LAPD Officer Captured on Video Pointing Gun at Citizen Journalist

Originally posted by supine

Originally posted by MrWendal

Secondly.... it makes no difference WHY he did it. It is illegal and it is a threat. If you dont believe me, go out and aim a firearm at someone and see what happens. I will get your your bail money ready.

Once again, we are not aware of what happened before the video started.

Perhaps he had a reason to point both the weapon and flashlight attachment.

It still seemed staged to me, like he was responding to a threat from the crowd just before the cameras started rolling.

We do not need to know exactly what happened. What the video does not show, also provides plenty of information. Police and private citizens can not just point firearms at random people. PERIOD. Police have guidelines and procedures to follow. They can not just point a firearm at you for no reason.

What this video also does not show us, tells us plenty. If there was a real threat to this Officer that required him to point a weapon at another, he would not then just stand there looking around. He would be apprehending the individual who was a threat. We do not see here. There is no one being arrested and threatening a police officer is against the law. If there was a threat to this Officers life, do you really think he would point his weapon at that threat and then do nothing about it?

In the words of my favorite Monday Night Football Analyst... "C'mon Man!"

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


The officer said, "it's a flashlight sir, don't worry about it". I do believe he was scanning something above and behind the camera perspective. Also, I don't know if it is illegal or against "code" to point a weapon at a civilian even though the civilian has done nothing wrong. Being a fan of the show "Cops", I see officers pointing their weapons at civilians all the time although they're not suspected of any wrong doing. I think it's been deemed a "necessary precaution".


Ok yeah I looked it up and it'd basically be the same as a cop walking up to you on the street, pointing his gun at you, and walking away laughing. NOT ALLOWED

The officer willfully brandished his weapon a violation of 417 pc I believe.
This is why officers carry flashlights on their belts, so when they want to see they do not have to go grab their shotguns.
This one in particular was just looking for a response and needs to be put on a desk until he can be evaluated for his anger management problem.
Poor guy was probably terrified, ptsd ya know.
I wish him no harm, the meter maids are hiring I hear, he could keep the cool badge that way too!!!

Really though, if you believe things are so bad you may need to fire on civilians, maybe you need to look and see why the mob is that angry and rethink your future.

I watched this happen live. The cop was pointing it in the face of others and when the guy from San Diego remarked about it the cop turned the gun on the camera guy. The police were announcing on a bullhorn that if the people didn't leave within ten minutes then they would be subject arrest and "other police tactics which will include the use of less-lethal weapons that may cause seriously physical harm".

My issue is that unless there was some actual disturbance the police should not be there to arrest anyone. Protesting and assembling is legal and protected. Rights don't matter anymore, though, and officers of the law are above the law now. The evidence is everywhere, every day. They want the people to know that the police are their enforcers to do their bidding and that laws don't matter except as a weapon against the citizenry.

The routine arrest of protesters is completely unconstitutional. There is so much hate for the OWS movement and all I see are petty insults and attacks based on generalizations about the participants. It doesn't matter what they are protesting about or what they look like. It's right there in the constitution. Police are calling out things like "unlawful assembly". Fiction and fraud.

reply to post by blueberrywaffles


At what point in the video do you hear him say that?

Could be one of those shotguns with the orange stock, designated to fire non lethal rounds only. Can't tell with that night vision though.


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reply to post by PsykoOps


Cops are cowards, they overpower armless protestors with armored up riot gears and weapons. They always need 6 men to take down one guy and restrain him, when in groups they are more aggravated and Violent grouping up on one guy. That's what you call cowering bullies.

I am greatly surprised that no one has shot at the pigs. For real they have seen time and time again these men abuse there rights and fight back with devastating brutality, and the protestors haven't cracked.

TPTB want this to happen, the usa is now declared a battlefield. Im telling you get your guns.

How long is too long for these riots? Are we supposed to let everyone stay there for another 6-12 months, or longer? They are asking for something, and with the protests being shut down, they are being told 'No'. Every day they are out there, costs cities thousands or even millions of Dollars, and that money could be going to something much more important. They are, in a way, becoming their own 1 percent.

They are out there having their protest using my money. How long do I have to keep paying for them to be out there? I want them gone, and evicted. It has to end some time, I would rather it be now, then for the cities to wait another couple months, when the protestors get very angry, and start rioting because they aren't getting their way.

As for the officer pointing the gun at the reporter, people screw up, police too. Nobody is perfect. After it happens, his tone (to me at least) sounds like 'Oh crap, he's right'. I am sure that the next time he spoke to his CO, he probably got an ear full, and probably some sort of internal punishment.

Just because you don't know about the consequences the officer faces, it doesn't mean they get off scott free. Even in cases where the police goes public and denies responsibility, the officers are still quite often punished, or shown/told alternatives that they could have done.

Well IMHO in the first second of the video I can see why people are ranting at the police officer. It looked like he was aiming at someone. But in regards to the second time he did it I believe he was using his flashlight. Regardless on how you take it I believe what he did was reckless and could've been easily avoided. I say this guy is probably a rookie. Just saying.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


Time 00:16 listen carefully, at first you can't really hear the first few words from the cop "it's a flashlight", but then the second part "don't worry about it" is pretty audible.

Well he actually didn't say "it's a" but he did say "flashlight sir, don't worry about it".

reply to post by blueberrywaffles


I did hear that now that you pointed it out. I still think he was out of line but it doesn't seem as bad as before. The main issue is he had an impulse reaction and was aiming that gun in a threatening manner. I'm sure this has been shown to his superiors and if it's against any rules he will be reprimanded for it.

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed
I thought I would add this since it kind of fits with the theme. Here is the LAPD desecrating an American flag, they just hack it down like a rag.

A sign of things to come? I hope not.

I find this video to be symbolic in certain ways.

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edit on 2-12-2011 by Corruption Exposed because: (no reason given)

The officers are violating procedure, they should be carrying at port arms (weapon held across the body, hip to shoulder), not ready arms, which is the way they are holding them.

I don't care if they don't respect the Occupiers or what they believe in, but they DAMN SURE SHOULD RESPECT THE FLAG.