• DominusOfMegadeus@sh.itjust.works
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    2 months ago

    Even the text description in the article doesn’t sound close to the officers’ testimony. I can confidently say that I have never seen anyone take a cell phone out of their pocket, and thought they were pulling a gun.

      • QuarterSwede@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        The other issue is that they were primed to think he had a gun since they were pursuing him in connection with a shooting. The other problem is he failed to do what most who get killed by cops don’t do, follow their instructions. If they tell you to get on the ground just fucking do it immediately. Doesn’t matter why or what else you think. Follow their instructions to a T and you’re a lot less likely to get injured.

        • Miles O'Brien@startrek.website
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          2 months ago

          follow their instructions

          I’m white.

          I have been stopped, at gunpoint, by cops who were both screaming different things ranging from “get off the bike” to “get on the ground”, “turn around”, “face us and walk forward with your hands out”, and “drop your bag” which for the record was strapped to my back with a waist belt on.

          Luckily another car rolled up seconds later and when one of the cops inside ran over to them they exchanged a few sentences and then the ones that were pointing guns at me seconds before, one says “you’re good to go.” and the first two leave like nothing happened. The ones that came up a minute behind came over and told me someone was purse-snatched at a specific shoe store across town and fled on a green bicycle 10 minutes beforehand. I was about 6 miles away, and riding a red bike

          I fully believe that if the first cops had stopped someone who wasn’t white, or if I had tried reaching for my waist buckle on my bag, they would have opened fire.

          LMAO “just follow their orders” what a fucking joke.

    • mindaika@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 months ago

      Sure, but have you seen a black guy do it while you’re strapped and desperately waiting for an excuse to start shooting?

      • DominusOfMegadeus@sh.itjust.works
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        2 months ago

        Of course! Except that I don’t own a gun, and the excuses for shooting people I’m looking for are neither the same excuses nor the same people as these characters.