Video released after police accused of pointing guns at 11 year old with BB gun [View all]

[Lee-Lee]

Initially a post was put on social media with a video that only showed a period after the initial contact with police.

The following statement was posted along with the bystander’s video recording.

“Very disturbing video. This happened in Spartanburg SC. We were told that this 11 year old boy was playing outside, throwing rocks when the police pulled up with guns drawn. He was eventually handcuffed behind his back and put into a patrol car. This little boy makes good grades, plays basketball, football, baseball and runs track. He also has been a participant in the Omega Camp for four years in a row. Our question for Spartanburg City Police Office is....does your policing policy include pulling out guns on and handcuffing 11 year old kids??? And yes, we saw the lady pick up the orange tip toy gun from the grass...we were told he was handcuffed because of rocks that were thrown...not because of a very obvious toy gun.”

So the department released the body camera footage. You can see it here:

https://www.google.com/amp/amp.wyff4.com/article/police-release-video-after-social-media-post-claims-officer-drew-gun-on-11-year-old/10277879

In fact the officer clearly never drew his firearm.

Just a other example of why you should never get outraged over social media posts or other accusations of police misconduct that have no evidence. That person clearly felt the need to exaggerate and lie to make the police look bad. Maybe it was for the attention they received for it. Maybe it was because they want to create more distrust and a deeper divide between the police and the community.

Whatever their motivations, had this not been countered with body camera footage it would have served to just create deeper and worse mistrust in that community between the police and the residents, and those kind of inflammatory lies would have done just that had it. It been for body camera footage and the departments willingness to quickly release it.

Remember, just because someone says it doesn't make it true. Had people kept this in mind after Keith Lamont Scott was shot in Charlotte instead of rioting based on his wife and families statements that turned out to be lies we wouldn't have seen riots, another person shot and killed, many injured and many arrested. And all those various activist groups in Charlotte that went after the CMPD after the shooting wouldn't have lost credibility in the community and with the PD had they waited for facts instead of acting on lies.

I'm not saying don't criticize the police when they are wrong. I am saying don't jump the gun. Don't act based on lies or statements of random people with no evidence to back them up. Now from this video if you want to question if it's good policy to cuff the child in this case, that's a random debate and worth having. But when you have to add lies about the police drawing guns in a child you are no longer debating, you are just intentionally stirring hatred and inciting violence and division and have ruined any chance for discussion on the legitimate issues.