Suspect Shot and Killed By Deputy (mentally ill man, Columbus Ohio)

Suspect Shot and Killed By Deputy
Dec 28, 2005, 05:01 PM


Reported by Eric James

....

Deputies were trying to serve paperwork from probate court for 23-year-old Nasir Abdi to return him to a mental institution.

After they found Abdi, deputies say he pulled a knife and lunged several times.

Deputies maced Abdi but that didn't work and 28-year old Deputy Jason Evans fired a single shot, killing Abdi.

Witnesses to the shooting say they never saw a knife and call the shooting unjustified given Abdi's mental status and the fact that deputies were aware of it.

http://www.10tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4294263

I was married to one for many, many years, he would never have killed a guy with a KNIFE. A Knife is a deadly weapon but so is a brick. Shit.. I guess any excuse to kill someone. Where is the courage of the police anymore?

If not, they are murderers.

As a former copy myself I agree that you don't mess around with someone who wants to attack you - be they mentally ill or not.

What one would hope to find in discussing incidents like these are how can we do better, and especially so at protecting the mentally ill from being shot when they go a little crazy.

The police depts know they have to deal with people like this - those who do not make sound judgements because they are not always able to do so. One would hope that they would take the time and effort to develop better ways to equip their officers to deal with such things.

I remember once when I was working security (armed) alone at an abandoned apt building. I heard a noise on my rounds in one of the apartments and was scared as heck (they had found a body there week before and someone had shot at one of our guards). I went in with gun drawn and flashlight and had someone with a knife popped out I probably would have shot them then and there without a thought. So I understand the fear factor and desire to self preserve.

But - in this case (and the other one being discussed) the situation seemed more controllable and better options could have been implemented. I don't fault the officers here, I do however see room for improvement in how things are done on a broader scale (training, non-lethal weapons, et al).

Cutting taxes seems to be hurting efforts to save folks (and in other things). The RW only seems to see good cop kills bad guy, me I see that as well and then ask - how can we improve the performance of the good cop so he/she does not have to kill while maintaining their safety first?

They could have difussed the situation in no time I'll bet.

Plenty of times as a Psych social worker all i had to do is tell them is "knock it off." We had a guy who was threatening someone with a knife and I just told him to give me the knife and grabbed it away from him.

Most of the time - it's just "acting out" on their part. They want someone to help them. All you have to do is ask them what they want and help them.

Is this not the kind of situation they were designed for?

How sad...we taser little kids but do not use them when it is absolutely appropriate to do so.

Bassakwards.

He is in his 70's with alzheimers and had an axe and was threatining to kill himself or the cops. They tasered him, dropped charges, and he is home now being taken care of by his wife.

thankfully.

They better produce the knife and fast.