Utah officer who pulled gun on black child sparks protests

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 6:38 pm CDT, Thursday, June 13, 2019



Jerri Hrubes stands next to her son DJ during a news conference Friday, June 7, 2019, in Salt Lake City. Hrubes is calling for an independent investigation after she says a police officer pointed a gun at her 10-year-old son's head in what she calls a racially motivated incident. Hrubes said that a white Woods Cross police officer pulled his gun on her son, DJ, who is black, while he was playing on the front lawn Thursday, June 6, 2019. She says the officer came back to apologize after she called to complain, but that she wants the officer and the agency held accountable.


WOODS CROSS, Utah (AP) — Activists are planning to protest at a police agency in northern Utah after learning an officer who pulled his gun on a 10-year-old child will continue to work.

Black Lives Matter in Utah founder Lex Scott said Thursday they will hold a protest Friday night to demand the officer be fired.

Woods Cross Police Chief Chad Soffe said Monday he is not looking to terminate the unidentified officer.

. . .

Soffe said the officer mistook the boy for a potential suspect during a pursuit of armed suspects.


Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Utah-officer-who-pulled-gun-on-black-child-sparks-13991163.php#photo-17640275

[Wellstone ruled]

1. It is after all lilly white Utah.

[kimbutgar]

2. Sadly looking at that child you know he has special needs

That officer needs to be retrained or fired.

[Initech]

3. 2003: FBI says white supremacists are infiltrating law enforcement. We did nothing.

Now it's a colossal problem. And they have guns. And they're not afraid to use them.

[padah513]

4. Mistook the boy for a potential suspect...

A potential suspect who was PLAYING on his front lawn? Naw, I ain't buying that.

[Honeycombe8]

5. So you think they saw a kid playing and just decided to stop their pursuit of criminals...

to point loaded guns at a child, just for fun?

He doesn't look 10 to me. It's reasonable to conclude they thought he was an older teenager or a young adult. I never would have thought he's 10 years old. He looks like an adult in that photo.

[atreides1]

6. Yes I do!

Easy target...and it's fortunate that his mother came out when she did...or this would have been another case of a cop claiming he was in fear of his life...

[Honeycombe8]

7. Of course you do.

Like a cop is going to stop pursuit of a criminal, which, if he succeeds, would look great in his personnel file and help with promotions down the road, to harass a black child, which would hurt his career in the police force (dereliction of duty), not to mention is just a mean thing to do that he doesn't gain anything from (and you have not one iota of evidence that the cop is mean or has anything against black children). Yeah, that's logical.

[JonLP24]

10. He pulled a gun on someone who is innocent

[mercuryblues]

11. Ahh the old he looks like an adult

The average height for a 10 year old is 4'6", even if he was tall for his age he would be about 4'8". They were looking for men.

Studies have shown that black kids are perceived to be older and more dangerous than they are. Especially boys.

https://newsone.com/2962437/american-psychological-association-black-boys/

[Honeycombe8]

12. I just saw a pic and thought that wasn't the kid. Because he doesn't look like a kid.

In any case, people just want to ascribe the worst intentions to all cops. Doesn't matter what they do, why, how, or anything. Cop bad.

Some people have lost all objectivity.

Here's a novel idea. Because cops are so bad, all that needs to happen is people who think cops are bad...get a job as a cop and then be the cop you think should exist. I'm sure there are openings in every city in America. Go apply.

But then you will become the hated cop. Every step you take, every move you make...they'll be watching you, and hating you. Doesn't matter what you do. You may even be ambushed and murdered, as has happened in recent years. All that is in the normal course of doing your job. For a paycheck, and not a big paycheck at that.

Check your local PD online and print an application. I'm sure they have openings.

[cabot]

8. The cop needs to be fired

Disgusting behaviour. I’m glad the child wasn’t shot.

[ROB-ROX]

9. FIRE THE DUMB SHIT

Police are TRAINED to use their guns for self defense or to kill a person. This idiot used his gun when not required. No amount of training will prevent this idiot from making another mistake or murdering somebody.