13 Year Old Boy Killed Carrying A Pellet Gun

[Teddy B 17,252]

Calif. Sheriff’s Deputies Shoot, Kill 13-Year-Old Carrying a Pellet Gun

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California community is anguished over the fatal police shooting of a popular, 13-year-old boy who had been carrying a pellet gun that looked like an assault rifle.

This image, released by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department, shows a replica gun that was being carried by a 13-year-old boy in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department)

Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies had repeatedly asked the boy, Andy Lopez, to drop the weapon, but instead he raised it in their direction, police said at a news conference Wednesday.

Only after the shooting did deputies realize the gun was a replica that looked strikingly similar to a real AK-47 assault rifle.

Residents of Santa Rosa, a suburban town of roughly 170,000 people about 50 miles northwest of San Francisco in California’s wine country, were shaken by the boy’s death. Many expressed their grief by leaving candles, teddy bears and flowers at the edge of the field where the teen was shot Tuesday afternoon.

Some community members wondered whether the deputies acted appropriately when they decided to fire on such a young person.

“I’m sure you can tell he’s a 13-year-old boy,” Abrey Martin told KGO-TV. “He’s not some maniac.”

Andy, an eighth-grade student who played trumpet in his school band, was described as a bright and popular student, liked by many in his community, including Lawrence Cook Middle School assistant principal Linsey Gannon.

“Andy was a very loved student, a very popular, very handsome young man, very smart and capable,” Gannon said Wednesday. “Our community has been rocked by his loss.”

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/10/23/calif-sheriffs-deputies-shoot-kill-13-year-old-carrying-a-pellet-gun/

Should the cops have used more discretion before firing at the boy? It's a tough call.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Teddy B

[Danno 1,228]

Depending on the circumstances the cops might have had no choice.

It would be interesting to see what his movements where which prompted deadly force.

We have seen way too many cases where it could hardly be justified.

[Teddy B 17,252]

Depending on the circumstances the cops might have had no choice.

It would be interesting to see what his movements where which prompted deadly force.

We have seen way too many cases where it could hardly be justified.

In the story it says the boy was 20 to 30 feet away from the cops and he turned at them. I agree that there are far too many unjustified shootings by police.

After the deputies spotted the boy Tuesday, they called for backup and repeatedly ordered him to drop the gun, sheriff’s Lt. Dennis O’Leary said in a news release. His back was turned toward the deputies, and they did not realize at the time that he was a boy.

According to the Santa Rosa police, the boy was about 20 to 30 feet from them when he turned toward the deputies with the gun and they opened fire.

[decocker 7,198]

Depending on the circumstances the cops might have had no choice.

It would be interesting to see what his movements where which prompted deadly force.

We have seen way too many cases where it could hardly be justified.

way off base. way way way off base. even for you danno.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Why give your child a gun that looks like that? I couldn't imagine doing that. Parents need to be more careful in our gun happy society.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The community is protesting.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20131023/articles/131029842

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20131022/articles/131029886

[decocker 7,198]

my son has a whole toy box full of plastic guns. whenever he has tried to take one in the car i've been apprehensive.

now i'll be apprehensive letting him go outside with the neighborhood kids to play. cops suck.

[Teddy B 17,252]

Why give your child a gun that looks like that? I couldn't imagine doing that. Parents need to be more careful in our gun happy society.

I'm not sure where the gun originated from, but all toy guns sold in the US are supposed to have the orange tips on them, so that people will know they are toys. This gun did not have that.

[Danno 1,228]

way off base. way way way off base. even for you danno.

Come on...... you are almost there.

How am I off base?

[decocker 7,198]

Come on...... you are almost there.

How am I off base?

'cops had no choice"

[Danno 1,228]

'cops had no choice"

( Thanks)

Actually you are quoting me way out of context again.

I said- "the cops might have had no choice."

IF that were a real rifle in the hands of a nut, who started shooting, those bullets would have cut right through the car door.

This is why I said, I would like to see what exactly the kid did to cause such a reaction.

What his movements were, did he really ignore their commands?

The only thing we have so far is the cops side of the story...... but they could be telling the truth... or not.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Danno

[decocker 7,198]

( Thanks)

IF that were a real rifle in the hands of a nut, who started shooting, those bullets would have cut right through the car door.

This is why I said, I would like to see what exactly the kid did to cause such a reaction.

What his movements were, did he really ignore their commands?

The only thing we have so far is the cops side of the story...... but they could be telling the truth... or not.

what the kid did to cause cops to shoot him? he had a plastic gun in public. what else is there to know?

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

Why give your child a gun that looks like that? I couldn't imagine doing that. Parents need to be more careful in our gun happy society.

this i fully agree with. any pellet gun i've ever owned has always looked like a pellet gun.

I'm not sure where the gun originated from, but all toy guns sold in the US are supposed to have the orange tips on them, so that people will know they are toys. This gun did not have that.

because pellet guns are not toys.

[B_J 2,752]

what the kid did to cause cops to shoot him? he had a plastic gun in public. what else is there to know?

Looking at the picture posted by Patriot, how could the police tell that it was a plastic gun?

I think Janelle is right; why would anybody let a kid have a gun that looks like that?

[decocker 7,198]

Looking at the picture posted by Patriot, how could the police tell that it was a plastic gun?

I think Janelle is right; why would anybody let a kid have a gun that looks like that?

yes, when in doubt, shoot. hell, why not never entertain doubt and shoot first, ask questions later?!

we need to ban plastic toy guns, get a toy gun registry going, public permits..