Public Comment

Another African American bites the dust, victim to yet another botched shooting. Video showed an Oklahoma reserve sheriff’s deputy mistakenly shooting and killing an African American with his handgun, instead of his stun gun, as instructed. Video from the Oklahoma sheriff’s department showed police officers chasing the unarmed victim, Eric Harris. After officers caught up with him they pinned him to the ground and fatally shot him. In an act of utter callousness other officers on the scene responded to Harris’ desperate cries for help telling him to “shut up”. When Harris begged for help pleading: "I’m losing my breath," an officer responded, "bleep your breath." Harris was pronounced dead an hour later.  

The deputy who killed Harris, Robert Bates, is a wealthy insurance executive and heavy donor to the Tulsa police department, who volunteers as a reserve. Why must excessive force be used when the victim is lying supine and handcuffed?