If you find yourself asking “what do people mean, or what was Kaepernick hooping & hollering about when it comes to “POLICE BRUTALITY?”, refer to the following video for a stearling example.
Before I go on; yes I know this is a case of someone fleeing law enforcement. Yes, I know they should just stop, & yes I know the officers are “doing their jobs”.
Now that we’ve cleared the normal idiotic rebuttals that accompany these videos whenever they surface; let’s talk about how these cops could’ve handled this. Neither you, I, or the officers knew why the driver wouldn’t pull over. Could be a serial killer, could be someone off their meds, could be someone rushing to the hospital; you just don’t know.
Instead of firing guns recklessly into the vehicle, they could’ve rammed the driver off the road like they’re supposed to. Oh, wait…the sheriff in charge actually says he’d rather shoot & kill a suspect before risking damage to a police vehicle.
Yep, you heard that right. Here’s a few of Shoupe’s orders, via NY Daily News:
‘Don’t ram him, shoot him.’ Fuck that shit. Ain’t gonna tear my cars up. But I got two cars tore up again,” Shoupe was captured saying on another deputy’s bodycam, according to the lawsuit. He continued. “Let me tell you something (Deputy) Gaw, if they don’t think I’ll give the order to kill that motherfucker, they’re full of shit.”
The lawsuit mentioned is in reference to the widow of Michael Dial (the man killed by the police), Robyn Spainhoward, who filed the suit against Shoupe after another officer’s body cam recorded him callously gloating about ordering officers to kill her husband after chasing him over a suspended license.
Dial was unarmed.
Of course, Shoupe, & all other officers were cleared of all charges when the shooting was deemed “justifed”.
This is what makes the Shoupe’s (who is supposed to be the leader on the scene) response so frightening. He immediately took on the chase as a “pissing match” & felt personally challenged to stop this individual by any means necessary, which to him means “shoot to kill” & nothing else.
This could’ve been anyone & if you think this mentality isn’t running rampant throughout police departments in America, you’re living with your head in the clouds.
Flip the page for video of police officers murdering Dial, & Shoupe caught on camera making the comments: