7 year old Detroit girl slain by police

[Presentation]

I’m having a hard time seeing this one from the side of the police department. I did not feel good about it before I found out more pieces of information. Now I feel even worse.

#1) The murderer that the police were after was not in the place they broke into, the murderer was in a apartment on the second floor, a fact that just came out. The police originally reported the captured fugitive as being in the home.

#2) Even if the slain girl was not shot dead the flash grenade landed on her and she may have died from these injuries alone. Her body was severely burned from the flash grenade landing on her.

#3) the police had the home under surveillance and knew there were three young children in this home, 7 years old (died) 4 years old and 3 months old.

#4) the TV show A&E reality series “The First 48” was traveling with the police. I have heard (I admit its hearsay) that the reason the police were using such force was to show off for the cameras. Oh, yes, the camera crew did get it on film.

I will NEVER EVER watch A&E again. To make the show exciting I feel they contributed to the death of a 7 year old child, all for ratings of a second tier show on a second tier network.

The cops are responsible.

A&E is responsible.

One thing is for sure, the one who is dead was not responsible. She was only 7. Only 7.

 

[comsnark]

I hear alot about "no knock" raids these days. In these raids, shooting family dogs is standard procedure.

Not sure what the penalty is if you shoot an armed individual forcibly breaking into your home if they have a shoddily written warrent.

 

[LTD.330]

You left out the Judge.

He signed off on highly risky no-knock warrants for two apartments because the police did not know which apartment the suspect would be in. That means going in the police knew they were breaking down at least one wrong door.

"First 48" was there and they have video footage of the police firing into the apartment. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100517/ap_on_re_us/us_police_search_girl_killed

 

[Sua Sponte]

Detroit is a sheethole. I lived there and worked downtown for ten plus years before moving to Ohio. It's every bit as bad as you've heard, especially now.

I have a buddy that is a Detroit firefighter and he says it is getting so bad that the locals will dial 911 with a fake fire report and address just so that they will have a bright-n-flashy truck go screaming by for them to shoot at in the middle of the night.

The cops are largely incompetent. The suburbs pay way more and offer better working conditions so any of the Detroit cops that are worth a crap eventually migrate to where they would raise their own families.

The cops you will see on this A&E show is what's left over.

The city proper is approaching 40% unemployment.

It's a dump...and I say that from Cleveland.

 

[jarhead]

No knock warrants? I'm sorry, but someone comes through my front door without announcement they should pray they're better than me. First of all, it would be the wrong house, secondly, anyone can buy body armor or a jacket that says police on it.
All of this as our troops overseas have pi$$ poor rules of engagement that get our guys killed every day. 9-11-01 was a sad day, but gave our police way too much glory and power.
I was a couple of blocks away from a double police shooting last summer and never saw so many officers in one place. They were swarming after the "officers down" call on the radio. I was blocked in by squad cars and couldn't move for a while. If it were "civilians" that were shot it would have been "ho-hum" we'll get there when we can.
The problem is in this country our system of check and balances in every level of government is gone, ie. there is no more accountability left. When someone wants to bring accountability back they get shot down in lieu of pack and pork money. Ask me how I really feel about the state of our union.
As for the little girl; it's a &*%$ shame that she lost her life because the police are that ill trained and scared. I wouldn't want their job. It's not fun being shot at. But it probably would have been swept under the rug if it weren't for the cameras being there.
Makes me appreciate the good officers.

ok, jarhead is stepping off the soapbox

 

[Rono007]

Presentation said it all at the end of his post. She was only 7.

I have a 7 year old girl.

I hope they all live in Hell for the rest of eternity. The police, the people from the A&E show, and the judge who approved this.

 

[KevRock]

I agree it turned into a no trained cluster-F*&^. I don’t like what happened and don’t agree with their methods.

But…

Rono007, I think the cop that killed the little girl is in his own mental hell and will be for the rest of his life.

jarhead, Police swarm when another Policeman is shot is because the shooter has no respect for the law of the land and is a danger to everyone they come near, if you have no fear of shooting a cop you will shoot anyone and not care. Also, if they don’t act that way it will send a message to all that you can shoot cops with no fear.

 

[douglee25]

What a shame.

The family was up to no good obviously. Did you see the pictures of her father? Did you see the last two finger nails? You know what they do with that, correct?

The cops still had no right.

Doug

 

[NoThanksDad]

What a shame.

The family was up to no good obviously. Did you see the pictures of her father? Did you see the last two finger nails? You know what they do with that, correct?

The cops still had no right.

Doug

Wow!!! You can surmise the family values and activities based on a picture of two fingers? Regardless I don't think the little girl deserved getting shot b/c of it.

 

[ghuskin]

supposedly the mother was fighting with the officer, although this is hearsay.

 

[Rono007]

NOTHING that happened BEFORE or DURING this incident should have resulted in a 7 year old girl getting killed. I don't care what the family was up to, what he does with his fingers, or if the mother was fighting with the officers.

Someone should have done their homework and known who was in the house before they hammed it up for the cameras.

END OF STORY.

 

[NoThanksDad]

NOTHING that happened BEFORE or DURING this incident should ahve resulted in a 7 year old girl getting killed. I don't care what the family was up to, what he does with his fingers, or if the mother was fighting with the officers.

Someone should have done their homework and known who was in the house before they hammed it up for the cameras.

END OF STORY.

+1.

 

[ghuskin]

not saying its justified. just a contributing factor.

 

[douglee25]

Wow!!! You can surmise the family values and activities based on a picture of two fingers? Regardless I don't think the little girl deserved getting shot b/c of it.

Well not just based on this, but I can gather a very large amount.

1. I am familiar with the area. Very high drug trafficing and crime area.

2. Cops aren't granted warrants without good justification.

3. Published data supports #1 with high umeployment figures.

4. It's no secret what finger nails like that are used for.

So yes, I can make a very good assumption based on what I know. This does not warrant a young girl getting killed, but living in a area like that, things like this are bound to happen.

Doug

 

[NoThanksDad]

Well not just based on this, but I can gather a very large amount.

1. I am familiar with the area. Very high drug trafficing and crime area.

2. Cops aren't granted warrants without good justification.

3. Published data supports #1 with high umeployment figures.

4. It's no secret what finger nails like that are used for.

So yes, I can make a very good assumption based on what I know. This does not warrant a young girl getting killed, but living in a area like that, things like this are bound to happen.

Doug

You must be right... just a matter of time... BS....

You're making assumptions based on broad stereotypical generalizations that you have no first hand knowledge about, in a situation where a small innocent life has been taken b/c someone screwed up.

1. The fact that they live in a crappy area is probably undeniable, but how do you know they live there by choice and not necessity.

2. "The cops aren't granted warrants without good justification"? I'm the first one to reach into my pocket and support our brave men and women in blue, but I am by no means ready to support the fact that bogus warrants aren't granted and that the cops are infalable.

3. Do you know that this father is unemployed, and if so are you making the assumption that he's living off the county, state and federal dime? Last I checked the unemployment rate was pretty bad everywhere.

4. As far as this guys fingernails are concerned maybe he does and maybe he doesn't, but frankly I fail to see how this has any bearing on the little girl.

Look I'm not saying that bad people don't live in bad areas, but I'm also not willing to accept the assumption that everyone living in these areas is bad. I am also not foolish enough to think that tragic events don't happen more frequently in these same locations. But I am absolutely not willing to accept the condemning of and individual simply because of where they live,and how they choose to present themselves. You nor I know this guy, his family, his employment status, his history, or lack of, drug abuse. I don't think either of us is in a position to pass judgement without making significant assumptions.

Your original response "The family was up to no good obviously. Did you see the pictures of her father?" is what I'm reacting to. In your post you've condemned the family as though they had it coming to them. Can you honestly say that this is any less tragic b/c it happened in a low income, high unemployment, area than if it had happened in your neighborhood or mine. I sincerely hope that this is not really your intention, but absolutely what I'm reacting to.

 

[douglee25]

I think you're inferring more than understanding the point I'm trying to make. If I've offended you, I apologize. Maybe my statement of 'they were up to no good' could be an exaggeration. I don't know where you grew up or how close you've been to areas like Detroit, but I have. I know what goes on. I've been involved with court cases that deal with $hit like this. Again, I'm not saying this girl had it coming to her. What I'm saying is, the probability of things happening are much greater living in a depressed area like this. I never once said that all people living in bad areas must be bad. Audubon, PA is damn close to farm country. Yes, the area has expanded and people/stores are popping up faster than you can snap your fingers. It's still much different than Philadelphia, PA or Camden, NJ.

Doug

 

[NoThanksDad]

I think you're inferring more than understanding the point I'm trying to make. If I've offended you, I apologize. Maybe my statement of 'they were up to no good' could be an exaggeration. I don't know where you grew up or how close you've been to areas like Detroit, but I have. I know what goes on. I've been involved with court cases that deal with $hit like this. Again, I'm not saying this girl had it coming to her. What I'm saying is, the probability of things happening are much greater living in a depressed area like this. I never once said that all people living in bad areas must be bad. Audubon, PA is damn close to farm country. Yes, the area has expanded and people/stores are popping up faster than you can snap your fingers. It's still much different than Philadelphia, PA or Camden, NJ.

Doug

Again, assumptions.... Audubon PA is far from farm country. For what it's worth, I was born in Brooklyn NY, raised in Long Island, worked every day for 15 years in the deepest dreg neighborhoods of Philadelphia proper, Miami, Camden, and other notably fun cities. I've seen these areas, met the people...good and bad. So yes, I do believe I have an appropriate frame of reference to comment from a point of knowledge and experience.

Above you stated "the probability of things happening are much greater living in a depressed area like this." ...I completely agree, but that's not what your original post suggested. Thank you for the clarification. I don't think you'll disagree that this is a far cry from your original statement.

Of course I accept your apology, as I hoped your 1st post was made in haste and without regard to how it might be perceived, but in a digital world we don't have the luxury of non-verbal cues or the posters intentions.

Joe

 

[NoThanksDad]

My apologies to others reading this thread that you had to put up with my ranting.

 

[keokie]

No Thanks Dad,

You seem to have singled out Douglee for his assumptions. This entire thread is assumptions.

I don't know what happened, but all of the assumptions made in this thread are reasonable in my opinion.... bad decisions by cops/judges/tv producers, no knock warrants in general, excessive force, people living lifestyles that put their kids in danger, the possibility that the story has been reported incorrectly, etc. What happened may be a result of any combination of these things, or something else entirely. Who knows? But I don't think Douglee was out of line giving an opinion of some of the reported events and what facts they might reveal.

 

[NoThanksDad]

You're right... my sincere apologies to DougLee, I'll make no further comments in this thread.