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Cops See 12-year-old Kid Running w/ Toy Gun and Shoot Him Dead: No Charges!

commercialappeal.com — West Memphis police officer Erik Sammis did not violate 12-year-old DeAuntae Farrow ’s civil rights when he killed the child on June 22, the Department of Justice has concluded.

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  • theNazz, on 11/13/2007, -156/+160Get used to the police state 'shoot first, ask questions later' policy. The Justice Department finds 'the people' guilty until proved innocent.
    • GeForce8800GTX, on 11/11/2007, -85/+64For *****'s sake, the kid aimed his gun at the cop and was told to drop it. The cop didn't have time to decide whether this was a disturbed kid or just a prankster. It is indeed sad that the child was shot, but then again, would YOU point a toy gun at a cop at half past nine at night in a bad neighborhood? I certainly wouldn't. I'm pretty sure I'd be begging for a gunshot wound if I did.
      • Forklore, on 11/11/2007, -11/+81Where does it say the kid aimed it at the officer???
        • nospinhere, on 11/10/2007, -3/+22Maybe he jumped to conclusions just like the person who wrote the slanted title to this post.
      • parabolee, on 11/11/2007, -16/+38It doesn't say that! Will you twist anythign to support your pro-gun views? This is what it says -

        "Police have said Sammis fired when it appeared DeAuntae was holding a weapon and moved after officers told them to stop."
        • MaynardJK, on 11/10/2007, -8/+18"moved" isn't very descriptive though. He might, or might not have pointed the gun at the cop. This article is lacking too many details to make a case one way or the other.
          • kholburn, on 11/10/2007, -1/+14Oh come on. If he had pointed the "toy" at the officer it would have said that.
        • mrFREEZE, on 11/12/2007, -2/+61Apparently the cops were on a stakeout. They were most likely wearing civilian clothes. Maybe the reason the kid didn't listen to the stranger's orders was because... he didn't look like a cop?
          • Kerrigore, on 11/10/2007, -28/+8He was 12, you don't think that's old enough to realize that there are such a thing as undercover cops? And that doing what people who are pointing guns and shouting at you say to do might be a good idea?

            When I was a kid, we were specifically warned to be careful when playing with toy guns for exactly this reason, and were told that to play it safe we shouldn't use realistic-looking toy guns. Cops can't take chances like this, especially with all the school shootings with children this age. If this were an adult who had run around with a fake gun and gotten shot, no one would even consider it an issue. The cops weren't the ones that acted improperly.
          • evilinside2020, on 11/12/2007, -0/+1I tend not to respond to people not dressed as cops either. Show me a badge of gtfo of my way. There's been a quite few cases here in Texas where plain clothes cops getting shot or killed cause they run up on people with a gun drawn and not in uniform.
        • scubasteve377, on 11/12/2007, -3/+3Dugg down for implying the fact this ***** idiot is defending some scumbag cop who shot and killed a young kid, is somehow "pro-gun."
      • altgeeky1, on 11/10/2007, -14/+8Dugg you...
        ...because you are a LIAR, and I want everyone to see it.
      • mydigga, on 11/11/2007, -6/+41Plus, these cops were probably in plain clothes since they were on a stake out. I would imagine a 12 year old kid would be very confused in this situation.
      • dawgma, on 11/11/2007, -3/+25For *****'s sake, learn to read and not make ***** up.
      • brainScan, on 11/12/2007, -3/+8Next time my GeForce 8800GTX video card argues with me, I'm going back on my F'ing meds.
      • Chassit, on 11/11/2007, -0/+5RTFA
    • eternal464, on 11/12/2007, -16/+141judging by the comments, we are missing many details. I'd like to see the real facts, because toy gun or not, if they gestured it towards the cops at 10 at night in what is apparently a bad part of town, of course they are gonna get shot.

      The real question is, why is a 12 year old kid running around outside after dark with a toy gun in a bad part of town? Maybe the parents deserve some blame...
      • TekTrixter, on 11/10/2007, -7/+20or most of the blame...
      • noahhoward, on 11/10/2007, -8/+24Heavens no, not the parent. Clearly it is easier to blame everyone else.
        • hiikeeba, on 11/10/2007, -2/+3Right on! It's the cops' fault for bothering a 10 year old outside late at night with a toy gun that looked like a bottle of soda and some chips.
        • bolognium, on 11/10/2007, -2/+7have video games been mentioned yet? I'm sure it was video games that did it.

          vote Hillary!!..

          (just kidding- for Christs sake - do not vote Hilary)
      • eternal464, on 11/10/2007, -13/+9i like how they consider the kids personal life and problems when they for instance save an old man about to be hit by a train. Then they are heroes but are punk kids with all these social problems.

        When they get shot by police for being f*ckheads, they are all innocent angels. Give me a break
      • Phrag, on 11/10/2007, -1/+7Instead of asking rhetorical questions that you never intend to answer in an attempt to point blame, why don't you try reading. If you search the kids name, you can read that he was on his way to a friends house to sleep over.
      • MrMan42, on 11/12/2007, -2/+15Oh my gosh, is everyone out of their everlovin' minds?!? This kid had a RIGHT to play near his home, at night, WITH a TOY gun, without being SHOT TO DEATH!!! How about blaming the trigger happy cop who murdered him?
        • b3owulf, on 11/10/2007, -5/+4Don't be so dramatic. Of course kids have rights to play... and cops have the right to shoot people if they think their life is in danger. We don't know what happened... i'm sure the kid wasn't skipping down the sidewalk with a light-up tie-die gun singing the blues clues song.
        • bingobongony, on 11/10/2007, -1/+3"We just got a letter. We just got a letter. We just got a letter. Wonder who it's fr..." BANG!!
        • bitcloud, on 11/10/2007, -1/+1yours is the single most rational and sane comment in the thread..

          this topic is just making me think "this is mass madness you maniacs!"
    • killakan, on 11/12/2007, -9/+18This is what happens when toy guns look like real guns. If you thought someone was going to shoot you, would you just sit there and see what happened?
      • pAq6Swad, on 09/16/2008, -1/+19Moral of the story: always make sure your gun looks like it's fake.
        • btgoss, on 11/12/2007, -2/+3Well that is at least one safety precaution for all toys guns.
        • fnaqzna, on 11/12/2007, -2/+12nd moral... when the officer says to stop, it's a good idea to do just that. You have to prove that you're not a threat.
      • Cyber_Akuma, on 11/10/2007, -0/+6All fake guns in the US, no matter how ridiculous looking, are required to have a neon-orange tip. Even miniture guns designed for action figures.
        • bingobongony, on 11/10/2007, -0/+4Those tips easily come off. Or are easily taped over with electrical tape. Ot are easily colored with a magic market. Or in the dark, are not easy to see.
    • techie4life, on 11/12/2007, -7/+17Given the lack of information, I wouldn't rush to blame cops on this one. Cops are responsible for their ass that that of others around them. If they feel that the life of anyone around them is in danger, they have the authorization to use deadly force. when an officer sees a gun they make it known to their partners. This kid was seen as a immediate danger. Its an unfortunante truth, and sad that this had to happen this way.
      • adrianmonk, on 11/12/2007, -3/+5I agree, except that I think it's important to be clear about what "feel" (in "feel their lives are in danger" means). A lot of people feel a lot of things which have no basis in fact. For instance, a lot of people feel that crystals have healing power. The cop needs to not only believe his life is in danger, but it also needs to be *reasonable* to believe that. The cop can't just say "I feared for my life, therefore no matter how irrational my fear, I'm automatically justified".
        • fnaqzna, on 11/12/2007, -2/+3If you're carrying a firearm (or the officer thinks you're carrying a firearm) and he tells you to stop moving, it's best to do so.

          They're not playing and they will not risk their lives on the chance they could be wrong.

          Digg me down if you like, but this is the reality. This is they way they think and approach perceived lethal threats.
      • kholburn, on 11/10/2007, -1/+7Yeah when children "move" when told not to it's the death penalty. Right. The child just shouldn't have pointed his bag of chips at anyone.
        • kuzotz, on 11/12/2007, -1/+5Not mentioned the fact that they were not in uniform on a stakeout, and didn't identify themselves as cops nor did that show the kid a badge.. I'm sorry but 12 year olds rarely ever kill cops in this country. I'm tired of this ***** and its mostly my people it is mostly that and when it happens to black kid then its the ***** black kids fault wtf logic is that?
      • gquaglia, on 11/10/2007, -6/+5This is Digg, land of the retards. Here every cop is bad, Republicans are bad, Government is bad, Canada and Europe are wonderful, and all the evils of the world, no matter what are Bush's fault. Understand that and your experience here will be much improved.
        • bitcloud, on 11/12/2007, -2/+3Can I just explain this to you, because it's really ***** simple.

          Cops who kill 12 year old kids = bad
          Political Parties who kill 700,000 citizens of a foreign country (many of them 12 year old kids) = bad
          Governments who refuse to uphold constitutional rights, and international law = bad
          Presidents who force people into war/murder, who order people to torture and who spies on his citizens = bad

          Countries that DON'T have ***** up foreign policy, and who attempt to minimise violent crime by employing ***** competent police = good

          Refer to the above list next time your moral compass is playing up and you're starting to wonder why people DON'T LIKE IT WHEN THEIR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED
    • joyfulrebellion, on 11/10/2007, -13/+3Ok so someone points a gun at a cop, the cop then needs to ask gun weilder why they are pointing the gun at them. Then if the person with the gun says: "Im guna shoot you". Then its okay for the cop to defend him/herself. Also the justice department doesnt find people guilty untill proven innocent, its the media and the people who make assumptions withought all the facts that do.
      • ZachSka87, on 11/10/2007, -5/+7You need to read the above comment that points out that the gun was NEVER aimed at the cop. The kid was just running with ti and didn't stop when they told him to. Also, the cops were not in uniform as they were on a stakeout.
        • joyfulrebellion, on 11/10/2007, -4/+3I was referring to the comment, not the article.
          • bitcloud, on 11/10/2007, -1/+1It doesn't change the fact that you're a douche...

            there are times for intellectual debate... the murder of a 12 year old is not one of them.
    • hackmyballs, on 11/10/2007, -15/+10Didn't RTFA
      Let me guess
      The kid was black

      Odds of a cop killing a white kid?

      zerop!

      See?

      No need to RTFA!
      • LordByr0n, on 11/10/2007, -7/+7There is a need... because all of what you 'predicted' is not even mentioned in the article. Racist jackass.
        • kuzotz, on 11/13/2007, -2/+11How is he racist for stating a fact that black people even as kids are treated like ***** criminals before full knowledge of the person is learned by cops.
      • CrazedLeper, on 11/10/2007, -4/+3I've never heard of an unarmed white person being killed by police. Never. Not once. Ever. Not even by a black cop. Never.

        There was that incident at Ruby Ridge, but the householder did have weapons, so I guess that doesn't count.
    • Eivo, on 11/09/2007, -1/+3LITTLE ROCK (AP) - DeAuntae Farrow's civil rights weren't "willfully abused" by police when the 12-year-old boy was fatally shot by a West Memphis police officer, the federal Justice Department said in a letter to Police Chief Robert Paudert.

      The police shooting does not warrant federal criminal prosecution, the letter from Mark J. Kappelhoff, chief of the Criminal Section of the department's Civil Rights Division, said.

      "After careful consideration, we concluded that the evidence does not establish a prosecutable violation of the federal criminal civil rights statutes," Kappelhoff wrote in a letter received by the city Oct. 31.

      But Kappelhoff cautioned that the criminal section's conclusion "does not preclude other components of the U.S. Department of Justice from taking action ... under their separate enforcement authority."

      The West Memphis boy was killed June 22 by a shot from the gun of Officer Erik Sammis. Officials say the boy was outside playing with a friend while police were in a car on a stakeout at an adjacent apartment complex. Police have said the boys ran by, yelling, and officers told them to stop. Police say Sammis fired when it appeared DeAuntae was holding a weapon and moved.

      The officer told investigators he believed the youth was holding a gun. Police said the boy had a toy gun, but the boy's family has disputed that.

      DeAuntae's death was also investigated by state police.

      Paudert said Wednesday after releasing the letter that he and the officers in his department welcomed the federal agency's decision.

      "We all ... are very pleased to have our officers cleared of any civil rights violation," the chief said.

      Paudert said he met with the boy's mother, Debra Farrow, before releasing the letter.

      "She was very kind and very gracious, and she accepted the letter," the chief said. "I explained that ... we were still waiting for the state prosecutor's finding."

      Bill Sadler, spokesman for the state police, said results of the investigation were being provided to special prosecutor H.G. Foster of Conway, who was named to handle the case.

      Paudert said he also told Farrow that he knew the latest action doesn't help her handle what happened.

      "She's had a tremendous loss," Paudert said. "I'm sure she is suffering and will continue to suffer for quite a long time. But we have to put it behind us and move forward with our life."

      The chief said he did not expect any problems in the community stemming from the federal agency's conclusion.

      The two officers involved - Sammis and his partner on the stakeout, Jimmy Ellis - remain on administrative leave with pay pending completion of the state investigation as well as an internal investigation by the West Memphis Police Department, Paudert said.

      ----------

      http://www.fox16.com/news/local/story.aspx?content ...
    • theradical, on 11/10/2007, -1/+22holy christ. where was the ***** taser THIS time??
      • OMGWTFROFLMAOx2, on 11/10/2007, -9/+4Cops don't taser black kids, they shoot them..then sprinkle some crack (or a "toy gun") on them.
        • spyd3rweb, on 11/10/2007, -0/+1Minority Suspect!!! Warning!!! He's got a gun!
      • fnaqzna, on 11/12/2007, -1/+3If the officer believes it's a gun, responding with a taser is completely inappropriate. You get the taser if the officer simply wants to apprehend you. If you're a potential threat to his life, you can expect lethal force.
    • virtualball, on 11/12/2007, -5/+5C'mon people.... I know young kids who are crazy enough to shoot cops... Youth =/= innocence anymore.
    • sporg, on 11/10/2007, -1/+5Take note that the officers account of the incident is the only one shown. Testimony of the other child present is not mentioned nor that of any witnesses. Most likely the kids were so caught up in playing that they didnt even notice the officers (clearly plain clothes) until they were shot and one was killed. Can not decide either way without alot more facts. Police officer testimony paints a different picture in each article I found about this. Something doesnt add up.
      • bingobongony, on 11/10/2007, -0/+3Yet you have decided already..without all the facts.
        • sporg, on 11/10/2007, -1/+2If I was interviewing a suspect and they changed their story suddenly I would clearly be suspicious that they were lying. the different version of the account may be due to journalistic slant I dont know. I didnt say they were guility of anything I just said something doesnt add up. I think there is more to the story than what any of these outlets are revealing. When you shoot someone you are up for serious review and scrutiny apparently though that kind of thing is discouraged in your world. Thank god your world is not the REAL WORLD.
        • BelXul, on 11/10/2007, -0/+1I applaud your endeavor to research more into this story, Sporg. Digg could use more reserved and inquisitive individuals such as yourself.
  • jollyholly, on 11/10/2007, -104/+23Where's Charlton Heston now?
    • RuffRidr, on 11/10/2007, -2/+54What does Charlton Heston (or the NRA) have to do with a kid with a toy gun getting shot? If civilian ownership of guns was totally banned, this still could have happened.
    • thefandango, on 11/12/2007, -12/+10to answer your question: Slowly dying of alzheimers.

      "YOU DAMN DIRTY....wait what? who are you?"
    • halobender, on 11/10/2007, -15/+2...Where's YOUR Charlton Heston now?
      • sinalmighty, on 11/10/2007, -0/+2lol the NRA is anti-gun neways go look real hard at what they try to pass thru as laws
    • killakan, on 11/10/2007, -2/+27This has nothing to do with the NRA and everything to do with urban thug culture and toy guns looking like real guns.
      • kholburn, on 11/10/2007, -3/+5or at least bags of chips looking like guns or kids moving after being told not to by a police officer.

        They should ban selling chips to kids - better yet ban kids - they should all be shot in the street.
  • McMescalero, on 11/11/2007, -86/+147Hey, theNazz and jollyholly, without even reading the details yet, I can tell both of you are about as open-minded as a rusted shut claw trap. Talk to the Venezuelans and Pakistanis about living in a police state then come back and compare and contrast. Until then, grow up. The vast, vast majority of police officers do all they can to avoid hurting a child, they even risk taking a bullet (and some already have) to save the child of the drug dealer who used his baby's diaper to hide drugs. Try giving other people the benefit of the doubt, you know, the kind you'd EXPECT if you were in their place. For a change. For once. Try it. You might actually learn something you'll end up appreciating.
    BTW, Charlton Heston has Alzheimers. If you react to that news like you did to the story, probably you'll think that's funny or something to be cheered. If so, then it's your turn to be the monsters. Oh wait. I forgot. You actually think everyone ELSE is wrong and only you are right. I didn't get that memo the first time, please re-send it, mmkay?
    • pedrovoltaire, on 11/10/2007, -39/+14"The vast, vast majority of police officers do all they can to avoid hurting a child, they even risk taking a bullet"

      link to these facts?
      • MaynardJK, on 11/10/2007, -27/+11It isn't possible to post a link to his ass.
      • cababika799, on 11/10/2007, -5/+9I really love people like you pedrovoltaire. You're so ignorant! I don't wish harm on many, and certainly not direct harm on you. But I hope that if you ever need a cop to protect you that they just can't find your house.
        And the saddest part is: That even after reading what you wrote, they would probably still take a bullet for you.
        • Laughsatyou, on 11/10/2007, -4/+4lol, cops dont take bullets for people. call to emotion all u want.
          • cababika799, on 11/12/2007, -0/+5Yeah you're right...all the police officers that were killed in the line of duty accidentally slipped and fell, or shot themselves. Taking a bullet for someone doesn't mean jumping in from of them...Everytime a cop gets shot on duty he took one for all of us!
          • tundra721, on 11/12/2007, -1/+1you are right, they take them for society as a whole. oh, wait...let me guess - you thought that every police officer that has taken a bullet just does it for ***** and giggles, right?

            You are the only one being laughed at....along with the other 8th grade comments just like yours.
        • pedrovoltaire, on 11/10/2007, -5/+1"But I hope that if you ever need a cop to protect you that they just can't find your house."

          i hope you get shot & killed by a cop.
          • cababika799, on 11/09/2007, -0/+1So what contingency plan do you have if things go down? Who do you call for help??
          • scubasteve377, on 11/10/2007, -0/+1Smith & Wesson
    • kooft, on 11/10/2007, -13/+83"Hey, theNazz and jollyholly, without even reading the details yet, I can tell both of you are about as open-minded as a rusted shut claw trap. Talk to the Venezuelans and Pakistanis about living in a police state then come back and compare and contrast. Until then, grow up."

      Poor argument. Americans shouldn't have to accept the definition of America as, "better than an oppressive dictatorships". The good news is that once America gets that bad it looks like you'll agree that something needs to be done. The bad news is, that once it gets to that point, their won't be anything you can do. IMO it's better to hold America to a high standard today than try to raise her to a high standard tomorrow.
      • killakan, on 11/10/2007, -8/+14Americans shouldn't have to worry about 12yo gang members running around with guns killing people, but we do.
        • BelXul, on 11/10/2007, -1/+1When I was a kid, all toy guns looked real, and yet, no one got shot by a cop for running around with a toy gun, either. As I recall, back then the police did things more methodically than they have been in the past 20 years or so. Today it all comes across as knee-jerk reactions.
          I understand that there are situations where quick action can save lives, however on the other hand, it is also costing lives. Does it even out or doesn't it? It's hard to say, I have not found a single study on that particular issue, and truth be told, I wouldn't even know how such a study could be undertaken.
      • ZenMojo, on 11/10/2007, -1/+2Life in the era of fear and panic....
        • Herostratos, on 11/09/2007, -0/+2The same era in which, paradoxally, life has never been better.
    • aldableep3, on 11/10/2007, -15/+9just stfu. don't try to justify the police killing a 12 year old kid because it was just plain wrong in any case. Sure some police are heroes like you said, but these were obviously the type of idiots who sit in their patrol car eating dunkin donuts. Don't confuse the two
      • Lythium, on 11/10/2007, -0/+6"but these were obviously the type of idiots who sit in their patrol car eating dunkin donuts"
        You got all that from a half-page article? Talk about interpolation from hell... No, all policemen (and -women) are not shining heroes. But the police force as a whole is one of the only things standing between society and savagery, and its members as a whole deserve a hell of a lot of respect for it. They must have the right to defend themselves - kudos to the court for not trying to pull the teeth out of the force meant to serve and protect.
    • morningmatters, on 11/10/2007, -11/+6"The vast, vast majority of police officers do all they can to avoid hurting a child, they even risk taking a bullet (and some already have) to save the child of the drug dealer who used his baby's diaper to hide drugs."

      LOL.
    • centerblack, on 11/10/2007, -5/+20The police claim he was carrying a toy gun.
      Chief Bob Paudert said Saturday that the child had a toy pistol that looked like the real thing. "And the officer saw it and fired two shots."
      Paudert insists that the boy did have a toy gun.
      Paudert: "I saw it. It looked so authentic. It did have the orange tip on the end of it. In a dimly lit situation you probably wouldn't see that. It looked like a silver type automatic pistol," he said. His officers managed the crime scene and turned the toy gun over to the state police.
      ...................................................................^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

      "He had nothing," said a cousin, Adrian Williams, who lives in the complex. "I saw him with chips and a pop in his hand."

      If the kid had a gun and pointed the toy gun at the cop, he would have seen the orange tip. I don't care if it's low light.
      If the kid had a gun and pointed it at the officer with the intention of shooting him, he would have fired when the cop started to unholster his gun.

      My theory is that these guys were rolling around the neighborhood ("on another call" my ass), saw some kids, yelled something at them. When they turned around they had a plastic toy and the officer fired *twice*, or he *thought* they had a gun and fired *twice*. If the cops ***** up, they will make every attempt to cover their asses.

      Either way the cop is a serious threat to the public and should find a new job. gg.
      • empirenine, on 11/12/2007, -3/+4EVERYONE tries to cover their asses when they ***** up.
        • kuzotz, on 11/12/2007, -2/+7Thank you.. Please do not give this cop no ***** sympathy.. He ***** up, and needs to lose his badge. Even though I doubt this would happen. He didn't even identify himself to the kid as a cop. Showed no badge, and this is according to the city council. I'm sorry to say it but there are times when cops will go into poorer areas and rape kids.. All kinds of ***** happens. I wouldn't go towards cops that aren't in uniforms and don't have badges.
    • LostnTransition, on 11/12/2007, -4/+5I'm sorry, but you are simply mistaken, cops are "pig" headed and that isn't a play on words. This is their fault.... For a moment let's assume the worst. The 12 year old had his fathers gun. and he and anyone around him was in serious danger. What would be the right course of action. Well he isn't an adult, I would assume (and this isn't assuming much) That the child was pointing or seriously threatening anyone around him. So again what do we do.... Sit in our bullet proof car, get on the loud-horn and try to talk to the "CHILD" before making any rash judgment. Because Most cops aren't out there to protect. I know a few that are. But most cops are power hungry whores. Plain and simple they want to write you a speeding ticket they want to be bigger than you. So you tell me, how many cops ***** people over. And how many help people? Because I would imagine this is frightening ratio.
      • marvin69, on 11/11/2007, -0/+2"Sit in our bullet proof car" - This tells me a lot about you. You must be retarded.
      • McMescalero, on 11/11/2007, -0/+1LostnTranslation, marvin69 busted you spot on. And if the police were preying on the citizens in the numbers you would like to believe, the American people would be whining, loudly, constantly, sicking the ACLU on 'em every waking moment. As it is, the ungrateful public calls in the ACLU mercenaries whenever they feel the least bit inconvenienced or their feelings hurt. You are living in a fantasy world you've constructed to help you deal with the unhappy encounters you -- or others who you know -- have had with the police. Consider finding the excellent educational video by Chris Rock entitled "How To Not Get Your Ass Kicked By The Police." A timeless lesson suitable for all persons of all ages.
    • Acglaphotis, on 11/10/2007, -0/+5Hey im from venezuela! We are not living in a police state... yet. But just yesterday i watched on TV students freely protesting : ), i know that's normal for all of you, but the fact that they were, in fact, NOT shot still makes me happy.
      • marvin69, on 11/12/2007, -3/+2I bet the organizers end up going missing in the next two weeks.
    • ScofflawVA, on 11/10/2007, -1/+2Um, every time I see video from Pakistan, there are lots of kids running around with real guns, and no police are shooting them.
    • mikesbaker, on 11/12/2007, -2/+3the real issue is white cops shooting a black kid and getting away with it
      • McMescalero, on 11/12/2007, -1/+1The REAL real issue is black people shooting other black people, robbing them, pimping them, terrorizing them with their gangs, and drug-dealing them.
    • scubasteve377, on 11/12/2007, -2/+4http://digg.com/world_news/Killed_on_Camera_Why_Pe ...

      There are about a million and a half stories out there of brutality, abuse of power, and flat out murder by police, and there is almost never a legitimate investigation, criminal charges, or even an outcry from within the departments. Face it, these people would rather shoot themselves in the face, than put away one of their own, no matter how guilty they are. That fact that they just stand by and cover for each other, makes them all (even the "good ones") complicit to the criminal acts of a few.
      • Beto0707, on 11/10/2007, -0/+1We should not have to stand up and remind people, "Hey, there are good cops out there too. Cops who will do everything they can to protect you." The good cops should be doing that and they are NOT. Therefore, we are forced to assume that every cop is corrupt and is neither serving nor protecting us. Why? Because if we don't make this assumption we will not be on guard to defend and protect ourselves from our so-called "protectors".
        • McMescalero, on 11/11/2007, -0/+1Beto0707, what? This doesn't make sense. Are you seriously arguing that if the good cops are not out bragging about them being good, then it must mean they are... bad?? And thus if they are not, then we, "foolishly," assume, "wrongly," that they are "automatically" good and therefore we have lulled ourselves into a fall sense of security?? That there is what we around these parts call stupid.
    • dannychen16, on 11/10/2007, -1/+2Why do we compare America to oppressive dictatorships? Why not other modern countries such as Sweden and Canada? Even a Twinkie bar looks good in comparison to dog *****.

      Besides, I don't think this article really attacks the police, we all know there are bad cops out there, but rather showing how unfair the current justice situation is.
    • Baroja1898, on 11/11/2007, -1/+1Yeah, he's right. The cops who shot that kid are HEROES! They should be given medals of courage.

      Gimme a ***** break!
      • McMescalero, on 11/11/2007, -0/+1Yeah Baroja1898, that's what he's saying. You resort to the harshest opposite extreme, which is a childish taunt used when bona fide arguments escape the taunter because he's feeble brained.
        That's your ***** break. Now go home, don't let the door hit you.
  • paulg2000, on 11/13/2007, -13/+211Dammit. This is one occasion where I would WANT cops to bust the tasers out.
    • ChromaVita, on 11/10/2007, -26/+11Or just leave the kid alone?
      • Pritchard, on 11/09/2007, -2/+12No.
        • acroyear2, on 11/09/2007, -1/+4It could have been an actual 12 year old with an actual gun. That's the unfortunate truth. A taser might have been a better measure although. It sounds like a tough situation with a fairly stupid child and a possibly trigger happy cop.
        • amiesia, on 11/09/2007, -1/+0An actual 12 year old as opposed to...?
          • acroyear2, on 11/09/2007, -0/+3As opposed to an adult with a gun which sounds like a more common circumstance. i don't want to be naive and not believe there are some 12 year old children in dangerous environments getting access to guns.

            it was a bad situation. everyone loses in this.
          • Laughsatyou, on 11/09/2007, -1/+2a short 17 year old gang banger.
          • Lythium, on 11/11/2007, -0/+2I believe acro meant "a 12-year-old with an actual gun." If you weren't so busy nitpicking syntax, the meaning would have been perfectly obvious.
      • cyberoptic, on 11/11/2007, -7/+15the kid had a gun at night in a bad part of town..........retard.
    • sanotaan, on 11/10/2007, -3/+7yes, though with recent usage patterns, outcome might well have been the same
      • Fizban140, on 11/10/2007, -2/+7Ya, because you have done a nationwide survey of police taser usage and it obviously showed a very high percentage of deaths....or you just read the same five articles posted on digg 200 times.
        • McMescalero, on 11/10/2007, -0/+2Taser deaths are far LOWER than gun shot deaths. Or we wouldn't use tasers. If the child had been close enough to use a taser, or if the circumstances had been suitable for it, or the taser was in working order, or the police had a chance to get to use it, or, or, or, or. We can mourn the tragedy and learn from it. The lessons are many and varied.
          For certain, what would have prevented this happening entirely: if the child did not have the toy gun in his hand at all.
    • DarkSamus, on 11/10/2007, -12/+4i say tase the bastard then shoot him and then break his neck, then sprinkle some coke on him and run the ***** away
    • BestJaxx, on 11/12/2007, -2/+1I have stated several times before that I am tired of reading articles where police do x, y, or z, but this one takes the cake. Finally, one worth reading.
    • exgiexpcv, on 11/12/2007, -0/+6Undercover or plainclothes do not carry Tasers, in my body of experience. The more gear they carry, the more they look like cops, which defeats the purpose of being UC or plainclothes. It's sad that a 12 died, but I do *NOT* think a cop would knowingly shoot a child with a toy. The problem is that yeah, the bangers *do* have guns, and some of them *are* 12. The cop likely just wanted to see his family at the end of his shift.
      • Beto0707, on 11/12/2007, -1/+1You might think that a cop would not knowingly be the drug kingpin of his district... But you'd be wrong.
    • bingobongony, on 11/12/2007, -1/+2You would be whining like a little bitch just as much if it was a taser. The funny thing is that if it was a taser incident, there would be far MORE negative comments on Digg.
    • daizaru, on 11/12/2007, -1/+1A kid that size the tazer designed for an adult would most likely do irreparable damage anyways.
  • mattewood, on 11/13/2007, -14/+60Sad story.. what's more sad is the next victim.
    Lessons aren't learned, change isn't made, history repeats.
    • DangerCollie, on 11/10/2007, -15/+8It was a white cop shooting a black kid in Tennessee and we count on the Bush Justice Dept. to investigate? Nothing will change until some rich white kid is gunned down by the cops in The Hamptons because they mistook his iPod for a gun.
      Racism makes a comeback in America.
      • stevetrojanman, on 11/10/2007, -7/+8The funny thing about racists is that they are usually the ones screaming louder than anyone about racism against them...

        And you've proven my point.
        • TruthIsKey, on 11/10/2007, -2/+4You're an idiot. Cops treat poor Black kids worst than rich White kids FACT! He stated the obvious. Go back to putting your head in the sand.
          • marvin69, on 11/10/2007, -1/+1How many rich White kids kill? I bet less than 1% of poor black kids.
            It has nothing to do with race but FACTS.
    • altgeeky1, on 11/10/2007, -4/+8The article does NOT say he aimed at the officers at all (though that won't stop GeForce8800GTX from saying so). We also don't know if the kid was shot in the back while runnin, or if he stopped. Did the officer identify himself as in "police officer. Freeze!"... or did they yell "Hey you" ??

      With the former obviously, most people are conditioned to be VERY careful.

      This is preventable on SO MANY FRONTS. What I don't understand is why we *allow toy guns to look so realistic*. What ever happened to wooden toy guns painted bright colors?

      The realism of the toy guns is FAR MORE LIKELY to get a child killed than any paint applied to it (Sure... the Chinese poisoned American children's toys... that's bad, but how many of these shooting accidents happen per year? ).

      Isn't it funny how people invoke "the neighborhood"? That just reinforces the siege mentality. In a "unsafe" neighborhood, is it OK to shoot first ask questions later? And does the child's spectrum of "rights" shrink if he lives in such a neighborhood? The incidence of shooting white children armed with toy guns seems a bit lower, but maybe that's all the fault of the 'liberal press'.
      • Lythium, on 11/09/2007, -0/+2"Isn't it funny how people invoke "the neighborhood"? That just reinforces the siege mentality. In a "unsafe" neighborhood, is it OK to shoot first ask questions later?"
        There's a reason why it's safe for a young woman to be out walking alone at night in a suburban development, and NOT safe in the inner-citty ghetto. It has nothing to do with racism or the liberal press - it's just a matter of statistics. Some neighborhoods ARE indeed safer than others. In the unsafe neighborhoods, the police force MUST have a different mentality than in the safe ones, precisely because the level of danger is measurably different.
      • kuzotz, on 11/09/2007, -0/+3That isn't what he is saying. He is talking about how police act, and react in certain areas. And the area doesn't have to be unsafe. Hell I've been to an affluent black neighborhood, and the cops treat the residents there like they would treat a person from an inner city area. The thing about it is that I think society has been conditioned (through hundreds of years yes this happens). But it has quite literally been ingrained into American culture to view does of darker skin color as inferior, and dangerous. In 50 years this will change in my opinion as the older generations are dying out.
    • firechill, on 11/10/2007, -7/+4Just reason to shoot considering it was dark, the kid didn't listen to police, and was holding what appeared to be a real gun. Shoot first and ask questions later in that scenario.
      • kholburn, on 11/10/2007, -2/+6The kid was holding a dangerous bag of chips. It wasn't that he didn't listen to the plain clothed men, he didn't "obey" them: death penalty. He was in a dangerous neighbourhood: the police can just shoot anyone in a dangerous neighbourhood? What a country you live in.
        • kuzotz, on 11/09/2007, -0/+3Yep.. My neighborhood was like that. Of course when I was growing up a police officer in my area raped this 13 yr old girl, and he only got 2 months of paid suspension. God Bless America the best country on Earth!!!!!(sarcasm)
          • marvin69, on 11/10/2007, -0/+1Back you your little fabricating with a link.
            I did a search for police rapping a 13 yro and nothing.
        • McMescalero, on 11/09/2007, -1/+1kuzotz, you sound bitter. Please move out. Surrender your passport and citizenship at the border of your choosing. Don't come back until you feel better.
  • pedrovoltaire, on 11/10/2007, -31/+20no forgiveness from me...
    • cababika799, on 11/10/2007, -7/+5And I hope the next time you need a cop that he/she responds with: "no protection from me..."
      • ChuyMatt, on 11/10/2007, -1/+5Robbed 3 times, had clients who were harassed multiple times, one taken to jail for talking to himself, harassed personally by a cop after taking a drunk acquaintance to the hospital after he injured himself.

        Truthfully, I have not had a good time with cops recently. They seem to be trained to be assholes. Apparently, everyone is a suspect with their training. That and people who crave power usually are not very good with it.
        • McMescalero, on 11/10/2007, -0/+4ChuyMatt, I have had to call the cops several times throughout my life and all except once they treated me like I was the perp. They were brusque, curt, pointed, dismissive and impatient. I would not say that most of my experiences with the police on such calls were positive and cheerful, at all. But I still give them the benefit of the doubt.

          The police wear flak vests now, routinely. Why? Because society has slowly eroded their status such that criminals and low-lifes in general know that the tide has turned against them. And so criminals and low-lifes, auditioning to be really big criminals, have no compunction about shooting a police officer. That used to be as deep a taboo as shooting a priest. Not anymore. Our Society has installed a slippery slope dangerous and ungrateful, and we should never have forced our police officers to struggle to stand on. They continue to place themselves between me and the bad guys. They continue to try to keep the peace.

          The vast majority of police are simply decent human beings. Humans. Not supermen, not robots. And many of them are retired military. And so I will continue to give them the benefit of the doubt until and unless they prove to be undeserving of it. I can endure it when they are gruff and obnoxious. I remind myself that they endure far worse... far worse.

          I remind myself that they are forced to deal with the lowest of the low in our society: the druggies who are so far gone they stink with their own vomit, the drug dealers who are truly so callous that ruining the lives of addicts doesn't bother them one second, the pimps who abuse women, boys and children, the drunk drivers, the irate and abusive drivers, and on and on. Anymore, they rarely are seen as the good guys, and too often are treated disrespectfully and with disdain. Since they are humans, they put on their best game face, avoid even looking at people for fear they'll be snarled at or shunned, and try to not resent the ungrateful public they serve. And this is AFTER 9/11.

          People like pedrovoltaire ruin it for the rest of us. And we, well, those of us who think about it a little, are now afraid too. Afraid to approach an officer just to say "thanks" because we don't want them to tense up and brace themselves for what they are sure will be a hurled insult.

          The police in this case were adjudged by triers of facts far more experienced than you or me. They saw all the evidence, whereas we have seen hardly any of it. So the triers of the facts of this case decided that the police officers were NOT attempting to murder a 12 year old. It was a tragic mistake.

          So pedrovoltaire, to paint the police with the broad cartoon brush as de facto villains to the man is to reveal that likely you are a criminal and have had nothing but very unpleasant experiences with the police on a more than ***** level (such as ChuyMatt and I have experienced). Hmm.

          For those who demand I supply proof of a police officer putting his life on the line trying to rescue the baby of the drug dealer: like you would believe me if I did! Go look it up for yourselves. Only then will you believe what you learn. There are thousands of examples of police officers who sacrifice themselves to save the lives of strangers. But don't take my word for it.
          • marvin69, on 11/10/2007, -0/+1" taboo" when? Cops have been shot at since the being.
            Cops do not wear "flak" vests. Not many criminal has flak cannons... yet.
            And many of them are retired military. I know no "retired military" cops. retired military = 49+ years old. Can't join most departments over the age of 40.
  • gebx, on 11/11/2007, -92/+21All Canadian Toy guns have an bright orange tips for this exact reason. Only in the U.S. will you have companies sell kids exact toy replicas of guns.

    Oh well, just one more death due to american ignorance and stupidity.
    • MaynardJK, on 11/10/2007, -14/+97How do you know it was an exact replica without the orange tip? They have the orange tips on them here too.

      Oh well, just one more generalization about an entire country by an ignorant and stupid Canadian.
      • gebx, on 11/10/2007, -19/+3So you're all telling me that a cop saw a kid holding a toy gun with orange tip and thought it was real??

        Same conclusion - Dumb ignorant american shot a kid
        • yngtimmy, on 11/10/2007, -1/+8To quote an above post: There werent pictures of the toy. Kids have access here to paint. Hell Ive painted them black...The blaze orange tip is ugly....

          So at this point - Ignorant and stupid Canadian
        • cababika799, on 11/10/2007, -1/+12Most kids take them off so they look like real guns ass jack!
          They do it so they feel like hero's and men. I'm sorry if all canadian boys grew up with e-z bake ovens. But calling us ignorant because you're upset that you can't wear a training bra is a little far fetched.
        • mrjit, on 11/10/2007, -0/+7You moron, it's the same in America. Toy guns have to have orange caps. That doesn't mean a kid didn't take it off, have an old toy gun handed down from grandpappy, etc. Way to be a complete hypocrite.
        • mortigon, on 11/11/2007, -0/+2Hell in New York you can only sell toy guns if they are all bright orange
        • RedHairedMan, on 11/10/2007, -0/+2I modified every last one of my toy guns to make them look more real. I painted my squirt guns black and silver, sawed off the tip of my toy shotguns, added a pistol grip and a fake 'magazine' to a toy rifle, and even made lego silencers that, looking back on it, looked ***** real.
          But I never pointed one at a cop so clearly Darwin likes me.
      • getsk3wled, on 11/10/2007, -0/+3gex: you have been owned.
      • Billybones, on 11/11/2007, -2/+1That's hilarious. An American generalizing stupidity towards another county. Take a look in the mirror. And while you're at it, how about lose a couple hundred pounds.
    • Jedwards32, on 11/11/2007, -10/+16go eat some canadian bacon, or ham, or whatever the heck you guys call it up there. Whatever eh, and all of my toy guns as a child had orange tips btw.
    • DarkSamus, on 11/11/2007, -3/+6markers anyone?
    • FeartheKnighted, on 11/10/2007, -13/+17God I hate Canadians.
      • knopper67, on 11/10/2007, -3/+1Have fun with your ***** President...
    • MerryMortician, on 11/10/2007, -6/+12oh yeah? WELL I BLAME CANADA.
    • joyfulrebellion, on 11/10/2007, -4/+6Since when does it matter if the gun was a canadian cap gun or not? Furthermore dont use this as a means to argue which country is more ignorant or stupid. That has nothing to do with this and based from your comments i would say both are equal. Also, if the gun did have an orange cap, he could have taken it off.
    • Killbot2015, on 11/10/2007, -2/+4Yeah, AMERICA HAS THE SAME LAW about the orange tips on toy guns. Go eat a tree or something, you Canadian ass.
  • borninda818, on 11/10/2007, -24/+45"did not violate 12-year-old DeAuntae Farrow’s civil rights when he killed the child on June 22"
    This is funny and disturbing at the same time...actually, the more I think about it, It's just disturbing.
    • bbqsalad, on 11/10/2007, -3/+3Funny? Hmm?
    • cababika799, on 11/10/2007, -2/+11Well, allow me to explain why your comment got buried.
      Because if the situation had gone a different way and the little boy had taken his Dad or Brother's gun out and out of respect for the boy's civil right, the officer didn't fire and was, instead, killed by the boy, every person on this thread would be saying how the officer should have shot if he thought he was in danger.
    • reedatschool, on 11/10/2007, -6/+5I know all black kids running at night should be considered armed and dangerous and shot first. Kids ignore thier own parents all the time, of course they will ignore a police officer. This isn't disrespect, it is a fact of being a kid. This officer should be brought up on manslaughter charges just like anyone else would in this situation. I am sick of the justice department clearing themselves over this crap, where is the god-damned accountability??
      • stevenb, on 11/09/2007, -0/+1So by all means should this child's parent's be charged with involuntary manslaughter? Their kid was out after curfew for a child of that age. Their kid was running around with a toy gun that looked real enough, and did not listen to police officers when he was instructed to.

        How about some accountability for parents and stupid ***** people? This cop shot a kid because he feared for his life, which is threatened everytime he puts that uniform on. ***** you you ***** defeatist liberal.
        • kholburn, on 11/09/2007, -0/+3Yeah kids out after 10pm should be shot and their parents too.
      • kuzotz, on 11/09/2007, -0/+2Well also the fact that it was some guy in plain clothing with no badge to show he was a cop and didn't even indicate to the child that he was a cop, and also add into the factor that even the city council said the cop failed to identify himself to the kid.. This happens on a daily basis, and people just walk over the dead body and move on with life. This is why the black community has problems. It is quite literally "Its the way it is lets just accept it." Type of attitude. Its a depressing attitude, and its very pessimistic. Also it comes with a large helping of low self-esteem. Point being said. Treat a group of people like ***** even in this day and age, and you don't get many that come out of these areas and if they do they don't go back to rebuild they go somewhere else.

        BTW I came from a dangerous area, and quite frankly it isn't that dangerous if you are a resident there, and if you just live calmly in terms of staying away from gang activity, and drug dealers..
        Its really easy to grow up into adulthood, and have a happy stable lifestyle.
        It depends on the family you grew up in. Like my family for instance has an upper middle class income, but we stayed in the area because my grandparents own their home, and they weren't going to let it go to ***** so they stayed with their investment. Now it might pay off for them as our area is gentrifying, and the fact that they are homeowners(with the mortgage paid off). They can't get evicted. Soooooo they will get the benefit of living in a completely affluent area soon.
        Now with that all said and done.
        have a nice day :)
  • DiggDugglas, on 11/10/2007, -18/+64The article's title is incredible "West Memphis boy's rights weren't violated when officer shot him, feds say". Sure a child was killed by an officer for playing with a toy gun, but at least none of his rights were violated!
    • ufia, on 11/10/2007, -9/+18A gun is not a toy. If you want to introduce your kid to it at such an early age, more power to you, but you should not neglect to also educate him about the dying part.
      • ashura001, on 11/10/2007, -10/+16....The kid didn't have a real gun.
        • shredswithpiks, on 11/10/2007, -5/+7why are you being dugg down? The kid did NOT have a REAL GUN.
          • Lythium, on 11/10/2007, -5/+7But he COULD have, especially in that neighborhood. The police had no way of knowing.
          • kuzotz, on 11/10/2007, -1/+2not really.. I've been in that area... You're more likely to get shot by the grown ass man who thought you looked at him the wrong way than some random 12 yr old.
          • McMescalero, on 11/10/2007, -1/+1I continue to marvel when people think that the police -- or anyone for that matter -- think that a very realistic looking toy (and they are out there, in the millions, just search the net and see the pix for yourself) can be discerned to be just a toy and not the real deal. The far more dangerous decision would be to think it was a toy when it wasn't. And for the child -- parents, please, pay attention -- it is the far more dangerous choice to decide that other people can tell that the gun is a toy.
            Unless the damn thing is a super soaker, or see-through day-glo orange, if it is shaped like an Uzi, is being held like an Uzi, is being carried by a running tall for his age sub-adult, in the dark, after hours, chasing or being chased, then for everyone's sake, do not assume it is a toy. For it could be the last assumption of your life.
          • Rendonsmug, on 11/10/2007, -0/+1Actually, it was shaped like a bag of chips and a CD-Player
      • iRoy, on 11/10/2007, -6/+13He was 12, so he's not exactly a little kid. I remember I had a toy Uzi when I was young, it had an bright orange tip and everything and it made a cool firing noise for a few secs when the trigger was pulled.

        The difference between me and this poor child is that my parents NEVER let me leave the house with my toy, a simple rule that could have saved his life.
        • shredswithpiks, on 11/10/2007, -7/+8that's crap. kids should be able to play in the front yard, down the street with their friends, or wherever with their toys. without expecting to be shot. it's not like the kid was pointing the gun at the officer threatening to shoot. this was completely uncalled for.
        • cababika799, on 11/10/2007, -3/+8Well, apparently you didn't read the article. I will agree that he wasn't waiving it, or threatening to shoot. But this is a fault of the parents because while a child should be able to play with whatever they want, they shouldn't be allowed outside at almost 10PM period....especially when it's dark and they have a toy gun.
        • abuelos84, on 11/12/2007, -5/+3He was 12 so he's not a little kid?????? 12 years old????? really???? and he's not a little kid, what the f*ck???
      • LostnTransition, on 11/12/2007, -2/+2You seem to be missing the orange tip - the made in china sticker - and maybe even the fact that your trying to place blame on a 12 yr old for a full grown man's mistake.
  • Drexus, on 11/10/2007, -18/+10Where ever happen to "Freeze, or I'll shoot!"?
    • mywhitenoise, on 11/10/2007, -23/+9I guess 12 year old kids are viewed to dangerous to reason with.
      I hope the cop kills himself.
      • xenuxenuts, on 11/10/2007, -14/+4Him and his buddies probably laughed about killing the kid.
        • stevetrojanman, on 11/10/2007, -0/+9You are a stupid person. That's my comment.
        • reedatschool, on 11/10/2007, -4/+1That was horrible to say, but I can see it. Just another black kid in the ghetto huh?

    • Destinatus, on 11/10/2007, -2/+20Did you read the article?
    • ellabee, on 11/10/2007, -3/+15Read the ***** article!!!
      • DefendThyself, on 11/09/2007, -1/+2I did, and the cop murdered the boy. He should be on trial for murder.
        • gquaglia, on 11/09/2007, -0/+1I guess its good you're not in charge or have anything to say about it. MORON!
    • noahhoward, on 11/09/2007, -0/+3It comes immediately before "I ran and I died."
  • 01l0, on 11/10/2007, -38/+29Black kid. White cop. Tennessee. Case closed.
    • gjscds, on 11/10/2007, -7/+32Yes--because accidents can't happen... and All white Tennessee police offers are racist and like killing black children.
      • ihatedrugs1, on 11/09/2007, -15/+4This one did.
        • objectcode, on 11/09/2007, -2/+1This one, just this one.
        • noahhoward, on 11/09/2007, -0/+10No this one killed a kid with a gun. It takes a racist attitude to see racism where it doesn't exist.
          • stevetrojanman, on 11/09/2007, -0/+1BINGO!!
          • objectcode, on 11/09/2007, -0/+1"No, he killed a kid with a toy."
            that was pointed at a cop in the dark. takes a real genius to point a toy gun at a cop
      • groverblue, on 11/09/2007, -11/+31. View "suspect"
        2. Unlatch holster
        3. Draw firearm
        4. Aim firearm
        5. Pull trigger
        Those are a lot of consecutive "accidents."
        • krets, on 11/09/2007, -0/+3Unless their guns were already drawn. The article doesn't give a whole lot of detail.
        • cababika799, on 11/09/2007, -0/+4well to an idiot like you it would seem like a step by step process...but any combat military member or law enforcement official will tell you that it's one single reaction. And it happens in a second.
          But it's nice to sit at your desk and say that isn't it? Pretty easy without ever having done a dangerous thing in your life huh? Yeah I thought so.
          BTW, there's some guy/wannabe girl from Canada in some preceeding post, I think you two would get along.
      • cyberoptic, on 11/09/2007, -5/+21. View "suspect"
        2. Unlatch holster
        3. Draw firearm
        4. Aim firearm
        5. Pull trigger
        6. it's dark
        7. Notice some black kid is pointing a gun at me
        8. its a bad part of town
        9. Ask kid to drop weapon he says no
        10. shoot kid.
      • halobender, on 11/09/2007, -3/+2"Erik Sammis did not violate 12-year-old DeAuntae Farrow"
        Well Erick Sammis does sound white and I don't know any white people named DeAuntae.
    • Aard88, on 11/10/2007, -0/+13Actually West Memphis is in Arkansas.
    • atomicflounder, on 11/10/2007, -2/+7maybe I missed it, but where did the article say the cop was white? Where did it say the kid was black? And, what are Arkansas state troopers doing investigating in Kansas?
      • atomicflounder, on 11/09/2007, -1/+2umm, scratch that, Kansas = Tennesse, yeah
      • UncleRico, on 11/09/2007, -0/+4well, it is not in the article about the color of the people involved, but this happened near me and we hear about it all day almost every day. I live in a suburb of Memphis, and West Memphis is in Arkansas. the child was black and the officer was white...this morning i heard on the news that the family is trying to say that the kid was not carrying a toy gun at all...which is nonsense.
        • stevenb, on 11/09/2007, -0/+1Of course, they're gonna sue for wrongful death.
  • superguysteve, on 11/13/2007, -30/+297Well, if it was a toy gun, it was probably made in China and so the paint would have killed him anyway.
    • insrtracialslur, on 11/12/2007, -24/+5LOLOLOLOL
      • thebellmaster1x, on 11/10/2007, -1/+8I think you meant to hit the "thumbs up" button.
    • cyberoptic, on 11/10/2007, -5/+3HAHAHA yes. thank you
    • DarkSamus, on 11/10/2007, -3/+11another falls victim to lead poisoning
    • MerryMortician, on 11/10/2007, -5/+2FTW! you nailed it!
    • digudown, on 11/12/2007, -5/+5It seems you have too many Chinese toys and Lead has dimmed your brains. Only a dimwit can joke at the death of a 12 yr old!!
    • LostnTransition, on 11/12/2007, -0/+5It takes a bold man to laugh in the face of atrocity. Witty as it was. Probably not the best time. Still funny though.
  • kmlixey87, on 11/10/2007, -33/+38A friend of mine was just involved in an accident was ejected from the car, he survived, but he sat there, face to the ground with a cop on top of him telling him to watch his friend die right next to him. Police officers think that they can do/say anything they want to people. Shouldnt the government fear the people? i dont think its supposed to be like this
    • einstevo, on 11/10/2007, -4/+33did your friend happen to be involved in a high speed pursuit because barring that scenario your story sounds just a little bit ridiculous.
      • ufia, on 11/10/2007, -3/+29No, no. I assure you! kmlixey87 and his friend was simply helping a granny cross the street, on their way to go find a cure for cancer. When the police officer suddenly showed up uninvited, making hail hitler gestures with his right arm, threw a frag grenade into the car, and tackled kmlixey87 head first into the ground while his friend was dying.
        • bingobongony, on 11/10/2007, -0/+1You laugh, but that exact thing happened to a friend of mine.
    • killakan, on 11/12/2007, -1/+19I call *****.
    • comrademikhail, on 11/12/2007, -1/+10What the hell?? More details?
    • objectcode, on 11/12/2007, -1/+9maybe his friend was a drunk driver and innocents were killed.
    • cyberoptic, on 11/12/2007, -2/+9yeah he was probably running from the cops, and "a cop telling him to watch his friend die" was probably somthing along the lines of " see what you did by running from me? your friend is dying, look what you did"
      • objectcode, on 11/09/2007, -0/+3thats probably likely what happen or it was the fact that the driver was 15.
    • kmlixey87, on 11/10/2007, -8/+4The kid i know was sitting in the back seat. his 15yr old friend took his moms car and lost control of it when going 120 on the service drive, making the car go into i-75 at 2am and get hit by another car. stupid kid, yes. ***** detroit cop, also yes. the kid who was driving was the one who died.
      • McMescalero, on 11/12/2007, -0/+1kmlixey87, all the kids in the car were stupid and assholes. Any of them could have done a whole lot to stop that car before it even got started. The cop was telling him the cold, hard truth. Had his parents being doing their jobs right, the cop's words would not have offended him, but validated what he should have already acknowledged in his heart.
    • ZenMojo, on 11/09/2007, -1/+5And here we go again. You're imposing your own details on the story and then coming up with a manufactured scenario. This is the problem with prejudice on its face, it allows cognitive dissonance to fill the gaps until more elaborate details appear. And if this thread disappears from the first few pages never to be found, they'll feel satisfied that the police are all polite and this guy was an idiot.
      • kmlixey87, on 11/10/2007, -8/+4you're thinking too far into it man, and ur kindof an *****. if you need it explained, i decided to comment on a similar story about cops with god complexes. whilst trying my best to leave out tasers, which is not easy to do anymore on digg.
        a cop shoots a kid and i'm the prick.
        • bingobongony, on 11/10/2007, -0/+2You are a prick regardless. You pretty much admitted that with the company you hang out with. Your friend dying is not a loss to anyone.
    • cababika799, on 11/12/2007, -0/+2Well, the cop probably told your friend to stay back because he was injured and because there is very little a bystander can do without medical training except freak out over the victim and possibly cause more harm.
  • wild, on 11/10/2007, -9/+164The thing is, what stops a real criminal from painting the tip of his gun orange?
    • Professr, on 11/10/2007, -5/+10A brilliant idea! I will perform this operation on my PS90 later today!
    • LukeBrdn, on 11/10/2007, -1/+6answer: nothing, there is always going to be a loophole, but we can't make laws for every criminal scheme without stomping the rights of the people they are intended to protect...what a sad case
    • zyl0x, on 11/10/2007, -5/+56Or looking exactly like a 12 year old!? HOW CAN WE BE SURE!!
      • wild, on 11/10/2007, -3/+17Dude, if the kids would stop shooting up their schools, maybe we could trust a little more that it really IS a toy gun.
      • killakan, on 11/10/2007, -4/+6Because there are no 12yo gang members.
        • firechill, on 11/10/2007, -4/+1Guess you haven't been to harlem in the past couple months.
        • kuzotz, on 11/10/2007, -0/+2Harlem really isn't that bad of an area. As long as you mind your own business and don't look like a tourist or you are with someone that is from new york then you are fine.
      • firechill, on 11/10/2007, -2/+14I don't know man. Some of these black 12 year olds look pretty big. Jay-Z for example.
    • objectcode, on 11/10/2007, -0/+11it doesn't work so well when pointed at the 711 clerk with the tip painted orange
      • iRoy, on 11/10/2007, -0/+8That's what she said.
      • stevetrojanman, on 11/10/2007, -0/+4I was waiting for someone to make this assertion...

        The point is...if you point anything that looks like a weapon at anyone, even if it's a toy, it can be argued as an assault at a minimum.
    • firechill, on 11/12/2007, -2/+2OJ is taking notes
    • shredswithpiks, on 11/12/2007, -4/+9are you serious?

      the *thing* is 12 year old kids with orange-tipped guns should not be shot at by police officers. 12 year olds should not be shot at by police officers unless the 12 year old is shooting first. What the hell?
      • 42Vindictive, on 11/12/2007, -0/+5"Hey that kid is running up to us with a weapon? Should we take him down in fear of the safety of ours and others lives?"
        "No, wait till he starts shooting."
        "..."
        • snakevenom52, on 11/12/2007, -5/+1Sounds about right to me.
        • McMescalero, on 11/12/2007, -0/+142Vindictive, exactly. Then the cop would be vilified for not stopping a child from wildly discharging a gun that missed the officer and killed the 19 year old black man two front yards behind the police. The cops can't win for losing.
          Again, if the child simply did not have a gun of any kind in his hand or he was not out on the street after dark, he would still be alive. His parents failed him. Society is failing our defenders -- you know, the police -- by refusing to back them up, by allowing them to be picked off by anyone who goes after them (armed gangstas of all ages, the ACLU, wrong-headed communities who ban suspect chases).
    • RedHairedMan, on 11/12/2007, -0/+2Even if they do that what purpose does it serve? Everyone thinks its a fake? Well then no one does what you say. And you can still be prosecuted just as harshly as if it was a real gun if you're pretending it is and telling everyone as such.
    • bingobongony, on 11/12/2007, -0/+2Nothing to stop them...excpet common sense that you apparently don't possess. Criminals don't WANT their vicitms to think the gun is fake. There is no up side to it. It is less intimidating (whcih is the purpose of having one in the first place) and those that matter (cops, or rival gang members) will treat it like a real gun anyway.
    • drbaker111, on 11/12/2007, -2/+0142 diggs for the stupidest comment ever, shows the sort of people frequenting this site.
  • gjscds, on 11/10/2007, -5/+29They're comin' right for us!
    • Lukesed, on 11/09/2007, -0/+5Thin their numbers!
    • cababika799, on 11/09/2007, -1/+3Ahhh, Jimbo! Great South Park Reference!!!! LMAO
    • Akaricloud, on 11/10/2007, -1/+1This is an article giving a prime example of a deterioration of society liberties and you joke about it? I agree there is a time and place for all jokes, but it probably isn't the best time to joke when a 12 year old was playing with a toy gun and was shot dead for this.
  • joemofo214, on 11/10/2007, -13/+24whatever happened to the fat cops at the donut shops that were too slow to pull out their guns? what has happened to america??
  • npk9, on 11/12/2007, -1/+96This article is lacking many details including pics of the gun!!
    • ZenMojo, on 11/10/2007, -3/+3The thing I can't get over is how so many people ASSUME the kid pointed a gun at the cop even though it's nowhere in the article. Many people ASSUME the cops were in uniform during a "stakeout." Many people ASSUME a lot of stuff that isn't actually there and if you remove all of those elements you have to ask yourself if the story is still as venial as it sounds or if people need to reevaluate their own prejudices (not necessarily racial) about these sort of situations.
      • EuphopiaB, on 11/10/2007, -0/+1Yea, all the article says is they told them to stop, the kid "moved" and the officer opened fire.
  • AshamedAmerican, on 11/10/2007, -18/+21I'm not sure if I agree with no charges, but if this officer has a shred of human decency then killing a 12 year old will haunt him for the rest of his life.
    • Blitzenn, on 11/10/2007, -14/+4You are a dork. There are NO circumstances where it should be alright to take a CHILD's life. There are no statistics to support the common thread of arguement that the officer is right to react that way to a child. There are no overwhelming statistics that state kids under 14 kill police officers on a regular basis. The guy was WRONG PERIOD! He should pay with his life, period.
      • CabesMojo, on 11/09/2007, -3/+3No circumstances? While the loss of a child's life is tragic there are times when a judgment call has to be made. I guarantee the officer did not want to kill this kid, and its a call he will have to live with the rest of his life. You know not to beat a dead horse but there were also no statistics thats people flew planes into skyscrapers on purpose to kill as many people as possible, but it turned out to be a real danger didn't it? You're being ridiculous.
      • UncleRico, on 11/10/2007, -1/+7what? by your logic, if a person over a certain age is in a shoot out with the cops, or goes on a rampage killing lots of people, then it's OK to kill him because its the only way you are going to stop him/her. but if the person in question is a "child" (17 or younger), then they are not responsible for their actions? granted, that's not what was going on, here, but maybe you're not making yourself clear.
      • razrielle, on 11/10/2007, -1/+4So your saying that a young gang member could be carrying an automatic weapon or a explosive device and they can just walk the streets carrying it willy nilly?
      • stevetrojanman, on 11/09/2007, -0/+6Have you ever been to a juvenile hall? There are plenty of teenage, and yes, sub-teenage violent criminals out there.
    • nicheplayer, on 11/10/2007, -9/+14No kidding! He should've just stood there with his gun in his holster and let an unknown person with a real-looking gun bust a cap in his ass. He told the kid to put down the gun, the kid didn't put down the gun. What's a cop to do, take a bullet just to find out whether a gun is real or not?
      • kuzotz, on 11/12/2007, -2/+4well the ***** cop had no uniform had no badge didn't let the kid know he was a cop.. I'm sorry but tell me how this is the kid's fault? I know. Because he is black right? Every black kid in a bad neighborhood should be shot. While every black kid that lives in an affluent area should just be treated like a criminal by default.

        Welcome to America!
        • Zuljin, on 11/12/2007, -0/+1First, did it even say he was black? Not that it matters at all, but I didn't even see that.
          Second, and more importantly, does it matter that he didn't know he was cop? Obviously, it matters in this RARE case (wherein the police officer acted upon reflex and training, not a cold decision to shoot a child who may or may not have been black), but people shouldn't be pointing guns at anyone, cop or not. And even though he was just a kid, when the officer asked him (I'm sure QUITE seriously) the kid should have. Not saying he deserved to get shot either way, but my rambling and poorly-written point is that your first sentence is dumb.
    • andrewsavage, on 11/10/2007, -4/+12You act like he wanted to kill the child.
    • exgiexpcv, on 11/12/2007, -0/+4And if you had a shred of compassion, you might understand that no cop gets up in the morning planning on shooting a 12 year-old child, you witless self-righteous *****.
    • Zuljin, on 11/12/2007, -0/+3Yes, it will. He was just doing his job, saw someone with a gun, did what he was trained to do (training necessary for the safety of the general public (Discluding those who wave guns at cops) and police officers.) This is just one hell of a tragic accident.
      • Akaricloud, on 11/12/2007, -0/+2I agree fully, and the sad truth is, this will infact haunt him for the rest of his life. He had no intention to kill this kid, he woke up that morning and went about his job and killed a child which he will always regret. This is not something you should wish upon anyone (in reference to OP)
  • SirZRX, on 11/10/2007, -37/+6whats wrong with u Americans?
    • MaynardJK, on 11/10/2007, -2/+11I don't know. Is it that we know how to use proper grammar and spelling?
      • joshuagor44, on 11/10/2007, -7/+2o man! u just insulted his grammar! now he knows to pay xtra attention to his spelling on the internet! gj maynard!
      • PURPLEDRINK, on 11/10/2007, -7/+1so by pointing out his mistake in grammar helped change the world for better so that ti can be 1 step closer tot your anal retintive (oops can i spell it like that??) level, GJ.
    • UncleRico, on 11/10/2007, -0/+8yeah, because i'm sure everything is perfect in whatever country you're living in.
    • 666dorado, on 11/10/2007, -12/+2the problem is that they are Americans...

      Americans who think America is the greatest country on earth are SHEEP
      • RedHairedMan, on 11/10/2007, -0/+6Thing is, when you make comments like that, you just further the idea that America is better than your country.
    • CptBuck, on 11/10/2007, -0/+1seriously, did you not just read about the school shooting in Finland?
  • khyberkitsune, on 11/10/2007, -18/+19And this is why I'm getting the ***** out of Memphis.

    After I ***** up the entire city government with my pending lawsuit.
    • RedNeckerson, on 11/10/2007, -3/+10The crime rate is why you should be getting out of Memphis.
    • bbqsalad, on 11/10/2007, -10/+2what if it was a real gun? idiot.
      • ZenMojo, on 11/09/2007, -1/+2If it was a real gun, then the kid would be running away with a real gun in his hand? What if it wasn't loaded? What if, what if, what if?
        • shredswithpiks, on 11/09/2007, -0/+3good point. I don't see how shooting someone who is running away is ever justified. Ever.
    • Shawn4168, on 11/10/2007, -1/+11I bet you're just waiting for somebody to ask "what lawsuit?", aren't you?
      • mortigon, on 11/10/2007, -0/+4Whatever it is (and I don't care)... I doubt it's going to "***** up the entire government".

        Why would a judge (part of the governement), rule in favor of something that would "***** up the entire government".
    • graham12367, on 11/10/2007, -3/+1Your a douche.. no matter how much money you get.
      • Touchy610, on 11/10/2007, -0/+4Why does misspelling always IRRITATE THE LIVING CRAP out of me?
  • Tapewormz, on 11/12/2007, -24/+6Well that's what you get for being a trigger happy society. Everyone is paranoid and on the edge of their seat all the time. The NRA doesn't help matters at all. They hide behind your out of date constitution. So if you can't ultimately ban guns, why not just ban the ammunition and let the NRA have their shiny penis extensions? After all, GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE...BULLETS DO.
    • CabesMojo, on 11/12/2007, -1/+10Haha, you can't be serious. DAMN NRA THEY BE KILLING THE CHILDRENS! Right......so many NRA members gun people down every day......... Good lord.
    • CabesMojo, on 11/12/2007, -1/+8Don't even act like shootings don't happen in Canada, I was just in Canada for work for a week in Surrey and 6 people were shot in gang violence while I was there.
    • cababika799, on 11/12/2007, -1/+6And it's not the valid gun owners responsible for the shootings. It's the criminals who have guns illegally anyway. So all the law will do is take the guns out of the hands of people that are law abiding and use them for personal protection anyway.
      The constitution knew that an armed population is capable of defending themselves from their government.
      And if you liberl-hippie-douche bags are really right about the direction of the country then we are headed towards becoming a police state and the only thing that would protect us from that is a gun-toting general popution.
    • dave11980, on 11/12/2007, -1/+4What part of banning civilian ownership would have prevented this? IT WAS A FRICKING COP WHO SHOT THE KID!!! I got a great idea. Lets let all civilians have guns and ban government possession of firearms world wide. After all governments kill more people in a year than civilians have in the last 100 years all together.
  • parabolee, on 11/10/2007, -20/+5What is almost as disgusting as the tragedy is the horrible pro-gun right wing nut jobs that are defending the cops actions in the comments!
    • yngtimmy, on 11/10/2007, -3/+5Pro gun "right wing". Im assuming your talking about the law of the land that gives you, me, right, left, libertarian (etc) the God given right to own weapons?
    • abuelos84, on 11/10/2007, -4/+2exactly. it's frustrating.
    • cababika799, on 11/10/2007, -2/+4I will say it again:

      It's not the valid gun owners responsible for the shootings. It's the criminals who have guns illegally anyway. So all the law will do is take the guns out of the hands of people that are law abiding and use them for personal protection anyway.

      The constitution knew that an armed population is capable of defending themselves from their government.

      And if you liberl-hippie-douche bags are really right about the direction of the country then we are headed towards becoming a police state and the only thing that would protect us from that is a gun-toting general popution.

      It's amazing to me, you over dramatize the state of the country and in the same breath you'll fight to take away the most powerful thing we have in defending ourselves from that type of government.
      • PURPLEDRINK, on 11/10/2007, -2/+11) they are reformist (ie: not che guevaras), why would they need guns?
        2) obviously, they aren't on the fringe, unlike ring-wing whack jobs who make assinine remarks against a 12 yr old dieing
        3) don't have u a cousin somewhere to go sleep with and some nascar to watch?
        • cababika799, on 11/10/2007, -1/+3Nobody said that this death wasn't tragic or terrible. The kid did nothing wrong. But quit making cops out to be monsters because this one got scared.
          And if you want to play the "I'm a well educated person from the north and you're a hillbilly" game then lets play.
          1) Nascar? It's no my favorite...but I'll take that over your beloved queer-eye anyday.
          2) Cousins aren't my thing...but to be honest...you're sister's such a whore I haven't had time for anyone else period.
          3) Take your elitist "I graduated, sum-cum-in-me, from my local community college and because I contemplate the political comics in the local newspaper I'm going to act like I'm from Harvard" attitude and shove it up every guy's ass you can find because around where you're from they all love it.
    • dave11980, on 11/10/2007, -0/+2"pro-gun right wing nut jobs that are defending the cops???" WTF... do you even know what your talking about??? We all hate cops. After all when they do come for our guns it's going to be the cops that they send.
  • dhVyse, on 11/10/2007, -14/+18If it was an honest mistake then why ruin 2 lives? The cop should be reprimanded and his career as a police officer ended, but he should NOT go to jail for an honest mistake.
    • ghunt, on 11/10/2007, -12/+1right, as long as your sorry for shoting and killing someone it's ok.
      • dhVyse, on 11/10/2007, -2/+7That's not what I said, don't be stupid. No one likes stupid people, don'tcha know.
    • nicheplayer, on 11/10/2007, -4/+6Would it have been called a mistake if the kid had a real gun and was intent on shooting the officer? I don't buy that it was a "mistake," but I think that probably makes it even more damaging for the officer, psychologically. How would you like to live with the thought of killing a boy as a result of following the common procedures in your job?
      • bingobongony, on 11/10/2007, -0/+1You don't buy that it was a mistake?

        So. you are actually coming here, and saying to the public that you think that this cop set off on his shift that night just HOPING that a situation would arise where he could kill a 12 year old kid, simply because he enjoys killing.
    • PURPLEDRINK, on 11/12/2007, -7/+4he shouldn't have been a cop in the first place, do u want people who can make mistakes like that enforcing law to you and your neighbors?
      • NSMike, on 11/12/2007, -1/+3So tell me, who doesn't make mistakes?
        • PURPLEDRINK, on 11/12/2007, -3/+1i know right, like who hasn't done that lol
          at least 4 times anyway
      • anonimuso, on 11/12/2007, -2/+2You talk as if YOU would have known that the gun wasn't real and YOU would have just let the kid run on by without doing exactly the same thing that the officer did. I love you monday morning police officers. It's all too easy to say that you would have done differently, but the fact of the matter is, if that officer had hesitated and the gun was real, he might be dead.
        So get off your high horse, because you are no less likely to make the same mistake had you been there that night.
      • cababika799, on 11/12/2007, -2/+3Couldn't have said it better myself anonimuso. But I will add that although an unfortunate (and very irresponsible, family is mourning the loss of their son. If it was a real gun, his wife and kids would be happy just to have their dad home.
        And as it was already said, if you had to walk around your job all day wondering who wants to kill you, you might have a few "mistakes" on the job too!
        • PURPLEDRINK, on 11/11/2007, -1/+1if you like this cop so much, then why don't u marry him?
    • shredswithpiks, on 11/10/2007, -1/+7*****. people go to jail for involuntary/unintentional manslaughter all the time.
    • jaewon223, on 11/09/2007, -0/+2honest mistake that involves the death of a child... a bit difficult to place any blame in this situation but i dont think i would want to be a police officer if i just killed an innocent child
    • Lythium, on 11/12/2007, -1/+3"why ruin 2 lives? The cop should be reprimanded and his career as a police officer ended, but he should NOT go to jail for an honest mistake."
      Mm-hmm, because depriving a man of his livelihood and his calling is in no way ruining his life.... It was a tough situation and a tough call, and the officer made the only decision any human being with a shred of self-preservation would do.
      • DarkPhoen1x, on 11/10/2007, -1/+2If I ever have any children, remind me to keep them away from you.
    • DrZocktahedron, on 11/12/2007, -1/+1Hitler accidentally started a World War.
      • Akaricloud, on 11/12/2007, -0/+2No... I'm pretty sure he knowingly invaded Poland. It wasn't like he tripped and 1,000,000 soldiers fell out of his pocket into Poland.
        • DrZocktahedron, on 11/14/2007, -0/+1He didn't want to fight for it, he just wanted it.
          Hitler did kill himself for some reason.
  • joyfulrebellion, on 11/12/2007, -13/+4When it comes to children, i think they should teach cops not to aim to kill. I personally feel terrible about this and hope that they will change how the police are to asses threats, like a child with a gun. If that cop really thought his life was endangered he should have shot the boy in the leg, if he where to shoot at all.
    • GrammerPants, on 11/12/2007, -1/+8You don't get taught to shoot for the legs. They are easy to miss and not all cops are sharp shooters. The chest on the other hand is the best place to aim for.

      "When it comes to children, i think they should teach cops not to aim to kill. I personally feel terrible about this and hope that they will change how the police are to asses threats, like a child with a gun."

      You do understand there are children with REAL guns who will actually shoot you right? For all he knew the kid was going to shoot up a rival gang member. Not saying he was in the right, but you can't just take one slant of the story simply because a child was killed.
      • joyfulrebellion, on 11/12/2007, -2/+0Like i said "like a child with a gun." a real one. What im trying to say is that i think when dealing with a child with an assumed real gun. Different measures should be taken then with an older individual. I can recall a number of times when children have been shot when all they really had was a cap gun. Up here in Canada they are starting to use guns that just knock you out, just as effective as a gun but without the mortality.
        • GrammerPants, on 11/12/2007, -1/+1I live in Canada and we don't have a great record with "non lethal weapons" right now. Especially in the recent news. If you see someone with what looks like a gun why should a police officer assume it ISN'T a gun? They put them selves in enough danger already, what are they supposed to do wait until someone shoots at them?
      • cababika799, on 11/12/2007, -0/+2Thats great except that criminals aren't toting bean bag launchers.
        This kid is a sad story, but to try to create all these loopholes that cops have to follow is unrealistic. Firstly, you try hitting a leg as a target. It's not easy! Secondly, you want them to be harder with older individuals? What if the story had said: "Cops shoots 5'8" 12 year old."? Would it be ok then? Or would your next argument be: "Cops should make sure that the individual is capable of producing facial hair before aiming for the big toe."
        We can get really ridiculous with this...but lets not ok?!?
    • GrammerPants, on 11/12/2007, -4/+3You don't get taught to shoot for the legs. They are easy to miss and not all cops are sharp shooters. The chest on the other hand is the best place to aim for.

      "When it comes to children, i think they should teach cops not to aim to kill. I personally feel terrible about this and hope that they will change how the