Why Run?

[Farmwithjunk]

I really have to wonder how the trooper got his belt caught in the ATV rack. Was he only 4'2" tall!!!!!!! I sure that we will never know what really happened, we will only be told what sounds good to the public. The trooper did have the right to try to save his own life. He may have tryed to fire only a warning shot so the guy would stop. I got to stop before I get on a rant.

I don't know that it makes a bit of difference HOW the Trooper got his belt caught. The only thing that really matters is the ATV rider didn't stop once he realized he was dragging another human being. Cop or not, the person being dragged has every right to do whatevere it takes to save his life. And when considered he IS a cop, that only makes it more of a reason the rider should have stopped. If I did what he did, I'd EXPECT a bullet. The idea that the police would employ a little "revisionist history" is absurd. What possible rational explaination could someone give for dragging a cop.

I have an idea this subject could ge any number of us ranting.

 

[Iowachild]

I live about 70 miles from where is incident occured, and it made our local paper Monday (June 26) morning. For the last 10 or 11 years my wife has worked for our local police in a clerical position. There was a time I'd jump right in with "my opinions", now I know that the true facts are hard to find in the newspaper and harder still to find in the grapevine. The only thing we know for sure is that mistakes were made and one life was lost. Let the proper people do their investigations and hold the rash accusations.

 

[MikePA]

I sure that we will never know what really happened, we will only be told what sounds good to the public. The trooper did have the right to try to save his own life. He may have tryed to fire only a warning shot so the guy would stop. I got to stop before I get on a rant.

Based on this post, you already have your mind made up about what happened, determined who is at fault and decided that any report will be fiction. To heck with assuming facts not in evidence, or facts at all, let's just skip right to the verdict.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

We look at this scenario and wonder why their reactions were so irrational.

Duh!

The irrational actions started with drugs. Everything else is like gravity, it can't help but fall downhill.

We're the ones that are stupid when we expect rational behavior from irrational people.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

We're the ones that are stupid when we expect rational behavior from irrational people.

I think you are right on with that one.

 

[shvl73]

Drugs seem to play a role in a lot of stupid behavior. It's amazing people still seem drawn to them. I'm afraid it'll be that way for years to come.

 

[Soundguy]

I'd have to agree.. the officer was trying to protect his life. For that mile that the officer was drug.. the driver of the atv had every opportunity to stop.. and he chose not to.

Soundguy

As for teh officer shooting the guy that took off and
happened to snag the opffficers belt loop and had already drug him a mile down the road and was still dragging him...... if it were me I'd assume my life was in danger and would do all that was possible to protect my life that was endangered, and yes that means I would have shot the ATV driver who was dragging me!

I hope stupidtity does not prevail and the officer is not charged with shooting to protect his life!

 

[EddieWalker]

While I was reading the story, I had a mental picture of what might have been happening. The officer tells the guy to get off the ATV and he decides to run. My guess is he tried to stop the guy on the ATV by grabbing him or the bike. It seems like a natural and logical assumption. I don't know, but that's my guess.

During his attemts to stop the guy from fleeing, he got tangled in the bike and was dragged.

I agree with the others. At what point do you decide to shoot? I'd think the second I was being dragged is when I'd start shooting. It probably took him a mile just to get his pistol out, and he might have been considering his options as he was dragged along. It seems he was draged for quite awhile before shooting. It may be that he was showing restraint by not shooting the guy right away, but trying to get away first, and only when he realized his life was in jeopardy, did he chose to use lethal force. Of course, I'm just guessing here.

My last thought was that since it was in the morning, and drugs were involved, they might have been up all night partying. Not unusual at all. They very well might have been under the influence of a drug of some kind and mentally not capable of realizeing how stupid it was to try to run from the police. Again, just my thoughts.

Sorry to hear about this and for the pain and loss of everyone involved.

Eddie

 

[meledward23]

Well said, Eddie.

I hate that the officer had to make a decision. But he did, he made it, while being dragged behind an atv. It does not matter why he was behind that atv in my mind.

To many times, people dont LISTEN, and if they do they IGNORE. The police should not have to sacrifice their safety and bend over backwards to protect criminals or deviants from being hurt when they are jeapordizing the safety of the officer.

 

[Deerlope]

Regardless of what my opinion is the facts remain that a family has been torn apart and a young trooper has to live with this the rest of his life. Its a hard thing to put behind you, having taken someone's life to save you own. That officer will have stress problems the rest of his life. May God look after both of them.