John Crawford revisited: Surveillance video at an Ohio Wal-Mart shows the moment police fired upon and killed a man who was carrying an air rifle sold at the store. The recently released video appears to show 22-year-old John Crawford III setting the air rifle -- which uses compressed air to fire pellets or BBs-- on the ground before an officer fires two shots into him. The August 5 incident triggered protests from residents and family members demanding the video be released. Crawford is black, and the two officers involved in the fatal shooting are white. Crawford's family asked for a federal investigation to see if race was a factor. Instead, a Grand Jury determined Wednesday that the two officers involved were justified in their actions, despite the new video evidence that suggests Crawford was trying to surrender to the authorities. Police have said multiple times that Crawford refused commands to drop the air rifle, according to the Dayton Daily News. The surveillance video appears to tell a different story. Crawford can clearly be seen dropping the suspected weapon, diving for cover. He then appears to approach the officers, weaponless, before being fired upon. Special Prosecutor Mark Piepmeier told the Associated Press that Crawford picked up the air rifle, which had been taken out of a box and left on a shelf in the store, and walked around while on his cell phone when officers approached and shot him. The Crawford family said they were "disgusted" by the Grand Jury decision to not file charges against the two officers involved in the shooting. More from the family's statement: "The Walmart surveillance video and eyewitnesses prove that the killing of John H. Crawford, lll was not justified and was not reasonable. It is undisputed that John Crawford, lll was in Walmart as a customer and was not posing a threat to anyone in the store, especially the police officers." Hours after the Grand Jury decision, the Department of Justice released a statement saying they were going to conduct an independent investigation into the shooting, according to WCPO. Sebastian Murdock
This has little if anything to do with white privileged or racism. It's more about poorly screened poorly trained cops with either a God complex or are too trigger happy.
I have friends in Dayton and spoke to one this afternoon. One fact is that the kid chose to NOT put down the gun when instructed to do so. So he's in large part responsible for his own death. The recently released video appears to show 22-year-old John Crawford III setting the air rifle -- which uses compressed air to fire pellets or BBs-- on the ground before an officer fires two shots into him. Appears? There is no audio so how many times did the cops tell him to drop it? And there is no proof he was shot after the gun was out of his hands. Just conjecture by a pimple faced writer. Sebastian Murdock is another Huff Post liberal so his article is not unexpected. From his Twitter page: I'm a reporter for HuffPost's Crime and Weird.
Marlene Pinnock, the 51-year-old great-grandmother seen in a video being punched by a California Highway Patrol officer, has settled her case against the agency. Pinnock will receive $1.5 million, according to KTLA. In addition, the Associated Press reports that Officer Daniel Andrew will resign. Ed Mazza