Cop Shoots Motorcycle Rider - Now At Trial

[NotStock88]

I dont know if you guys/gals have heard about the shooting of a motorcycle rider, by a police officer, that happened here locally about a year ago now but the cop is just now going to trial. The video from the camera on the patrol car dashboard has been released to the public and there has been some MAJOR controversy over the whole situation. This is the link to the article; http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=news/local&id=7433661 . The motorcycle rider who was shot is not dead but is paralyzed and suffered 3rd degree burns on his legs from the exhaust when the bike fell on him.

 

Whats your take? I will hold my opinion back to hear what others have to say first.

Edited May 13, 2010 by NotStock88

[dmyers151]

Cop shot too soon, shoulda waited another few seconds.

 

Shot the guy in the back... :mad:

[Tman]

no proviaction cop should have waited he automaticly assumed harley rider is bad news and must be packin i useally stand up for the police but wrong is wrong and this cop was baddddddddddddddddd wrong

[NotStock88]

Cop Shoots rider... Rider falls down because he is paralyzed, from being shot. The bike also falls on the guy who just got shot YET the cop then proceeds to tell the rider to "get up"....come on

[Richie_Rich]

To me it looks like the guy was watching his friend get busted.

The cop behind him appears to have left his siren on.

When the cop came out of his car yelling, the guy turns to try and hear what he is saying and then gets shot.

[NotStock88]

To me it looks like the guy was watching his friend get busted.

The cop behind him appears to have left his siren on.

When the cop came out of his car yelling, the guy turns to try and hear what he is saying and then gets shot.

 

I know right..

[IntercooledFlatty]

you are a cop, you deal with crack addicts, drunks, thieves, etc. daily. you see a suspicious pair of doods on bikes and follow them. they start to run. when the one dood stops he turns around like he's holding something, i would have shot him too because i want to go home after my shift and spend time with my wife instead of her getting a phone call about how some hoodlum killed her husband. but then again if i were a cop i'd shoot people on a daily basis because people are effin stupid

it's a damm shame the guy is injured and things turned out the way they did. sux for the dood and the cop.

[JoeyLeet2]

Why was the cop firing at all, exactly?

[AlexNYC]

Talk about a STUPID cop. I don't think he paid attention at training.

[ucw458]

None of us knew what that cop was thinking about when he fired. Why did those 2 bikes speed away from a police car? Are they trying to hide something? Are they armed? When pumped up with adrenalin he probably mistook the bikers actions and thought he was reaching for a weapon. Before you pass judgement try to be impartial like our justice system is supposed to be. Try to see this situation from the cops perspective.

 

 

 

 

 

Having said that he did make a mistake. The biker made a movement that could look like reaching but was actually just turning around. The officer did not see a weapon before shooting. He assumed the biker was armed. As far as I know police are trained to identify a weapon Before using lethal force. This officer didn't. This shooting should not have happened. I belive the officer was in the wrong here because he fired without seeing a weapon first.

[NotStock88]

None of us knew what that cop was thinking about when he fired. Why did those 2 bikes speed away from a police car? Are they trying to hide something? Are they armed? When pumped up with adrenalin he probably mistook the bikers actions and thought he was reaching for a weapon. Before you pass judgement try to be impartial like our justice system is supposed to be. Try to see this situation from the cops perspective.

 

 

 

 

 

Having said that he did make a mistake. The biker made a movement that could look like reaching but was actually just turning around. The officer did not see a weapon before shooting. He assumed the biker was armed. As far as I know police are trained to identify a weapon Before using lethal force. This officer didn't. This shooting should not have happened. I belive the officer was in the wrong here because he fired without seeing a weapon first.

 

Very well spoken. I agree with you 100%

[Killtodie]

why exactly did he shoot him?

[NotStock88]

why exactly did he shoot him?

It says in the article;

 

"Attorneys for White say he believed McCloskey had a gun. However, McCloskey was unarmed and appears docile in the video."

[Killtodie]

It says in the article;

 

"Attorneys for White say he believed McCloskey had a gun. However, McCloskey was unarmed and appears docile in the video."

 

 

right, so why did he shoot him? did he pull out a cellphone? so what if he had a gun, do cops shoot people automaticly who carry a gun?

[conquezzy]

Talk about a STUPID cop. I don't think he paid attention at training.

um no, this yea lol

 

April 2010

In Philadelphia, white cop shoots himself, says black man was the shooter

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/05/in_philadelphia_white_cop_shoo.html

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sReJnXGFSQw&feature=player_embedded

Edited May 13, 2010 by conquezzy

[Big Al]

Sorry but PAY ATTENTION to the video. I watched it a few times JUST to be sure. Had the cop paid attention to the suspect, first off how would have noticed that his hand stayed to the OUTSIDE of the clothing at all times and actually he didn't really move his hand at all. His shoulder went up as he turned around. Now first off, if the bike wasn't off then he may not have heard the officer. Second, last I checked a weapon was ONLY to be drawn with the intention of firing it. The military has taught me that much. So with no idication of violence from the suspect, what reason did the cop have to draw a weapon? AND if the cop thought this guy was THAT great a risk, WHY did he leave the cruiser without proper backup? Last I heard, they had bulletproof glass in those things.

 

This is something that CAN NOT be taken lightly. Let this cop off and the rest will feel that much more bulletproof to the letter of the law. This guy was likely some young buck trying to play the hero instead of having a routine traffic stop. He wanted to play cops and robbers and it backfired horribly changing the poor biker's life FOREVER.

 

As a police officer your DUTY is to serve and protect not shoot first check for weapons later. Some dumb kid goes for a joy ride and gets pulled over does a cop have the right to shoot him when he reaches for his wallet to show his license? I mean he MIGHT have a gun next to the seat. Sorry but there is NO reason to shoot until you see the glint of metal indicating a gun's grip. Even then the order should be shouted to remove the weapon. Deadly force is NOT authorized and some people shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the trigger.

[NotStock88]

Sorry but PAY ATTENTION to the video. I watched it a few times JUST to be sure. Had the cop paid attention to the suspect, first off how would have noticed that his hand stayed to the OUTSIDE of the clothing at all times and actually he didn't really move his hand at all. His shoulder went up as he turned around. Now first off, if the bike wasn't off then he may not have heard the officer. Second, last I checked a weapon was ONLY to be drawn with the intention of firing it. The military has taught me that much. So with no idication of violence from the suspect, what reason did the cop have to draw a weapon? AND if the cop thought this guy was THAT great a risk, WHY did he leave the cruiser without proper backup? Last I heard, they had bulletproof glass in those things.

 

This is something that CAN NOT be taken lightly. Let this cop off and the rest will feel that much more bulletproof to the letter of the law. This guy was likely some young buck trying to play the hero instead of having a routine traffic stop. He wanted to play cops and robbers and it backfired horribly changing the poor biker's life FOREVER.

 

As a police officer your DUTY is to serve and protect not shoot first check for weapons later. Some dumb kid goes for a joy ride and gets pulled over does a cop have the right to shoot him when he reaches for his wallet to show his license? I mean he MIGHT have a gun next to the seat. Sorry but there is NO reason to shoot until you see the glint of metal indicating a gun's grip. Even then the order should be shouted to remove the weapon. Deadly force is NOT authorized and some people shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the trigger.

 

I am with you 100% on that. The cop is a rookie/noob and did NOT follow correct procedure.

[Killtodie]

No regular patrol car has bullit proof anything

[cyberquest]

yea, gonna say the cop screwed up on that one. living here in ohio where it happened and knowing the cops around here

 

the guy was just resting his hand on his leg, maybe even had like his thumb hooked into his pocket resting. he turns slightly towards the officer to hear what he is saying and BANG.

 

i love the attorneys defence "he could have just as easy put his hands up instead of at his side"...last time i checked here in america your "innocent until proven guilty" so why the heck would he put his hands up if he did nothing wrong.

 

i dont even see where the guy broke the law at all, they spead away from the stop sign but did the break the speed limit? accelerating fast away from a stop sign isnt a crime the last time i checked. that guy was getting profiled WAY before that cop even turned on his lights. he probably sped off cause he was tired of the cop riding his tail waiting for a reason to pull him over.

[ucw458]

i dont even see where the guy broke the law at all, they spead away from the stop sign but did the break the speed limit? accelerating fast away from a stop sign isnt a crime the last time i checked. that guy was getting profiled WAY before that cop even turned on his lights. he probably sped off cause he was tired of the cop riding his tail waiting for a reason to pull him over.

 

It's called exhibition of speed and it is a ticketable offence.

[Big Al]

Actually if he WAS riding the guys tail, he should have pulled over and asked the cop for a badge number and turned him in for following too close. People seem to think cops are above the law and traffic rules. They aren't. You can't uphold laws that you don't follow yourselves.If EVERYONE stepped up and started making the reports and pushing for action to be taken I'm sure a nationwide crackdown on corruption and abuse of power just might happen. But too many cattle in this country not enough cowboys so when the fox comes to visit, this is the end result...

[Richie_Rich]

I wonder if they even knew it was a cop behind them.

 

When I was younger, I didn't check my mirror and did a burn out in my Charger right in front of a cop.

Talk about an instant ticket......glad I didn't get shot.

[Tipsysmile]

Hmm I hope thats not the Mike I know, and went to school with.. Hes the right age, and Im not 100% sure of the spelling of the last name, but thats how his name was pronounced..

 

Think Imma have to do some research..

Edited May 13, 2010 by Tipsysmile

[AlexNYC]

Rookie or newbie, not an excused for shooting. I have friends that were rookies and patrol some of what might seem(are) bad areas in the city. They consider shooting as a last second decision. As much as they hold the guns up, it the last thing they want to do. (with a few rotten apples)

[natedog_37]

Ahh I love living by that area. Cops there are d****.