I remember, it was way back when I was a Border Patrol Agent, the agency head (or possibly one of the heads of the I&NS in general) came out with a statement that in essence said the agents were not justified to use deadly force against someone throwing rocks at them because rocks could not hurt us. A new policy came out that we should not shoot at rock throwers. If I remember correctly, it was less than a month later that a Border Patrol helicopter was flying low to the ground in the Chula Vista Sector of California when illegal aliens started to throw rocks at it. A rock evidently hit the rotor blade breaking it and that caused the helicopter crashed (source). Note, that as I recall this was in 1980 and not in 1979 asstated in the linked article but that is my memory speaking just as the article relied on another agent's recollection for the date. Also note that, in 1979 I was not in the field yet, I was at the academy, but my recollection is vivid as to the point that this took place while I was already actually working in the field in Calexico, CA. Then again my little grey cells are not as sharp as they once were once upon a time in the west.
Regardless of the time frame, I do not remember if the pilot or passenger were injured but the potential for them, or for anyone else in the chopper or on the ground under it, to be killed or badly injured was certainly there (just look at the photos in the above linked article). As I recall, the new policy about being unable to defend yourself against a rock thrower, by using deadly force, was rescinded almost immediately after the downing of the chopper.
I also remember having the windshield of my Border Patrol vehicle smashed by a rock thrown at me and glass winding up all over my face and in my eyes. That was because a group of wetbacks threw several rocks at me in an ambush for which they had set me up. I fired on a guy in the group, who was winding up to throw another rock at me, and was subsequently fully justified for having done so (too bad I missed). In another case, a brother agent, in Calexico, was afoot chasing an illegal alien and when he reached a blind corner. The illegal he was chasing ambushed him and a relatively large rock at him striking him in the testicles. They blew up to the size of grapefruits and the doctors at the time considered that injury to have been life threatening and believed he would possibly be sterile after the incident. There are many other cases of people being injured and even killed by rocks that have been thrown at them.
Yet for some reason today - just like with the head of the agency back then - politicians, bureaucrats, race baiting individuals and groups, and sometimes even the public in general seem to think that rocks being thrown at a law enforcement do not constitute deadly force being used against the officers. I just don't get it because they certainly are deadly weapons and when a deadly weapon is used against you it definitely constitutes deadly force. I suppose it is mostly political correctness gone amuck, ignorance or even anti law enforcement sentiment that would make someone believe a rock thrown at an officer cannot seriously injure or even kill the officer.
Such sentiments seem to be in play if the suspect in this linked article was throwing rocks at the police, as claimed by police and witnesses, then ran from them, then turned and appeared as if he was about to throw another (or even grab another to throw). However, the police involved are now the subject of a multi-million dollar lawsuit and the potential for criminal charges against the officers is being weighed. Tell me though, why would the police have been wrong to have shot him if the facts, as I just mentioned them, are correct? Of course, the actual facts could conflict with those I just stated; they are what I have gathered from news reports but my guess is that people are all to ready and willing to hang law enforcement officers even when they were justified in doing whatever it was they did that led to the controversy.
I would prefer to wait for all the facts to be presented and reviewed in an objective manner, unaffected by political correctness, police cronyism, racism and or money grubbing mud-shark lawyers, before anyone makes a decision on this one. I would also prefer that people wake up and realize that if you are going to attack a law enforcement official with deadly force, law enforcement officers involved are likely going to take appropriate defensive measures to stop you and those will include the use of deadly force to defend themselves. Just as you have a right to defend yourself against the unlawful use of deadly force, so too do law enforcement officers have the right to defend themselves.
All the best,
Glenn B
Regardless of the time frame, I do not remember if the pilot or passenger were injured but the potential for them, or for anyone else in the chopper or on the ground under it, to be killed or badly injured was certainly there (just look at the photos in the above linked article). As I recall, the new policy about being unable to defend yourself against a rock thrower, by using deadly force, was rescinded almost immediately after the downing of the chopper.
I also remember having the windshield of my Border Patrol vehicle smashed by a rock thrown at me and glass winding up all over my face and in my eyes. That was because a group of wetbacks threw several rocks at me in an ambush for which they had set me up. I fired on a guy in the group, who was winding up to throw another rock at me, and was subsequently fully justified for having done so (too bad I missed). In another case, a brother agent, in Calexico, was afoot chasing an illegal alien and when he reached a blind corner. The illegal he was chasing ambushed him and a relatively large rock at him striking him in the testicles. They blew up to the size of grapefruits and the doctors at the time considered that injury to have been life threatening and believed he would possibly be sterile after the incident. There are many other cases of people being injured and even killed by rocks that have been thrown at them.
Yet for some reason today - just like with the head of the agency back then - politicians, bureaucrats, race baiting individuals and groups, and sometimes even the public in general seem to think that rocks being thrown at a law enforcement do not constitute deadly force being used against the officers. I just don't get it because they certainly are deadly weapons and when a deadly weapon is used against you it definitely constitutes deadly force. I suppose it is mostly political correctness gone amuck, ignorance or even anti law enforcement sentiment that would make someone believe a rock thrown at an officer cannot seriously injure or even kill the officer.
Such sentiments seem to be in play if the suspect in this linked article was throwing rocks at the police, as claimed by police and witnesses, then ran from them, then turned and appeared as if he was about to throw another (or even grab another to throw). However, the police involved are now the subject of a multi-million dollar lawsuit and the potential for criminal charges against the officers is being weighed. Tell me though, why would the police have been wrong to have shot him if the facts, as I just mentioned them, are correct? Of course, the actual facts could conflict with those I just stated; they are what I have gathered from news reports but my guess is that people are all to ready and willing to hang law enforcement officers even when they were justified in doing whatever it was they did that led to the controversy.
I would prefer to wait for all the facts to be presented and reviewed in an objective manner, unaffected by political correctness, police cronyism, racism and or money grubbing mud-shark lawyers, before anyone makes a decision on this one. I would also prefer that people wake up and realize that if you are going to attack a law enforcement official with deadly force, law enforcement officers involved are likely going to take appropriate defensive measures to stop you and those will include the use of deadly force to defend themselves. Just as you have a right to defend yourself against the unlawful use of deadly force, so too do law enforcement officers have the right to defend themselves.
All the best,
Glenn B
No comments:
Post a Comment