I do not for an instant diminish the black experience with Cops Gone Wild. I know it to be true, and I know it to be rampant in dealing with African-Americans and Police.
But the shoot first mentality of police is not restricted to only people of color. In evidence, I bring up the case of John Geer, a white man in Fairfax VA, who was shot by police at his own front door without even being accused of a crime. Who was already in the #HandsUpDontShoot position, and shot after being given permission to scratch his nose.
The cop who pulled the trigger has literally gotten away with murder.
Here's the link to the CBC.ca story, and I'm surprised it hasn't had more traction in the US media.
In Fairfax VA, A different, no-less-scary police shooting
It start with a break-up.
In April 2013, Geer's common law wife, who was breaking up with him and moving out, called police to report he was angrily throwing her possessions onto his front lawn.
Asked whether Geer had weapons, the woman answered yes, but they were legally owned and secured. No, he hadn't been drinking.
Two squad cars — four officers — initially responded. Geer, on seeing them, retreated into his home, refusing to answer questions.
Rodney Barnes, the police negotiator describes the events that followed:
"He said 'I know if I reach down or drop my hands I can get shot," Barnes told detectives later. "I said, hey, nobody's going to shoot you…"
But Geer pointed to one nearby officer in particular: Adam Torres, who kept raising his Sig Sauer pistol from the "ready" position (pointed at Geer's legs) to aim at Geer's chest.
Please ask him not to point his gun at me, Geer begged Barnes. Geer even offered to come out and be handcuffed voluntarily if Torres and the other patrolmen would agree to move "way back."
Then he asked to scratch his nose again. Barnes consented. And Torres fired.
Torres acknowledged it had been him, and began muttering how he was sorry, and that his wrist was hurting. Then, unbidden, he told Barnes how he'd had a fight over the phone with his wife just before arriving on the scene.
Surprise, surprise, the cops stonewalled the investigation and no charges were laid.
But a judge in the case has release some 11,000 documents, including audio & video of the cold-blooded murder at this site:
Documents Published in John Geer Case
The family of John Geer are suing for wrongful death. Torres should be rotting in prison.