cops with guns drawn?

[Andre]

it happens

[Jack Butler]

Like I said if your not guilty you have no need to be scared!

...with guns pointed at you, Yeeeeaaaahh Right!
Although, it is easy from here!
What a statement...I'm guessing you would soil yourself.

[b&aMom]

Whoa. People in this city don't see black people? I live on the hill, and there are at least 5 black people, not including their children, that live within two blocks of me. Good heavens. My kids have mixed race kids in their schools, and play sports with kids of mixed races. There's at least one black ref for kids' soccer, etc., etc. We have a college, a university, a hospital, gov't offices, all kinds of places pulling in students and employees that originate from many places in the world...it's not like we're an all white/First Nations city anymore, and haven't been for a very long time.

[everywoman]

I feel awful for Totime. It's a different country and the customs and language is different. He probably thought he was going to die! Even Syrette was scared, and this is his city! I don't care if I never had one friggin' parking ticket in my life- if I had four cops cars full of cops with their guns pointed- I'm thinking I'm going to need to change my pants after. As if I'm gonna be like "oh well, I'm innocent, this will all go fine!"......

I will always commend law authorities for doing their job. I won't even dare imagine that their easiest day is easy. This however, was a very unfortunate circumstance.

[bluekrissyspikes]

sort of unfortunate but you think they would match his face to the pic on file better or try to peacefully approach him without aiming guns at him, maybe ask him for ID first before deciding to pull out the fire arms. they handled it wrong. even if it were the guy, they had him surrounded and could have attempted some sort of communication. i'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to figure out if it was him or not

[cybolynx]

i personally dont like the term "black"

i see a dark woman i look to check her out ... in a man checking out a woman kind of way ...

[CANVIK]

Police stopping a car believed to be containing a dangerous shooting suspect. Asking for ID first before taking out their guns..............sure!!! Not a normal occurence here in the Soo, in Soo Canada at least. Listen to the officer in this video and see if he had time to ask for ID. Imagine that he had a photocopy picture of the suspect, did he have time to compare the picture to driver???This is what police have to deal with, even in Sault Ste. Marie people have guns. Anybody can have a gun even the 72 year old hatter driving the car ahead of you. Many people around here own riffles and shotguns and we read about more and more handguns in the area. Get your head out of the sand. Unfortunate that the guy looked somewhat like the wanted guy who called somebody from the Soo. I would much rather have a gun pointed at me by mistake than have an officer killed for not being ready. If I'm innocent I have nothing to worry about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgqrt67CP7U

Let us not forget that this supposed shooting suspect was stopped while trying to enter a school.......let him go just a few more feet and scenes of Polytech and Columbine quickly come to mind.

[tasma]

"...with guns pointed at you, Yeeeeaaaahh Right!
Although, it is easy from here!
What a statement...I'm guessing you would soil yourself."

I'm guessing I wouldn't and in my earlier days I didn't and it was fine because I wasn't guilty! Only a guilty mind gives a guilty attitude!

[Jack Butler]

I'm guessing I wouldn't and in my earlier days I didn't and it was fine because I wasn't guilty! Only a guilty mind gives a guilty attitude!

Ha, Ha Ha...not a chance!

[CANVIK]

Anybody who spends as much time as myself in the US has met the law on that side. They have guns drawn at most traffic stops especially the further North you travel as the officers get fewer and fewer. I've been at the opposite end of a gun more than once and I have survived. Maybe if the police here were more like the US we would have less bottom feeders taking up our tax dollars in court.

[Evil Monkey]

Like I said if your not guilty you have no need to be scared!

Sounds a little racially biased to me. Just cause of the color of his skin the mall cops decide he is the wanted man cause his skin color matched. This town is so backwards when it comes to different skin color, cultures or sexual preference it is sicking. 1930 called and asked most of the residents for their views back.
This city makes Archie Bunker look like an angel.

[NewCasa]

Sounds a little racially biased to me. Just cause of the color of his skin the mall cops decide he is the wanted man cause his skin color matched. This town is so backwards when it comes to different skin color, cultures or sexual preference it is sicking. 1930 called and asked most of the residents for their views back.
This city makes Archie Bunker look like an angel.

You know, when you use the term 'this city' you're doing exactly the same thing you're accusing the people of doing - you're profiling.

While I'd agree that racism seems quite a bit more prevalent here than in many other cities I find it somewhat offensive that you'd direct the comment against 'this city', meaning you're including the entire population. EM I don't mean to centre you out on this - I'm just using your comment as an example - I've seen the 'this city' comments many, many times by many, many others and each time I find it offensive, for the same reasons.

[Konig-OV]

Has anyone ever taken this into consideration? Since we do not have a large population of black folks, it's easy to see someone you don't recognize. The mall cops see everyone. They see regulars, as well as not so regulars. Mall cops are quick to make a name for themselves, so they do get suspect reports, or watch outs. They saw the photo and thought that he looked like the suspect. They probably called the police from which take no chances when it comes to an armed criminal. Once they realized it wasn't him, they let him go. No shots fired. The police handled it the way they should have. As for the profiling, look at Asians. To some, all Asians look the same. To some Asian, anyone white looks the same. It's funny to see it that way, but it is true. Some people think all black folk look the same, and this could have been the root of all the rpoblems.

[lk_wicked]

You know, when police approach any one who may be classified as a dangerous offender, or an offender who might be labeled armed and dangerous, regardless of whether or not they have the wrong suspect, they have to act diligently and protect themselves and the other men and women on the force that are on the scene.

And this black person, turned out to be the wrong man, but it certainly is understandable that he was terrified. Any one in that circumstance would have been, and for those that think "if you are innocent you wouldn't be afraid." pretty easy to have that opinion when you have never faced that kind of situation.

Thank goodness that nothing went completely wrong. An innocent man was not shot, and police should be appreciated for taking their jobs seriously and protecting themselves, their coworkers and even in this case, the wrong person they were apprehending.

My sympathies for the man and his traumatic experience. Hopefully the right suspect is apprehended soon.

[dancingqueen]

I agree that this was a terrible situation, I can't really say I blame the police, however, mr mall cop should have been more diligent...