Off-Duty Officer Fatally Shoots Unarmed Marine

Originally posted by Shark VA84
I tend to get a little fired up when I hear news like this, and I would fully support the death penalty for this law enforcement officer. The "brotherhood" will most likely protect this gentlemen as they have in the past. My distain for a majority of law enforcement in this country is not unfounded, and if news like this does not set you off a little inside, then I wonder what does.

Good post, I know from experience how hard it can be to take a step back from your own hasty comments and put your hands up!

This article definitely got my goat up a bit but I've learnt (the hard way) that acting on that first emotional response to stories like this generally ends up with rash posts and/or a strip search ("Stop and Search" terror laws in the UK suck... ).

I hope the policeman in question gets what he deserves IF he deserves it. I would just hope that people take a step back from the media circus and see that the forms of control being employed against us come in varying forms and that the police are victims as much as the rest of us.

Bad stuff happens everyday in all walks of life. It is up to as as responsible human beings to see these situations for what they are, and not get pulled into knee-jerk reactions that only serve to divide us and advance the agenda of whatever group/entity/thing is responsible for the sorry state of the world today.

No Bail, Protective Custody

Sorry if this is re-hashing a topic that has already been discussed. I live in Baltimore and just saw the update on the local CBS station (I don't normally watch any MSM, but I'm off work today and was watching Price is Right). The cop who shot the Marine is now in jail and faces the first-degree murder charge (good!).

Actually watching the video (don't think its available on the WJZ website above), it was kind of disgusting to watch his defense attorney spit some of the usual garbage:

"A police officer in fear of his life has to do what he has to do to preserve his life. If one shot doesn't work and two shots don't work and three, four, five, six don't work, you fire until the threat is gone," said Cohen.

Also, a retract, I know these can be common, but can homicide detectives not count the holes in a body?

Though police had reported nine bullets hit the victim, the autopsy revealed he was struck 12 times,

The defense is claiming that the Marine "sexually assaulted" a woman as he was leaving the club, which I guess somehow justified 13 shots fired at him?

I work in Baltimore everyday, and live about 5 miles outside the city lines. Any advice?

Cops should always carry a gun, intoxicated or not. Get ready for soldiers to be shot every week by the police. They are coming back and realizing that they were fighting for the wrong reasons and this is making them disturbed enough to get shot. If you think Vietnam produced some whack jobs, get ready for 10 times more.

Still no charges brought in regards to this incident.

You can bet that had the officer in question been white, our resident racists, messrs. Sharpton and Jackson, would be marching in Baltimore as we speak.

reply to post by Retseh


Uh, you're aware just 2 posts up someone posted a link showing the officer is in custody without possibility of bail and is being charged with 1st degree murder, right?

This is the 3rd person shot by this pos officer Gahji Tshamba.....

This is insane, purely insane - he shot 3 people, the 2nd he was intoxicated.





Records show that in July 1998, Tshamba shot a man in a foot chase. According to the Baltimore Sun, in 2005, he shot another man in the foot while he was off duty. While the shooting was deemed justified, he was disciplined for being intoxicated.

In 2001, Tshamba's conduct came into question when he arrested a female driver in part because he didn't like the way she signed a traffic ticket, records showed. The woman was strip-searched during processing at Central Booking. She later sued over the incident and won.www.wbaltv.com...

[edit on 15/6/10 by xstealth]

The officer has been charged with 1st degree murder.

Something tells me the charges will be dropped when this blows over.
weblogs.baltimoresun.com...

To quote The Clash's "Know Your Rights"
"You have the right not to be killed, murder is a crime...unless it was done by a policeman (or an aristocrat)..."
This man will walk, unless he's thrown up as a sacrificial lamb to appease the populace (that sometimes happens). Usually they walk.
The Clash were right.

reply to post by MegaCurious


Clearly a problem cop. He needs to go. Its the second time he shot someone after exchanging words while intoxicated, which may or may not make it into a court of law, but in the court of public opinion, he is a rogue cop.

A lot of this stuff keeps coming out of Baltimore.
This is exactly why I moved out of that city.

A lot of the officers there seem confident in their corruption alongside the public officials.

- Lee

REally shows you what is going on and not to mention the recent thread of that cop punching that 17 old girl for jaywalking? WTF
I'm also surprised the marine was still alive and able to say i'm shot after 13 gunshots.

Sorry I only read about two thirds of the posts and while I agree that the true story may be different, I can't think of a single plausible scenario why someone would need to fire 13 shots against an unarmed man and not be guilty. I'm not a fire arms expert but how long does it take to fire 13 shots? 4 to 6 seconds would be my guess, your telling me that an unarmed man could still be seen as a threat for that long, who is this guy Neo?

Which leads me to my next point, even if he was a threat at the beginning, 13 shots is simply unacceptable and how he was able to not get breathalyzed is a crime in its self. Like he just shot someone outside of a club and has a history of doing the exact same thing.

I just don't understand how anyone can defend this guy.

IF the off duty cop shot the marine in a drunken rage the lesson is obvious.Why are off duties drinking alcohol and carrying fire arms.Since the killer refused the breath test proves my point.Also did he need 13 freakin shots to down the man!

www.military.com...

The unarmed former Marine fatally shot by an off-duty Baltimore police officer outside a Mount Vernon bar early Saturday had his hands in the air when the officer fired 13 rounds, striking him nine times in the chest and groin, according to department sources.
Two top police commanders said Thursday that four witnesses -- two friends of victim Tyrone Brown and two bystanders -- corroborated that version of events in taped interviews with homicide detectives and prosecutors.

The man was holding his hands in the air when he was murdered.

Had this not been a cop doing the killing, he'd be in jail instead of out walking around.

If this was a marine where is NCIS when you need them? Not to joke on this solemn moment, but we need a Gibbs to wrangle in these outlaw Baltimore cop's this is disgusting abuse of power and the BPD knows it.

reply to post by SpectreDC


I Googled the story immediately before posting and obviously missed the updated status.

Thanks for pointing it out.

reply to post by Jessicamsa


Thank you Jessica for linking to Military.com outstanding source.

Lurkingsleipner the problems is that most Americans watch these shows rather than to get in touch with their heritage. The true American Pioneering Spirit that made America what it was until the rich and their rich man's army are attempting to rob from us it.

Only one question why was this LEO not lynched. He took the law into his hands so should have the witnesses and hung him from the rafters. Now the taxpayer will have to fund this LEOs representation and trial which is more than the victim received. BTW what was the dead Marines crime? I am hazy on that one.

Thank you once again Jessica you have a fine mind and I like your style of writing.