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13-year-old boy carrying pellet gun shot dead by police in California
Police in Santa Rosa say they thought the replica firearm the teenager was carrying as he walked to a friend's house was real
Hundreds of people marched through the northern Californian town of Santa Rosa on Wednesday night to demand justice for the death of a 13-year-old boy shot by police while carrying a pellet gun to his friend’s house.
Andy Lopez was killed the day after a 12-year-old boy shot dead a maths teacher and himself at a school in the neighbouring state of Nevada. Two Santa Rosa sheriff’s deputies said they opened fire after repeatedly asking Andy to drop the replica assault rifle, which they believed to be real. The teenager was declared dead at the scene on Tuesday.
According to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, the deputies were driving by when they spotted the teenager walking “with what appeared to be some type of rifle”. Lopez had his back to the officers, who did not realise he was a boy. They called for backup and, they said, ordered him twice to drop the gun. The teenager was around 20-30ft away when he turned towards them. “He was holding the weapon in his left hand,” said Lt Paul Henry of Santa Rosa Police. “He began to turn toward his right in the direction of the deputy, and he moved the gun toward the deputy, and the deputy’s mindset was that he was fearful he would be shot.”
One eyewitness recounted the incident to the news station KGO-TV. “He pulled over to the kid walking and he just opened the door and shot him, three shots,” Ismael Mondragon said.
The boy’s father, Rodrigo Lopez, told reporters his son had borrowed the replica AK-47 from a friend, and was walking to the other boy’s home to return it. “It’s not right what they did to my son,” Mr Lopez said.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/13yearold-boy-carrying-pellet-gun-shot-dead-by-police-in-california-8900696.html
Hundreds of people marched through the northern Californian town of Santa Rosa on Wednesday night to demand justice for the death of a 13-year-old boy shot by police while carrying a pellet gun to his friend’s house.
Andy Lopez was killed the day after a 12-year-old boy shot dead a maths teacher and himself at a school in the neighbouring state of Nevada. Two Santa Rosa sheriff’s deputies said they opened fire after repeatedly asking Andy to drop the replica assault rifle, which they believed to be real. The teenager was declared dead at the scene on Tuesday.
According to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, the deputies were driving by when they spotted the teenager walking “with what appeared to be some type of rifle”. Lopez had his back to the officers, who did not realise he was a boy. They called for backup and, they said, ordered him twice to drop the gun. The teenager was around 20-30ft away when he turned towards them. “He was holding the weapon in his left hand,” said Lt Paul Henry of Santa Rosa Police. “He began to turn toward his right in the direction of the deputy, and he moved the gun toward the deputy, and the deputy’s mindset was that he was fearful he would be shot.”
One eyewitness recounted the incident to the news station KGO-TV. “He pulled over to the kid walking and he just opened the door and shot him, three shots,” Ismael Mondragon said.
The boy’s father, Rodrigo Lopez, told reporters his son had borrowed the replica AK-47 from a friend, and was walking to the other boy’s home to return it. “It’s not right what they did to my son,” Mr Lopez said.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/13yearold-boy-carrying-pellet-gun-shot-dead-by-police-in-california-8900696.html
Thanks for the link teko. As I assumed, that gun looks very much like the big bad assault weapons everyone is a afraid of. It looks almost identical to an AK 47, one of the models that strikes fear in the hearts of everyone who knows nothing about guns.
This shooting could also have been avoided other ways as well. I listed some of them above, but they are no good to some people. As real and rational as they are, they are discounted.
This cop may very well have been wrong... but there is a guarantee in this. If this kid had not been walking down the street with what looks like an AK 47, he never would have drawn any attention to himself. (That is an undeniable fact.)
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Ak47-e1363724603451.png&imgrefurl=http://dailycaller.com/2013/03/19/no-one-needs-an-ak-47-either/&h=825&w=1920&sz=1372&tbnid=ytZi-dwTeYwM
I hope that link works.... can you tell the difference???
This shooting could also have been avoided other ways as well. I listed some of them above, but they are no good to some people. As real and rational as they are, they are discounted.
This cop may very well have been wrong... but there is a guarantee in this. If this kid had not been walking down the street with what looks like an AK 47, he never would have drawn any attention to himself. (That is an undeniable fact.)
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Ak47-e1363724603451.png&imgrefurl=http://dailycaller.com/2013/03/19/no-one-needs-an-ak-47-either/&h=825&w=1920&sz=1372&tbnid=ytZi-dwTeYwM
I hope that link works.... can you tell the difference???
You don't know what happened... you have no idea what that kid was doing or not doing. Do you know how much havoc can happen in ten seconds? You know the semi automatic weapons you are afraid of? The one that this kid was carrying a replica of?
Its probably something like the one used in the movie theater shooting that had you so bothered.... 10 seconds, and almost anyone can send 25 to 30 rounds down range. If that would have happened, you would have been outraged.
Its probably something like the one used in the movie theater shooting that had you so bothered.... 10 seconds, and almost anyone can send 25 to 30 rounds down range. If that would have happened, you would have been outraged.
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/10/31/nra-blocked-law-that-could-have-prevented-polic/196673
A 13 year old boy carrying a toy gun was shot by the police who stopped BEHIND him, within 10 seconds of stopping.
The police had the protection of the vehicle. They didn't need to shoot to kill. A popular kid, a good student, member of the band and the community is dead because of the militarized reaction of this cop.
Follow directions ? What directions was he given ? Did he even hear the cop who were behind him ? Perhaps that is why he turned to face them, as in, "Oh, are you talking to me ???"
The police had the protection of the vehicle. They didn't need to shoot to kill. A popular kid, a good student, member of the band and the community is dead because of the militarized reaction of this cop.
Follow directions ? What directions was he given ? Did he even hear the cop who were behind him ? Perhaps that is why he turned to face them, as in, "Oh, are you talking to me ???"
Teko, there are 13 year olds all over the country that comply with cops orders and don't get killed. I can tell you that at 13 years old, when I was told to hit the ground face down and had a gun pointed at me, I found the ground.
13 year olds are old enough to follow directions. The over whelming majority do and that is why the overwhelming majority of 13 year olds grow into adults.
13 year olds are old enough to follow directions. The over whelming majority do and that is why the overwhelming majority of 13 year olds grow into adults.
He was 13 Brice. 13
So where were the adults?
So where were the adults?
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