West Point grad gunned down in Las Vegas for carrying in Costo.

[Will Carry]

http://www.wnd.com/2012/06/cops-gun-down-man-for-legally-carrying-firearm/?cat_orig=us

This sounds like a nightmare. I will never set foot in Las Vegas or Costco again. Gatlingburg here I come,

[Fivestring63]

Man, this is terrible. But, he should've left when told to do so.

[mcurrier]

Old story, duplicate -

Lock this puppy up.

[scoutfsu]

This happened a couple years ago. I notice this article doesn't state the fact that Scott was under the influence of substantial levels of Zanax and Morphine.

Here's a link to follow - http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/sep/22/coroners-inquest-erik-scott/

Jeff Knox needs to do some more research.

[Lumber_Jack]

The story itself is terrible but written to incite rage. The man should have left when management asked him. After that he was trespassing. You have no right to argue your case, just leave.

[scoutfsu]

The story itself is terrible but written to incite rage.

Thats what really gets to me about it. It's so blatantly biased and ignorant of facts, that it makes me think anything else this guy writes is just as contemptible. I would expect to read something like this (except extremely liberal) in the Huffington Post or NY Times.

[daddyo]

The story itself is terrible but written to incite rage. The man should have left when management asked him. After that he was trespassing. You have no right to argue your case, just leave.

So, because he didn't leave, the police were justified in gunning him down?

Scott left when they evacuated the building, then the employee identified him to police, who then gave him conflicting commands. He took his weapon off to surrender it to police. They then opened fire, because they were too stupid to know when someone was disarming vs. drawing on them. Someone took a photo of Scott's Kimber Ultra still in the holster laying on the ground.

This was not a good shoot by the police. In fact, based on all the evidence, I'd call it murder.,

[mikegideon]

Girlfriend testimony from the inquest...

"He (Officer William Mosher) immediately draws his weapon and tells

him to get on the ground," she said, adding that Scott put his hands up

with the intention of disarming.

Sterner said she screamed at the

officers that Scott was in the military and had a concealed weapons

permit.

She told them not to shoot, she said.

Scott raised his shirt to reveal the gun and had grabbed it to put it on the ground when the officer fired his pistol, she said."

Really stupid move. I think it would get you shot anywhere.

[Guest bkelm18]

Firstly, he should have left when they asked him to. Secondly, it was stupid to go for his gun. He should have gotten on the ground pronto. Not saying the police were justified, but a little common sense on everybody's part could've saved his life.

[scoutfsu]

So, because he didn't leave, the police were justified in gunning him down?

This was not a good shoot by the police. In fact, based on all the evidence, I'd call it murder.,

He was shot because he was acting erratically. He was acting erratically because he was high.

She said the high amount of drugs in Scott's system was potentially lethal. She also said it was possible he was accustomed to that high level of drugs.

The morphine and Xanax both were at potentially lethal levels, which she said indicated Scott had built up a tolerance over time.

According to a witness -

Kullberg said as she tried to leave the store, she saw Erik Scott staring at an officer after the officer had told him to get down on the ground "at least five times."

"He reached behind him and pulled out his gun and aimed it at the officer," Kullberg said. "At that time, the officer shot him."

Asked to describe what Scott did as he was standing, staring at the officer. "He was like dazed. He was just looking at him. He wasn't obeying any of his commands."

Who knows if he was reaching for his gun to surrender it? How are the cops supposed to know if that was his intention? They're dealing with an armed suspect who is high on opiates and isn't responding to any of their commands...and he's reaching for his pistol. Split second decisions....

Why on earth would you reach for your holstered pistol to give it up to the cops? A holstered gun laying on the ground doesn't tell you much other than it was secured improperly. He could've been trying to draw it from the holster and everything came up with it or he could've been trying to draw a holstered weapon to give it up. How do you decide which is which, especially when you're not there?

because they were too stupid to know when someone was disarming vs. drawing on them.

Sounds to me like Scott was too stupid not to know that pulling your pistol on cops, while they're holding you at gunpoint, isn't the greatest thing to do.

Based on the evidence presented in court, looks like they decided it wasn't murder. Amazing what unbiased facts can lead to, huh?

[Guest ab28]

The story itself is terrible but written to incite rage. The man should have left when management asked him. After that he was trespassing. You have no right to argue your case, just leave.

I'd probably just leave, but nothing wrong with trying to give out some knowledge to the uninformed masses.

[DaveTN]

So we have gone from “He was murdered†to he was high on drugs and pointed a gun at a cop after being told repeatedly to put in down?

[scoutfsu]

Based on scientific evidence presented in court, yes. I didn't make anything up here.

[Lumber_Jack]

So, because he didn't leave, the police were justified in gunning him down?

Scott left when they evacuated the building, then the employee identified him to police, who then gave him conflicting commands. He took his weapon off to surrender it to police. They then opened fire, because they were too stupid to know when someone was disarming vs. drawing on them. Someone took a photo of Scott's Kimber Ultra still in the holster laying on the ground.

This was not a good shoot by the police. In fact, based on all the evidence, I'd call it murder.,

Don't put words in my mouth. I never said anything of the sort. My statement was simple. When asked to leave by a business owner, Leave!

If a cop points a gun at you and you grab your gun, they will shoot you. Don't touch it, they will gladly remove it from the holster themselves.

[gjohnsoniv]

Mistakes were made, it is unfortunate that someone died. That's about all there is to it.

[DaveTN]

Based on scientific evidence presented in court, yes. I didn't make anything up here.

Oh, I didn’t mean to imply you were, I apologize if you took it that way. I just have never seen a shooting thread take 180 turn in 10 posts.

It goes from a story that looks like it was written by the dead guys family attorney, to the story you have that offers quotes from eyewitnesses and Doctors court testimony.

Just goes to show we somtimes jump in too fast.

[scoutfsu]

That came out pissier than I meant it. No worries.

It's a shame that Erik Scott went the way he went. Looks like he was a good guy who just had too much going on to handle right. I get how life can spin out of control while maintaining the veneer of normality.... He just made too many wrong decisions and wasn't able to recover from them. He wasn't some scumbag murderer, rapist, etc....he looked to be a normal guy with a normal life. Maybe that's what people identify with. But he was 100% in the wrong and he paid for his actions. Calling the cops murderers is irresponsible and wrong.

I take issue with the way the article was written. This Jeff Knox guy is blatantly ignoring facts and twisting words and actions to fit his scenario and get angry reactions out of his audience. I expect that kind of stuff from liberal rags and politicians. In a way, I'm glad. He skylined himself and he shows us his willingness to twist facts for his agenda. He definitely went onto my "Disregard" list.

ETA: Geez, if you really want head shaking entertainment, read the comments at the bottom of his article.

Edited June 2, 2012 by scoutfsu

[TMF]

Oh, I didn’t mean to imply you were, I apologize if you took it that way. I just have never seen a shooting thread take 180 turn in 10 posts.

It goes from a story that looks like it was written by the dead guys family attorney, to the story you have that offers quotes from eyewitnesses and Doctors court testimony.

Just goes to show we somtimes jump in too fast.

Yeah, it sounds tragic but I figured there was more to the story then what was included in the article.

[mikegideon]

I thought we solved this case in the first thread when it happened. Good guy, but stoopid for grabbing his gun. Unintentional suicide by cop.

[daddyo]

Don't put words in my mouth. I never said anything of the sort. My statement was simple. When asked to leave by a business owner, Leave!

If a cop points a gun at you and you grab your gun, they will shoot you. Don't touch it, they will gladly remove it from the holster themselves.

Well, let's put you in the same situation where several cops are issuing conflicting commands, one telling you to drop your weapon, another telling you not to move and see how it comes out. There were witnesses that gave statements to that effect.

There were many things at play here. The employee handled it very badly and gave the dispatcher the impression that there was a crazed druggie in the store with a gun, and that's what was communicated to the responding units.

Not too hard to see what happened here.

Edited June 2, 2012 by DaddyO

[DaveTN]

I can assure you that the information given Police Officers by dispatch sometimes makes the situation sound worse than it is, and sometimes it is much worse than what you have been told.

An eyewitness described the deceased pulling his gun and pointing it at the Officer. When asked what she thought he was going to do she replied “Shootâ€. That’s when the Officers fired.

I have been on Morphine and Hydrocodone (although not both at the same time) and I didn’t carry because I knew not only was my judgment impaired, but my reaction time would have been that of a slug. His Morphine and Xanax use was at near fatal levels. I’m sure he was confused but I doubt it was because he had more than one cop giving him orders.

Read what was testified to in court…

http://www.lasvegass...escription-dru/

What happened was a tragedy, but it certainly wasn’t an accident; he had no business strapping on a gun. He made a mistake and he paid for it with his life.

[Lumber_Jack]

Well, let's put you in the same situation where several cops are issuing conflicting commands, one telling you to drop your weapon, another telling you not to move and see how it comes out. There were witnesses that gave statements to that effect.

There were many things at play here. The employee handled it very badly and gave the dispatcher the impression that there was a crazed druggie in the store with a gun, and that's what was communicated to the responding units.

Not too hard to see what happened here.

The only thing "not hard too see" is that you don't think the victim had any responsibility in the shooting. Sure there are others to share the blame but the victim shares some.

[strickj]

and perhaps some personal envy, triggered events which quickly spiraled out of control.

Yup! I always call 911 when I see a man that's more attractive then myself!

[daddyo]

The only thing "not hard too see" is that you don't think the victim had any responsibility in the shooting. Sure there are others to share the blame but the victim shares some.

It's not hard to see that some people are so blind that they can't see what really happened here.

Edited July 5, 2012 by DaddyO

[Guest bkelm18]

It's not hard to see that some people are so blind that they can't see what really happened here.

It's pretty easy to see, on the other hand, that you're so eager to put this guy on a pedestal that you're willing to completely ignore basic facts about this shooting.