Some naïve people imagine that in situations like this the police should be able to do some kind of “Jiu Jitsu” and snatch the axe away from the woman without having to shoot her. Of course that works better in the movies than it does in real life especially if you are not an athletic martial artist with years of training in such weapon disarms. Even for an expert martial artist its all too easy to get hit in the head with the axe in an uncontrolled real world situation, as veteran police trainers like Massad Ayoob point out. Keep in mid that in such situations the officers are also frequently dealing with people who are abnormally strong and insensitive to pain, like the violently insane and people on mind altering drugs. Such people can even keep swinging an axe at you for several seconds after you shoot a hole right through their heart. Notice how this woman keeps rapidly advancing on the police officer even after he points his gun at her and commands her to stop. Something no sane person who did not want to be shot dead would do. She is clearly beyond reason. Keep in mind also that this woman had already hit a sheriff’s deputy with her battle axe before the officer confronted her. I guess the alternative is to let her stay in a house that she doesn’t own rent free, and swing her axe at anyone who tries to collect rent, evict her or who otherwise riles her up for any reason. What brave new world this is…
______________________________________________________________________________________
Tennessee police released intense body-cam footage on Thursday of one of their officers fatally shooting a woman who ran at him brandishing a medieval-style ax.
According to Reuters, sheriff’s deputies and public housing officials were serving Loronda Sweatt, 40, an eviction notice.
Sweatt became agitated and approached Gallatin police officer James Spray “as she continued advancing and making aggressive movement,” police said in a statement.
Spray shot Sweatt twice.
Spray, along with two other officers, responded to a call from a sheriff’s deputy who accompanied housing officials to Sweatt’s home. Sweatt attacked deputy Gary Pickard with the ax, injuring him. He returned to his car and called for backup.
Sweatt reportedly was bipolar.
According to Reuters, Spray has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation.
Watch the graphic body-cam video below:
No comments:
Post a Comment