ThirdWheelWanted
Posts: 391
Joined: 4/23/2014
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: Lucylastic
It would be so nice if some people gave the very DEAD victim even a fraction of the same reasoning as he cannot give his side of the story.
Lucy, I'm sorry that Powell is dead. Whether you believe that or not is up to you.
When I first read about this story, it was something Heretic had posted in the other shooting thread. I read the initial reports, and said that it seemed like the officers had over-reacted. Powell was described as being disturbed, and advancing erratically towards the officers. I pictured someone older, moving towards the officers relatively slowly. He was also said to be holding the weapon in an "overhand grip" (also known as an ice-pick grip). There were two officers on the scene, one could have covered while the other attempted pepper spray. It seemed odd to me that they didn't at least try something non-lethal. Then I watched the video.
I'm seeing very different things then you are apparently, because it totally changed my impression of the shooting.
First, Powell is young and seems in ok shape. He's pacing around and ranting, but I wouldn't call his movements erratic. As soon as the officers arrived, he seemed to brace himself, pulled the knife out of his pocket, and moved straight towards them. It really seemed like he was just waiting for them to arrive. It would appear he wanted to die, and was looking to get the police to do it for him.
Second, someone with a knife in an ice-pick/overhand grip typically has his arm up near his shoulder. It's the classic psycho-killer knife pose you see in any slasher flick. It's also the worst possible way to hold a knife. Very amatuerish, it usually implies someone with no real training. It limits you to stabbing almost exclusively. It also limits the angles you can attack from. This makes it the easiest type of attack to counter.
Instead, he keeps both hands down near his waist. It's impossible to tell for sure, but I've watched that video over and over, and it looks like the knife blade is pointing forward, not backwards. If so, that means he can slash or stab. It opens up way more angles of attack. That makes attacks harder to see and harder to deflect. If the attacks are low and coming up, it also means it's very easy to target the upper legs and lower abdomen, where there's no protection at all from a vest. Vests are about useless against stabbing, but at least it's something against slashing attacks. None of that mean he knows what he's doing, it does make him more dangerous to allow close.
Third, when he approaches the officers, he moves towards them taunting. Then he moves away from the driver, turns and bee-lines towards the passenger. I don't know if he knew what he was doing, but it served to separate the officers. They couldn't support each other except with guns at that point. Powell then moves towards the passenger, not running but at a fast walk.
It looks to me like he's within 5-6 feet when they start shooting. To me, that's close. That's one, maybe two steps. You don't want to let someone with a knife get that close.
Everyone keeps saying they should have tased him. I've watched that video repeatedly, there are no tasers on the first two officers. If you don't know what one looks like, go to minute 4:00. The heavy-set officer who approaches from the right has one on his belt, just to the left of center. It's neon yellow, you can't miss it. One other officer, one putting up tape, also has one. Again, bright yellow, in the same spot on his belt. We can clearly see the front of both of the officers who shot Powell, neon yellow would shown up even from that far away.
Those are the reasons I've changed my mind.
How could it have been done differently to disable Powell rather then kill him? If they'd know what they were dealing with, they could have stopped further back. That would have allowed them to advance on Powell together. They wouldn't have been separated by the vehicle, and it would have been easier for one to cover and the other to try something else. Once they pulled up as close as they did, the situation was fucked. Powell took control of the situation, and made them react, exactly the opposite of what should have happened. Allowing your opponent to control the flow of an engagement is almost always a recipe for failure.
Why did they pull up so close in the first place? Because it made sense based on what they were expecting. They were responding to a robber with a knife. That usually means a foot pursuit. So they got as close as they could, before getting out. From that perspective, it makes sense.
They also told him repeatedly to get down and drop the knife. They didn't just get out and start blasting. Powell made the choice to ignore their commands and to get so close that they had to shot him.
People have suggested they should have retreated. I'd say he was closing too quickly to make that practical, but assuming it was how? Run backwards? That sounds like a good way to fall and wind up with on the ground with the crazy guy above you with a knife. Turn and run away? You'd leave your back open to the guy with the knife, and that would have looked amazing on the news. If two officers had run away from one man with a knife, the police would have no authority in that city ever again.
< Message edited by ThirdWheelWanted -- 8/23/2014 9:36:21 AM >
|
RE: Kajime powells death by cop caught on tape - 
Profile
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread