GA - Rayshard Brooks, 27, fatally shot in Wendy’s car park, Atlanta, 12 Jun 2020 *officer charged*

[escape2sc]

I find the constant reporting of the statistic of black men being 2.5 times more likely to be shot by police to be a misrepresentation of the situation. Mainly because the numbers of shootings are the total of all shootings in the U.S. compared to the total U.S. population which does not give an accurate picture of the problem. The urban area of New York City and Tulsa may have a rate closer to 4% while suburban areas or a city like Asheville is closer to 1%. There is no accounting for regions and that is important in identifying how to find a permanent solution.

Also tabulating the number of whites in the total U.S. population and in media reports is troublesome and most likely under counting the number of Hispanic victims. A subcategory for Hispanics as an ethnic group was only started in the 2010 Census. It is important to accurately count the members of their ethnicity accurately for all discussions concerning racial issues. A distinction for Hispanics is often not made in police reports so the number of Hispanics used in statistical reports of police shootings is lower than the actual number of Hispanic victims and the number of whites higher than the actual number. Maybe blacks are actually 2.5 times more likely to be shot in Northeast urban areas and Hispanics 2.5 more likely in the Southwest and whites 2.5 more likely in the Midwest.

If ethnicity was considered equally important as race than Hispanics would be the largest minority in the U.S. as the current estimate for the Hispanic population is 18%.

 

[Curiosity1234]

I am guessing that is not the reason he tried to get away. It is only conjecture but I think his wife or girlfriend kicked him out and he thought she might end their relationship if he got arrested. Just a hunch

I think he knew if he got arrested and didn't show up for birthday party wife would be livid and girlfriend too. He probably would have had extremely high but most likely no bail after assaulting police, stealing taser and shooting police with it.

 

[mister happy]

I think he knew if he got arrested and didn't show up for birthday party wife would be livid and girlfriend too. He probably would have had extremely high but most likely no bail after assaulting police, stealing taser and shooting police with it.

Rayshard Brooks was on parole, and I think that's why he freaked out when the cops were trying to cuff him. It meant he was going back to prison. Brooks was in prison on a number of charges, including child abuse. The guy was a total loser. I'm starting to think this was suicide by cop.

 

[ilovewings]

Rayshard Brooks was on parole, and I think that's why he freaked out when the cops were trying to cuff him. It meant he was going back to prison. Brooks was in prison on a number of charges, including child abuse. The guy was a total loser. I'm starting to think this was suicide by cop.

I don't think he should have resisted- but i have to say, they shot in the back while he was fleeing--- he was not an imminent threat to the officers at that point--- these cases are not black and white (i don't mean race)- there is a lot of grey in there. I don't think this man should be dead: on the other hand i wish he had just cooperated with the police and he would still be alive. these are difficult cases.

 

[Curiosity1234]

I find the constant reporting of the statistic of black men being 2.5 times more likely to be shot by police to be a misrepresentation of the situation. Mainly because the numbers of shootings are the total of all shootings in the U.S. compared to the total U.S. population which does not give an accurate picture of the problem. The urban area of New York City and Tulsa may have a rate closer to 4% while suburban areas or a city like Asheville is closer to 1%. There is no accounting for regions and that is important in identifying how to find a permanent solution.

Also tabulating the number of whites in the total U.S. population and in media reports is troublesome and most likely under counting the number of Hispanic victims. A subcategory for Hispanics as an ethnic group was only started in the 2010 Census. It is important to accurately count the members of their ethnicity accurately for all discussions concerning racial issues. A distinction for Hispanics is often not made in police reports so the number of Hispanics used in statistical reports of police shootings is lower than the actual number of Hispanic victims and the number of whites higher than the actual number. Maybe blacks are actually 2.5 times more likely to be shot in Northeast urban areas and Hispanics 2.5 more likely in the Southwest and whites 2.5 more likely in the Midwest.

If ethnicity was considered equally important as race than Hispanics would be the largest minority in the U.S. as the current estimate for the Hispanic population is 18%.

I would like to see stats on individual states in each region. I am blown away by the northeast. I can't see ME, NH, or VT having a high rate of shootings. I can however see NY, NJ, MD, and PA having high rates.

I don't think he should have resisted- but i have to say, they shot in the back while he was fleeing--- he was not an imminent threat to the officers at that point--- these cases are not black and white (i don't mean race)- there is a lot of grey in there. I don't think this man should be dead: on the other hand i wish he had just cooperated with the police and he would still be alive. these are difficult cases.

He was bound and determined he was not going to be arrested. There were plenty of things he could have done to not get arrested. Don' t drink and drive was one of them. Don't call attention to yourself by passing out at a drive through line at a fast food restaurant and the list goes on.

 

[squareandrabbet]

I also don't celebrate an 8-year-old's birthday with alcohol; and I don't think it's very fair if his daughter grows up with that accusation hung around her neck by her mother.

IMO, RB meant to celebrate by drinking; and he probably meant to celebrate his daughter's 8th birthday as well at some point; but I reject that he really thought these two celebrations were one and the same thing. I think in most families and cultures when "adult beverages" are trotted out, it's understood this is for an "adult event". Her b-day party is not the 4th of July or MLK Day.

 

[shotgun09]

Earlier this afternoon, CNN had a segment with Briana Keilar, who had on a guest speaker, sheriff Alfonzo Williams from Burke County Georgia. I cannot provide the video or link, but I am sure it is available on CNN. In this segment, the sheriff spoke for a little over 6 minutes and pretty much agreed with most of the written views here on Websleuths. He spoke eloquently about the case, and stated that the police officers acted properly in their response to Mr Brooks. While watching this video segment, I couldn't help but notice two obvious things. One, it wasn't the narrative that Ms Keilar wanted to go with. She kept trying to push the issue as a racial issue. Mr Williams wasn't budging from his statements. Two, interestingly enough, during the entire segment, CNN has the chyron run on the bottom with large letters proclaiming " BLACK GA SHERIFF: OFFICERS ACTED PROPERLY IN BROOKS KILLING As if the viewing audience needed to be told that the gentleman was black! I was pleased to finally see a well spoken police representative speak out on this situation

 

[Curiosity1234]

I don't think he should have resisted- but i have to say, they shot in the back while he was fleeing--- he was not an imminent threat to the officers at that point--- these cases are not black and white (i don't mean race)- there is a lot of grey in there. I don't think this man should be dead: on the other hand i wish he had just cooperated with the police and he would still be alive. these are difficult cases.

A drunken, violent criminal running around with a taser is an imminent threat to anyone he comes in contact with including the public and other LE.

 

[tresir2012]

Earlier this afternoon, CNN had a segment with Briana Keilar, who had on a guest speaker, sheriff Alfonzo Williams from Burke County Georgia. I cannot provide the video or link, but I am sure it is available on CNN. In this segment, the sheriff spoke for a little over 6 minutes and pretty much agreed with most of the written views here on Websleuths. He spoke eloquently about the case, and stated that the police officers acted properly in their response to Mr Brooks. While watching this video segment, I couldn't help but notice two obvious things. One, it wasn't the narrative that Ms Keilar wanted to go with. She kept trying to push the issue as a racial issue. Mr Williams wasn't budging from his statements. Two, interestingly enough, during the entire segment, CNN has the chyron run on the bottom with large letters proclaiming " BLACK GA SHERIFF: OFFICERS ACTED PROPERLY IN BROOKS KILLING As if the viewing audience needed to be told that the gentleman was black! I was pleased to finally see a well spoken police representative speak out on this situation

I have found the article and video for this.

Black sheriff defends officers' use of force in Rayshard Brooks' killing - CNN Video

 

[mister happy]

I don't think he should have resisted- but i have to say, they shot in the back while he was fleeing--- he was not an imminent threat to the officers at that point--- these cases are not black and white (i don't mean race)- there is a lot of grey in there. I don't think this man should be dead: on the other hand i wish he had just cooperated with the police and he would still be alive. these are difficult cases.

Yes, these are difficult cases. You are leaving out one important aspect, though. Brooks took the officer's taser and started fleeing, and in the process of fleeing, he turned around and fired that taser at the officer. If Brooks didn't use the taser, I really doubt he would have been shot. The use of force continuum comes to mind.

 

[katydid23]

I originally was under the impression he lived in GA with his wife and 4 children.

Apparently not. It seems he went to Ohio, and didn't finish his legal obligations the court required for his earlier Domestic Violence convictions. It appears he left his wife and children and lives in Ohio, and has a gf there.

 

[katydid23]

I think he might have been trying to intimidate him to stop him from chasing him or make him slow his chase.

Maybe, but is the cop supposed to make that judgment in a split second? "Gee, I wonder if he is trying to hurt me right now or is he just trying to slow me down?"

The officers train for years, specifically how to react, if a perp turns and fires a weapon at them. It does not matter what kind of device at that moment. The perp had already punched one of them in the face, and wrestled around with both of them, before struggling over the taser.

 

[Curiosity1234]

Rayshard Brooks was on parole, and I think that's why he freaked out when the cops were trying to cuff him. It meant he was going back to prison. Brooks was in prison on a number of charges, including child abuse. The guy was a total loser. I'm starting to think this was suicide by cop.

You might be right. Some people would rather be dead than go back to prison.

 

[mickey2942]

You might be right. Some people would rather be dead than go back to prison.

Impulse control. I did a study years ago on repeat offenders. The one commonality between all of them, was poor impulse control. They react, no space between thought and action. They just act on impulse. No actual evidence of thought process. And even more interesting, was the lack of insight into their own behavior that landed them in jail, multiple times.

Whether it was Attention Deficit disorder or result of some undiagnosed underlying brain damage, there was no determination of causation. Just correlation between poor impulse control and multiple incarcerations.

 

[Curiosity1234]

Apparently not. It seems he went to Ohio, and didn't finish his legal obligations the court required for his earlier Domestic Violence convictions. It appears he left his wife and children and lives in Ohio, and has a gf there.

I agree. According to what he told the police his girlfriend was at a motel in GA. Him and his girlfriend drove to GA in a rental car which was not in his name. That's not the picture the Brooks family lawyer is painting. Oh, the games people play now; every night and every day now. You can't be a devoted husband and father if you live 12 hours away with your girlfriend. The girlfriend must be in hiding somewhere.

 

[Keefer]

Maybe, but is the cop supposed to make that judgment in a split second? "Gee, I wonder if he is trying to hurt me right now or is he just trying to slow me down?"

The officers train for years, specifically how to react, if a perp turns and fires a weapon at them. It does not matter what kind of device at that moment. The perp had already punched one of them in the face, and wrestled around with both of them, before struggling over the taser.

I really think that if he wanted to hurt either officer he would have used the taser as soon as he got to his feet.

 

[SugarQueen]

I really think that if he wanted to hurt either officer he would have used the taser as soon as he got to his feet.

That doesn’t really matter. BROOKS and BROOKS alone took everything to a whole ‘ nether level. Then he turned and fired that taser. A police officer doesn’t have the luxury of thinking thru different scenarios.

 

[escape2sc]

Curiosity, I just wanted to clarify that the % I used in the italicized quote were "what if" there were marked differences in the percentages by region and the importance of finding out what ...if any differences there are. The actual statistics available according to the Bureau of Justice on the victimization rate by region per 1000 African Americans show the Northeast with 30.3%, Midwest 42.6%, South 22%, West 37%. These percentages are for African American victims of all crime not just police shootings.

"The urban area of New York City and Tulsa may have a rate closer to 4% while suburban areas or a city like Asheville is closer to 1%"

I would like to see stats on individual states in each region. I am blown away by the northeast. I can't see ME, NH, or VT having a high rate of shootings. I can however see NY, NJ, MD, and PA having high rates..

 

[Curiosity1234]

I really think that if he wanted to hurt either officer he would have used the taser as soon as he got to his feet.

He may not have originally wanted to hurt either officer but once he punched one of them in the face, his intention changed.

 

[Falcon500]

It appears to me that we have an officer unjustly fired due to a knee jerk reaction, and probably someones hope to appease certain people.

No doubt. No due process. No giving the officer a chance to cool down and explain his side of the story. Just “get out, turn in your stuff”. A classic sign of a gutless mayor.