Two slayings in 24 hours
The cop who was murdered Friday morning at a Wal Mart in North Austin apparently was just doing his job, not knowing that the apparently-drunken customer whom store employees had summoned him to confront was armed and ready to kill.
The case of the unarmed East Austin man who was killed by another Austin officer Thursday is unfortunately ordinary if mysterious. Austin police have lately been killing at least about one East Austin suspect a year. But the circumstances here seem to be altogether unusual.
The dead man apparently was stopped for a minor traffic violation, got out of his car and ran. So what? Why was it necessary for the cop to chase him down, get in a fight with him and then kill him? Austin Chief Art Acevado promises we’ll soon know the details. At the moment, however, it looks like an over-reaction leading to an unnecessary slaying.
Posted: April 7th, 2012 under Obituaries, Scribbles.
Tags: cop killer, slain for a minor traffic violation, two austin slayings in 24 hours
Comments
Comment from Dick Stanley
Time April 14, 2012 at 12:40 PM
The first case is having a lot of influence on the second which has been neatly stowed under the media rug while the lamentations and burial of the dead cop take precedence.
Comment from SnoopyTheGoon
Time April 14, 2012 at 3:38 AM
The first case may have some bearing on the second, at least explaining why some cops overreact. Not an easy job by any measure.