You folks opinion on this shooting - The Firearms Forum

Rommelvon · 07-10-2007, 06:46 PM

Here in wilmington, a very high profile LEO shooting has caused waves in the community, here is the link to the deputies statement

http://www.wwaytv3.com/doc/long-proffer/long.html

what do you guys think of this?...the SBI is trying for manslaughter charges on this. My opinion is this, while the kid was no angel, the local ERT team and long made several crucial mistakes, deputy long stated when he heard the battering ram hit the door, he thought it was a gunshot from the inside suspects, and thus he shot the kid through the door, killing him...is it just me that thinks the ERT team should have had better communications, and let the rest of the team know when the ram was about to be used?.....opinons anyone?

bunnyhunter12 · 07-10-2007, 08:50 PM

Hard to find unbiased info on this Romm, from what I can tell the kid was no Saint but he was no demon either. He appears to have been the son of a prominant lawyer who maybe used "daddy's influence" to get away with some "small time" criminal activities, misdemeanors mostly. It doesn't seem to be in dispute that he had stolen the pair of Playstation 3's and was involved in several assault cases for "fist fighting". He was also known to post pictures of himself online brandishing weapons...... not sure how that plays in to a police assesment of how dangerous you are but it does apparently have some effect.

Long, from what I read, was a GOOD cop and this was a tragic mistake that cost a young man his life and a young LEO his livlihood.

There was definately a break-down in communication and mistakes were made, I can't find enough info to say whether or not Long was completely to blame, smells at least faintly of Scapegoat to me.

polishshooter · 07-10-2007, 09:31 PM

I don't see manslughter in this, especially with all the background information, if true, and the firearms found "leaning against the wall..."even though that cannot be considered as "after the fact..."

It's really a dammed shame when these things happen, but what's the alternative, NOT shoot and he DOES have a rifle and shoots throught the door?

THe ONLY thing that REALLY bothers me is that even our little town, and MANY smaller ones now have "ERTs" or "Swat Teams," and sometimes it seems there is the urge to use them because you HAVE them instead of maybe considering other options...it DOES seem like this went down pretty fast from start to finish, maybe a little better or longer observation was needed before starting, or even planning the approach...only a "drive by" doesn't cut it when you are thinking of sending in the SWAT team...

Unfortunately, especially with immature people playing with guns AND breaking the law, and cops having to deal with them, this stuff is going to happen...cops are human too, NO amount of training can eliminate that ....

But what REALLY gets to me is the plain errors and "no knock" warrants...where INNOCENT people get killed because they hit the wrong house or apartment...like that old lady not long ago...THOSE are inexcusabl;e, and heads SHOULD roll...

07-10-2007, 06:46 PM	#1
Rommelvon Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Goldsboro, NC Posts: 1,452	You folks opinion on this shooting Here in wilmington, a very high profile LEO shooting has caused waves in the community, here is the link to the deputies statement http://www.wwaytv3.com/doc/long-proffer/long.html what do you guys think of this?...the SBI is trying for manslaughter charges on this. My opinion is this, while the kid was no angel, the local ERT team and long made several crucial mistakes, deputy long stated when he heard the battering ram hit the door, he thought it was a gunshot from the inside suspects, and thus he shot the kid through the door, killing him...is it just me that thinks the ERT team should have had better communications, and let the rest of the team know when the ram was about to be used?.....opinons anyone? __________________ When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. --Thomas Jefferson American By Birth, Southern By The Grace Of God Deo vindice "Duty is the most sublime word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less.” Robert E Lee -->

07-10-2007, 08:50 PM	#2
bunnyhunter12 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 1,090	Re: You folks opinion on this shooting Hard to find unbiased info on this Romm, from what I can tell the kid was no Saint but he was no demon either. He appears to have been the son of a prominant lawyer who maybe used "daddy's influence" to get away with some "small time" criminal activities, misdemeanors mostly. It doesn't seem to be in dispute that he had stolen the pair of Playstation 3's and was involved in several assault cases for "fist fighting". He was also known to post pictures of himself online brandishing weapons...... not sure how that plays in to a police assesment of how dangerous you are but it does apparently have some effect. Long, from what I read, was a GOOD cop and this was a tragic mistake that cost a young man his life and a young LEO his livlihood. There was definately a break-down in communication and mistakes were made, I can't find enough info to say whether or not Long was completely to blame, smells at least faintly of Scapegoat to me. __________________ Quaerite Prime Regnum Dei~ Official motto of Newfoundland If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government --and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws. -- Edward Abbey in Abbey's Road, p.39 (Plume, 1979) -Smitty

07-10-2007, 09:31 PM	#3
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,860	Re: You folks opinion on this shooting I don't see manslughter in this, especially with all the background information, if true, and the firearms found "leaning against the wall..."even though that cannot be considered as "after the fact..." It's really a dammed shame when these things happen, but what's the alternative, NOT shoot and he DOES have a rifle and shoots throught the door? THe ONLY thing that REALLY bothers me is that even our little town, and MANY smaller ones now have "ERTs" or "Swat Teams," and sometimes it seems there is the urge to use them because you HAVE them instead of maybe considering other options...it DOES seem like this went down pretty fast from start to finish, maybe a little better or longer observation was needed before starting, or even planning the approach...only a "drive by" doesn't cut it when you are thinking of sending in the SWAT team... Unfortunately, especially with immature people playing with guns AND breaking the law, and cops having to deal with them, this stuff is going to happen...cops are human too, NO amount of training can eliminate that .... But what REALLY gets to me is the plain errors and "no knock" warrants...where INNOCENT people get killed because they hit the wrong house or apartment...like that old lady not long ago...THOSE are inexcusabl;e, and heads SHOULD roll... __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.