Last night, around 6 p.m. we popped out for ice cream and along the way encountered a police detour. The roadblock was on Esquimalt road, along a stretch in front of a particularly seedy nightclub and some housing of questionable quality -- about a five minute walk from our home. On the news today, it was revealed that police had received complaints of an individual being physically threatening at the local McDonalds (to the point that staff had locked the doors and windows to keep him out). Police apprehended the man a few blocks away and during a scuffle/takedown/whatever "the officer's weapon was discharged" into the man's abdomen.
The problem here is that I'm both bothered but also lack any compassion. I'm bothered by the fact that the officer's weapon drawn while they were trying to hold down a man who, by all accounts so far, was unarmed. On the other hand, I am bothered that it took police long enough to respond to complaints about this violent individual that he was able to travel on foot several blocks. I don't really care that the person who was yelling, threatening, and violently hammering on the windows of a McDonalds Restauarant around the dinner hour (i.e. there were most likely children inside) has been injured, perhaps critically but I also don't think the police should get off lightly for what sounds like a(nother) seriously botched takedown.
11 September 2005
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3 comments:
Death is a pretty steep price to pay for being mentally ill or agitated.
There's no word yet on why this man was so damned angry. It may have been mental illness; it may have been drug related (as there is a lot of drug use in our neighbourhood), it may have been that he was just angry -- maybe someone who was at the restaurant owed him money or slept with his wife or dumped him. I don't know, and the media hasn't said anything.
I agree death is a steep price and I should note he survived the gunshot at last report but was in critical condition.
At the end of the day though, I just don't care anymore. I don't. My empathy engines are running really low; I have to save what I have for my family and friends, because otherwise I'm completely screwed.
I am apathetic, too. But, I got scolded for leaving negative posts. :(
Anyways, the deal is: the guy didn't get curly fries and that's why he wigged out. So curly fries... and it's likely he was stoned crystal meth.
Ironically, 20 min. after I leave McDonald's I feel the same way in the belly as he did.
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