Fort Worth officers are claiming in affidavits that they killed an innocent man, Jerry Waller, 72, after going to the wrong house on a burglary charge and mistook Jerry Waller, 72, in the poor lighting at 12:51 am. The incident is drawing criticism and calls for an independent investigation of the two rookie officers.
The home did not have outside lighting and the officers used flashlights to investigate. The encountered Waller near the corner of his garage. The officers insist that they declared themselves to be police and ordered Waller to drop his handgun. They say that he disobeyed their commands and pointed the gun at them. There is no record of Waller actually discharging the weapon.
Both officers have been with the Fort Worth Police Department for less than one year.
One discrepancy is that the officers said that they encountered Waller “at the back of his house near the garage and driveway.” Yet, the autopsy report says that Waller was shot in his garage. That is a significant difference since the chances that they are encountering a homeowner is higher inside the home.
Of course, the officers can argue that even a homeowner can be a threat to their lives if he is pointing a gun at them and not responding to police commands. The problem is that there are only three witnesses and Waller is dead. The only basis to challenge the account will be forensics if the trajectory of the bullet and location of the victim conflict with the sworn statement of the officers.
Source: Daily Mail
The best way to stop an old guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.
davidm2575,
“…they must be trained to avoid this kind of dangerous behavior that results from the authority given to them.”
You mean, like the entire population of Florida, who “…basically have a license to kill…”?
What could possibly go wrong?
In related news:
http://www.duffelblog.com/2013/07/george-zimmerman-joseph-kony/?utm_source=The+Duffel+Blog+Email+Newsletter&utm_campaign=f2ca45a7ad-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6128900c72-f2ca45a7ad-23602325
I have to go with the consensus that this doesn’t pass the smell test and say “rookie screw up/cover up”.
Two rookies is a key fact. Two rookies should not have been on the scene w/o more experienced officers present. I know folks like to make this a philosophical case. Philosophical arguments are always important. However, first one needs to look @ the facts causing this tragedy. Two rookies, IMO, tops the list. Then wax philosophical.
I am shocked by the number of comments wanting to disarm Mr. Waller, as if that would somehow offer him more protection. The fault here is not Mr. Waller arming himself, but trigger happy policemen who now are probably lying to cover up what happened. Police basically have a license to kill, and they should be trained to show more restraint. They bark orders at people and assume that the people they bark orders at fully understand what they want them to do. When they don’t comply, they get rough and tough. It happens all the time. It is human nature, and they must be trained to avoid this kind of dangerous behavior that results from the authority given to them.
TxMomsUnited,
Bingo!!!
The homeowner was found dead with a gun. The statement that he had the gun before he was dead comes from the police who shot him. I would be less unhappy if there was coborrabation of that and I did not suspect that before the shooting there was a homeowner with no guns and two cops with three guns.
Officers should be taught that guns can also maim and disable the attacker. They currently think guns are only for killing.
We continue to militarize police departments. Sad.
Shoot first, make up lies later.
This has been going on ad nauseum in communities of color for years. Maybe now that it’s happening to white middle class folk, more people will start paying attention and fight for the demilitarization of our “community” civil police.
There is nothing about a situation that the cops can’t make worse. In my city of Madison, WI, a cop recently killed a musician who was drunk and went to a neighbor’s house thinking it was his. The homeowner called 911 before recognizing his neighbor. He was walking the guy home when the police showed up and shot the guy! Of course, a police “investigation” exonerated the officer. It was through public outrage that the officer was forced to resign but only after other “bullying” incidents came to light.
http://www.nbc15.com/news/crimetracker/headlines/BREAKING-NEWS-Officer-Involved-Shooting-In-Madison-178068981.html
Once again, the officers had an opportunity to use their tasers………..
Live by the gun, die by the gun. RIP Jerry Waller
The faster we can arm our society, the faster we can achieve the Libertarian ideal, like Somalia.
He was shot inside of his garage and the officers are trying to cover this ou with lies….
I don’t trust the police either in their testimony when their competence, or what they are trying to prove, is at question.
Unfortunately, the professional and official deciders of these things automatically give them a presumption of credibility and of good faith.
That causes them to win in circumstances where no civilian would ever have prevailed.
Sounds like the officers have violated this mans Federal Civil Rights. I am certain President Obama will not stand for this. I expect he will make a speech or comment on the matter tomorrow. Otherwise, I agree with Justice Holmes.
Here is a clear message for NRA. GUNS DON’T SAVE; at least not among a trigger happy group of people and officers in this country.
Unfortunately I don’t believe the police. I say unfortunately because this has become my default mindset when listening to stories like this. Police are no longer trust worthy or competent. I don’t beleive they identified themselves. I don’t beleive any of it.
My deepest sympathies to the family of this man. I wish I believed something will actually happen that will make a difference going forward but I don’t beleive it.
Becuase calling the police can and often does put you and your family at risk what is a law abiding individual to do?
Hmmm…. Your Florida trigger happy police article followed by a Texas article of the same nature. Between stand your ground laws, give everyone a gun mindsets and shoot em’ up cowboys, these type of reports should become even more commonplace.