No, not the fact that he's dead but the whole 'innocent 17 year old kid shot for no reason other than wearing a hoodie, being black, and walking back home from a store carrying nothing more than skittles and iced tea'
That we've been hearing about for the last month.
It cannnot be THAT cut and dry.
What is cut and dry is what we know.
GZ's background
GZ's future plans to be employed by the legal system - Criminal Justice Course
GZ's call to LE dispatch in which he describes TM as a suspect: "something's wrong with him, he putting his hand in his waistband, he's walking towards me, comin to check me out, he's on drugs or something, headed towards the back gate, they always get away, cursing under breath, etc. clearly by his own words painting a picture of someone who he suspects is up to some criminal behavior.
GZ's the man who had already determined that TM was a suspect while TM was standing under an awning at the Clubhouse pulling up his hood before he even made the call to LE. Nothing at the beginning of his call to LE was suspicious until after he made the call.
GZ's attempt to follow - Told he did not have to by LE and he tells the dispatcher what he feels the dispatcher wants to hear...okay. Hangs up and proceeds to follow regardless, knowing he's not suppose to according to NWP rules, knowing LE thinks he is sitting back in his vehicle, he does what he wants to do not what is safe for everyone involved including himself.
GZ knows at this point he may be following TM but he also knows he is stalking.
GZ fails to notify LE he is carrying a weapon, again, putting himself, LE, TM and the lives of bystanders at risk, but he does it anyway.
GZ claims he's lost him but knows he's headed for the back gate by fails to drive his car back to the rear entrance and wait for LE. If GZ knew, if fact, that is how they "all get away" why didn't he just head to the back, call LE back and say, "I'm at the back gate waiting for the guy."
GZ failed to follow the very rules he helped set up because he initially contacted LE about the program. Why? Did he feel it would give him greater control to get out there and physically take on the responsiblity that belonged to LE. Was the NWP set up by GZ for the specific reason to give him more control, a reason to stop and question people, to call complaints in about neighbors taking away their ability to complain harassment...."I was just doing my duty."
This is not a gun issue, this is not a race issue, this is not an issue about GZ's family or TM's family, how they got their attorney, it's not an issue about critizing how a young woman handled herself before or after the death of her friend. The issue is GZ took control of the situation when he stepped out of the car when asked politely not to. GZ took it as "not an order" but he knew differently. What happened next is tragic but it did not have to happen. All GZ had to do when he was on the phone with LE was to ask TM a simple question, "Excuse me son, do you live here?" Why didn't he do that? What stopped him? GZ wanted TM to be up to something is the only logical answer or he would have used that opportunity while on the phone with LE to ask a question when he had a witness instead of waiting.
If you take GZ out of the equation this would have never happened.
GZ created an opportunity for crime to happen even though he knew what he was doing was wrong. jmo
