Bodycam Footage of Florida Deputy Shooting Air Force Airman Released

That’s really your position? No problem answering the door with a gun in your hand? Is that what you would teach your kids as a good practice?

Why is it that everytime time a gun enters the discussion, everything else becomes a problem except the gun?

 

The police officer was clearly avoiding and walking away from the peephole each time he knocked. He purposely did not allow the Airman to see who was at the door.

 

I dont know, I'd feel like shit if I called the cops and they killed a guy that didnt need to be killed. I'm not suggesting they are more culpable than the cops for what happened, just that I'd feel sick about it.

 

Come on now. Have you looked through a peephole? They are very wide view. The officer was standing right in front of the door. He was retrieving to point his gun. It’s impossible he wouldn’t see him though the peephole. Not to mention he twice very loudly announced himself.

 

Of course. I would feel terrible too. But saying she has blood in her hands is a bit much. Again, I’m assuming she acted in good faith. If she is crazy and imagined the whole thing, then she does have blood in her hands.

 

It is his home and if he feels there could be a dangerous person at his door or if he just feels like answering the door while holding his gun he has every right to do so. Whether I would do it or teach my kids to do it has nothing to do with his right to do it without being killed. And to answer your question there could very well be times I would not answer my door without a firearm in my hand of within my reach. It would depend on the situation of course. Maybe there was a reason he felt he needed to that none of us know about. Either way the cop had no right to open fire on him when he did.

 

"I have a right to possess a gun to defend myself and my property in the event of an armed intruder"

"Nope, not like that"

 

Someone who is literally crazy would be less culpable in my view, they cant think rationally. Would be even more tragic and bleak. But anyway, maybe a bad choice of words on my part, but dont know a better way of saying it. Feeling terrible implies some feeling of guilt/responsibility for what occurred, I think.

 

Who’s arguing it wasn’t his right? We all have the right to do really dumb shit. Like opening a door holding a gun. You are going to have to educate me on what situation calls for opening the door, but only if you are holding a gun.

 

The problem here is that so do the cops, and theirs is going to win out 100% of the time. Guns are a trap.

 

I am not going to try and educate you on anything. I am sure I would not be up to the task just judging by your post.

 

FYI... This is the same department that shot up their own cruiser, with a man handcuffed in the back, because of an acorn...

 

Clearly a few bad acorns (er apples) in this department

 

Trained to assume the absolute worst possible scenario. Leadership heads should roll.

 

They will get new leaders who will teach them the exact same thing

 

They won't. We're talking about the police, here.

 

You might want to watch the video again. The officer went way off to the side after he knocked, several feet outside of peephole view. During that time, the Airman was likely not in front of the peephole and was walking towards the door. The officer then walked back over to the door and announced himself, but the Airman was likely now already in front of the door holding his weapon and just decided to comply with opening the door as directed. When the Airman retrieved his gun initially, he had no idea who was there, and also there was nobody in front of the door to see.

I don't think it was the best idea to answer his door with his firearm like that, but he was probably thinking, "I'm not breaking any laws and this is my home."

 

So, what's the point of having a firearm for home protection if you can't answer door with it if you feel threatened? I don't think it was the best decision, but to call it "really dumb" is a bit of Monday morning quarterbacking. What if it was an intruder and he was able to successfully defend himself? Would it still have been really dumb?

And before you say... well the police officer announced himself, then I guess every robber or person intending to do you harm should announce themselves as police going forward to disarm you.

 

I’m not sure if anything has changed since I attended the academy in 1977. I was taught to not stand in front of a door while answering a disturbance type call where violence was reported by the caller. Reason being if whoever is inside has a gun and is angry they most likely shoot through the door. Stepping to the side is the safest way to wait for an answer.

Today many moons after 1977 and at age 71 under the same circumstance, I would tell the “supposed” deputy if he wants inside to get a search warrant and not open the door. I’ve answered my door before with a gun in my hand but it was hidden behind my back so as not to alarm the person at the door.

 

We are all speculating here. And we will unfortunately never know what he did or didn’t do, or what he was thinking. But I count 6 seconds between the time the officer moved right in front of the door and before the victim opened the door. It’s also during that time that the officer knocked again and clearly identified himself.

But whether he looked through the peephole or not, heard the officer or not, I’m still puzzled by his decision to open the door holding a gun. Completely avoidable situation if a couple of people made different decisions.