284 replies to this topic

[h2831]

No one on this forum knows what happened inside that house. I'm not here to question the police officer's antics once the victim came at them with a knife. However, I do want to question this: The family called the police department for help. They notified the police that their son was mentally unstable. They let them know that he had a camping knife in his room. They let him know he had not come out of his room for days. THEY KNEW. I am wondering if this situation could have been handled differently from the get go. This was not a domestic disturbance call. This was a 51-50. This was a call of psychiatric help. What went wrong???

[a little bean]

No one on this forum knows what happened inside that house. I'm not here to question the police officer's antics once the victim came at them with a knife. However, I do want to question this: The family called the police department for help. They notified the police that their son was mentally unstable. They let them know that he had a camping knife in his room. They let him know he had not come out of his room for days. THEY KNEW. I am wondering if this situation could have been handled differently from the get go. This was not a domestic disturbance call. This was a 51-50. This was a call of psychiatric help. What went wrong???

Well, if you're to continue this line of thinking, was this young man supposed to be taking drugs that he wasn't? Was he in counseling? What steps were his family taking to be sure that he wouldn't attack one of them or a neighbor? I'm not saying that the family is to blame, that the police are to blame, or that the young man was even necessarily to blame if he was actually mentally ill. I'm just saying, there are many other things that could have lead to adifferent outcome in this situation. Police aren't experts in psychiatric matters and shouldn't be expected to be. When the police were called, a police response should be expected. If the family wanted psychiatric care, I'm not sure that was the route to take. I'm sure they never expected the death of their relative as a result of course. It's all just very tragic and I'm not sure that blame can be assigned on any one head.

[h2831]

Well, if you're to continue this line of thinking, was this young man supposed to be taking drugs that he wasn't? Was he in counseling? What steps were his family taking to be sure that he wouldn't attack one of them or a neighbor? I'm not saying that the family is to blame, that the police are to blame, or that the young man was even necessarily to blame if he was actually mentally ill. I'm just saying, there are many other things that could have lead to adifferent outcome in this situation. Police aren't experts in psychiatric matters and shouldn't be expected to be. When the police were called, a police response should be expected. If the family wanted psychiatric care, I'm not sure that was the route to take. I'm sure they never expected the death of their relative as a result of course. It's all just very tragic and I'm not sure that blame can be assigned on any one head.

I actually know this family. They were trying to deal with it as a family. This was a recent development in his behavior. When attempts to deal with the situation failed, they called the police for help, with fair warning. I would have done the same. What exactly is a police response?

[northlexer]

As people have previously stated, a knife at close range is extremely dangerous. If the family was able to take care of it themselves, the police wouldnt have even been there. Obviously, this guy must have been acting aggressively towards them, prompting the 911 call. Police officers are TRAINED to handle dangerous situations. They knew the dangers of mentally unstable people with large knives. You can consider being tazed as a warning, so if he was shot...than he needed to be. If somebody has a problem with that, we will call you next time their is a dangerous, mentally unstable person with a knife and see how you handle it.

Tranquilizers only work part of the time. The other times, it kills whatever is being tranquilized. There was an incident in Russia where a theater had been taken over and the Russian police (or whoever) decided to test out some new sleeping gas. The plan was to have them all fall asleep, then go in and arrest the hostage takers before anyone even woke up. They threw the canister(s) in and about 60% of the people in there died.

[bookwom]

So we have one young person dead, and two officers having to live with that, who will no doubt wonder for the rest of their lives what they could have done differently. It is tragic on all counts, and judgement and speculation from people who weren't there and have no special information adds no "value". And to state that the officers shot this unfortunate young man because "these guys wanted to feel important and pretend theyre on tv" is disgusting and offensive.

[FolsomBarb]

And to state that the officers shot this unfortunate young man because "these guys wanted to feel important and pretend theyre on tv" is disgusting and offensive.

+1

[DNR]

What a tragedy.. (EDITED).. These guys are seasoned experts at breaking up high school parties and chasing kids smoking weed in the park, but any time a real crime seems to happen in this town, "folsoms finest" seems to make them self look more bumbling, incompetent, and in this case, overzealous and trigger happy.. These guys wanted to feel important and pretend theyre on tv, and one persons life is over and an entire familys life is ruined.. Asking for assistance in diffusing a domestic situation and blowing away a 23 year old that locked himself in his room im a big difference.. These officers should be put jail for a long time.. was several shots to the chest necessary for a man with only a knife? If these guys had any training in real crimes, or knew what they were doing, then they would have used one of countless other techniques that doesnt involve ending a mentally disturbed mans life.. Would Sac PD have had this problem?
(EDITED)

....and your experience is????? Have you ever been in a situation where you had to make a slit second or very quick decsion with all that invloves public safety, your safety and human nature? I thought not! Although you are certainly entitled to your opinion, you should understand the circumstances and what actually happened before spouting off about things you don't know. Not one of those cops set out to hurt that man, nor did they intend on letting him hurt anyone else. Of course the family is going to scream excessive force because they are in shock and just lost a loved one! Plus we live in a money hungry society and if they can hit the city in pockets, they are going too! Given the circumstances they were given and the training they get, it sounds like the cops did what they had to do.

You have no idea how lucky you are to have the police force we have. My thoughts and prayers go out to the young man's family.

[old soldier]

+you have to wonder why old drooling daryl is sooo mad at the FPD, but he makes me think if I had a family member acting crazy would I call them if they are going to shoot.

It will come out I guess of the police folks were just chatting with the parents and the kid came a charging out of his room with the knife that would be one thing but if they decided to go in and get him, knife and all that would be another.

I don't think the cops will be in any trouble because I have read about cases where kids with toy guns have been shot and all it takes is for the policeman to say he was in fear and it makes a shooting ok.

the nice thing about folsom is not much bad happens and the police just have to police the school and get speeders and that bar crowd on the weekends. It might be good if they could call the sheriff folks who are dealing with bad all the time down in rancho to come over when they have something serious like this happening.

that swat and a negotiator would seem like a good idea but they would have to come all the way out from sacramento.

small towns are not a good place to be crazy, I remember a story last year I think in woodland where the police had to tazer a mental patient to death.

big events like this bring out different opinions which is what is supposed to happen on my folsom.

[Sue]

How does it happen that a man holds his family hostage with a gun, leads law enforcement on a high speed chase from Sacramento to Truckee, and the scenerio ends up peacefully...but a concerned family calls the police for help because their relative is troubled and has a pocket knife...and he ends up getting killed?

[omgshitsme]

{EDITED}you people on here are really sick. you keep saying police did what they had to do. what about the boys situation, thats the reason they showed up to help him. you really think possible drugged up male, who hasnt eatan or maybe even slept in a few days as mention, is really going to take out a officer. jesus, im sure one of the cops could have dropped him easily while avoiding damage. the whole guns drawn thing is completely overated, its mainly used to scare people. i think the police are sissys if they have to resort to guns as to trying to do their job of helping the person they came their for.

[omgshitsme]

That's the point I was trying to make. These officers were in danger.

crymore plz, what are you a cop yourself?

[Revolutionist]

you people on here are really sick. you keep saying police did what they had to do. what about the boys situation, thats the reason they showed up to help him. you really think possible drugged up male, who hasnt eatan or maybe even slept in a few days as mention, is really going to take out a officer. jesus, im sure one of the cops could have dropped him easily while avoiding damage. the whole guns drawn thing is completely overated, its mainly used to scare people. i think the police are sissys if they have to resort to guns as to trying to do their job of helping the person they came their for.

I love how all these new 1st time posters are coming in to slam the FPD.

Anytime you come at a police officer in a threatening manner, you should expect to die - as should the assailant's family. I don't care if it is with a Gun, a knife, a bat, a spoon, or half-cocked fist.

Doesn't matter the state of mind. Doesn't matter the level of drugs in the system.

It is very sad. A tragic end to a young life. It shouldn't have happened. But to call it the fault of the Police is asinine.

[omgshitsme]

I love how all these new 1st time posters are coming in to slam the FPD.

Anytime you come at a police officer in a threatening manner, you should expect to die - as should the assailant's family. I don't care if it is with a Gun, a knife, a bat, a spoon, or half-cocked fist.

Doesn't matter the state of mind. Doesn't matter the level of drugs in the system.

It is very sad. A tragic end to a young life. It shouldn't have happened. But to call it the fault of the Police is asinine.

expect to die? so what we stick some guys in uniforms give them a badge and a gun and if they get scared their allowed to shoot someone? PLZZZZZZZ

[omgshitsme]

actually yes. and we pay them to do it. they do not scare easy. it is their job to make these decisions.

put yourself in the familys position then tell me you believe your child getting shot was the best way to resolve it.