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Duer 157099

(17,742 posts) Mon Oct 28, 2013, 02:27 PM Oct 2013

Deputy who shot Santa Rosa boy identified [View all]

Source: Press Democrat

The Sonoma County sheriff's deputy who fired the shots that killed 13-year-old Andy Lopez last week is a firearms expert, Iraq War veteran and prolific contributor to magazines and online forums dealing with guns and police use of force.

The Sheriff's Office confirmed Sunday that Deputy Erick Gelhaus, 48, fired the shots. A 24-year veteran of the office, Gelhaus has been a frequent advocate in his writing for a prepared, aggressive stance in law enforcement, a profession he has described as a "calling" and likened to a "contact sport."

In a 2008 article he wrote for S.W.A.T. Magazine about strategies for surviving an ambush in the "kill zone," Gelhaus began by describing the "nanoseconds (that) seem like minutes as you scramble to react while simultaneously thinking about your children and spouse."

Read more: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20131028/articles/310281004

Now it is all clear: the Deputy thought he was in a war zone. Because that is exactly how he reacted. We need to have our police trained differently than the military!!!

129 replies

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Deputy who shot Santa Rosa boy identified [View all] Duer 157099 Oct 2013 OP

Something like 50-60% of all police hires are ex-military and many are combat vets leveymg Oct 2013 #1

Damn right it does. MynameisBlarney Oct 2013 #3

At a minimum, what needs to change is the mind-set that the U.S. populace is the enemy. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #40

Especially the notion to the police that American Citizens are "civilians" warrant46 Oct 2013 #74

We are not disposable! Steerpike Oct 2013 #89

Agreed. There should be a one-strike rule, whether culpable or not. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #91

A weapons expert. MynameisBlarney Oct 2013 #2

Judging from the article, Auggie Oct 2013 #4

Exactly. Combat training. Duer 157099 Oct 2013 #8

He wrote it ... GeorgeGist Oct 2013 #24

Interesting that the toy gun was a replica AK-47 which is more commonly Jesus Malverde Oct 2013 #61

We need more officers that think before acting MynameisBlarney Oct 2013 #9

From the reports I read, the kid had a replica that was made to look like the real. Agnosticsherbet Oct 2013 #6

And what if it had been a real gun? Duer 157099 Oct 2013 #7

If they have them in their hands, are told to drop them, and turn toward the police with them jtuck004 Oct 2013 #13

Yeah, if they turn the gun toward you in a firing position Duer 157099 Oct 2013 #15

From what I read it sounds like the barrel was swinging toward the cop. jtuck004 Oct 2013 #21

I agree with what you said Duer 157099 Oct 2013 #22

sad thing is Niceguy1 Oct 2013 #26

You say "poor parenting." It may be if the parents could not choose a neighborhood where a deputy AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #47

how old was the kid that just Niceguy1 Oct 2013 #48

Originally catchnrelease Oct 2013 #90

I have read that Niceguy1 Oct 2013 #92

Question about toy guns azureblue Oct 2013 #54

The orange tip had been cut off of the barrel. GreenStormCloud Oct 2013 #57

problem is people cut the orange off, also there are guns that look like the toy ones loli phabay Oct 2013 #60

Required and actually present may be two different things. There are thousands of cars on the road jtuck004 Oct 2013 #63

All those "ifs." And when the conditions are not met, the cops can just make up their stories and AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #45

As opposed to the story you are making up? Arm chair hot air. jtuck004 Oct 2013 #64

You say that you "have been in similar situations". So you are pro-cop. Got it. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #65

Hang onto your bias if you like feeding on it. I am pro keeping my ass alive. jtuck004 Oct 2013 #67

How ironic. You don't want to see "an innocent kid mowed down by some crazy with a gun." Comrade Grumpy Oct 2013 #77

Nope. Shot by a police officer in the line of duty. Unless you have jtuck004 Oct 2013 #85

Nonetheless, the innocent kid is dead. Comrade Grumpy Oct 2013 #126

All the whiners need to don a uniform and take to the street with the responsibilty. jtuck004 Oct 2013 #128

This was murder. Legal murder. The police didnt think they were in danger. They rhett o rick Oct 2013 #93

Think what you want, but you don't know what was in his mind. We threw his ass jtuck004 Oct 2013 #97

WE didn't ask him to do SHIT... ret5hd Oct 2013 #104

WE, as in the state, put an ad out and asked for people, hired him, Fucking TRAINED him, jtuck004 Oct 2013 #105

This has got to be the nuttiest comment so far. Ranchemp. Oct 2013 #100

You try to justify shooting the boy 7 times. Was he still twitching? This looks like murder. rhett o rick Oct 2013 #101

I'm not justifying anything Ranchemp. Oct 2013 #102

This message was self-deleted by its author MynameisBlarney Oct 2013 #14

Others here answered your question. If a person turns towards the police pointing what they Agnosticsherbet Oct 2013 #19

And if they turn but don't point it? Duer 157099 Oct 2013 #20

It would depend on the circumstances, but I wouldn't care to bet my life on Agnosticsherbet Oct 2013 #23

Seven shots from one gun is an execution. Gormy Cuss Oct 2013 #25

Even a "expert" can panic. Agnosticsherbet Oct 2013 #27

funny how the other deputy didn't panic.. frylock Oct 2013 #33

I agree about panic Gormy Cuss Oct 2013 #87

Kid never got a chance to turn around FreakinDJ Oct 2013 #78

According to some on DU, yes NickB79 Oct 2013 #29

cop hatred trumps all TorchTheWitch Oct 2013 #113

Quite true MynameisBlarney Oct 2013 #12

A deputy licensed to kill should be able to tell the difference between child-size 13-year olds and AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #44

Why would that matter? quakerboy Oct 2013 #110

1) No gun was being held except by the cop. Not one official claims otherwise. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #111

You are right in the abstract and wrong in the specific quakerboy Oct 2013 #117

You say "any reasonable person ..." There were two LEOs. The one with 11 years of experience AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #118

This message was self-deleted by its author Ranchemp. Oct 2013 #119

This message was self-deleted by its author AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #120

I just re-read your post and realized I got it wrong. Ranchemp. Oct 2013 #121

No problem. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #122

Neither of those assertions, if true, changes the basics of what I have said quakerboy Oct 2013 #123

There is no factual basis for your claim that "any reasonable person" would have thought he was AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #124

You are wrong, on all accounts quakerboy Oct 2013 #129

Of course you have turn around first FreakinDJ Oct 2013 #16

Normal size 13-year olds don't look like adults. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #43

airsoft and other companies make the replicas to look exactly like the real thing apart from loli phabay Oct 2013 #32

Orange tip or not, normal size 13-year olds don't look like adults. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #46

one does not need to be an adult to be carrying a real gun loli phabay Oct 2013 #59

When discussing the 13-year old, you said "gangs". Did the cop claim that he was with a gang? AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #69

no, but you keep stating the fact he was a thirteen year old regardless if the gun was real or not loli phabay Oct 2013 #70

Yes, he was 13-years old. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #72

way to miss the point, but anyway. loli phabay Oct 2013 #73

The point you missed is that normal size 13-year old kids with toy guns don't look like adults or AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #75

normal size thirteen year olds are members of gangs and cartels, same as abnormal size thirteen loli phabay Oct 2013 #79

This was a Latino kid in a poor neighborhood--of course he was a gang-banger. Comrade Grumpy Oct 2013 #125

Yes. And in the minds of cop-apologists who have no shame. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #127

He was clearly "thinking of his children and his spouse" RVN VET Oct 2013 #36

And couldn't tell a smaller-than-adult 13-year old from an adult. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #41

Excellent point! FarPoint Oct 2013 #98

We are all Afghans now. nt bemildred Oct 2013 #5

+100 = so much truth lunasun Oct 2013 #83

per last line of OP heaven05 Oct 2013 #10

fucking asshole cop! gopiscrap Oct 2013 #11

I would hope gaspee Oct 2013 #17

He likened work in Law enforcement to "a contact sport"? BuelahWitch Oct 2013 #18

Big strong manly man who likes to roll around on the ground with other guys. Spitfire of ATJ Oct 2013 #30

why didn't the PD azureblue Oct 2013 #55

As in "contact by bullet" jsr Oct 2013 #86

This. ^^^ CrispyQ Oct 2013 #106

...Still wondering why there are TOYS made for children that look like the real thing... AndyA Oct 2013 #28

+1000. nt NickB79 Oct 2013 #31

First of all, many kids know better than their parents Duer 157099 Oct 2013 #35

There have been realistic toy guns almost as long as there have been real guns Evelyn Gordon Oct 2013 #82

Times do change. moriah Oct 2013 #94

When taking a weapon to the range such as one of my ARs or AKs, I always Evelyn Gordon Oct 2013 #99

Above someone posted that the toy had a bright orange tip, which had been cut off. CrispyQ Oct 2013 #107

I've been wondering that for decades.... tenderfoot Oct 2013 #112

Sickening - a shame someone like this was allowed to be in a position of power dbackjon Oct 2013 #34

K&R DeSwiss Oct 2013 #37

Sounds like he fantasized about armed conflict. WCLinolVir Oct 2013 #38

The populace is the enemy, including smaller-than-adults 13-year olds. AnotherMcIntosh Oct 2013 #39

I Have Complained For A Long Time DallasNE Oct 2013 #42

The boy should never had a bb gun that looked like an assualt rifle gerogie1 Oct 2013 #49

You're saying it should be a death-penalty offense to carry one of these? n/t Duer 157099 Oct 2013 #58

the dangers of realistic toy guns are well known Niceguy1 Oct 2013 #96

I disagree bossy22 Oct 2013 #81

They dress like military. They by and large don't live in the city let alone the areas they ... marble falls Oct 2013 #50

When I was secondvariety Oct 2013 #51

Even in Strike Back riverbendviewgal Oct 2013 #52

Statements from witnesses azurnoir Oct 2013 #53

There you go giving Eye Witness Testimony again FreakinDJ Oct 2013 #56

I hate that this happened udbcrzy2 Oct 2013 #103

he seems like a loose cannon noiretextatique Oct 2013 #62

So what law was this child breaking? Why was he being stopped and questioned? A Simple Game Oct 2013 #66

someone called the police about a person with a gun Duckhunter935 Oct 2013 #76

In my world Steerpike Oct 2013 #68

Yes, absolutely and immediately upon knowing the victim committed no crime. mountain grammy Oct 2013 #71

that's ridiculous bossy22 Oct 2013 #80

A mistake Steerpike Oct 2013 #88

you're playing monday morning quarterback bossy22 Oct 2013 #108

Bullshit Steerpike Oct 2013 #109

I have to disagree -- most, but not all cases. moriah Oct 2013 #95

When I was a teen me and my friend were carrying bb guns home from the creek The Straight Story Oct 2013 #84

Message auto-removed Name removed Oct 2013 #114

The real question is should Police Officers be armed? happyslug Oct 2013 #115

Absolutely amazing; twisting every which way to blame everything and anyone... MindPilot Oct 2013 #116