Saturday, July 23, 2016

The head of the police union explains that the North Miami cop who shot the black man was actually aiming for the autistic guy next to him playing with a toy truck. Oh, well okay then.

Courtesy of CNN: 

The police shooting of an African-American caregiver, who was lying in the street trying to help an autism patient, was accidental, according to the local police union representing the North Miami officer. 

The officer had intended to shoot the patient, whom he thought posed a danger, but accidentally shot the caregiver instead, said John Rivera, the President of the Dade County Police Benevolent Association. 

Charles Kinsey, a behavior therapist, was shot Monday by police -- an incident which has sparked outrage. Footage released by Kinsey's attorney showed his client lying on the ground holding both hands in the air, next to a 23-year-old man with autism. 

Rivera offered an explanation Thursday, saying that the police officer opened fire because he thought the white individual, whom they later learned is a man with autism, was going to harm Kinsey. 

"This wasn't a mistake in the sense that the officer shot the wrong guy or he thought that Kinsey was the bad guy," he said in a press conference Thursday.

Mr. Kinsey, that black caregiver who was shot, had this to say:  

Kinsey told WSVN that his patient was holding a toy truck, not a firearm. He said he tried to explain the situation to officers. 

Cell phone footage showed Kinsey lying in the street with his hands in the air. 

"All he has is a toy truck," he shouted. "I am a behavior therapist at a group home."

After shooting him the cops rolled him over and placed handcuffs on him.

At this point I do not even care which one of the two people the officer was firing at, because to shoot at either one of them is completely indefensible.

Look I work with clients very much like this young man with the truck, and I can tell you that they would be almost completely unable to comply with shouted requests coming from the police. 

And the more upset they got the more likely it would be that their actions appeared out of control and possibly aggressive.

Police need to have significant training in how to deal with people with disabilities or who are suffering with a mental illness or deficiency.

There is a way to calm them down and often gain their compliance, but I can guarantee it will not happen with guns drawn.

On the other hand I would like to suggest that this Mr. Kinsey be given a fucking raise and perhaps receive some kind of award or something, because that is a dedicated professional, and deserves all the recognition that he can get.

36 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:43 AM

    The cops need to weed out the scared and trigger happy cops. If he was aiming for the patient why didn't he keep shooting till he hit what he was supposedly aiming for and if he shot Kinsey by accident why cuff him. Kinsey asked him why he shot him and the cop said he didn't know if he was shot by accident wouldn't the cop say he was trying to shoot the patient. The police union really needs to stop making up bullshit stories to try to protect bad cops

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  2. Anonymous3:09 AM

    Not a very good explanation. When the victim asked why he had shot him, the policeman admitted that he didn't know why he had done it. So it makes no sense for the policeman to say now that he wanted to shoot the autistic man sitting in the street with a toy truck. Why try to shoot an autistic man? Why not just let the therapist do his job and keep spectators and traffic away from them? American police forces have so much to learn.
    Beaglemom

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  3. Anonymous3:10 AM

    As the mother of a child with autism who at 16 is huge, weighing in at 200lbs and 5.8. He may not answer or obey a simple command. Hand flapping and pacing is a real issue because this is his reorganizing pacing. But to a cop or person who has not seen it. It would look like aggression.
    I now have this to fear for my kid? Getting shot by a cop who gets out of a car and aims a weapon at him? OMG!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:01 PM

      Yes you do bits teslity

      Delete
  4. Anonymous3:12 AM

    The cop is claiming they heard nothing..yet shout orders and then fire?
    That is like when they tasier someone and then start shouting "don't move,stop resisting" for show. When the body is twitching from the volts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6:20 AM

      Hard to believe the cops didn't hear anything when it is clear on the cell phone. They need to tune up their spin. Fail.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous3:42 AM

    How could it possibly be any better for the cop to say he was shooting a man sitting quietly on the street? Neither man (the one lying down with his hands in the air, the one sitting cross-legged) was a threat to either cop. Also, if the armed cop is such a bad shot that he shoots at a stationary target and MISSES, how can he be licensed to carry a gun?

    I do agree with you that Mr. Kinsey needs a raise, a commendation for going above-and-beyond for his patients (he literally took a bullet), and all his medical bills paid by the police. If I were on the jury, I'd also award him a whopping pain-and-suffering fee.

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  6. Anonymous3:45 AM

    He says that but it's not true. The police have binoculars and sites on their guns. Why can't police handle situations without guns?

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  7. I thought that cop needed to be fired after the shooting of the therapist, but following that explanation, the WHOLE DEPARTMENT needs to be replaced before they commit genocide on all the people of color in their jurisdiction. And you are correct, that therapist went above and beyond.

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  8. Anonymous4:55 AM

    Where do they go from here - reassuring us that handcuffing accidental shooting victims is dept policy? Or maybe claiming that handcuffing him was also an accident? Using their first statement as a standard for truthiness, they're free to go anywhere.

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  9. "Police need to have significant training in how to deal with people with disabilities or who are suffering with a mental illness or deficiency."
    -------------------------
    This is so horribly true. Too many families in recent years have called 911 to report needing help with a mentally ill family member, only to have the police be the first on the scene and ready to shoot to kill the "threatening" ill person as a first step. There does not seem to be a policy of trying to de-escalate the situation, consulting with mental health professionals, or attempting non-lethal means of control first.

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  10. Anonymous5:30 AM

    This is heartbreaking, in the United States of America, the police are using our men as target practice, AND GETTING AWAY WITH IT!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous10:18 AM

      Literally. (This is the same police department, too)

      http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/01/15/miami-police-target-practice-mug-shots-blacks/21834491/

      Delete
  11. The facility where the man works offered to train the police department in handling special needs folks. The police department turned them down. Now that there has been an "incident" maybe they will change their minds.

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    1. Anonymous9:09 AM

      Have you heard the NPR one where the bipolar guy was shot IN HIS HOSPITAL BED? And his father, the M.D. wasn't listened to? Oh yeah, he's not a white American.

      Because the hospital hired police - untrained in psych at all, as security. And of course, it was Texass: (good listen)
      http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/579/my-damn-mind

      Delete
  12. Anonymous6:12 AM

    What bullshit! Another cop and his backers lying AGAIN about shooting a black man (and I'm a white woman typing this!).

    Do cops and their unions really think Americans are stupid? Thank God, we have videos today, but cops are stilling getting away with these actions!

    White cops STOP shooting unarmed black men and boys that tell you they are not armed - put their hands/arms up, etc.

    I get more and more appalled at their actions every day!

    Cops - stop being racists! You are blatant about it and it's sickening!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous7:55 AM

      You hit it right there, 6:12! There have been studies about this in the last year or so that clearly show that White Supremacists have infiltrated our police departments in masses since at least 2006. There are more and more police departments that actually admit they have a White Power problem. If I recall, the SF PD found out their problem from graffity in their police departments, and fired at least three cops so far...

      Delete
    2. Anonymous9:10 AM

      While I wouldn't do anything proactive about it, I really find it hard to muster any sympathy fro Blue Lives when they Keep taking Black Lives without cause.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous6:17 AM

    Wait. If the cop intended to shoot the autistic patient, why did they put Kinsey in handcuffs after shooting him "by mistake?" Makes no sense.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:11 AM

      Cops = Bad shots - with guns or logic.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous6:19 AM

    What is wrong w/our police forces across the country? They shoot to kill these days before they do anything else! Especially when it involves minorities!

    I remember the time when guns used by cops were used to maim vs kill. But, no longer! It's sick what is going on today! It's automatic that cops kill - it's almost like it is 'open season' especially when it involves blacks!

    A cop is the last person I'd call for help at my home...my preference will be family members and neighbors!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous6:21 AM

    Oh, and a high ranking police officer is also suspended related to this shooting?

    "Police also announced that another, high-ranking officer, Commander Emile Hollant, had been suspended without pay after he gave "conflicting" statements to investigators about the shooting." http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/north-miami-cop-suspended-for-giving-conflicting-statements-in-charles-kinsey-shooting-8621774



    Well let's see. What could possibly explain this kind of police incompetence?

    Maybe this?

    http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/two-months-before-charles-kinsey-shooting-chief-resigned-and-north-miami-police-failed-state-test-8620562

    More info
    http://www.votersopinion.com/2016/06/18/chief-lennys-incompetence-the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving/

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the links. Fascinating and infuriating.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous8:40 AM

      Here's another couple of links.

      Problems with the North Miami Beach Police sniper training not too long ago. Not that this necessarily had anything to do with the apparently needless shooting of Mr Kinsey.

      "What the soldiers discovered when they entered the range made them angry: mug shots of African American men apparently used as targets by North Miami Beach Police snipers, who had used the range before the guardsmen.

      Even more startling for Deant, one of the images was her brother. It was Woody Deant’s mug shot that taken 15 years ago, after he was arrested in connection to a drag race in 2000 that left two people dead. His mug shot was among the pictures of five minorities used as targets by North Miami Beach police, all of them riddled by bullets.

      “I was like 'why is my brother being used for target practice?'" Deant asked."
      http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Family-Outraged-After-North-Miami-Beach-Police-Use-Criminal-Photos-as-Shooting-Targets-288739131.html

      The practice was quickly banned.

      "Residents demanded the chief’s resignation and called for the city to apologize for the practice, which came to light after a Florida Army National Guard member, who was at the Medley shooting range last month for training, spotted a photo of her brother laced with bullet holes in a garbage can at the range.

      After nearly two hours of public comment, the council passed a law to permanently ban the practice and review the police department’s policies. Dennis came into the chambers about an hour into the comments, but did not address the crowd."

      http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/north-miami/article7836504.html

      Delete
  16. Anonymous6:49 AM

    Any police officer who shoots or beats someone should immediately be tested for drugs and alcohol.

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  17. Marthe7:08 AM

    This cockamania story doesn't hold water. If the officer wanted to shoot the autistic man, why did he hancuff the therapist then if he was an accident? I didn't know how they would spin this one to absolve the officer of any wrong doing, but I knew they would try. They're grasping at straws here but with Pam Bondi as Attorney General in Florida, the officer has an excellent chance of getting off. She's an expert at dropping charges when it suits her (Trump U). After her appearance at the convention, we all know that the only person that she wants to lock-up is Hillary, no proof required to lock her up.

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  18. We can no longer have this conversation because any criticism of a cop is an indictment of all cops.

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    1. Anonymous9:14 AM

      Try me. Perhaps it is time to indict all non -college educated police. They either get their degrees NOW, and psych training and racial and other sensitivity training, or they lose their jobs. And, we go back to presuming innocence before guilt of anyone the police shoot. The cops have to provide justification.

      Delete
  19. Anonymous7:48 AM

    I remember reading that the cop - at first at least - could not give a reason at all why he shot the black guy. So, this story by the police union is a made-up story to cover this cop's a$$. Also: if the cop wanted to shoot the white guy,mthen WHY did he turn the shooting victim over and handcuff him? Wouldn't he much rather handcuff the 'intended' recipient of his bullets?!
    I call totall bull$it! And I hope, Mr. kinsey's attorney has the wherewithalls to do the same and point to these facts!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous8:32 AM

      That's what I was going to say.
      "Why did you shoot me?"
      "I don't know."

      Delete
    2. Anonymous8:41 AM

      He was thinking, "the guy looked like all the targets we shoot at in training, maybe that's why I did it???"

      He can't say that though.

      Delete
  20. Anonymous8:57 AM

    The sister of the patient said he was handcuffed and placed on the back of a police car for hours. He is now in the hospital with nightmares and on shock bevUse he doesn't understand why Mr Kinsley was shot. Why did it take 20 mins for an ambulance to get to him and why was he handcuffed. The officer who sjot him is a SWAT team member. They have yet to apologize for shooting him.

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  21. Anonymous9:00 AM

    Less needed, not more. Job applications to the force have more than quadrupled
    http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Dallas-Police-Job-Applications-Skyrocket-Since-Shootings-387995602.html

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  22. Anonymous9:03 AM

    And then they handcuffed Kinsey after he was shot - yeah standard police procedure to handcuff the wounded victim - BULLSHIT!!!

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  23. Anonymous9:48 AM

    Fucking pigs.

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  24. Anonymous10:40 AM

    Time to require MUCH more scrutiny in the hiring of police officers. THEN a 4 year probationary period before they can be let loose by themselves on the public.

    Background checks, including on social media, for any white supremacy activity in the last 20 years would be a must.

    ReplyDelete

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