Fargo police 'apologetic' after mistaking students' telescope for a gun

Grand Forks HerLd ^ | August 26, 2015 | Aaron Burner

[Red Badger]

Maybe he should paint the edge of the telescope orange......................

[Lion Den Dan]

Even if the boys had a rifle and “tactical” vest (what ever that is), they were breaking no laws. Tyhose cops need shooting and fire the survivors. They are a hazard to the community.

[jaydubya2]

Levi Joraanstad and Colin Waldera were setting up the large device to take pictures of the moon behind their apartment's garage on Dakota Dr. N when they were blinded by a bright light and told to stop moving.

But because they couldn't see who was shining the light at them, they thought it was all a dumb joke.

Authorities say an officer patrolling the area had spotted the two out of the corner of his eye, and thought Joraanstad's dark colored sweater with white lettering on the back looked like a tactical vest and that he might be carrying a rifle.

He checked area agencies to make sure none had any operations going on before he called for backup.

Three or four officers made verbal contact.

Joraanstad says what was especially frightening was what could have happened, he says the two originally thought the whole thing was a prank by some neighboring college students they had talked to earlier and continued digging in their bags - ignoring the officers shouting.

"I was kind of fumbling around with my stuff and my roommate and I were kind of talking, we were kind of wondering, what the heck's going on?" said NDSU junior Levi Joraanstad. "This is pretty dumb that these guys are doing this. And then they started shouting to quit moving or we could be shot. And so at that moment we kind of look at each other and we're thinking we better take this seriously."

Police say the two were never in any danger and that it was a situation of "better safe than sorry."

Joraanstad says the officers were very apologetic when they realized their mistake, and that they explained what had happened.

SWAT was not called in.

[colorado tanker]

I guess they went to a Kolluge where there were no telescopes?

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

“Police say the two were never in any danger and that it was a situation of “better safe than sorry.” “

Being within a second or two of being shot to death is not my idea of “never being in danger.”

If the officer mistook their sweaters for tactical vests, what does this mean to a police officer that might have to shoot? I’m thinking, “Aim for the head”.

[skeptoid]

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sites/default/files/styles/full_1000/public/field/image/telescope.jpg?itok=qyZr4bz-

Good point.

And proven by more than 2 or 3 examples in recent years.

[Teacher317]

Remember, when you see someone carrying a telescope around, it’s probably after dark.

Nah, I prefer looking at the sun through a telescope. ;)

[Buckeye McFrog]

I think there may be something not quite right with your police work there, Norm.

[skeptoid]

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sites/default/files/styles/full_1000/public/field/image/telescope.jpg?itok=qyZr4bz-

Good point.

And proven by more than 2 or 3 examples in recent years.

[zeugma]

Could be doing solar observing. Gotta have great filters for that though.

[PLMerite]

Chinese Type 79 anti-tank missile launcher:

I could see that mistake being made.

[Teacher317]

Because soooo many police in North Dakota are familiar with Chinese anti-tank weaponry, because they are used so often in North Dakota crimes.

[rigelkentaurus]

that is a fully auto telescope - nothing semi-auto about that model

[June2]

I used my schools telescope to point at the sun and project the image onto a white surface to count sunspots....so, yes, you can use a telescope during the day.

[PLMerite]

Familiar, no. But if you were in the military, or have another professional interest like me, you do have the general shape in the back of your head.

[Ozark Tom]

Confused civilian scope with this:

http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/54b7f444ecad043a7bce645a-1200-1715/navy_laser_how_it_works.jpg

[TangoLimaSierra]

Here, LEOs are required to have a college degree

A college degree doesn't guarantee that someone has common sense.

[CurlyDave]

Telescopes are considered weapons by ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations).

Personally, I think this is a correct classification due to the military usefulness of telescopes, binoculars, and especially space-based telescopes.

OTOH, I very much doubt that Law Enforcement in Fargo was thinking of ITAR at the time.

[jonascord]

I once watched a partial solar eclipse the same way, where the image was projected thru a telescope onto a translucent screen.