Police Use Assault Rifles to Stop a Suicidal Man

[6andcounting]

Earlier this month, Justin Way of St. Augustine, Florida, threatened to kill himself. He sat down on his bed, drunk, brandishing a knife that he intended to use on himself. His girlfriend, Kaitlyn Christine Lyons, called a non-emergency police number to get him help. She expected the authorities to institutionalize him for self-protection.

Instead, two sheriff’s deputies arrived, armed with assault rifles. They made Lyons wait outside while they stormed Way’s room. And then they killed him.


According to The Daily Beast:

[Justin’s father] George Way said the initial report he received from Det. Mike Smith detailed an incident wherein his officers said they were attacked by Justin with a knife. Way said Smith told him Justin had threatened Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn denies this.

Denise Way, Justin’s mom, said that the detective relayed to her that “they told Justin to drop the knife and he didn’t—so they shot him because that’s what we do.”

Smith implied that Way lunged at the officers, although the family believes the lack of blood anywhere but the bed suggests that he was instead shot before he could have moved.

What about tasers, or bringing mental health professionals to the scene?

In a phone interview with Commander Chuck Mulligan of the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, The Daily Beast asked if it was standard procedure to bring assault rifles, but not mental-health professionals, to a scene where someone is suicidal.

“If the deputies feel that that is the appropriate weapon system to use, then yes,” said Mulligan.

If the deputies used tasers and one prong missed, Mulligan said, they might be left in a difficult and potentially dangerous situation.

“They were in a very tight space within a residence,” he said.


I fail to see how the situation could possibly have been made worse. Stories like this continue to suggest that in no circumstances—even life-threatening emergencies—should you call the police. Someone will get killed.

It shouldn’t be that way, of course. Police have special training, and should be able to enter potentially dangerous situations without immediately and automatically terminating any remote threat to their safety.

http://reason.com/blog/2015/05/28/woman-calls-non-emergency-number-to-get

[GMDino]

I just don't get the logic. Unless its just more cost effective than dealing with each time on an individual basis.

Maybe he did attack them? Still...

[6andcounting]

(05-28-2015, 03:48 PM)GMDino Wrote: I just don't get the logic.  Unless its just more cost effective than dealing with each time on an individual basis.

Maybe he did attack them?  Still...

The man was probably way more aggressive than his dad or this article portrayed him. And the police may very well have a case of 100% justified self-defense. But sending in armed cops was a mistake that could only escalate the situation from the beginning. If shooting him was the only thing they could be there to do then they were better off seeing the rest of the family to safety and leaving the guy alone. An attempt to rescue the guy or calm him down should only be tried by some who could actually do it.

[StLucieBengal]

(05-28-2015, 07:04 PM)6andcounting Wrote: The man was probably way more aggressive than his dad or this article portrayed him. And the police may very well have a case of 100% justified self-defense. But sending in armed cops was a mistake that could only escalate the situation from the beginning. If shooting him was the only thing they could be there to do then they were better off seeing the rest of the family to safety and leaving the guy alone. An attempt to rescue the guy or calm him down should only be tried by some who could actually do it.

I type this not knowing the specifics but living down here I will tell you .... If you mess around with police in this state they will shoot you.  Just like if you mess with anyone here they can shoot you.  

[GMDino]

(05-28-2015, 09:27 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: I type this not knowing the specifics but living down here I will tell you .... If you mess around with police in this state they will shoot you.  Just like if you mess with anyone here they can shoot you.  

Well then who needs a "legal system"?

Just shoot who ever "messes with you".  

[StLucieBengal]

(05-28-2015, 10:36 PM)GMDino Wrote: Well then who needs a "legal system"?

Just shoot who ever "messes with you".  

If someone physically attacks you?  Yeah you should be able to defend yourself.   

[GMDino]

(05-28-2015, 11:17 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: If someone physically attacks you?  Yeah you should be able to defend yourself.   

That's not what you said.  You said:

(05-28-2015, 09:27 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: I type this not knowing the specifics but living down here I will tell you .... If you mess around with police in this state they will shoot you.  Just like if you mess with anyone here they can shoot you.  

So the next time someone asks for directions after I already said I don't know?  Bang!

'Murica

[StLucieBengal]

(05-29-2015, 08:51 AM)GMDino Wrote: That's not what you said.  You said:




So the next time someone asks for directions after I already said I don't know?  Bang!

'Murica

Yeah i forgot common sense doesn't apply to you..... Only you would make that Connection.   

[RoyleRedlegs]

Semantics arguments. Sweet.

[treee]

Don't try to look for logic in this guys. It's Florida coupled with the obvious need for policing reform in this country.

[GMDino]

(05-29-2015, 05:55 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Yeah i forgot common sense doesn't apply to you..... Only you would make that Connection.   

By connection you mean repeating repeating back what you wrote so you could see how bad it looks, right?

[Bmoreblitz]

Classic suicide by cops scenario.

[GMDino]

(05-29-2015, 09:52 PM)Bmoreblitz Wrote: Classic suicide by cops scenario.

Really?

Usually they go out looking for cops...not say they are going to kill themselves and then have the cops come to the house.

[Bmoreblitz]

(05-29-2015, 09:53 PM)GMDino Wrote: Really?

Usually they go out looking for cops...not say they are going to kill themselves and then have the cops come to the house.

Just going by experience. Usually works out better to call......you know....a behavior health specialist than a cop. 

[treee]

(05-29-2015, 09:58 PM)Bmoreblitz Wrote: Just going by experience. Usually works out better to call......you know....a behavior health specialist than a cop. 

I thought that she didn't call 911?

[Bmoreblitz]

(05-29-2015, 09:59 PM)treee Wrote: I thought that she didn't call 911?

I may have read it wrong. She didn't call 911 but I thought it said she called authorities. 

[GMDino]

(05-29-2015, 10:02 PM)Bmoreblitz Wrote: I may have read it wrong. She didn't call 911 but I thought it said she called authorities. 

Quote:His girlfriend, Kaitlyn Christine Lyons, called a non-emergency police number to get him help. She expected the authorities to institutionalize him for self-protection.


Instead, two sheriff’s deputies arrived, armed with assault rifles. They made Lyons wait outside while they stormed Way’s room. And then they killed him.

[Bengalzona]

Did they run out of RPGs?

[StLucieBengal]

As a Florida resident, I am glad we won't hesitate to put a guy down.

This is exactly why a ferguson or baltimore style shenanigans won't take place.... They tried when trayvon Martin tried to kill Zimmerman since trayvon was a homophobe and his girlfriend told him that Zimmerman was gay and was gonna rape him.

Even after that there was no nonsense. Maybe maryland should be taking notes. We don't mess around.

[Bmoreblitz]

(05-30-2015, 05:23 AM)StLucieBengal Wrote: As a Florida resident, I am glad we won't hesitate to put a guy down.  

This is exactly why a ferguson or baltimore style shenanigans won't take place....

Even after that there was no nonsense.   Maybe maryland should be taking notes.   We don't mess around.

If you believe that then I have a golden bridge to sell you. The way to keep citizens from rioting is to ensure fair treatment of all citizens.