Update (8/28/20): Jacob Blake was unshackled and guards left the hospital after the arrest warrant against him was vacated. Story here.
His family was outraged over the ankle cuffs and guards. Read story here or watch video below. They claim he committed no crime and only broke up a fight between two women.
Police dispatch records say “officers responded to a complaint from a woman saying that Blake was not supposed to be at her residence and would not leave. She also said he had taken her keys and would not give them back” (read that story here), suggesting he was the subject of the 911 disturbance call. And the updated story (link above) indicates the warrant was issued because he allegedly forced sex on the woman in her bedroom. The confrontation with police led to additional charges. And since the shooting, we’ve learned there was a knife within his reach when he was shot, although the police haven’t said he was reaching for it.
But where did they think he’d flee to? Some tropical paradise to be cared for by Caribbean medical students? I think I know why they shackled him: Bureaucracy. It’s policy. In the manual. So they had to. My evidence? Removal of the shackles coincided with lifting of the arrest warrant.
Behind this policy is not only risk to public safety if a prisoner escapes, but also potential legal liability.
Fellow officers say the cop who shot Blake isn’t a racist. One described a “sense of futility” in trying to defend him. “To come out and say he’s a really solid cop and really good dude, it’s gonna fall of deaf ears because he shot a Black guy,” the officer said. “I don’t think there’s anything that I’m gonna tell you that’s gonna make a difference because people believe what they want to believe.” (From second story linked above)
As horrible as this is, the shooting is good. Nothing there violates policy and no cops should be fired let alone charged. It is policing in America. It shows why police should not be issued guns routinely. No gun and bily clubs would have gotten the job done. Law enforcement over relies on fire arms, but officers are authorized to kill with firearms.
The shooting is good??? I’m tempted to delete this hideous comment under Para. C of the Commenting Policy for advocating violence, but decided to leave it up so everyone can see what kind of person you are. If you decide you were hasty and wish to revise your statement, I’ll delete it as a kindness to you.