If You Can Easily Confuse A Pistol ...

[ItsjustMe]

[Guilded Lilly]

1. If you can easily confuse a gun and a taser, never be a law enforcement officer. n/t

[lagomorph777]

2. ...you need to be in memory care, not a uniform.

[malaise]

34. THIS

[PSPS]

3. The taser is worn on the side opposite the gun.

[Mz Pip]

4. Why was even a taser necessary?

Expired registration? Geez, just mail the ticket.

[Hangingon]

7. Not a expired license -

License check showed an outstanding warrant for unlicensed pistol carry. He resisted arrest for that charge. Just an expired tag and he would be gone with a ticket. We need to keep perspective on this.

[Arazi]

28. The warrant was for a misdemeanor. A fucking misdemeanor. gmafb

[Hangingon]

72. More reason Daunte should not have escalated things..

People should not be shot for misdemeanors. Resisting arrest should not be a cause for gunfire. It was a situation that got out of hand and police will pay for their part. Daunte has paid a high price for his part. With a little common sense, this could have been avoided

[Vinca]

5. I think the "accident" excuse is total bullshit.

[jcgoldie]

11. It seems far fetched at face value but...

...I keep asking myself why any cop in this environment would intentionally put themselves in this situation. And in Minneapolis at this moment in time especially it makes no sense.

[ecstatic]

46. Jury management for chauvin. nt

[USALiberal]

19. Why? nt

[Vinca]

33. Because of the difference in weight of the 2 items, the way each feels in the hand and, mostly,

because it's reported the taser is holstered on the nondominant hand side of the body. A person would have to be really distracted, at best, to pull the gun from their holster on the dominant side and fire it as a taser. If being daffy on duty resulting in death is an "accident," it's a sorry excuse for one.

[USALiberal]

54. So she's been a cop for 20 years and just now decided to use the scam? Nt

[Vinca]

63. I have no idea, but she'll probably end up pleading to a manslaughter charge.

Curious. Is your eagerness to defend the shooter have to do with her being a woman? Something went wrong and I think the accident defense is pretty lame. If she wasn't paying attention enough or interested enough to distinguish a gun from a taser she should have resigned last week not this week.

[USALiberal]

64. I honestly think she made a huge mistake. She deserves to be fired. nt

[Blue_true]

75. A supposedly "veteran" cop who could not tell the feel of a tazer grip from a gun grip.

Just look at the pictures of the two, a totally blind person who only has feel could have distinguished between the two. Like the other poster wrote, if she couldn’t figure out a tazer from a gun, she should have quit police work long ago.

[Captain Zero]

78. I think she resigned fast to lock in her pension

nt

[Blue_true]

74. Bingo. nt

[3catwoman3]

6. Are all tasers brightly colored...

...like the one in the picture?

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

8. No, most are black now and worn on the left side, in a panic muscle memory could make u pull the gun

Thats all i got, she wasnt thinking, she was reacting

[3catwoman3]

12. Maybe they should be brightly colored.

Could help a memory not functioning well in a moment of panic.

[Amishman]

17. also a non-gun shaped design

the taser has a pistol grip and trigger, other than the weight it probably felt the same in her hand, and in a moment of panic the weight difference could easily have not registered. I doubt she took her eyes off Wright while drawing.

Besides this though, the fact that this is even possible points to a major lapse in training

[Sympthsical]

47. It blows my mind they're shaped that way

As you said, in a moment of stress or panic where there is tunnel vision, why give anyone two objects that are held and operated the same way?

It seems completely begging for it. I'm actually surprised there haven't been more incidents.

[Blues Heron]

16. maybe she knew exactly what she was doing

[Mary in S. Carolina]

51. That is what I think

Even her reaction seems staged - some people out there just want to shoot black people....we need to face the truth of who we really are in America.

[Solomon]

80. She held the fucking gun right in front of her own face. From her view you couldn't see the victim

without seeing the gun. She meant to draw her gun. They all do. I'm sick to death of cops pulling their guns before they even speak to black people. It's their first instinct. So she wants us to believe she forgot that she drew her gun?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

59. Her partner's taser is on his left side, bright yellow.

It's easy to see in the video. Of course, I'm ASSUMING that all the police in that department carry the same taser. It would make sense for training.

[gldstwmn]

61. Hers was.

[2naSalit]

9. I'm not buying the BS about being confused at all.

[USALiberal]

20. So after years of being a cop she just decided this was the case she wanted to kill someone? nt

[Arazi]

22. You don't think there are cops who are pissed that Chauvin is on trial?

And some are in a murderous mood?

[Watchfoxheadexplodes]

27. All police are out to kill us

Haven't you been watching

[Goonch]

10. THAT IS A TASER THIS IS A GUN

[demosincebirth]

13. Same thing happened a few years back with Oscar Grant in Oakland.

Cop pull out his weapon instead of his taser. Cop was convicted of manslaughter.

[Blues Heron]

14. I doubt she did, she just yelled taser as cover

lets face it the chance she was confused is near zero.

[USALiberal]

18. So you think she yelled "taser" so she could shoot him and get off? nt

[Arazi]

23. Yes

[Blues Heron]

24. I do, like they yell "stop resisting" when they want to hurt someone

[Arazi]

26. "Get out of the car!" But when you lower your arms get pepper sprayed or shot

Cops do that shit ALL. THE. TIME.

[Disaffected]

44. Nonsense.

There is no justifiable reason to assume an accusation like that has any realistic basis.

Did you not read the recent thread here on logic and critical thinking?

[Blues Heron]

45. They know they're on candid camera

of course they're going to cover their you-know-what's if it means the difference between jail or a slap on the wrist. You really think she doesn't know the diff between a tazer and a gun? That's just not believable in the slightest.

[Disaffected]

50. The old rush to judgement...

I dearly hope if I am ever brought to trial for a serious offense, I don't have folks with such a mind-set on the jury.

"Often wrong but never in doubt......."

Seriously, try reading up on the psychology of people who sometimes make horrific errors while in a high stress situation (no matter what their training or experience).

[Blues Heron]

52. cool story bro

[ecstatic]

49. Unfortunately, white supremacists and neo-nazis have infiltrated most police departments

in this country. That is why I will NOT give her the benefit of the doubt. She sure didn't give Daunte the benefit of doubt before shooting him--and by the way, tasers kill people too.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/fbi-white-supremacists-in-law-enforcement

[Hoyt]

15. Clearly, the woman should have been retired long ago. But it sure like she got it confused. If she

knew it was a gun, she would have fired a few more times in a senseless traffic stop.

Seriously, it does look like she got it confused in the 2 seconds of chaos. Of course, that's clear evidence she was impaired by something, perhaps neurological issues, stress, drugs, or whatever. I blame the people who determine police selection, recertification, policies, etc.

[Arazi]

25. 12 seconds of chaos, 5 of which she has her gun in front of her face

With 26 years on the job she certainly knew the difference, even in a crisis.

Maybe even especially in a crisis but certainly for a misdemeanor traffic stop over an air freshener

[stopdiggin]

30. "Oh shit, I just shot him!"

Cop screwed up. Badly. (and a kid lost his life) Doesn't help anything at all to claim that this was intentional. Cops responsible? Bet your ass. But everything in the record points to this being a mistake. And, yeah -- people with loads of 'experience' do make mistakes. And this one was tragic.

[Arazi]

32. Five seconds where she's staring at her gun aimed at Daunte

26 fucking years as a cop and it was an accident?!

No fucking way

[stopdiggin]

36. everything would seem to indicate

exactly that. And people with lots of experience do make (sometimes really serious, big assed) mistakes. Really looks, and sounds, like she intended to taze Wright.

[Kaleva]

37. I practice point shooting and don't look at my gun or use the sights.

The Point Shooting method promoted by Lt. Col Rex Applegate of WWII fame and others.

I figure that in a crisis situation, I'll be so focused on the threat that I won't even see my gun even if the weapon right in front of me. Extensive training may overcome that but I do not have the desire nor see the need for such training as the possibility of me actually ever needing the gun for self defense is so low.

[Arazi]

40. Her Glock weighs 34 oz. Her taser weighs 8 oz and is a completely different color

And she had 26 years of experience carrying.

Do you really think she was making a mistake?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2021/04/12/taser-vs-gun-how-do-brooklyn-center-cops-wear-their-weapons/amp/

For instance, a fully loaded Glock handgun — which is typically carried by officers — weighs in excess of 34 ounces, according to the gunmaker’s home page.

By comparison, a Taser stun gun weighs 8 ounces, the company’s site said.

[Kaleva]

42. In a high stress situation, one may not notice the weight at all.

As all attention is focused on the target.

I'm not trying to excuse the PO. I think she doesn't belong on the streets as a PO as the training she got should have prevented this from happening. What I am trying to say is that I do not think she did this intentionally. But again, she proved herself incompetent and one may also take a serious look at the training that police department does get.

[Arazi]

43. You are making excuses for this police officer

I don't buy it. Nope..whatever training she had was also backed by 26 years of carrying.

26 years of experience with her weapons.

You are making excuses for her and she doesn't deserve that deference. She fucking killed a guy over a misdemeanor

[Sympthsical]

48. She's not staring at her gun. We are.

We're seeing it from a body cam perspective. It shows the gun. She was probably watching Daunte and reaching blindly for her weapon.

The situation is horrible enough. She's probably looking at a manslaughter conviction. Why try to make it even worse with fantasy? Do you want it to be worse? Does that serve a purpose?

[Arazi]

55. 34 oz black gun on right hip, 8 oz yellow taser on left

26 fucking years carrying and using her weapons in high stress situations and you think I'm making up... a fantasy?! The fantasy seems to me to keep thinking black folks getting killed at misdemeanor traffic stops are just "accidents" or the victim's fault.

It IS worse.

And yes, recognizing bad racist cops does serve a purpose. Too bad you're trying to excuse this murderer but I'm not letting her off and we'd ALL be better off if these fuckers were in prison .

[Sympthsical]

65. Let's explore your scenario

You have a woman with a good, long career. She, as a female, rose through the ranks to be the head of the police association. Couldn't have been easy in what is a fairly male dominated profession. But she established a good life. She's making a good living. She has respect. She has authority. She's doing damn well. And that day, she was training another officer - who is black.

And, in your mind, she up and decided she was just going to "kill a n---r" to use your phrase.

And why, exactly?

I need a why here that does not involve someone being an actual Bond villain. And then there's the video. I used to be a social worker. Dealt with a lot of people in a lot of mental states. I know horror when I hear it. She freaked out. Not minutes after. Immediately. Maybe one second passed from trigger to horror.

That was play-acting to you?

Go along with me here. I think you have a narrative and agenda that needs all police to be black hats and villains, and you're cleaving to that, despite all evidence showing that that is probably not the case. Instead of acknowledging the tragedy and horror that does already exist in this situation, you want to add some extra because it serves . . . well, whatever it serves. I don't know you.

That is unhelpful.

[Arazi]

66. My mother had a 30 year career in law enforcement and is racist af

Potter is 10 miles from the Chauvin incident (and current trial).

She has a history of getting bad cops off past murder charges.

There's been months of civil unrest by the black community.

I think it's far more likely she's 1. Racist 2. Irritated by the Chauvin trial. 3. Not expressing horror - she's covering her crime up with weasel words. 4. Plenty of cops are killers, especially when it comes to black people - they aren't Bond villains either.

I never ever said she wanted to "kill a "n***er".

Now you're just making shit up.

[Sympthsical]

67. You're painting your thoughts onto her

You don't know her. You're putting your thoughts and impressions onto her. You have zero idea if she's a racist. You don't know what she thinks of the Chauvin trial. You are assuming she's faking it. (As someone who's dealt with a lot of mental states, that's some good faking). There are cops who have killed people, I'll give you that one. And black people are disproportionately killed.

I'm not making things up. I've read your posts on the topic.

So, your scenario is concocted entirely in your head based on assumptions and scenarios.

I watched the video, used my experience as a social worker, and came to a conclusion.

One of these things is not like the other.

[Arazi]

68. Lol, you asked for the "why" and I answered. You don't know either

And are projecting that this cop isn't racist and thinks what Chauvin did is a problem.

You also interpret Potter's comments as "horror". I don't. I hear weasel words designed to cover her crime.

These are differences in opinion.

What's fact is there are cop killers. And they deliberately kill black people. And if they don't deliberately kill them, they're often so callous they kill them anyway. And many are racist.

Extrapolating from the FACTS of the police history in that MN community only (family aside), I believe I've come to a reasonable conclusion.

Now please post exactly where I said Potter wanted to "kill the n***er". I have never used the n-word in my life.

Post it or you're the fucking liar

[Sympthsical]

69. Do you know how science works?

You know, study what's observable, extrapolate on what is known, but look for evidence.

I don't know what was in that officer's head. But you seem to have special insight. You see our difference?

Your evidence is what?

I think she should be convicted of manslaughter. Straight out of the gate. It's obvious.

Your spun out narrative is based on . . .

I'm against this shit. This is a horrible situation. You want to make it more horrible. Why? The drama of it all? As a gay man, I have a deep appreciation for the drama of all things. Usually because it's entertaining. Being dramatic here means riots, lives destroyed, social fabric frayed. Consequences.

You hear "weasel words." Have you seen and heard the video? If you can't recognize the human emotion happening in that instant, that's kind of on you. I'd venture your politics are overriding your empathy. I read about this case in passing. I thought, "Asshole, trigger happy cop." That was my hot take. Then I watched the video. It was not that. That was someone who immediately knew a horrific mistake.

If you ignore the obvious and keep pressing the hot take, well . . . you're most of the Internet. Good job there, I guess.

As far as the posts. Ugh. I'll have to find it. If I mistook you for another "A" named poster, I apologize. But I'm pretty certain it was you. I have to go searching. I'll glance around. Pretty sure it was you, though. You've been all over threads with your hot take.

[Arazi]

71. Post it or apologize

I have extrapolated from known facts. You appear to be manufacturing yours

She covered up past black murders by racist cops. In that same area of MN. She coached other cops on how to avoid prosecution.

That area of MN has a known history of killing black people without cause.

Many cops are racist.

Many cops slaughter black folks thru intention or depraved indifference.

Her excuse makes zero sense - a 26 yr veteran who somehow confused her black 34 oz Glock from her right hip with her yellow 8 oz taser from her left hip , shoots a black man dead, because of a "stressful" misdemeanor traffic stop.

And damn straight I'm furious. That you think anyone finds this entertaining is despicable. Fuck that shit

[Sympthsical]

70. I super apologize to you. I was wrong.

I found the post I was thinking about. It was here.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=15331852

That is not you. I was writing replies while reading replies to my own post and must've gotten you confused with someone else as I was bouncing from post to post.

I was wrong. I'm sorry. You did not say that.

[Hoyt]

35. Agree stop unwarranted. But think she would have shot more than once if she thought she had a gun.

I think she screwed up. Again, I don't know if it's because she was impaired by medication or neurological deficits, just too long on the job, "having a bad day," or what.

She should have been retired years ago.

[NutmegYankee]

53. People get tunnel vision and don't process everything.

The same thing has happened to airline pilots in multiple crashes. It's a human flaw that occurs in chaotic situations. Rare, but the science behind it is well understood.

[Arazi]

56. 26 years experience carrying in stressful situations

And you're also making excuses for this murderer smdh

[NutmegYankee]

57. I'm stating a known issue.

If you don't like the science, you can ignore it. Our political opposition does that everyday.

[Arazi]

58. Me too. Black Lives Matter and police racially profile

And police murder black folks for no good reason every day.

But nice insult

[NutmegYankee]

60. None of that counters the science behind the mistake.

I don't disagree with you on the profiling. I don't disagree with you on the use of force against black people at far higher rates. But I still understand the science behind why a person could mistake what was in her hand. It is a known phenomenon when a person is in a high stress situation. This has caused highly trained experienced airline pilots to crash planes. The industry solution is to have a second pilot double check the pilot's actions.

I didn't insult you. You accused me of "making excuses for this murderer". I was stating the science. You rejected it.

[Arazi]

62. I haven't rejected it. You think a 26 yr veteran is "stressed" by a misdemeanor traffic stop

And got "confused".

However many times a pro has fatally fucked up their gun v taser is dwarfed by the far more likely situation - as evidenced by the far greater numbers - that this is a racist cop shooting a black guy and trying to concoct a cover story.

I don't believe your theory on what happened. At all.

And you did insult but whatever

[Arazi]

21. Exactly. And she had 26 years of experience with both

No fucking way she mistook it

[Kaleva]

38. experienced hunters have mistaken other hunters wearing orange for deer and shot them.

"Buck fever", "Condition Black" and other situations are not uncommon.

It's well known that

Tunnel vision

Auditory exclusion

Sensory exclusion


happen during periods of high stress.

Training is supposed to minimize that but it doesn't always or the training itself was inadequate.

[Elessar Zappa]

29. I don't even care if it was an accident.

Someone who confuses the two should not remain on the police force ever again.

[Towlie]

31. ... or even be allowed to own a gun.

 
?

... or to escape a substantial amount of prison time.

[Kaleva]

39. I would agree with you there. Or assigned permanent desk duty.

[Paladin]

41. No plausible excuse for this monumental fuckup.

Either for the 26-year veteran officer, or the department and its training policies. I hope the penalties are severe---and I hope it's finally starting to dawn on cops that, in this day and age, everything they do is likely to be recorded.

[Blue_true]

73. The former cop that shot the kid was one of the first police to

arrive at a fatal police shooting of another Black man. She used her position as the Union head to advise other police on how to cover up details of the shooting, she even sat with each one when police investigators were questioning them. She sounds a bit evil to me.

The simple grip and weight differences between the gun and the tazer should have clues her in. Plus she supposedly called out “tazer” several times, why the hell didn’t she look down at what she was reaching at for a fraction of a second? Mistake my ass.

[Straw Man]

76. Dipping my toe into this thread ...

... to point out that the color and weight criticisms may be valid, but the fact that the taser is worn on the opposite hip is a red herring. Regardless of which hip it's worn on, once drawn it will end up in the dominant hand before being deployed. Cops aren't trained to fire their tasers with their weak hand.

[Silent3]

77. While confusing these two weapons seems almost inconceivable to me...

...I don't get the people who jump to the conclusion that this woman knew exactly what she was doing. She has no business being a cop, that's for sure, and I don't think even tasing the guy would have been justified either.

But what on earth would she get out of faking this? "I really, really just want to shoot a random black kid today, so I'll pretend I'm totally incompetent and can't tell my gun apart from my taser! Yeah, that's the ticket! That'll go awesome for me, and my life will be so much better after that!"

[USALiberal]

79. You are 100% correct! Nt