US Police Have Killed Nearly 400 People (So Far) This Year

...and we're not even halfway through it. At 77 per month, on average, we're on track to hit 924 for the year.

But hey, who's counting?

Washington Post (gasp!)

That is more than twice the rate of fatal police shootings tallied by the federal government over the past decade, a count that officials concede is incomplete.

No, things aren't getting completely out-of-hand or anything. We, who've been screaming about militarization and questionable personnel management for longer than we can remember are just completely full of it, right?

Among The Post’s findings:

●About half the victims were white, half minority. But the demographics shifted sharply among the unarmed victims, two-thirds of whom were black or Hispanic. Overall, blacks were killed at three times the rate of whites or other minorities when adjusting by the population of the census tracts where the shootings occurred.

●The vast majority of victims — more than 80 percent — were armed with potentially lethal objects, primarily guns, but also knives, machetes, revving vehicles and, in one case, a nail gun.

●Forty-nine people had no weapon, while the guns wielded by 13 others turned out to be toys. In all, 16 percent were either carrying a toy or were unarmed.

●The dead ranged in age from 16 to 83. Eight were children younger than 18, including Jessie Hernandez, 17, who was shot three times by Denver police officers as she and a carload of friends allegedly tried to run them down.

Oh, and let's not forget this thread, which highlights the under-reporting of police killings.

But this really sums up our pathetic situation:

So far, just three of the 385 fatal shootings have resulted in an officer being charged with a crime — less than 1 percent.

Sigh. There's not really much to say that hasn't already been said, although I encourage everyone to read the full article and chime in.

The pot is simply simmering at this point. When or if it ever boils over... maybe when we grow some collective balls. If not, well, we deserve what we're sure to get...

a reply to: NthOther

Is there any information as to yearly deaths by police so we could use a comparison for say the last 20 years to see what kind of a rise there is ?

I would like to see it if there is to get a feel for how bad this is getting.....

Four hundred deaths is crazy for only half a year ....wow/....

a reply to: NthOther

It is impossible to grow "collective balls"

To even suggest it would make you threat to police and subject to life-forfeiture.

The ship of revolt has sailed. Now you wait till they bring on their own downfall through impatients and greed or whatever. Nothing can last forever, but they do try.

a reply to: NthOther

Well if you don't break the law you don't have to worry about the street judges coming and getting ya.

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

Is there any information as to yearly deaths by police so we could use a comparison for say the last 20 years to see what kind of a rise there is ?

Why, there just happens to be this thread from last year (this year will be much, much higher):

Police killings highest in two decades

originally posted by: Sremmos80

Well if you don't break the law you don't have to worry about the street judges coming and getting ya.

“If the [law]... is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine. What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn.”

― Thoreau

a reply to: NthOther

then I say, break the law

And accept the consequences.
Right? Isn't that a critical part of "civil disobedience?" Do you think all those people were engaging in civil disobedience?

a reply to: NthOther

That does start to paint an ugly picture...i will see if i can find any more stats....

Amzing that this is state of thing...and in this thread www.abovetopsecret.com...
we have people justifying this man killing people on his land because the police were not capable or at least not competent enough to do the job they are tasked with...

It really does not say a whole lot of good with the current state of police tactics and ability ....

a reply to: NthOther

Considering that the US is a democracy and free and all that, the real question is when the heck are you going to do something about it?

I would have thought that you had all had enough of the various beatings, murders, molestation and general oppressive nonsense by now.

a reply to: skalla

Considering that the US is a democracy

Not precisely.
It is a representative republic.

Democracies would tend to be rather unpleasant unless you happen to be part of the majority.

a reply to: Phage

But close enough. And i reckon it's still a lot less than desirable to be a part of certain minorities in the US.

But the question still remains - when are US citizens going to have had enough and actually do something to get a police force that you can rely on to think a situation through and act appropriately, rather than all too often getting plastered over the news for assault, murder and petty bullying?

a reply to: Phage

My point in quoting Thoreau is that we can't simply obey every law, as the member above is suggesting (sarcastically or otherwise). It is the morality of the act, not the legality of the act, that really matters.

I was not endorsing civil disobedience (and yes, I do realize where the quote comes from), nor suggesting that's what any of these people are/were doing.

What else would you like to flame me for tonight? Don't like my new avatar?

a reply to: skalla

when are US citizens going to have had enough and actually do something to get a police force that you can rely on to think a situation through and act appropriately, rather than all too often getting plastered over the news for assault, murder and petty bullying?

Do you think there is a national police force in the US? From what I hear there are about 15 - 20 thousand "police forces" in the US.

I am actually quite satisfied on the whole with my city police force. But I agree with you about the "plastered over the news" part.

a reply to: NthOther

My point in quoting Thoreau is that we can't simply obey every law, as the member above is suggesting (sarcastically or otherwise). It is the morality of the act, not the legality of the act, that really matters.

So, what was the morality of the acts which the victims were perpetrating? I'm not implying that they all "deserved" what they got, btw. Just a question. Were they all acting morally, you think?

a reply to: Phage

It's good that you are satisfied with your local force, and no doubt many other folk feel the same in various parts of your country.

However it would seem that there is a massive problem with the behaviour of police in other parts of your country.

Is that unimportant?

Makes one wonder why there is sooooo much crime going down in the U.S. The 'justice' system -must- be failing the public. Maybe prison needs to become a place of un-ending horror ... and all sentences served in full. Might be that judges have been far too lenient in handing out short sentences, too.

Just think ... if people didn't commit Any crimes ... we wouldn't need Any police. And maybe ... if we didn't have stoopid laws on the books ...

originally posted by: Phage

So, what was the morality of the acts which the victims were perpetrating?

You're missing the point entirely. I'm not talking about what anyone else did. I'm talking about how it is morally questionable (at best) to blindly obey laws, as was suggested above.

Understand? I'm not speaking to the motivations of those who were killed. I did not intend to apply the quote to the actions of anyone specifically.

a reply to: skalla

However it would seem that there is a massive problem with the behaviour of police in other parts of your country.

It's a very big country. But did you actually read the article the OP posted?

For the vast majority of departments, a fatal shooting is a rare event. Only 306 agencies have recorded one so far this year, and most had only one, the Post analysis shows.

Massive problem? Remember, now. That is out of many thousands of agencies.


Not 400 people.
80% of the people killed were armed.

www.washingtonpost.com... .html

a reply to: NthOther

I'm talking about how it is morally questionable (at best) to blindly obey laws, as was suggested above.

"Blindly obeying" what laws, exactly?
All of them?

Side question, do you think trashing a neighborhood should be considered civil disobedience?

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: skalla

when are US citizens going to have had enough and actually do something to get a police force that you can rely on to think a situation through and act appropriately, rather than all too often getting plastered over the news for assault, murder and petty bullying?

Do you think there is a national police force in the US? From what I hear there are about 15 - 20 thousand "police forces" in the US.

Maybe that's half the problem, that causes less accountability. There should only be one agency for each state and then the feds.

Its kind of ironic, that a country where citizens are obsessed with 'less government' that there would be thousands of different agencies.