Video and article on killing of unarmed suspect who refuses to stop advancing on officer.
“García Villalpando had been drinking and had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit. Clark tried to stop him after spotting him in a car while responding to a burglar alarm. García Villalpando led Clark on a [dangerous] chase about 6:30 p.m. along busy State Highway 121 until he stopped on the shoulder in Euless [TX]. Dashcam video released Monday shows García Villalpando getting out of his car and putting his hands on his head. Clark, who remains by his patrol car while waiting for backup help, repeatedly orders García Villalpando to stay by his own car. Instead, García Villalpando slowly walks toward the patrol car while the officer repeatedly yells for him to stop.Two shots are heard a few seconds after García Villalpando walks off camera.”
Ordinarily, I’d argue that, if the officer had a Taser, he should have tased the suspect first. However, the officer was in his vehicle which MIGHT have made it difficult to draw or use his Taser before the suspect got too close for comfort. Further, what if the suspect was deaf, or otherwise impaired and couldn’t hear or understand the officer? The grand jury refused to indict.
Yeah, it's a shame that cop cars don't have a reverse gear, which would have enabled the officer to back away and gain the necessary time to get to his Taser or to a night stick.
ReplyDelete"I was afraid he'd break the car's window, so I had to shoot him."
Art
I'm not sure it would have been that simple Art. With fast moving highway nighttime traffic behind the officer and a steady moving suspect closing the distance, there was little wiggle room. IMO, the grand jury made the right call.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that lethal force should be the first option. There was more than enough time to use less than lethal force first.
ReplyDeleteWhile the loss of life is tragic, the officer's dash cam showed lethal force used as a last resort. I'm sure this LEO didn't want a lasting video of his own demise while in a physical struggle with an unarmed suspect. It's enough to deal with the unfortunate outcome.
ReplyDelete