Link:According to police, Sarah Maebell Rodgers stole a Maxx Action toy revolver from the Corvallis Fred Meyer store on Tuesday night and removed the orange safety tip from the barrel to make it look more like a real gun, then came to the downtown Law Enforcement Center shortly before 9 p.m. with the intention of provoking an officer to shoot her. After circling the building, she spotted a patrol vehicle parked on Southwest Jackson Avenue with its lights on and an officer inside. At that point, police say, Rodgers kicked the bumper of the patrol car to get the officer’s attention while holding the gun at her waist.
The officer got out of his car and used the vehicle as cover while he called for backup. Aiming his own pistol at Rodgers, he ordered her to drop her weapon and get on the ground, but she refused. Instead, according to Wood, she told the officer, “Shoot me.” When additional armed police officers came out of the building and approached her, however, she dropped the toy pistol and was taken into custody.
http://www.gazettetimes.com/albany/news ... f9dcc.html
This individual is not on a good trajectory, sadly. I hope things turn around for her. My editorial take is this: She's mighty lucky to be alive. I wasn't there but it seems that the officer involved showed huge restraint. I don't usually comment on police shooting threads because I have mixed feelings.
On the one hand, I think police have a difficult and dangerous job; I don't envy an officer who has to make a decision to shoot or not when faced with a situation that easily could put themselves or others in danger depending on how things play out. I appreciate the work that officers do, and recognize that it is difficult and oftentimes thankless.
On the other hand, bias does exist even in the best people and goes right on up to the ugliest racism. I come from a place - Los Angeles - where problems with the police force have been systemic and not just individual. While currently in a reform period, LAPD infamy goes back decades. I don't doubt for a second that there are bad cops out there, capable of corruption and worse. Those should be prosecuted.
On a side note, one of the comments below the attached article is from 'kilgore trout.' Is that one of our very own, or just a popular handle?
But at least the cops used talking, not shooting. That should become more common.
