Woman Killed After Police Chase Through Capitol Hill

[teko]

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/breaking/US-Capitol-Locked-Down-After-Reports-of-Shots-Fired-226338921.html

[brice1967]

After much thought about this subject, I wish law enforcement would not have acted in the fashion they did and preferred they had taken a much more passive approach.  I wish they did absolutely nothing and just let this crazed woman do as she pleased and just let the scenario play out.

Eventually she would have gotten tired and gave up.  Or, she would have run out of gas and gave up.  Or, killed a bunch of people by running them over and the car would be so severely damaged that she would have had to stop and talk nicely with the police.

Yeah, getting the thing stopped was probably the worst case scenario.

[Vance2335]

Do you understand how hard it is to hit someone in the leg? If someone is standing still and you have a rifle with a scope then you stand a chance. But when you have someone moving and you have  9mm shooting at the legs and hitting the target is near impossible except for luck. You are trained to shoot center mass.

As for this above story I think we all know shooting at the legs is impossible as she was driving a car.

We give certain power to police to make snap decisions, no one is above question but this was a justifiable shooting.

[R Glass]

The first few sentences of the article is all the explanation I need.


“Law enforcement authorities still don't know why a Connecticut woman tried to breach a barrier at the White House, setting off a high-speed car chase that put the Capitol on lockdown and ended with her being shot dead by police”

[teko]

You said pretty much what Im thinking. Now this particular situation in the area where it was and the circumstances with the yard killings and compounded by the shutdown, everyone was on extra alert anyways, but like you, I see this across the nation, starting with the area I live in. It does seem like they aim to kill first and ask questions later. I too wonder why they do not shoot a kneecap out or try to disable the perp more. Shooting by cop seems to be the norm rather than the extenuating circumstance these days to me too.

Now the boyfriend says the gal had not been taking her meds and acting irrational, yet the family says not. Said the doc was weaning her off the meds and she was doing well. I also noticed her child appeared well groomed and cared for, and frankly if 4 people had guns surrounding my car, I would hit the gas as well in a freak out mode. I dunno, something here is just sad and off kilter.

[brice1967]

I was under the impression that this person ran someone over.  Didn't she hit a cop?  That is probably reason enough to shoot to kill.  The person was exhibiting erratic behavior, was not willing to talk to the cops.... what's next?

What if they don't stop this person and she then drives through a group of people killing 10 or more people?  You'd then be asking "why didn't the cops stop her".

"Shooting for the legs"..... she was in a car driving.  

[orphanedhawk]

There are too many people being shot by police when they could have been apprehended or shot without it being a kill shot. What happened to aiming for the leg, instead of shoot to kill ?
What about that hurt football star who was killed when all he wanted was help after a car accident ??

I know this story doesn't fit into that scenario but I the police now shoot first and ask questions ( or don't ) later.

[brice1967]

"Is it possible that this woman got lost, took a wrong turn?..was confronted by all these people with guns drawn panicked and fled?  I saw this happen on video, I did not see any of them with police uniforms on."

You're trying to rationalize this and you just can't.  It's known that this woman has mental issues.  

Is it possible that she got lost?  Yeah, its also possible that she had far darker intentions... Imagine if she was fleeing in a car full of explosives.  The cops tried to talk her down and she wanted nothing to do with it.  She took off erratically and you get what we have there.

I've been in situations where cops have drawn their guns and the last thing I wanted to do was run and get shot in the back. Had my kids been there.... what makes you think you can outrun a bullet?  Compliance was the very first thing that came to my mind, but... but... I am not mentally ill and I don't have a death wish.

[Dee1956]

She was running from the police, when and where did they shoot her that was in a better safer place than any other?

I can see where they would be damned if they did damned if they didn't.  I just feel like Teko, something does not feel right.

[Dee1956]

I don't understand why they shot her.  Everyone is so worried about mentally ill people having guns.  What about mentally ill people who act suspiciously, are they going to be shot dead? How was it possible for this incident to be filmed?...how were they able to tape this and then show it? Just curious.  Was someone ready for this incident?

Another woman in NH was shot dead while running from police in her car..within the 24 hour period of the woman in DC

I have gotten lost in DC, I have gotten turned around with all the one way streets and service access roads, it is very confusing.

She had her child in the car, didn't they see her child?  Why did they shoot at her, they could have killed someone else or the child. This is just insane!

I remember a person who drove up to the White House gates and asked to speak to the President Regan, she thought they were friends.
She was taken out of her car and committed to an institution, thank God they did not shoot her.

Is it possible that this woman got lost, took a wrong turn?..was confronted by all these people with guns drawn panicked and fled?  I saw this happen on video, I did not see any of them with police uniforms on.

I am afraid for where this country is headed.

[brice1967]

At one point in time, they had her stopped, guns drawn and were trying to talk her down or at least out of the car.  If they would have opened fire there, imagine the outrage.  Giving this perp the opportunity to stand down, I believe was the right thing to do.  She took off and continued to run amok.  They took her out and stopped further damage.

If we could have scrambled jets in time, something similar would have happened at 9-11.

[adgal]

What stood out to me in this story is the the babies father had called authorities awhile back concerned for the well being of his child, and the mental health of the mother.  She apparantly thought Obama was out to imprison her or something like that.  Authorities looked into the situation, but nothing was done.  It sounds like her behavior had been extreme for quite some time, yet she still had that baby with her.  Once again I think this highlights the need for proper intervention in situations of mental health cases.  We have the same problem here.  IT's a tough one because it's pretty tough to mandate treatment - it's a violation of rights.  But I think we do need to get better at evaluation - if someone is danger to themselves or others, there needs to be intervention.  And her boyfriend DID call saying he was very concerned.

This story is just sad.  I can understand the reaction of authorities - it's true, that car could have been rigged to blow, or innocent people could have been killed.  I just feel the whole incident could possibly have been adverted if her obviously serious mental health condition had been addressed.

[R Glass]

If it had happened anyplace in the U.S. other than the area it did, I would be against it. That car could have been loaded with bombs. For all they knew she was trying to get to a good location to detonate them. I think killing her immediately would have been justified. Shooting tires does not stop a car. She should have chosen another place to go nuts other than the highest security area in the U.S. But who knows, Suicide by Cops happens all the time.

[teko]

I was just listening to that lawyer that defended zimmerman talking about this. He said that the way it was done was not right. If they had shot her when she actually used her car and hurt the officer then they had a right to do it. I still say how could they not know a baby was in the back seat when 4 of them surrounded the car  with guns drawn, before she backed up and sped away.???

[MrsPincince]

You make a VERY good point...

[brice1967]

It was a "no win" situation for law enforcement.  Do nothing and let this maniac run wild all over DC and they would have been criticized.  Shoot the tires out, there is a good possibility that she would have gone out of control and could have driven into a group of people or an occupied building.  Shoot the tires out... what if they missed and hit a bystander?  Shoot at the driver while there is a baby in the car?

None of the possible actions seem real responsible but the good news is, this woman was stopped before she could have caused any more havoc.  That is the best possible result.  She had no care for human life.  I'm completely okay with what happened to this person.

[MrsPincince]

its a shame..I was watching last night and they said they shot at her because she hit a secret service agent with her car so at that point she was behind the wheel of a car that was considered a "dangerous weapon"..I saw the footage and that lady went nuts. She was driving so fast and crazy..I agree they should have shot the tires out. They had plenty of opportunity. I don't know. This world is just mad...

[teko]

Im sure everyone here is aware of this story by now. Something doesnt feel right about this. Do they not shoot tires out anymore? Is there nothing they can do but spray 7 bullets into the drivers door? And how did they NOT know there was a baby in that car I wonder? It makes more sense because of the location and recent events in the area but this seems to be a nationwide thing lately. Just shoot to kill and ask questions later. She was unarmed and now after her death, of course she is mentally ill. Something just doesnt feel right about this to me. Whats you alls take?