Unarmed therapist shot by police - had hands in air, on grnd

[Alvecia]

I don't think anyone is really arguing that they should've been shot for ignoring an order. The police officer was clearly out of line. But with the approach that I favor, I cannot guarantee that the autistic person wouldn't get manhandled. If they don't get out of the way, they have to get moved by force. I'd at least be in favor of the toy truck being confiscated. The therapist can perhaps be given a ticket for letting their patient get lost.

What did the toy truck do to warrant confiscation?

[Zubatman]

I don't think anyone is really arguing that they should've been shot for ignoring an order. The police officer was clearly out of line. But with the approach that I favor, I cannot guarantee that the autistic person wouldn't get manhandled. If they don't get out of the way, they have to get moved by force. I'd at least be in favor of the toy truck being confiscated. The therapist can perhaps be given a ticket for letting their patient get lost.

What did the toy truck do to warrant confiscation?

Obviously he can't possibly get a hold of another random object that can be mistaken for a weapon, so taking the truck away permanently solves the issue. Well, unless he puts a hand in his pocket... or looks like he's reaching for it.

[The Alexanderians]

...You've never seen a severely autistic person for a length of time before have you?

I know that they are too absorbed in what they're doing but I still don't see it as a valid excuse to obstruct traffic. They need to keep out of the street like regular pedestrians and if they don't, they shall be punished. If it would be cruel to do so, whoever looks after them can perhaps be punished on their behalf.

Annoying the lower functioning cases may be they aren't doing what they do on purpose. Far from it many of them lack the ability of sociological socialization and internalization, he was also probably very confused. The likelihood that angry drivers were also honking at him probably didn't help his mood either. Really the cop who did this should be arrested for manslaughter at the very least.

[The Alexanderians]

I don't think anyone is really arguing that they should've been shot for ignoring an order. The police officer was clearly out of line. But with the approach that I favor, I cannot guarantee that the autistic person wouldn't get manhandled. If they don't get out of the way, they have to get moved by force. I'd at least be in favor of the toy truck being confiscated. The therapist can perhaps be given a ticket for letting their patient get lost.

Touching an autistic individual in an aggressive manner is a very bad idea. Even for high functioning cases. It will not be received in a cooperative manner.

[Neutraligon]

I don't think anyone is really arguing that they should've been shot for ignoring an order. The police officer was clearly out of line. But with the approach that I favor, I cannot guarantee that the autistic person wouldn't get manhandled. If they don't get out of the way, they have to get moved by force. I'd at least be in favor of the toy truck being confiscated. The therapist can perhaps be given a ticket for letting their patient get lost.

Touching an autistic individual in an aggressive manner is a very bad idea. Even for high functioning cases. It will not be received in a cooperative manner.

Touching a few autistic people in any manner can be a bad idea for those few.

[Big Jim P]

I know that they are too absorbed in what they're doing but I still don't see it as a valid excuse to obstruct traffic. They need to keep out of the street like regular pedestrians and if they don't, they shall be punished. If it would be cruel to do so, whoever looks after them can perhaps be punished on their behalf.

Annoying the lower functioning cases may be they aren't doing what they do on purpose. Far from it many of them lack the ability of sociological socialization and internalization, he was also probably very confused. The likelihood that angry drivers were also honking at him probably didn't help his mood either. Really the cop who did this should be arrested for manslaughter at the very least.

Did the therapist die and I missed it?

[The Alexanderians]

Annoying the lower functioning cases may be they aren't doing what they do on purpose. Far from it many of them lack the ability of sociological socialization and internalization, he was also probably very confused. The likelihood that angry drivers were also honking at him probably didn't help his mood either. Really the cop who did this should be arrested for manslaughter at the very least.

Did the therapist die and I missed it?

Sorry I wrote the post whilst extremely tired I was going for "battery". I have no idea why I wrote manslaughter. Looking back at it it seems I missed a couple of my intents with the post...

[Cymrea]

I don't think anyone is really arguing that they should've been shot for ignoring an order. The police officer was clearly out of line. But with the approach that I favor, I cannot guarantee that the autistic person wouldn't get manhandled. If they don't get out of the way, they have to get moved by force. I'd at least be in favor of the toy truck being confiscated. The therapist can perhaps be given a ticket for letting their patient get lost.

Spend one day as a mental health worker - or even just shadow one - for an educated perspective, instead of just making a textual Jackson Pollock painting of your ignorance on the subject.

[Hurdergaryp]

Spend one day as a mental health worker - or even just shadow one - for an educated perspective, instead of just making a textual Jackson Pollock painting of your ignorance on the subject.

Amen! I agree. I am so tired of arrogant and ignorant people acting as if they understand autistic people. I've hung out with people that have problems and *I* don't understand them !
Fact is, you could look at me and be convinced I feel like everyone else, when in actual reality, I am trying to find a reason not to hang myself. Don't judge people based on appearance, judge them on what is going on in there brain.

Unfortunately we do not have apps that can turn our smartphones into advanced neural scanners yet.

[Ethel mermania]

Amen! I agree. I am so tired of arrogant and ignorant people acting as if they understand autistic people. I've hung out with people that have problems and *I* don't understand them !
Fact is, you could look at me and be convinced I feel like everyone else, when in actual reality, I am trying to find a reason not to hang myself. Don't judge people based on appearance, judge them on what is going on in there brain.

Unfortunately we do not have apps that can turn our smartphones into advanced neural scanners yet.

google is working on it, for marketing purposes of course,

[New Chalcedon]

Here's a link to the video for those who are curious.

This is pretty indefensible on the the part of the police. The video very clearly shows that both people were of no threat whatsoever, and that Kinsey was actively being cooperative with and informative to the police. There was no need to escalate in the manner that the officers did, and no need to use lethal force. Kinsey and the autistic man were very lucky that they were not seriously hurt or killed in this incident. Clearly the police department's rules of engagement need serious reform, and the individual officers involved need to be investigated as soon as possible.

So what say you, NSG? Are we ready to agree that this incident is part of a larger pattern of police overreaction in the United States? Or were the police right to open fire on an autistic man and his caretaker in the off chance that the toy truck was a gun?

Notably, the one who wasn't complying with the orders (the patient) was white. The complying person (the therapist) was black. Of course, the black guy got shot. And no, I don't buy the line that a SWAT officer, aiming at a disabled man sitting on the ground (and why was he shooting such a person, anyway?), managed to miss all three shots at close-ish range, but "happened" to hit the black guy next to him. The officer is a liar, and he's simply trying to find a story that doesn't look as Klannish as the truth of what he did.

Example #25651 of "comply or die" policing producing/nearly producing a tragedy. And people wonder why I have next to zero sympathy for the cops - seems most of them should put their hoods and white blankets back on.

What did the toy truck do to warrant confiscation?

Obviously he can't possibly get a hold of another random object that can be mistaken for a weapon, so taking the truck away permanently solves the issue. Well, unless he puts a hand in his pocket... or looks like he's reaching for it.

Then hey, just shoot him. Oh, wait....he's white. Can't shoot him, at least not without having to fill in tons of paperwork. Eh, break both his arms. Then he won't reach for anything. That'll learn 'im!

[Hurdergaryp]

Obviously he can't possibly get a hold of another random object that can be mistaken for a weapon, so taking the truck away permanently solves the issue. Well, unless he puts a hand in his pocket... or looks like he's reaching for it.

Then hey, just shoot him. Oh, wait....he's white. Can't shoot him, at least not without having to fill in tons of paperwork. Eh, break both his arms. Then he won't reach for anything. That'll learn 'im!

The lesson learned being that police officers are apparently sadistic monsters, given your specific scenario.

[Arvenia]

I know that they are too absorbed in what they're doing but I still don't see it as a valid excuse to obstruct traffic. They need to keep out of the street like regular pedestrians and if they don't, they shall be punished. If it would be cruel to do so, whoever looks after them can perhaps be punished on their behalf.

You have no idea what autism even is, do you?

For me, it is a so-called neural disorder that make someone view the world in a different way. I am autistic, but I like being it. The police officers should be killed for their crimes.

[Ifreann]

You have no idea what autism even is, do you?

For me, it is a so-called neural disorder that make someone view the world in a different way. I am autistic, but I like being it. The police officers should be killed for their crimes.

The officers should be killed because one of them shot a guy in the leg? That's ridiculous.

[Nacesa Plana]

Ummm...wow...
You know, it seems to me police need training in how to deal with the mentally disabled.

I used to be an officer in Florida... another lifetime ago, it seems.

I will let you know that, at that time, there was no training given on how to deal with a person suffering mental illness. Every once in awhile someone would volunteer to give a seminar on it, but attendance was voluntary and you weren't paid for going.

I think the US policemen have a pretty hard job. Harder as in Europe. Here, almost no one, including the criminals, is carrying a gun. That’s a bit different in US of A.

Each time they check someone, I can imagine that the pressure is enormous.

It’s inevitable that more sad accidents occur.

For us, civilians it’s easy to shout about ‘trigger happy cops’, but when you are in the working reality of the policemen, it’s different.
I respect policemen a lot.

They are the thin layer of varnish between our civilisation and the underworld. We have no clue how the underworld is looking like. And we all forgot who’s responsible for keeping the underworld in the underworld.

[Hurdergaryp]

For me, it is a so-called neural disorder that make someone view the world in a different way. I am autistic, but I like being it. The police officers should be killed for their crimes.

The officers should be killed because one of them shot a guy in the leg? That's ridiculous.

Severely reprimanded, yes. Summarily executed, no.

[Pope Joan]

New Chalcedon said:

Notably, the one who wasn't complying with the orders (the patient) was white. The complying person (the therapist) was black. Of course, the black guy got shot. And no, I don't buy the line that a SWAT officer, aiming at a disabled man sitting on the ground (and why was he shooting such a person, anyway?), managed to miss all three shots at close-ish range, but "happened" to hit the black guy next to him. The officer is a liar, and he's simply trying to find a story that doesn't look as Klannish as the truth of what he did.

I agree, That's how it smells to me too. There's really no other way to spin it.

[Grenartia]

New Chalcedon said:

Notably, the one who wasn't complying with the orders (the patient) was white. The complying person (the therapist) was black. Of course, the black guy got shot. And no, I don't buy the line that a SWAT officer, aiming at a disabled man sitting on the ground (and why was he shooting such a person, anyway?), managed to miss all three shots at close-ish range, but "happened" to hit the black guy next to him. The officer is a liar, and he's simply trying to find a story that doesn't look as Klannish as the truth of what he did.

I agree, That's how it smells to me too. There's really no other way to spin it.

Really, there's not.

[Hurdergaryp]

New Chalcedon said:

Notably, the one who wasn't complying with the orders (the patient) was white. The complying person (the therapist) was black. Of course, the black guy got shot. And no, I don't buy the line that a SWAT officer, aiming at a disabled man sitting on the ground (and why was he shooting such a person, anyway?), managed to miss all three shots at close-ish range, but "happened" to hit the black guy next to him. The officer is a liar, and he's simply trying to find a story that doesn't look as Klannish as the truth of what he did.

I agree, That's how it smells to me too. There's really no other way to spin it.

Really, there's not.

It's a mess, to say the least.