Posted on 01/18/2011 2:17:18 PM PST by darkside321
Utah police shot and killed a man within seconds of storming his parents' home, video of the raid shows. The police had a warrant to search for drugs, but found only a small amount of pot and an empty vial that had apparently contained meth.
Local media report that Todd Blair, 45, was a drug addict rather than a dealer, according to friends and family.
In the video, Blair can be seen holding a golf club above his head as police smash through his door. Within seconds, without demanding Blair drop the iron or lay down, Weber-Morgan Strike Force Sgt. Troy Burnett fires three shots into him. The local prosecutor has deemed the killing justified, but his family is planning a federal lawsuit, arguing that police had plenty of alternatives.
Blair's death raises the question of why multiple heavily-armed officers were sent to raid a drug addict -- and why Weber and Morgan counties in Utah would even need a "Narcotics Strike Force." Local police forces are able to keep to property they seize in drug raids, often without the necessity of a conviction, creating a perverse incentive to reinvest in military equipment and carry out additional raids.
The killer, Sgt. Burnett, had previously told a law-enforcement magazine that he and fellow officers were trained to shoot quickly and at close range. Burnett had previously put the training to use by shooting and killing an armed suspect in 2008.
"Maybe a month before this [2008 shooting], we did our qualification and this kind of scenario was played out in live fire training where we had to quickly draw and fire at close range," Burnett said at the time. "It wasn't quite identical, but it was close...
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnewsmania.com ...
This is why I really don’t get affected the way i used to whe I hear about ops getting hurt in the line of work like I used to.
Notice how they NEVER raid the homes of Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, Vatos Loco, MS13, etc like this?
Wonder why - because the homeowner will shoot back and they can’t have that.
murder, plain and simple
That video depicts one thing, murder under color of law. That man was shot from the doorway, the order to “get down!” came after the shots. Murder. Plain and simple.
A shotgun? Against body armor? A slug would probably break some major ribs and make the guy WISH he were dead.
A military round has a big powder charge on a small projectile for one very good reason. Penetration of body armor.
It makes me sick thinking this type of garbage goes on.
The public has farmore to fear from cops and swat than your ordinary criminal.
If I were the family i would sue this cop personally as well as the city until the whole state was on its knees.
I agree with you. And I'm going to try to be careful with what I say.
Police raid a house, and shoot the first guy they see, with no justification at all. If a second (well-armed) guy had been around the corner and had managed to blow away three cops, maybe a bunch of people would say "right on! turn the tables on 'em! Our government is attacking us! We need to fight back!"
You know what I thought when I heard that Giffords had been shot in AZ? I thought "Our government has been attacking us, and I guess someone decided to turn the tables on 'em. I guess someone decided to fight back."
Then I found out that a 9-year-old girl had been killed, and the shooter was a nutcase. So, I had no sympathy for his actions at that point.
But still, when I hear unhappy stories involving government workers ... I don't think about it quite the same way I used to.
Let me rephrase. Next time, I hope the entire family is waiting near the door with all their weapons loaded and I hope they fire indiscriminately into the doorway before or after it’s opened.
Those bad guys not only have guns, they have lawyers and money.
/johnny
Outstanding point. I sure haven't heard of any raids on those groups/gangs/gang members. I would like some astute FReeper to post some articles about raids on those thugs. I'm not astute nor quick enough.
If the guy had been a drunk, rather than a drag abuser, the odds that the police would break down his door in the middle of the night and shoot him would be greatly decreased.
Ok, I will agree that the police were TOTALLY in the wrong. He is STILL dead. Had he never gotten involved with illegal drugs, chances are he would still be alive.
Signing up for SWAT is like signing up for the Hitler Youth. I don’t really care what happens to you after that. You deserve it all. My cousin is one.
I live in NYC. My block is still covered in snow from the first time a few weeks ago. People have to park sideways and off on an angle and back into the spots because the city never did squat with thesnow.
We have alternate side of the street parking to where we cant park on the side of the street two days a week. Nearly three weeks later, do you think the city did a damn thing with the snow despite the fact that no one was prking there? No.
Guess what though - the PIGS give out $100 tickets everyday up and down my block for improper parking.
I can’t tell you have livid the average person is at cops around here because of this ticket blitz after what the city has pulled.
Again - my view of cops and law enforcement is not what it used to be. I literally detest 99% of law enforcement at this point since they serve NO purpose whatsoever at this point than to respnd to crimes after the fact and write a report.
Protect and Serve my ass.
They also called you Sir or Ma'am. These days they expect to be called Sir. At least I make sure I address the officer that pulls me over as sir"
When the war comes, wearing a uniform is going to be dangerous. Most people hate the cops.
And when the govt decides to ban booze again or some other item, like they did drugs i this case, it will be the same outcome.
Not sure about the "most" part.......
Yeah, but the perp had a bitchin Camaro Z28 which would become theirs in asset forfeiture.
I told you all there were idiots here who had no problem with this. *points up*
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