Another Police Shooting. How Could It Happen Again? Here’s How.

America is on fire again. Protests become rioting, rioting becomes looting and burning in the wake of another police shooting.  How in the world could this happen again?

That's the question and we should get answers as soon as possible but without a rush to judgement.  Will that satisfy those taking to the streets and taking that which is not theirs?

In case you missed basic details of the Sunday 8/23/20 incident,  BayNews 9 reports "The man, who has been identified as 29-year-old Jacob Blake, is in serious condition after being transported to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, according to police reports. As news of the event spread — including through a graphic video apparently filmed by a bystander across the street — crowds gathered in Kenosha to face off with police overnight. "

The two police officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave and the investigation has been turned over to the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

The protester/rioter/looters re calling for justice.  What passes for justice today? Is there room or time for due process?

Let's face it, it looks bad as seen from the perspective the video presents but we know little of what lead up to the moment and no details have been released to speak of.

"The widely shared video, which appears to be filmed through a window across the street, shows a man walking toward a car as two officers follow him, weapons drawn. As the man opens the driver’s side door to enter the car, one officer pulls the back of his shirt to stop him and begins to fire. Seven shots can be heard." 

It's tough to watch. Without any other information it appears on the surface as though Mr. Blake was attempting to leave the scene and the police were trying to stop that from happening and they resorted to gunfire to make it happen.  It's a miracle he wasn't killed.

In a news release, officials say they plan to  provide a report to the prosecutor within 30 days, and the prosecutor will then decide whether to press charges. Will that be soon enough for the protesters in Kenosha, Seattle,Portland, Chicago, L. A., et al ?

In the meantime, communities will continue to burn because the only answer possible has to be : A Shooting Of An Unarmed Black Man As A Direct By-Product of Systemic Racism, right?  That's now the conventional wisdom, if you listen to the left.  I mean there can't be any other possible explanation, right?  Well maybe.

This next video is dash cam footage from a traffic stop in Northampton County, Pennsylvania in November of 1917.  A routine police action turned violent, tasers were deployed but proved to be insufficient to subdue the suspect who went around o the drivers side of his car, leaned inside and came out with a gun and started shooting. It was a point blank gunfight with near fatal consequences.

I'm not saying the Kenosha case was headed in this direction but I am suggesting it is possible that the fear of such an incident could have been a factor in the officers decision making process.

"Keep your hands where I can see them".  When the police have to say that it is high alert time for officers who have been trained to be prepared for any possibility to develop instantly.

A few years ago I had the amazing experience of taking a shooting incident training sequenceon a police simulator and I will never forget the rush of adrenaline and all the physiological impacts that brings from what was in essence just a video game.  I can't imagine what the real thing must be like. I'm guessing you can't either.

I will tell you this, I was virtually shot and killed in one scenario for not acting fast enough in confronting a suspect who wouldn't show his hands - he had a gun behind his back.  In another incident an innocent victim was fatally stabbed as a result of my reluctance to act quickly enough to end the threat of a knife wielding person holding a hostage. Too much restraint cost a virtual life.  Now try that in the real world knowing everyone is watching and second guessing your every decision.

Look, if the police overreacted they need to be held accountable- no question about it.

If the officers failed to act without a reasonable amount of restraint, some kind of charges may very well be in order.

At this point we just don't know so we should allow the process of investigation play out.  Protesters need to show restraint. Yah right.

What about politicians?  Where is their restraint in the absence of investigative results?

BayNews 9 reports Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers  “elected officials in our state who have failed to recognize the racism in our state and our country for far too long. ...While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country,” 

How about Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party in Wisconsin.  What calming message did he have? Wilker called the shooting “a symptom of the deadly disease of white supremacy and racism that must be confronted and defeated.”

The truth, not false narrative or hyperbole shall set  us free.  Let's take the time to find it and hope there's some city left standing when we do.

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