Current Events > Alabama police give homeowner one second to respond before killing him

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://apnews.com/article/fatal-alabama-police-shooting-black-homeowner-perkins-d46dc201306633c358a54b050a8c9cfd

An attorney representing the family of a Black man who was fatally shot at his home by police said Friday that officers did not give the man time to respond before they opened fire.
Steve Perkins, 39, was killed by police Sept. 29 in Decatur in a confrontation that began with a tow truck driver trying to repossess Perkins truck. The driver reported that Perkins flashed a gun, so officers accompanied the driver when he went back to the home, police said.
The Decatur Police Department said Perkins turned the gun toward one of the officers, and they shot him. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Perkins had a handgun with a light on it.
Lee Merritt, an attorney representing the Perkins family, said video from neighbors home security systems indicates that officers accompanied the tow truck driver onto the property but did not announce themselves and opened fire within a second of telling Perkins to get on the ground. Perkins did not appear aware of their presence, Merritt said.
In the home surveillance camera video, published by WAFF, an officer is heard shouting police, get on the ground and shots are then immediately fired in rapid succession.

They jumped up. They shouted. ... Pow, Merritt told The Associated Press.
The policy of not announcing yourself and creeping up into peoples onto peoples properties. They will tell you its for officer protection, so that theyre not ambushed, but what they did here was ambush Steve, Merritt said.
In a statement, Perkins family said his truck was not in repossession, which is why he was disputing the tow.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, which is investigating, said Friday that it did not have any additional information to release to the public. It opened a tip line for information.
City and state officials asked for patience during the investigation, which the ALEA vowed would be very thorough and methodical. The agency said the findings will be turned over to the Morgan County District Attorneys Office.
Protests have occurred daily in the north Alabama city since Perkins was killed.
The thing that has been consistent is looking for answers. We understand that. That is something everyone wants and they want answers now. Unfortunately, we dont have control of that, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling told news outlets.
Hundreds of people gathered outside of Decatur City Hall on Thursday night in a vigil for Perkins.
Not only was I his brother, but I was his friend. You have no idea how it feels to be born a protector, and the job is taken away from you, unjustly, and unwarranted, Nicholas Perkins said during the vigil, according to WAFF.

Just another day, another senseless killing by those ostensibly protecting us.

Absolute fucking cowards.

If he's armed, and you know it, you instruct him to drop the weapon. Not announce yourself then shoot immediately.

Tow truck drivers are fucking scum

Jeez, that's fucked...

wackyteen posted...

In a statement, Perkins family said his truck was not in repossession, which is why he was disputing the tow.

And if that's true, that's even worse. The man died because of some company's fuck up.

wackyteen posted...

a Black man

Of course v_v

flashing A gun at the guy and having it out set him up for this. Guy was a threat to the tow truck driver and anyone else there.

you dont pull a gun over property, only to protect human life. The truck was recoverable if there was a screw up, but now someone is dead cause of it.

wackyteen posted...

you instruct him to drop the weapon.

I remember a case where they did.

One of them unloaded as he was following that order and they all proceeded to arrest his wife on top of his still warm corpse.

wow, a whole second?

Smashingpmkns posted...

Tow truck drivers are fucking scum

This seems like an odd takeaway from this story.

texanfan27 posted...

flashing A gun at the guy and having it out set him up for this. Guy was a threat to the tow truck driver and anyone else there.

you dont pull a gun over property, only to protect human life. The truck was recoverable if there was a screw up, but now someone is dead cause of it.

They immediately shot him without even giving him time to put the gun down. That's not a reasonable reaction to the situation at all.

They basically took a shoot first, ask questions later approach on a man who committed a misdemeanor at most.

texanfan27 posted...

Guy was a threat to the tow truck driver and anyone else there

Such a threat that he didn't deserve the chance to respond to an order from unannounced officers?

texanfan27 posted...

flashing A gun at the guy and having it out set him up for this. Guy was a threat to the tow truck driver and anyone else there.

you dont pull a gun over property, only to protect human life. The truck was recoverable if there was a screw up, but now someone is dead cause of it.

This is a bad post and you should feel bad.

HashtagSEP posted...

This is a bad post and you should feel bad.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/5/2/AAPV5JAAEgUY.jpg

GranAures posted...

Such a threat that he didn't deserve the chance to respond to an order from unannounced officers?

if you are waving around a firearm, then yes. I would assume you have the intent to use it.

So what other situations do you support cops summarily executing people without giving them a chance to respond?

Since you support "turning towards a noise" being a justifiable reason.

texanfan27 posted...

flashing A gun at the guy and having it out set him up for this. Guy was a threat to the tow truck driver and anyone else there.

you dont pull a gun over property, only to protect human life. The truck was recoverable if there was a screw up, but now someone is dead cause of it.

In a more reasonable society, sure, but in America white people get away with flashing guns for no good reason all the time.

myusernameislame posted...

In a more reasonable society, sure, but in America white people get away with flashing guns for no good reason all the time.

In a more reasonable society there isn't a "fear" of everybody having a gun or using it willy nilly.

texanfan27 posted...

if you are waving around a firearm, then yes. I would assume you have the intent to use it.

If this event occurred in exactly the way described by the police then they'd have dropped the video for it 5 minutes before yesterday, as they do for every single other instance where the video exonerates their actions. But we're sitting here waiting on video proof of what exactly happened, and the longer we wait then the more we know that these cops ambushed and killed this man in his own doorway.

GranAures posted...

So what other situations do you support cops summarily executing people without giving them a chance to respond?

Since you support "turning towards a noise" being a justifiable reason.

was the victim correct is flashing a gun at tow truck driver over property?

No.

Does that deserve summary execution? And what other instances do you support cops unloading in people before they have a chance to respond to orders?

GranAures posted...

So what other situations do you support cops summarily executing people without giving them a chance to respond?

Since you support "turning towards a noise" being a justifiable reason.

Wouldn't be surprised if he also supported Tamir Rice being drive by'd from the police.

And yeah, if the cop's story were true we would have been shown the video by now.

Umbreon posted...

Wouldn't be surprised if he also supported Tamir Rice being drive by'd from the police.

I'm surprised to see a lack of "why didn't he comply(in half a second)?"

Ill wait for the body cam on this one.

For all we know this could be like Jaheim Mills in Gulfport a few months back.

electricbugs2 posted...

Ill wait for the body cam on this one.

For all we know this could be like Jaheim Mills in Gulfport a few months back.

It really doesn't need a wait in this case. Anyone shot before they can respond was executed.

GranAures posted...

No.

Does that deserve summary execution? And what other instances do you support cops unloading in people before they have a chance to respond to orders?

Its stopping a possible threat. If he was armed, gun in hand, they choose to stop him with equal force. If he hadnt flashed or pulled a gun, we likely wouldnt have a story about his death.

though Im surprised there is no footage yet, normally we have at least civilian footage or dashcam footage.

texanfan27 posted...

though Im surprised there is no footage yet, normally we have at least civilian footage or dashcam footage.

Spoilers: There's no footage yet because the cops know they were in the wrong.

ArtiRock posted...

It really doesn't need a wait in this case. Anyone shot before they can respond was executed.

Waving a gun at a tow truck driver is a poor choice. Until I see the body cam Ill withhold full judgement though.

This could easily be another MaKhia Bryant, Jaheim Mills etc.

texanfan27 posted...

Its stopping a possible threat. If he was armed, gun in hand, they choose to stop him with equal force. If he hadnt flashed or pulled a gun, we likely wouldnt have a story about his death.

though Im surprised there is no footage yet, normally we have at least civilian footage or dashcam footage.

Cor blimey, why don't you just say you wanted them to shoot on sight? How bloodthirsty are you?

If he was actually threatening people with a gun and actually stupidly waved it around directly towards the cops, it might be fair, but this is definitely a wait for all the facts kind of case given usual police screwups in situations like this.

texanfan27 posted...

was the victim correct is flashing a gun at tow truck driver over property?

Considering the driver was attempting to steal his property? While it's questionable if a gun was really necessary, I'm certianly not going to sympathize with the tow truck driver here.

Nemu posted...

If he was actually threatening people with a gun and actually stupidly waved it around directly towards the cops, it might be fair, but this is definitely a wait for all the facts kind of case given usual police screwups in situations like this.

How could someone wave something at someone in 1 second?

So I guess shooting is equal to not shooting and justifies summary execution then.

Hell, him having a gun is enough so why did they even bother giving him an order, right? Just put the threat down when they see him, it's equal force after all. /s

ArtiRock posted...

How could someone wave something at someone in 1 second?

If he actually "turned the gun toward one of the officers," that means he had it in hand and it was being pointed directly at one of the officers, which could happen in the span of a second. Though that also depends on factors like where he was, where they were coming from, his awareness of the situation, ect. And all that's assuming the police are actually being truthful and not just lying to cover up gross incompetence.

texanfan27 posted...

you dont pull a gun over property, only to protect human life.

I feel like this isn't the line the 2A people take, though. Or is it a moving target depending on the shooter and the person getting shot?

Perkins turned the gun toward one of the officers,

Fair, next.

meralonne posted...

I feel like this isn't the line the 2A people take, though.

See also: Castle Doctrine.

Crimson_Corsair posted...

Perkins turned the gun toward one of the officers,

Fair, next.

Prove it

Nemu posted...

And all that's assuming the police are actually being truthful and not just lying to cover up gross incompetence.

You should never assume that the police are being truthful

meralonne posted...

I feel like this isn't the line the 2A people take, though. Or is it a moving target depending on the shooter and the person getting shot?

This is something that was drilled into me from my dad who was a handgun instructor and self defense teacher. Property is replacable, human life isnt.

@granaures

again, a firearm only comes out if you have the intent to use, so by having it out, you are saying you intend harm on someone with it. It is a deadly weapon, not a toy. I believe there are way too many unqualified and untrained people who dont think about what will happen once they draw that gun.

texanfan27 posted...

Property is replacable, human life isnt.

Why do banks have armed security, but schools generally do not?

A_Good_Boy posted...

Prove it

Prove what? Do you doubt the story as it is reported? I can only go off the info that had been provided. The man reportedly pointed a weapon at a police officer, so yeah, if that is what happened, the shooting was justified.

texanfan27 posted...

This is something that was drilled into me from my dad who was a handgun instructor and self defense teacher. Property is replacable, human life isnt.

@granaures

again, a firearm only comes out if you have the intent to use, so by having it out, you are saying you intend harm on someone with it. It is a deadly weapon, not a toy. I believe there are way too many unqualified and untrained people who dont think about what will happen once they draw that gun.

I feel some property is valuable enough to defend. Your home and vehicle I would qualify as such. Home for obvious reasons. Car cause for many they need to have it to get to work in order to provide for themselves and family.

Questionmarktarius posted...

Why do banks have armed security, but schools generally do not?

sadly cause money rules everything and is more valuable to those in charge.

Sufferedphoneix posted...

I feel some property is valuable enough to defend. Your home and vehicle I would qualify as such. Home for obvious reasons. Car cause for many they need to have it to get to work in order to provide for themselves and family.

If your car is being towed you fight that with a lawyer not a gun. Wtf?

electricbugs2 posted...

If your car is being towed you fight that with a lawyer not a gun. Wtf?

Didn't say I'd use a gun. Yeah it's being repossessed like in this case. But someone trying to steal it? Idk what I'd do. Definitely don't trust the cops to get it back for me.

Does remind me of a funny story. Had a family member that did repossessions. He had a dude quit on him after a person pulled a gun and he said wtf man you where a marine and you're scared? Dude replied with the marines gave me a gun to shoot back with

electricbugs2 posted...

If your car is being towed you fight that with a lawyer not a gun. Wtf?

If they have no legitimate reason to be towing it, it's a theft and the owner has every right to treat it as such. The onus is on the tow company to prove they have a right to tow it first.

Sufferedphoneix posted...

I feel some property is valuable enough to defend. Your home and vehicle I would qualify as such. Home for obvious reasons. Car cause for many they need to have it to get to work in order to provide for themselves and family.

If your car is outright stolen (thief broke in a stole it, not going look at it getting repoed) and you were insured, you get a rental and find a new car after going through the process. It sucks, but not worth taking a life.

Everything is your house can be replaced mostly outside family heirlooms, but again is it worth taking a life over them?

you can save a $20000 dollar truck, but Im doing so eat 100k or more civil suits. Again is it worth it?

Trumble posted...

If they have no legitimate reason to be towing it, it's a theft and the owner has every right to treat it as such.

Not with a gun no.

If your car is being towed you fight that through the company or through the courts.

Again, wtf?