Officials say incomplete search done before Texas student shot himself while cuffed in custody

[SecularMotion]

HOUSTON — Deputies did not conduct a complete search of a Houston-area high school student who had threatened to hurt himself and failed to find a hidden gun he used to shoot himself with while handcuffed in the back of a patrol car, officials said Thursday.

A full search wasn’t done because the 17-year-old student was not under arrest and had only been detained Wednesday at his campus so authorities could get him help, said Capt. Jon Moore with the Harris County Precinct 3 constable’s office.

“As of right now, preliminarily, there does not appear to be any violation of policy and procedure,” Moore said. “I hate to say mistakes happen. I wish we could say that we did not make mistakes or officers did not, but that might have been what happened.”

The student, a senior whose name was not released, remained in intensive care at a Houston hospital Thursday.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/officials-say-incomplete-search-done-before-texas-student-shot-himself-while-cuffed-in-custody/2012/12/06/82cbadf0-400d-11e2-8a5c-473797be602c_story.html

[gejohnston]

1. shot himself while

cuffed with his hands behind his back. Harder to maneuver your arms and hands, so the gun had to be in his back pocket or a holster in the small of his back. I'm skeptical of the cops' explanation.

[louis-t]

2. This is NOT the first time this has happened.

A little suspicious.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

4. Well...

...the article says that in the incident in Houston says the shooter was cuffed but doesn't say specifically behind or in front. It does say that the Houston incident is similar to Ark. incident but that's not clear to me.

[gejohnston]

5. isn't it SOP to cuff in back?

I always thought it was.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

6. I know it used to be...

...and I would strongly suspect that that he was cuffed in back. I was just pointing out that the story doesn't say so explicitly. Each department has its own procedures. If only the press had a few.

[Riftaxe]

7. Hmm, since your the skeptic...

This guy steals a squad car while handcuffed

Arrested Burglary Suspect Steals Police Car

[gejohnston]

8. he is more limber than I am

if not double jointed.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

10. Think 17 year old.

[Riftaxe]

14. More limber then i was 30 years

ago, but impressive in a sad sort of way

[YllwFvr]

13. depends

Sometimes I do. Sometimes I dont. My choice.
For me basic rule of thumb is for transport they go in front.
In custody goes in back.
So ill give you a ride if you need it but youre getting cuffed.
I saw a video for training where an officer stopped and offered a juvenile a ride. The kid hopped into the back then shot the cop through the cage. Why?
Didnt like cops. Got caught of course because he was still locked in the back.

[CBGLuthier]

3. They did not have enough sense to search someone threatening to SHOOT THEMSELVES????

That is some shit police work there. Absolute shit. "Mistakes happen" my ass. This is the direct result of out-and-out incompetence.

[oneshooter]

9. He was not under arrest, simply detained for his own safety.

He was given a quick patdown (Terry frisk?), not searched.

[CBGLuthier]

11. which was really stupid and inadequate

so your point is?

Let us try again. Reported threatening to shoot himself and the cops don't search him well.


No Fucking Excuse. None. None.

No new facts or ideas change the fact this was shoddy work. Criminal in fact.

[YllwFvr]

12. many officers

Are leary of juveniles. At least in my state there are a whole different set of rules for dealing with them.

[ileus]

15. Two WV troopers killed in WV...suspect cuffed in front.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/region/second-west-virginia-trooper-dies-after-shooting-651471/


It later come out that the man was cuffed in front, and somehow had a firearm that wasn't found.


At least this ended up in a suicide instead of a dead LEO(s)