Lawyer: Reno boy shot by school cop had been bullied, beaten

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Scott Sonner, Associated Press
6:35 p.m. EST December 9, 2016

Reno, Nev. An emotionally distressed 14-year-old armed with a knife had been bullied and beaten and was trying to escape from a crowd of classmates this week who had gathered to capture video of an anticipated fight when a campus police officer shot the boy, his lawyer told The Associated Press on Friday.

The Reno teen remained in critical condition after he was shot Wednesday in the chest, but is stable and showing signs of improvement, said David Houston, a prominent Reno attorney who said he hired by the boys father to defend him against any potential criminal charges.

Houston said he is still reviewing videos of the shooting posted on social media but said several suggest none of the students felt threatened by the knife-wielding boy and many appeared shocked when the officer opened fire in a high school courtyard.

Those kids were alerted there was going to be a beat-down at a specific time and a specific location. They had amassed with their cellphones for the purpose of filming it, Houston told the AP.


Read more: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2016/12/09/lawyer-boy-bullied/95224400/

[Judi Lynn]

1. The Latest: Reno boy shot by campus cop tried has stroke

The Associated Press
Updated 7:32 pm, Friday, December 9, 2016

RENO, Nev. (AP) — The Latest on the shooting of a 14-year-old boy by a school police officer in Reno, Nev. (all times local):

5 p.m.

The 14-year-old Reno boy who was shot by a school district police officer underwent surgery after suffering a stroke at a local hospital where he's recovering from the gunshot wound to his chest.

The teen's lawyer, David Houston, said the teen was out of surgery Friday afternoon and taken to the intensive care unit at Renown Regional Medical Center where his condition is unknown.

Houston said earlier Friday the boy had been critical, but stable, and was showing signs of improvement before suffering "a major stroke."

More:
http://www.chron.com/news/education/article/The-Latest-Lawyer-says-boy-shot-by-campus-cop-10786563.php

[lunasun]

2. And they didn't shoot him in the foot and not the chest why? 14 yrs old and it was campus police

[metroins]

4. This has been gone over a lot

Officers are trained to shoot to kill because they are "supposed" to shoot as a last resort...in fear for their life.

If an officer shoots, they should shoot to kill.

The better question is, why not use a taser, baton, mace, grappling skills.

I don't know the situation as to the right answer of what should have been done but shooting in the foot is not the answer.

[duffyduff]

6. Oh, FFS.

It isn't about the goddamned cops. There were other students to worry about.

This screwed-up kid had TWO knives, knives that looked like they came right out of a Bruce Lee flick.

His daddy GAVE them to him.

[zonkers]

8. The cop should have ordered everyone watching to back up ten paces.... and then another ten....

That would have been the first thing.

[yagotme]

10. Training,

as I received in corrections, was shoot to stop, aim center mass. Going head to head with someone you don't know the mental state of, such as baton, grappling, etc, when the other person has 2 large knives, is asking for serious injury to ones self. If the suspect is armed, I believe I have heard the police are allowed to escalate force level (firearm, etc). Just my $.02.

[whathehell]

29. "If an officer shoots, he should shoot to kill"

not if he shoots -- as seems to increasingly be the case -- at the slightest provocation.

If the police are going to continue is pulling out their guns for virtually everything, the rules need to change, imo.

[ManiacJoe]

22. Shooting to wound is illegal, immoral, and just bad tactics.

> And they didn't shoot him in the foot and not the chest why?

Lethal force is countered by lethal force. The type of lethal force used does not matter because lethal force has no sub-levels like non-lethal force has.

[lostnfound]

45. Cop could have changed dynamic by pointing his gun at CROWD. ordering "back away return to class!"

"Those kids were alerted there was going to be a beat-down at a specific time and a specific location. They had amassed with their cellphones for the purpose of filming it,"

What is this created in school, Lord of the Flies?

[bravenak]

76. I think it was kinda fucked up that those kids were there to watch the kid who got shot get a

BEAT DOWN. Wtf? How is that ok?

[Feeling the Bern]

3. bullies must be happy. they got what they wanted. this kid's life is over

cops has no fucking soul
school is worthless too.

[duffyduff]

7. You don't know the facts of the case at all.

This is ALL on dad, who gave this screwed-up kid those knives to take to school.

[Feeling the Bern]

9. bullied kid. desperate. it's nice how bullying is excused these days.

Please don't talk to me. I have no patience for people who blame victims of bullying when they see no way out of the bullying.

Shit, those ghouls at the school were going to recording his kid's fight and do nothing to stop it. Fuck them, the school, the cop, the bullies and anyone who defends bullying.

[Travis_0004]

11. Nobody is excusing bullying

Although you seem to be ok with threatning people with knives.

[Feeling the Bern]

12. i'm okay with kids defending themselves from bullies.

apparently, victims of bullying need to put up with it. since it's usually more than one and if a bully bullies a kid and the kid fights back, the bully's friends will jump in.

So I have no problems with people defending themselves, especially when schools do nothing to stop it or excuse it.

WE get upset when bullies bully a kid into suicide, but if the bullied kid fights back or arms themselves to protect themselves against it, we have problems.

[Travis_0004]

13. I dont think attempted murder is sutable for defending oneself.

[Judi Lynn]

15. He planned to sneak up upon the gang and dispatch them all? "Attempted murder." Right. n/t

[sarisataka]

19. Or one...

Was there no other option? Is bullying a justification for lethal force?

[Feeling the Bern]

30. Only when that lethal force is aimed at the victim, then we cry and do nothing. Why can't they

just commit suicide already?

[sarisataka]

58. Because that is what I said...

[Feeling the Bern]

16. yet no one raises an eye at a bully's assault or their attempted murder when they

beat up a victim.

I love victim blaming.

[Travis_0004]

47. He stopped being a victim when he brought a knife to school

[gregcrawford]

56. Bullsh!t...

... the kid was obviously driven to such extreme measures by ruthless little monsters spawned by irresponsible jerks that accepted their behavior as "boys will be boys," or worse, encouraged it.

I was a "late bloomer" and got bullied by evil psychopaths. Incidentally, nearly every one of them later became cops. After a growth spurt and a few pointers from someone who'd been through the same ordeal, I set about evening the score. Even fifty years later, there's one I'd put down without a moment's hesitation and even less regret, but someone else got to him first.

I still have ZERO tolerance for bullies.

[ret5hd]

27. the cop seems to think it is...that is as long as it's a cop defending himself.

Just saying'.

[whathehell]

31. That was my reaction too..

[Judi Lynn]

14. You're good to point out the strangeness. Once the bullies don't like you, your only escape allowed

seems to be suicide, in some "value" systems. It often DOES become suicide, too, doesn't it? Far, far too often.

[Feeling the Bern]

17. Bullies Lives Matter. Victim. . .just end it and move on.

And don't try to defend yourself, or else people will call you deranged. After all, "we" didn't do that when we were children.

[sarisataka]

18. So he brought knives to defend himself

but what if he brought a gun? Is he still just protecting himself?

[Judi Lynn]

20. What's your recommendation for a young man or woman in that situation? You know we're all ears. n/t

[Feeling the Bern]

21. We know what it will be. Stick and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me

Just ignore them and they will go away
Turn the other cheek and be the better man.

Never deal with bullies. . .it's always the victim until the straw breaks the camel's back. Then bullies plead innocent and feign ignorance until it's over, then do it again to another victim, while the parents, school, community, society and other students do absolutely nothing to stop it.

[Travis_0004]

48. Is the solution to bring a knife to school?

[Feeling the Bern]

50. What is your solution? Schools do nothing, teachers don't care, principals victim blame

society uses idiotic platitudes. . .student who aren't bullied do nothing. Bullied kid sees no way out.

I guess the only solution is suicide.

[Travis_0004]

52. What was done?

Were complaints made to the school, did the bullied kids parents talk to the bullys parents?

I don't know. I'll agree that even those solutions are not perfect and may not work. I don't see how bringing a knife to school is ever a good solution. Had he actually stabbed the bullys, and maybe killed them, he would be looking at 10+ years in jail, and I don't see how that helps him either.

[Feeling the Bern]

53. Yep, if only bullied kids would just off themselves, it won't be a problem.

Since a lot do either in school or some time in life.

And yet, that fight that was planned, no one did shit about it, except get smart phones to record it.

When there is no way out, people resort to extremes. But no one cares about that. That damn bullied kid. . .he should have manned up and taken it. YEs, he was beaten, but those assaults mean nothing.

[christx30]

55. There was a story that was on DU a few

Last edited Sat Dec 10, 2016, 12:27 PM - Edit history (1)

years ago. His kid that was being relentlessly bullied. They kept threatening him, over and over and over again. The school did nothing to spite many complaints and requests and begging for help. One day, he could bring snack to school, and stabs the bully three times during a fight.The bully dies. The victim is arrested for the murder, but the judge lets him off for self defense. Kid is a free man to this day.
When absolutely no one will help you, anyone in that situation it would help themselves.
I've been there. I was bullied every day in fifth grade I was physically assaulted four times but mostly it was just taunting they make me want to kill myself. The principal and the teacher would punish me for any time that I defended myself, but did nothing about the bullying. The parents of the bullies pulled the whole "my angel wouldn't do anything like that" BS. Other than my parents, I was totally on my own. I didn't care about being the better man. I just wanted it to stop and they would do nothing to help me. People have the right to go to school free of harassment. My mom caught me trying to smuggle a knife to school. She kept me home that day.

ETA: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025120480 Link to the post, and fix a few bad sentences.

[sarisataka]

59. Thank you for answering

on my behalf but I am quite capable of giving my own reply.

Since I have often advocated stronger actions by schools to prevent and punish bullying, my stance is 180 different than your hyperbole

[Feeling the Bern]

71. Good for you. I was a teacher in the States before I moved overseas.

You can advocate all you want. I lived it everyday of my life.

[ManiacJoe]

23. The best recommendation is

not to be there.

If that is not possible, fight to win.

As a defender, one is not legally allowed to go to lethal force until the Bad Guys do so first.

[Feeling the Bern]

35. Bullied kids know is they start winning, the bully's friends will jump and he will get

annihilated. And all around will lie and plead ignorance. Because bullied kids are pariah in schools.

And most teachers, principals and schools feel the bullied kid must have done something to warrant the treatment so they do nothing or little to stop it.

[ManiacJoe]

68. Certainly possible. Not necessarily likely.

[Feeling the Bern]

69. I was bullied and unlike most people here, I was a teacher.

Very likely.

[sarisataka]

57. Two things off the top of my head,

one, since the whole damn school knew exactly when and where this was going to happen, don't go there or even better, have an administrator go there

two, the school officer was in the courtyard, walk that way. They probably won't jump someone right in front of a cop

[ret5hd]

28. Well, it's what the cop brought. Right?

[Feeling the Bern]

32. Yeah, the knowledge of this kid getting bullied into a fight his ghoulish classmates didn't.

Assault means nothing. . .but that knife brought the doughnut chomper out and he did what the bullies wanted to do.

[sarisataka]

61. May I conclude you therefore

would have had no objection if he used a gun to ward off his attackers?

[ret5hd]

63. The cop thought a gun was the most obvious choice, right?

[sarisataka]

64. Using lethal force

in response to lethal force is not unreasonable.

Beyond that I lack specific details to make an informed statement on the use of less lethal alternatives.

[sarisataka]

60. IIRC carrying a gun

is part of a police officers job description; not so much for a student.

[Feeling the Bern]

72. next time you're bullied to the point of no way out, we'll talk.

I've had students planning columbine come to me because they felt say around me.

I've had students commit suicide due to bullying. One was a beautiful 15 year old boy who was constantly bullied. He mentioned me specifically in his suicide note, saying he was sorry he let me down but he saw no other way because he couldn't take being beaten for being gay anymore.

I guess in your mind, this is the way bullied kids should deal with it. Suicide is the only way out.

People like you make me sick to my stomach. Self-righteous, holier than thou attitudes.

Again, when you get certified and teach, talk to me about the RIGHT action a teenager that only sees black and white and never looks passed today feels when they are bullied to point of violence or self-destruction.

Always the victim's fault. The nasty little shits that bully always get the pass. At least the bullies didn't bring a knife.

Don't respond to me please. You just shat on my former student's grave.

[christx30]

73. I'm so sorry to hear about your student.

It's always heartbreaking when students internalize these things, and are given pop psychology about how to deal with it. "Ignore the bully. He's looking for a reaction" or "he's probably going through a lot at home. Try to be his friend."
None of that works. If the kid is powerless against the bully, someone in authority needs to step in and handle it. If the authority gives that pop crap as an answer, it isolates the child. The worst thing is when the bully does whatever he wants without consequence, and the bullied kid is punished for standing up for himself. How can anyone be surprised when suicide or outright violence happens? No one should have to resign themselves to being a punching bag for a bully.

[Feeling the Bern]

74. bullies are sociopathic master manipulators and instigators.

They will always do it when they think they aren't being watched then if the bullied fights back, they play the victim or get their friends since it is always planned out well in advance.

I caught it with my student and stopped it, but i couldn't be everywhere and most teachers just gave pop psyche platitudes are didn't care.

I came down hard on bullies before my student's suicide. I came down harder after. I started exposing them, the other teachers and the administration for everything they did, didn't do and wouldn't do.

It cost me my job. I refused to put up with it anymore, so I left the country to continue teaching.

Not a day passes when I don't ask myself if there was more I could have done. But I guess, according to a lot of the pro-bully posters here, at least my student didn't fight back from a hopeless situation.

[christx30]

75. My son is on the big side because of Autism meds he

took when he was younger. A kid was bullying him, teasing him for a long time. One day my son got really angry and pushed him down. My wife and I got called to the school. Luckily, we have good administration at that school. My son got a light warning, and the bully got in trouble. When we got to the car, my wife told my son to never put his hands on another student again, no matter what. This is probably the only time I disagreed with her about any parenting thing in front of the kids. I said "no one has the right to treat you like that, ever. You have my permission to do anything you feel you need to to stop someone mistreating you. If you get in trouble at school, I will have your back." My wife was mad, but, you know? My kid is worth 10 of that twerp. He deserves the best. He a sweet guy that loves to thumb wrestle and tell bad jokes.

[Feeling the Bern]

77. I am severe bipolar and mild aspergers. Let me tell you what bullying did to me.

Six suicide attempts, 10 years of drinking, alienation from everyone who cared about me (which wasn't many because I am my family's black sheep), institutionalized twice, rehab three times.

To fight back, I started going to a gym to lift to rehab a shoulder surgery. i went from a fat 275 to a solid 240. I learned to fight to take care of myself from the bullies in school and my bully at home, my father.

I will never tell my kid to back down. And I will put both when they are old enough into the same training regiment in the gym I am on. . .I live in China. They will go to school in the States when we buy our house there. They will learn to fight and if they are bullied, as long as they throw the second punch, I will defend them to the gas chamber.

[sarisataka]

78. I will respond. Read it or not as you wish...

First you are assuming I have no experience in being the target of bullies- you are wrong

You think you are the only one with experience dealing with teen suicide- again wrong

I have worked since Sandy Hook with schools on improving security and safety, including dealing with bullying. As security consulting is an afterthought for most places and school budgets are being cut I have started the process to get a secondary school license to teach. As part of my master's I am focusing on working with gifted students and creating an educational environment where bullying is seen as aberrant behavior by faculty and students. I deal with teen suicide on at least a monthly basis, comforting grieving parents while analyzing how the student was failed by the system and trying to improve the plight of victims.

I have never stated anywhere that victims should passively take a beating or kill themselves. I have opposed the zero tolerance BS that punishes victims the same as tormentors. I have been successful at getting several schools to rescind such policies and deal with disciplinary actions on a case by case basis.

My wife has been a pre-K to 6 teach for twelve years. She began working as a Behavioral Specialist and still is a go-to person for the school's "problem children". Never in her years has she resorted to physical intimidation as you described above. What did you teach with your actions? Was it compassion and cooperation or did you reinforce that the strong dominate the weak?

As for holier than thou... I have made no assumptions about your personal history. The only thing I have advocated is a solution other than attempting to kill a bully. If that is holier than thou, so be it.

[HAB911]

25. DITTO. nt

[HAB911]

24. DITTO. nt

[NobodyHere]

62. America loves bullies

That's the sad truth no one cares to admit.

[Judi Lynn]

66. It IS the truth, despite all delusional claims "we always root for the underdog."

That narcissistic whopper couldn't be further from reality.

A lot of people love to live vicariously through bullies. Bullies like Trump, W., etc.

[exboyfil]

34. The school is probably worthless - I went through that type of bullying at school as well

but if the kid stabbed your son or daughter at the school, would you be the first to ask why the officer did not stop him?

Against knives an officer has little recourse except his weapon. The kid was aggressively pursuing other students and slashing with the knives. The officer fired only one shot and immediately rendered aid.

[Feeling the Bern]

37. The bullying should never have escalated to that point.

The school and everyone is to blame for doing nothing to stop it.

Now the victim of the abuse is shot, suffered a massive stroke and will be a shell of himself.

I bet you the bullies don't care and are happy with what happened. After all, in their minds, he was just a loser anyway.

[exboyfil]

42. I agree with you on that

and responded later to your message on what parents can do to stop it. The school has an obligation to ensure the security of its charges. If they fail to do that, then as far as I am concerned, than can close it down.

I viewed my time in school (basically my entire eight years in California from 2nd-9th grade) as a prison sentence. I had at least one bully every year who terrorized me. Had one in 10th grade in Mississippi, but it got better after he transferred. I think being in ROTC in 11th and 12th grade helped with the situation.

If the kid's father gave him the knives instead of notifying the school and pulling him out of the school, then he is an idiot of epic proportions. I feel truly bad for the kid and wish the school did its job (if they ignored the prior bullying).

[duffyduff]

5. The lawyer is a liar. Not to mention the reporter is lying.

There were TWO knives, and they weren't butter knives or steak knives, either. They looked like machetes.

This kid's father literally GAVE him the knives to use at school.

HE and his son both belong in jail.

The "bullying excuse" is total bullshit, just as it was when Jose Reyes murdered a Sparks Middle School teacher (who I once worked with) three years ago, wounded two others, and then shot himself. Reyes was put on medication during the week the kids were on fall break, which was days before the shootings. No doubt he had a negative reaction to it, plus his NEGLIGENT parents left a gun around to where he could get it.

I don't have use for this goddamned shit by lawyers who are out to make a buck. This is ALL on the dad and his screwed-up son.

It is always the school's fault, the cop's fault, anybody else but the goddamned parents who fail to do their jobs.

[HAB911]

26. His father should have given him a fuckin' AK-47

[Feeling the Bern]

33. When I taught in the States, no one bullied in my class. First day of class, someone did it in my

class always as I taught HS history. The excuse was always "who cares. He's just a freak/nerd/geek, etc." The class would agree.

I'd let it go. Second time, I'd pounce. I actually got into a bully's face and told him to try that on me and see how far it gets him. He told me he was a lineman on the football team. I said so what? So was I. He told me benched 215. I told him I benched 335. What's his point?

The kids that got bullied found sanctuary in my classroom which is why I ate lunch in my classroom and never really left except to go to the bathroom. It was one the one class and I was the one teacher that defended them. . .physically if I had to.

You don't know how many kids I had to talk down from doing something like columbine in my classroom. You don't know how many parents of bullied students said I was a Godsend for their kid and cried because I actually cared.

Why did I? Other than it being the right thing to do, I know about being bullied. . .for being too tall, too big, too smart, too Jewish and too whatever. . .by kids, teachers, principals and family. Its effects last forever. I still have self-image problems and I'm built like Stone Cold Steve Austin now.

[exboyfil]

36. The fact that the schools let this bullying go on

is a bid reason I am in favor of school choice. I would not hesitate to pull my children out of such a situation if it happened to them. One thing to absolutely do is file a written complaint that is documented with the school, and not be hesitant about contacting the police and looking for battery charges.

[Feeling the Bern]

39. That's why my class was viewed as the sanctuary. I actually threw the bullies out and told them if

came back, I'd write them up for threats and intimidation.

[exboyfil]

43. I wish I had you for a teacher growing up

I made sure that my daughters were not physically bullied (my oldest had two instances, and I went high order on the school in both cases documenting the events in the second incident in an email). I told the school I would not hesitate to home school if the situation was not corrected, and I would not be shy about letting everyone know why.

[renate]

65. you are a wonderful person and those kids will love you for the rest of their lives

I love you too. You're what humanity should be.

Thank you for providing them with a sanctuary. You may very well have saved a life, or quite possibly several.

[no_hypocrisy]

38. I've taught for years in high schools. You know how the bullying starts?

Under the radar. Almost undetectable.

I contacted both the vice principal and Security when I witnessed a group of jocks in the cafeteria clicking their tongues. Why? Because they were purposely doing it because they knew their classmate who had "issues" had a trigger whenever someone click his/her/their tongue(s). They wanted to see him get off. He'd fidget. He'd put his hands over his ears. He would cry out for them to stop -- and they wouldn't. He got agitated. And they kept going.

It's about control and manipulation and domination.

[Feeling the Bern]

40. I picked up on shit like that too when I was a teacher. Hard to detect, but when you win a kid's

trust and they open up about things like that, you see it instantly.

As I stated in previous posts, I was that teacher because I made an example out of bullies in my class the first week of school.

[Judi Lynn]

67. Directing aggressive group behavior against one helpless person is perverted.

There's not one possible justification any one of them could use to defend it, ever. Sly, cowardly, evil.

[ReverendHeretic]

41. Shame on the kid, forcing those innocents to beat on him.

Why does this scream TRUMP! To me?

[Feeling the Bern]

44. 'yeah, and damn that kid's face for getting in the way of a perfectly good punch

I know you're being sarcastic, as am I.

But shit like this infuriates me. I love going up to bullies now and saying "you want to do that. . .try that on me."

6'2", 245 and built a like brick wall. My arms are bigger than my wife's head. So they back down and I give the bullied kid my number and tell them that if it happens again, call me.

[ReverendHeretic]

46. Grrrrr.

I was bullied by a kid who was a year older. He did 5th grade twice, and when I was present, he loved beating on me.

Then, my parents moved us to the chicago burbs. The last day of class, he tried it one last time swinging his legs to kick me in the face. I grabbed his leg and lifted. Hard. He went flying down and hit his head really hard. He eventually got up and ran to the nuns crying his ass off.

I understand that in his 20s he was arrested and was killed in prison. One death for which I had no regrets. ( I didnt do it. Never saw him once we moved. But he created such pain and stress, that I kept track of him)

[Feeling the Bern]

49. One bully of mine got AIDS. He used to call me a fag because I concentrated on my music and my

writing. He would prance around like he was God because he "fucked that ho into the ground" then slap me around and beat me because I was quiet and just wrote songs, played guitar and tried to perfect stage and screenwriting.

I'm 38 next month. I'm an executive and head writer for an independent film and media company with five movies coming out in the next two years internationally that I will either have both story/screenplay credit or just screenplay credit, along with three as associate producer credit.

That bullied died of AIDS six years ago. Most of my bullies are still in their dead end jobs, in prison, or drug addicts. . .and I'm living the king's life in Asia with my Chinese wife, doing what I love and getting paid handsomely for it.

Now that I have a composer (another HS friend) am working with, my songs and movies will get produced.

Yet those that bullied me are losers. . .amazing how life works itself out like that.

[dagnuguy]

51. You want to stop bullying?

Let kids stand up for themselves. We hamstring kids by having zero tolerance policies against fighting. If 2 kids get in a fight, the school should step in and try to figure why the fight happened and punish the instigator. Instead, both get suspended and the school moves on like nothing happened.

In this case, the cop had no choice if he did't want to take a chance on serious injuries. A knife or 2 is a lethal weapon and this kid was wielding them (with help from his shithead Dad) near other students. Sorry he was shot but that was the game he wanted to play.

[Feeling the Bern]

54. And the times we was beaten. . .I guess he deserved it.

I love people who claim they are anti-bullying. Incidents like these expose them as frauds.

[NobodyHere]

70. Yes, the kid wanted to be bullied

I'm pretty sure this was a "game" the kid did not want to play but was rather forced into it.