Cop Kills Firefighter During Struggle Caught on Video; Cops Blame Videographer for Death

[Earth_First]

A citizen video showing a struggle between a Kansas City cop and an off-duty firefighter in which the firefighter flips the cop on his back and punches him repeatedly in the face before the cop pulls out a gun and kills him, was released this week after a grand jury declined to indict the officer.

Thanks to the video, we can see it was the right decision made by the grand jury

At one point, the cop looks towards the witnesses and asks them for help. Seconds later, the firefighter flips him on his back and starts punching him in the face. And seconds after that, the cop pulls out a gun and fires twice, ending the struggle.

However, several commenters, including many cops, are now commenting on a police website called Law Officer that the man with the camera is to blame for the shooting death of Anthony Bruno because he did not help the cop when asked for help. One of the commenters is even encouraging the others to message the videographer, apparently to accuse him of a crime.

More including video and additional comments by law enforcement at link:

http://photographyisnotacrime.com/2014/02/26/cop-kills-firefighter-struggle-caught-video-cops-blame-videographer-death/

[unblock]

1. it's a crime to fail to stick yourself in the middle of a life-and-death fight?

the requested help could not have changed the outcome. it was a matter of seconds.

those who want to charge the videographer with a crime for not helping would never have dreamt of charging any other witness with a crime for not helping. this is all about finding a crime to pin on the guy because he shot the video.

[Lasher]

2. Link doesn't work.

Please update.

ETA It's working now. Intermittent problem at the linked website I guess.

[bravenak]

3. So the guy with the camera was supposed to get in between a violent man and a man with a gun?

No f-ing way. I stay clear from people with firearms and people punching people.
But one time me and my husband were driving to get me some donuts late at night and I saw a man and a woman fighting and we got out and pulled him off of her and dropped her off at her moms.
If there would have been a gun I don't know if I would have made the same decision. I may have pulled out my iPad and filmed it and called the police.
The only reason i did get out was because, although i saw her attacking him first, he got on top of her and just started socking her in the head over and over. And when he saw us running at him, he started hitting her harder. I told myself I need to stop jumping in to help people. He might have shot all three of us if he had a gun. Standing his ground or whatever.

[unblock]

4. well, if the video guy had listened to the cop and called for backup, then

the cop's shot would have happened while the video guy was talking to 911 instead of filming.

[bravenak]

8. Doesn't sound very helpful at all.

Then they wouldn't have it on film to show it was a necessary act to use the weapon.

He would have had to shut his camera down to use the phone if the camera was on his phone.
The cop should be glad the guy kept filming. It helped him out.

[unblock]

10. exactly. it was, what, 4 seconds later? what do they think he could have changed in 4 seconds?

[bravenak]

12. Sounds insane.

It really does. I decided that everybody is losing their minds.

[Lasher]

7. I probably would have helped him if I could have.

But I'll not condemn anybody else who would not have done so. That's your right to make that decision.

[bravenak]

11. I keep telling myself to mind my business when I see stuff, but it's so hard.

I forget to myob and try to play peace maker. Very dangerous. Gotta stop that stuff.
I probably would have just ran up to the and started trying to pull them apart. I'm dumb.

[Lasher]

19. I can relate.

Here is a story from long ago: I once dived into the ocean to help a lifeguard rescue two young girls who were being swept out to sea by a rip tide. I'm pretty sure they all would have drowned without my help. I was scared shitless but to this day I can think of no better justification for my existence here on this earth.

We need to help one another when we can. You are not dumb.

[bravenak]

20. I'm glad you all made it. Those girls will never forget you.

It's human nature to want to help. I just wish it weren't so dangerous.

[Sheldon Cooper]

5. Hmmm. Some questions:

Was the cop an actual KCPD officer, or was he a rent-a-cop-wannabe for the hotel? I'm wondering about his level of training. I also think that most cops just go right for the tazer these days, and don't get involved in physical confrontations. So why did he do that?

Why didn't the cop call for back up before he went after the firefighter? I thought that was standard procedure?

Why didn't the photographer call for backup for the cop? I don't think the photographer would have been wise to physically step in, that alone is enough to get you shot these days, but they could have called 911 and requested backup for an officer that was down.

As much as I hate to side with the police anymore, I think the cop was justified in shooting. At least in this instance, his life really was in danger.

[Kelvin Mace]

6. Helping the policeman would have been the right thing to do

Having said that, blaming someone for not putting their own safety at risk is not fair.

And before anyone claims that it is easy to "armchair quarterback" the circs, I have actually been a witness to fights between individual and groups of people and I did, contrary to my best interests, step in to break it up.

Brave or stupid?

Neither. It is what I had to do in order to be able to look in the mirror each morning.

[Orrex]

9. I believe it was recently ruled that cops are under no obligation to help an individual

That is, they are nominally charged with "keeping the peace" but are not required to intervene on behalf of individual citizens.

If that's the case, why in the world would a private citizen feel any obligation to step in when a cop is getting his face bashed in?

[bravenak]

13. True that. Nt

[Bonx]

14. I really wish the link worked.

Forbidden

You don't have permission to access /2014/02/26/cop-kills-firefighter-struggle-caught-video-cops-blame-videographer-death/ on this server.

Apache/2.2.15 (CentOS) Server at photographyisnotacrime.com Port 80

[Bonx]

16. Got it finally

[SheilaT]

15. Witnesses, plural, and the one making the video

is the only one who could have responded?

What am I missing here?

[struggle4progress]

17. It looks like they've pulled the story. This might be the reason:

Anthony Bruno, 26, and Stephanie Bruno, 29, ... on Dec. 1 ... had taken a cab from a restaurant to the Kansas City Marriott Downtown with Anthony’s cousin, who had been drinking heavily at the restaurant and had fallen asleep there ... “That’s when my husband got out of the taxi and began hitting the taxicab driver,” Stephanie Bruno told police ... “Throughout my entire contact with the suspect, I gave him numerous verbal commands to give me his hands and to stop resisting,” Hubbard told detectives later. “In my attempts to place handcuffs on the suspect, he continued to resist and we eventually went to the ground” ...“He then somehow flipped me over onto my back and the subject began punching me on the left side of my face and head,” Hubbard told detectives ...
Case file describes the moments before police officer fatally shot newlywed firefighter in downtown KC
February 25
By DONNA McGUIRE
The Kansas City Star

[Bonx]

18. On his back, taking punches to the face, shoots unarmed assailant

Sounds familiar....

[Rex]

21. So the cop didn't pull the trigger?

nt.