Man Looking for Help Killed by Police

[littlelauren86]

Charlotte police kill unarmed man who may have been running to them for help
By Jessica King and AnneClaire Stapleton, CNN
updated 6:20 AM EDT, Sun September 15, 2013

(CNN) -- Police in North Carolina shot and killed a man running toward them Saturday morning -- but he may have just been looking for help after a car wreck

Comments

[anguisel]

The woman inside thought it was her husband.

Really? If your husband was knocking on the door in a panic, wouldn't he be calling your damn name out too? (Like Ethel! Ethel!) Or wouldn't he have let himself in with the keys and burst in Kramer style?

[the_physicist]

it's hard to judge from far away, but why the hell did she not help him anyway in the first place? urgh. >_>

[anguisel]

That's the part that gets me the most. SHE OPENED THE DOOR THEN SLAMMED IT IN HIS FACE. He had to crawl through the back window of his car. That poor guy must have been beat up and cut up to all hell. My first thought wouldn't be 'omg he's gonna rob me' it would be 'oh god are people really getting into Halloween in Septem- oh fuck that's real. sec' I kind of want to see her get charged too. Be it more of a you are supposed to be a good samaritan not an asshat or misleading information because of the breaking and entering part (oh noes he's knocking on my door and calling for help) but I have a feeling she's gonna paint him as some crazed individual at the cop's trial.

[meadowphoenix]

Well, tbf, you don't have to be a Good Samaritan, and I really wouldn't want the law to obligate anyone that way.

[mary_pickforded]

[thevelvetsun]

Uh yeah if I'm home alone and I don't open the door to a strange man that could physically overpower me, I don't want to be CHARGED for it, thanks.

[mary_pickforded]

[fluteaphrael]

Not charged with not opening the door absolutely, but possibly charged for a false report? the guy was asking for help not trying to break in. How you report what is happening is a great part of how the police react when they get there. If it'd been reported "crazy guy, looks beat up, beating on my door, I can't let him in, I'm alone, come help," is not the same as "guy trying to rob/attack me."

Now don't get me wrong I have no idea what the woman said when she called the cops, but it does inform the response. So what actually happened at that door is going to be critical in the case against the officers. What she said happened and any clues to whether what really happened was different or not.

I would not open the door either, but I'd be aware what I said to 911 when I called would be important and I'd want to get it right.

[redstar826]

getting scared in the middle of the night and misinterpreting what is happening really isn't the same thing though as intentionally misleading the police. Unless there is any evidence of the latter, I don't see how she could be held responsible in anyway.

[thevelvetsun]

Agreed.

[thevelvetsun]

I think the 911 recording is going to play a part in this case. If there's a recording of her saying "help help a strange man is banging on my door!" and the 911 operator tells the police it's a robbery, well then it's not the lady's fault whatsoever.

In addition, the police can't just take her word for it and SHOOT the first man they see. For all they know that could've been a neighbor or husband. It's the police's responsibility to handle the situation calmly and only shoot someone if that person is posing an active threat to someone else.

[the_physicist]

yeah, it's the police's fault, definitely. it will be good to find out what her part was, because it seems odd to me about the report given to the police, but yeah, the police shouldn't assume!!!

[chaya]

Even if he was a robber that used the cunning technique of Knock Til They Let Me In, that still wouldn't be grounds for getting shot.

[homasse]

Her words to 911 were:

"I need help. There’s a guy breaking into my front door, he’s trying to kick it down,”

“Oh my God,” McCartney says over and over. “He’s in the front yard yelling.”

“I need help,” she said, crying.

When McCartney saw the police outside of her home, she’s heard on the 911 tape saying, “Oh, please let them get him."

So yes. She told them he was trying to break in.

[pichipai]

I'm seriously side-eyeing these attempts to put some of the blame of his death on this woman.

It's false reporting if the person knew it was false beforehand.

It's not the responsibility of the (panicked, scared) civilians to make factual reports, just report what they perceive is the truth. If someone reported to 911 that they heard gunshots when it turned out to be blown tires, and some officer arrived at the scene and shot some innocent person dead, would you want the caller charged too? Properly assessing the situation before shooting anyone is law enforcement's job.

[bellichka]

Fucking this.