Too much violence! 1 agent killed, 2 officers hurt in shooting aboard Amtrak train

[diehardblue]

One Drug Enforcement Administration agent was killed and two other officers were injured in a shooting on an Amtrak train that was stopped in Tucson, Arizona, authorities said.

Officers boarded the train Monday morning to perform a routine check for illegal guns, money and drugs and encountered two people on the second level of the double-decker Amtrak car, Tucson police said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/1-agent-killed-2-officers-hurt-in-shooting-aboard-amtrak-train/ar-AAP8fcx?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBnb7Kz

[SoCalDavidS]

1. More Violence To Come

This is America, and some things will NEVER change.

[PortTack]

2. Sad!

[stillcool]

3. that sounds weird...

they do 'routine checks' for illegal guns, money and drugs?

[questionseverything]

4. I guess that probable cause thing is old news?

[stillcool]

5. yeah, that law stuff is tricky...

The growing outcry over police confiscation
By Anthony Zurcher
Editor, Echo Chambers
https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-29228851
The numbers, the Post reports, are truly astounding. In 2012 around $4.6bn (£2.8bn) in cash and property were confiscated. The practice has prompted a closet industry of businesses with names like Desert Snow that specialise in advising law enforcement on how to most effectively conduct roadside seizures.

Although drawn from British admiralty law, where ships could be confiscated to pay for damages, civil forfeiture in the US only really became an issue in the last 30 years as the government ramped up its efforts to combat drug trafficking.

Federal law, as well as the laws in 42 states, was written to allow law enforcement to confiscate property - cars, planes, houses, businesses, currency - suspected to be tied to illegal activity. They could then use the assets for… well, pretty much whatever they want.

According to the Institute for Justice, which is leading a class-action suit against the city of Philadelphia's forfeiture programme, police have used the money for "better equipment, nicer offices, newer vehicles, trips to law enforcement conventions and even police salaries, bonuses or overtime pay".

It creates a perverse incentive, they say, for law enforcement to confiscate first and ask questions later.

[questionseverything]

7. I have always thought confiscation w/o proof would be unconstitutional

But

I thought the cops had to have probable cause to look

I won’t ever travel amtrack again

[msfiddlestix]

6. The thing that seemed rather dumbfounding, was why they boarded the train for that purpose?

Potentially endangering the lives of all othe passengers?

It's as if they were playing out the "wild west" possee. Were these individuals suspects? Maybe monitor their movements on route. Federal agents right? If they were suspects, and suspected of possession of drugs, drug money.and weapons not the best way to pop these assholes.

I swear the stupid just never ends.