Canton officer involved shooting on New Years

[dingode]

I looked but I didn't see this posted. I apologize if it's been posted already.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/ohio-cops-bo ... tory-shots" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not sure how I feel about this shooting. I'm normally a play stupid games and win stupid prizes with my thinking, but I'm not 100% sure this shooting was justified. Opinions?

[Cosmos]

Who knew doing a magazine dump firing into the air in a residential area could turn out badly? OTOH, the officer firing blindly through the wooden fence is not exactly being sure of your target.

[Klingon00]

Some initial observations:

1. Basic rules of gun safety appear to be violated by the suspect, endangering people in the area.
2. The suspect appears to be in violation of laws regarding the discharge of firearms without a clear justification.
3. Given what I see, it seems reasonable that the LEO was in immediate fear for his life and those of others (justification for use of force).
4. It appears that the LEO had an obstructed view of his target and what lies beyond, thus potentially endangering innocent people in the area (possible reckless endangerment).

[dingode]

Some initial observations:

1. Basic rules of gun safety appear to be violated by the suspect, endangering people in the area.
2. The suspect appears to be in violation of laws regarding the discharge of firearms without a clear justification.
3. Given what I see, it seems reasonable that the LEO was in immediate fear for his life and those of others (justification for use of force).
4. It appears that the LEO had an obstructed view of his target and what lies beyond, thus potentially endangering innocent people in the area (possible reckless endangerment).

My thoughts exactly. The cops shooting without 100% knowing what he was shooting at and not knowing what or who may be beyond that fence is what concerns me with this incident.

[M-Quigley]

Marquetta Williams told The Repository that their three girls were watching the countdown on TV at midnight when the adults stepped outside onto the patio.

Her husband used her AR-15 to fire shots into the air. He does not have a concealed carry permit but she does, she said.

"We do this every year because it was New Year’s Eve," she told the paper. "Everybody was shooting (in the neighborhood). It was a tradition. Everybody shoots on New Year’s Eve."

There are certain holidays where my neighbor (and I with him) fire guns on his range but even we don't just fire into the air. Another neighbor has a black powder cannon he fires, only to make noise, but he doesn't put any shot or cannon balls in it unless he's shooting downrange.

[Bruenor]

I get shooting/making noise in the rural areas, where discharging a firearm is not illegal.. but in the city ?

"We do this every year because it was New Year’s Eve," she told the paper. "Everybody was shooting (in the neighborhood). It was a tradition. Everybody shoots on New Year’s Eve."

Need some new traditions.

[dingode]

I get shooting/making noise in the rural areas, where discharging a firearm is not illegal.. but in the city ?

"We do this every year because it was New Year’s Eve," she told the paper. "Everybody was shooting (in the neighborhood). It was a tradition. Everybody shoots on New Year’s Eve."

Need some new traditions.

Here in Toledo New Year and the 4th of July sound like a war zone. OSU vs Michigan game, Superbowl, etc... are also good days to play the "Was that fireworks or gunfire?" game.

[schmieg]

When I was at Fort Bliss back in the early 70's, I lived in an apartment complex with several El Paso policemen as neighbors. Really nice guys, but, on New Years, they were out in front of the building shooting up in the air. I thought they were nuts.

[catfish86]

I looked but I didn't see this posted. I apologize if it's been posted already.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/ohio-cops-bo ... tory-shots" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not sure how I feel about this shooting. I'm normally a play stupid games and win stupid prizes with my thinking, but I'm not 100% sure this shooting was justified. Opinions?

Stupid people doing stupid things (ie firing a gun in the air in celebration) does not excuse stupid people accepting the challenge to do stupid things (ie firing a gun blindly into a wooden fence).

As to justification there is more than a little question on that. The context is gunfire at a time when fireworks and celebratory gunfire may be present. You have to have a reasonable belief that someone's life is in danger. The mere presence of gunfire does not equate to an automatic assumption that someone's life is in danger. People are apprehended without incident after having fired a gun on a regular basis. The Clerk of Courts is shows several people a year are arrested for discharging a firearm in the city and related charges.

As to risk of life although death/injury can and sometimes does occur the odds are that nobody does. The last such death I recall in Ohio was several years ago. People are killed due to speeding on a daily basis, would an officer be justified in shooting at speeding cars to stop them?

BTW, living in the Canton area, the local media comment pages are blowing up over this.

[M-Quigley]

I get shooting/making noise in the rural areas, where discharging a firearm is not illegal.. but in the city ?

"We do this every year because it was New Year’s Eve," she told the paper. "Everybody was shooting (in the neighborhood). It was a tradition. Everybody shoots on New Year’s Eve."

Need some new traditions.

Although it's not illegal where I live you are still responsible for where your rounds go if they hit property or a person (or livestock) that you didn't intend to shoot. It's a pretty remote area it's not like the American SW desert Bullets can travel over a mile and there are people living within that distance. OTOH, I can shoot shotguns and not worry about hitting anyone who isn't on my property.

[Bruenor]

I get shooting/making noise in the rural areas, where discharging a firearm is not illegal.. but in the city ?

"We do this every year because it was New Year’s Eve," she told the paper. "Everybody was shooting (in the neighborhood). It was a tradition. Everybody shoots on New Year’s Eve."

Need some new traditions.

Although it's not illegal where I live you are still responsible for where your rounds go if they hit property or a person (or livestock) that you didn't intend to shoot. It's a pretty remote area it's not like the American SW desert Bullets can travel over a mile and there are people living within that distance. OTOH, I can shoot shotguns and not worry about hitting anyone who isn't on my property.

Definitely agreed, Know your target and what's beyond. Even in my rural area I wouldn't be firing blindly into the air. You can make just as much noise, shooting into a backstop.

These days Fireworks might be cheaper and more readily available than ammunition.

[docachna]

These days Fireworks might be cheaper and more readily available than ammunition.

Like he said.

[catfish86]

That celebration burst was supposedly 30 rounds which is likely around $30 (and his life BTW).