If you point a gun, toy or real, expect to get shot

The following story shows an officer doing what anyone would do in a similar situation

Man with toy gun shot, killed by police in Fla.

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A man whose family said he was autistic was killed by police in North Miami Beach after pointing a real-looking toy gun at an officer, police said Thursday.

Police officers responded to 911 calls about a man seen walking around the neighborhood Wednesday afternoon with a rifle, North Miami Beach Police Director Thomas Carney said. Officers gave commands for the man to drop the weapon, but he refused and pointed it at an officer, Carney said.

The man identified as Ernest Vassell, 57, was carrying a realistic toy that could be confused with a rifle or shotgun, police said.

"It's very tragic," Carney said. "People don't understand that police officers are going to treat you like that's a real gun until we determine differently. They're not going to take any chances."

The victim's sister said Vassell was autistic and had mental challenges.

"Ernest did not deserve to die like this. Everyone is still in shock and disbelief," Marva Vassell-Gordon said.
His neighbors said it was obvious that Ernest Vassell had a disability, and police should have known.

"It's so strange to me that I can see it, and then, the police didn't see it. Or they didn't look for it," said Conroy Anderson, a family friend.

Police were not immediately releasing further information on the shooting pending an investigation.

While I might bash a bit on cops here, I only bash on cops who are being negligent in their duties or are commiting crimes themselves. I will also gladly point it out when cops protect other cops and their crimes, for that makes them accessories. But in stories like the above, while it is rather emotional to see someone with mental learning difficulties get shot because he was only playing a game (or whatever), they did the right thing. Even myself, if I saw an adult point a gun at me, I would draw mine in response. And I would pull the trigger multiple times in order to bring the assailant down. Would I mourn the needlessness of the death? Yes. However, you cannot take the time to cross your t's and dot your i's when a gun is being pointed at you. I have to wonder what the family was thinking by letting this man walk around with such a gun. I would let my kids run around the neighborhood with their bright yellow and orange nerf guns, but I wouldn't let them do the same with their daisy bb long gun. Nor would I let them do the same with any other gun that looked too realistic.

Common sense people.