops who had to deal with the situation, but maybe better parenting would of helped or common sense. I don’t understand why people don’t take the high road and work with others to solve the situation. Hopefully others see this and realize maybe getting in trouble is better than taking a chance and losing your life.

[bobcat35]

hence why im a paying member to the CAOC airsoft group. i think the reason he didn't drop it when commanded is because it would have shattered(like most cheap springers). realy too bad but3 simple rules for airsoft. why do people keep breaking them.

[archer51]

Teen, gun in hand runs from police when ordered to halt, runs around the side of a building. What happened after that only the 2 LEO's can say, doesn't appear to be witnesses to the actual shooting. Only speculation, but my guess would be he didn't drop the gun when police confronted him behind the building. The gun appearently didn't have the orange ring on the end of the barrel so LOE's fired, thinking they faced a man with a real gun. Unless something more comes out by "reliable" witnesses I would call it a justified shooting.
Sorry for the family of the boy, but if you play grown up games, you pay grown up prices.

[NKMG19]

Unfortunately some of these parents don't teach their kids to respect law enforcement or anyone for that matter. My kids are very young and already I have thought them to respect LEO. Even if your innocent, running only make things worst for everyone involved.

If you have no respect for the law when your are a kid then it only gets worst from there. The inner city is in need of good parents. Sad sad sad.

[retsupt99]

Why would a 16 year old have a 'real' looking weapon with him and a group of friends while out on the streets?

I cannot picture this kid holding up his hands and saying that his gun was a fake...please don't shoot...and the cops fire anyway?

Something smells pretty rotten here...

[mcp1810]

Why would a 16 year old have a 'real' looking weapon with him and a group of friends while out on the streets?

Well how are you supposed to rob people if it is obvious your weapon is a fake?

[ccw9mm]

Well how are you supposed to rob people if it is obvious your weapon is a fake?

A "fake" gun to robbery victims will look as real as it apparently did to these police officers. With some folks/stores, that's all that is needed.

[Spenser]

"There has got to be a better way. There has to be better communications between young African-American men and law enforcement," said Rev. Markel Hutchins, a community activist.

Oh ok. So he wouldn't have gotten shot had he been white.