Cops Kill a Kid Holding a WiiMote

[habicore_5150]

kotaku.com/kid-shot-dead-by-cops-witnesses-say-he-was-holding-wii-1526375218

For anybody that's living in Georgia right now, some disturbing news just came up.

Police say that 17 year-old Christopher Roupe was shot and killed because he answered the door pointing a gun. Everyone except the Police say he opened the door holding a Wii Remote.Roupe was shot and killed last Friday night when Police arrived to serve his father a probation violation warrant. He opened the door and was shot in the chest.
Police claim he was holding a gun, something the Roupe family's lawyer disputes. "We don't know where that statement came from", he told Atlanta's WSB-TV. "The eyewitnesses on the scene clearly state that he had a Wii controller in his hand. He heard a knock at the door. He asked who it was, there was no response so he opened the door and upon opening the door he was immediately shot in the chest.

I'm sorry, but with the mentality of those kinds of cops, I can expect them to start firing at me while I'm playing a 3DS, because they'll claim that I've set a bomb somewhere, and I've got the detonator in my hands

What do you guys think of this?

 

[AngstRiddenDreams]

I feel sorry for his family. What a shame.

 

[JoshuaVonFlash]

 

[The Reverend]

Poor kid. This makes me really sad, and really angry. I keep defending cops as not being the bad guys, but it's getting hard to keep doing that.

 

[Ill-Gotten James]

That's horrible. I don't understand how a Wii controller can be mistaken for a gun.

 

[Choop]

That's horrible. I don't understand how a Wii controller can be mistaken for a gun.

Yeah, even if it was in one of those molded gun-like wiimote holders. It looks like nerf or something.

 

[MikeyLawless]

Wow...im speechless yet again. They will walk away unpunished as usual, i assume.

 

[asfeir]

Its strange, because when the police comes to deliver something they dont do it with their guns in their hands, So they surely had the Time to take to take the gun point it and realize that the kids is holding a remote..

 

[Murmel]

They could've just as easily punched the kids hand if they suspected it was a gun, it probably would've been faster than pulling their own guns anyway.

 

[straightshreddd]

Yeah, this report is missing some pretty huge bits of evidence.

The officer says he pointed a gun or bb gun, the others referring to eyewitness accounts of a wii remote. How 'bout telling us exactly what the f*ck was in his hands?

Clearly, they had to have investigated the scene afterward, so they'd know whether or not there was, in fact, a gun or remote in his hand.

That needs to be distinguished immediately. If it was a remote, then this was entirely the officer's fault for neglecting to carefully assess the situation. Also, the report states that they did not answer upon being asked who was at the door. I don't know police protocol, but I'd assume that you have to declare who the hell you are when knocking at someone's door. Or at least say something?

If it was a bb gun and the kid was just trying to be macho or thought it was a friend and was kidding, then I can sort of understand the officer's reaction. If someone answers the door with a gun pointed, one would assume shit was about to go down. The report states she was sobbing, so evidence would suggest that it wasn't intentional and that she felt remorse.

I don't know. It's a sad tragedy and I'm normally first in line to say "F*ck the police.", but more information is needed. The thing that pisses me off, though, is that the info regarding exactly what was in his hand is being withheld when it is crucial to the case. This is leading me to suggest that 5-0 is bullshitting and trying to cover their asses.

If you unintentionally f*ck up, own up to it. The public would rather see that than seeing you f*ck up and then try covering it up by placing blame on an innocent kid.

 

[larry]

I don't know police protocol, but I'd assume that you have to declare who the hell you are when knocking at someone's door. Or at least say something?

this has been my experience with 100% of all law enforcement encounters to date. cops, knock like cops and always announce themselves by jurisdiction.

 

[Krymson86]

Police need to identify themselves as police. That's protocol. Whether its a noise complaint, serving a warrang or busting down a door to arrest someone, police always have to identify themselves as police.

Ita awful that a kid got shot because some cop didn't follow protocol and was dumb enough to think that a bright white wiimote was a gun.

Absolutely terrible, feel so bad for this kid and his family. Police have to be held accountable for shit like this. This was manslaughter or murder in the 2nd degree.

 

[straightshreddd]

this has been my experience with 100% of all law enforcement encounters to date. cops, knock like cops and always announce themselves by jurisdiction.

Same here. You can't just act like your a random person. Otherwise, someone could lawfully point a gun from their home if they feel there's a possibility of an intruder.

to think that a bright white wiimote was a gun.

That's another thing I was thinking about. What if it was the black version of the console/remote? That could also be a factor because at quick glance, it could mildly, somewhat resemble a gun under specific circumstances. Nonetheless, I believe this was caused by pure negligence and the officer should be dealt with.

The station she is employed under should undergo an investigation on how they train officers as well as be reviewed on their practice of standard protocol.