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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTexas officer who shot armed 93-year-old fired
HEARNE, Texas (AP) -- Officials in a small Central Texas town voted Saturday to fire a police officer who shot and killed an armed 93-year-old woman during a confrontation at her home.
The city council's unanimous vote to dismiss Officer Stephen Stem came after a meeting that lasted less than 30 minutes, KBTX-TV reported ( http://bit.ly/1fXyWMQ ).
Mayor Ruben Gomez had said he would recommend the termination of Stem, who shot and killed Pearlie Golden on Tuesday night. Gomez promised that to demonstrators who marched to city hall protesting the shooting of "Miss Sulie," as many residents called Golden.
Hearne police have said in a statement that Golden "brandished a gun" when Stem arrived, but have declined to comment further. Stem was on administrative leave while Texas Rangers investigated the shooting.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_93_YEAR_OLD_SHOT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Without the gun. The bad guy with a gun has killed another.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)but the woman first threatened to kill her nephew, then brandished a firearm at a cop. Waving a gun at a cop isn't the smartest thing in the world to do.
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)There was no way she would have been able to shoot to kill him. She could not even pass a driver's license test. Police have to have sense. Would he have shot a toddler waving a gun around? No.
raccoon
(31,110 posts)Suppose he hadn't shot her, and she accidentally shot somebody else?
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)it is to shoot someone 15 feet away?
Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)I really have no clue where you see the relationship between failing a driver's license test, for reasons not mentioned in the reports I have read and the ability to pull a trigger.
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)Had the policeman backed up far enough he would not have been in the line of fire. Sometimes police are not the best people to handle situations---especially when dealing with people who are mentally ill, extremely elderly, extremely young.
And why on earth did a woman who could not pass a driving test have a gun?
Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)Why she failed the driver's test has not been mentioned in any news report I have read, so without knowing why she failed the test, we don't know if it would have affected her ability to fire a gun.
You also might want to brush up on your law, you don't get to take a person's right without a trial or a judge determining you are mentally incompetent.
LisaL
(44,973 posts)I wouldn't presume you can decide that for someone else.
lib87
(535 posts)...in a town of only 4500 people.
Bye bye officer.
JJChambers
(1,115 posts)Bye bye common sense, hello knee jerk reactions.
Beaverhausen
(24,470 posts)Is the penalty for shooting a gun a death penalty? If a police officer can't subdue a 93 year old without killing her he at the very least should be fired. I think he should be charged with murder.
JJChambers
(1,115 posts)Death is an unfortunate but foreseeable consequence of grabbing a gun and shooting it toward people in front of police. Should they have waited until she was out of bullets and simply hoped none of her shots hit the officers or any bystanders?
Can you post a link to the scientific study that a bullet fired from a gun held by a 93 year old woman is less deadly than a billet fired from a gun held by a 17 year old gang banger?
Beaverhausen
(24,470 posts)I will never be convinced that this jerk had no other choice than to pump 5 bullets into this woman. Never.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)Nephew of 93-year-old Texas woman shot, killed by police officer says she fired 2 shots first
Beaverhausen
(24,470 posts)According to the article in the OP
oneofthe99
(712 posts)The one that was there at the house and also took her for her driving test.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)But Golden's nephew, Roy Jones, told the TV station in the Bryan-College Station area that his aunt became upset when she was denied a driver's license renewal and armed herself when he refused to return her car keys. Jones said he called 911, and he said Golden fired two shots before the officer who responded shot her.
Beaverhausen
(24,470 posts)Never.
JJChambers
(1,115 posts)Besides everyone knows bullets fired by a 93 year old woman are less dangerous than bullets fired by a 17 year old gang banger.
JJChambers
(1,115 posts)I see that your statement basically says the facts don't matter.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)3 from officer two from her
LisaL
(44,973 posts)Her nephew, who was there, says she fired it twice.
tabasco
(22,974 posts)Glad I'm not one of them.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)like in western movies.
LisaL
(44,973 posts)In fact her nephew claims she fired that gun twice. Being 93 doesn't make her harmless, if she has a loaded gun.
Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)Since the nephew is saying that she fired two shots
http://www.startribune.com/nation/258581311.html
and the Texas Ranger investigation isn't even complete yet, legally the town is on shaky grounds by firing the police officer.
It should be interesting to see what other facts come out.
JJChambers
(1,115 posts)TBF
(32,047 posts)Shots then it's his duty to intervene. Whether accidental or on purpose she was a threat to others.
The thing I have no knowledge on us whether cops are trained to kill or just bring someone down. Would it have been more prudent to shoot her arm to knock the gun away?
At any rate this looks like a much more complicated story than it might seem at first glance.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)You aim at the largest target on the body
Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)Which means that they shoot at the torso until the person ceases to be a threat. Depending on where the bullet(s) hit, the time it takes to get medical treatment and the skill of the medical personnel, determines whether the person dies from the wound(s).
No police department or civilian instructor teaches officers to shoot at an arm or leg, partly because arms and legs are generally moving and hard to hit (and the average police officer isn't that good of a shot) and mostly because if a police officer isn't justified in using lethal force, he shouldn't be drawing the weapon in the first place.
Here is a link that explains things far better then I can: http://www.pfoa.co.uk/110/shooting-to-wound
TBF
(32,047 posts)If she was waving a loaded gun around and would've shot at the cop then his family could've lost him. It's just a sad situation.
LisaL
(44,973 posts)He should sue to get his job back.
Apparently she was upset her driver's license was not renewed.
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)oneofthe99
(712 posts)Supersedeas
(20,630 posts)DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)And in case you missed it above, fuck the police.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)MH1
(17,600 posts)Oh yeah, second amendment.
Seems everyone agrees she had a gun and was waving it around. Should the cop have shot her? I don't have enough information to know, that's what the investigation is for, but I will note that I don't know too many 93 year olds who have the physical capacity to handle a gun responsibly. (shakiness and eyesight, for two reasons) One hopes that everyone that age has someone else around to protect them if need be.
Just musing. Seems like a sad situation. As so often occurs when guns are present.
oneofthe99
(712 posts)before the police got there or when he arrived , article isn't really clear,
http://www.startribune.com/nation/258581311.html
Nephew of 93-year-old Texas woman shot, killed by police officer says she fired 2 shots first
LisaL
(44,973 posts)I am sure she got that gun when she was younger. But as we all know certain problems could come with age.
She was upset she couldn't get her drivers' license renewed, and demanded her nephew gave her the keys anyway. When he wouldn't, she got the gun.