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Background (family account of incident):

<broken link removed>

Now, the Las Vegas police officers who shot and killed Erik Scott in the controversial Costco shooting last year have received honors in a national officer of the year award.

Article: Las Vegas officers honored for 'heroic' Costco shooting - News - ReviewJournal.com

My take is that some badly trained cops responded to a call with little or incorrect information. Instead of defusing the situation, they escalated it into an unjustified death of an innocent. With conflicting orders being shouted at him "Freeze" "Get on the ground" "Drop your weapon", Erik tried to do as he was ordered, as many of us might. He raised his hands up, and then told them "I'm disarming" and slowly lowered his hand towards his holster to do so. One officer took this as threat and opened fire. They two behind him, probably (and I'm being generous here) not knowing who fired, opened up in a crowd and shot Erik in the back a few more times.

Tragic. A perfect storm of bad information and bad judgment on both sides. (With your life on the line against the police, you should never reach toward your weapon. Even if you are ordered to disarm, don't. Keep you hands up and go to your knees if it comes to that.)

A bad shoot, imho. Not necessarily criminal, but not justified. The fact that the police seized the surveillance videos and then rendered them 'unusable' opens them up to doubt.

So with all that background, the decision to honor these two officers is unfathomable. (The third officer was not honored due to being charged with a felony in an unrelated case.) It really makes my blood boil. I really hold that department in contempt.
 
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Unfortunately every time this kinda thing happens it seems to guarantee that more of it will happen. My feeling is that although most cops must be good, anytime a "bad cop" comes on the scene, all the sudden the "good cop" either must support the bad cop or face being ostracized in the police community. I feel it all goes back to the "Us vs Them" attitude I find prevalent on the Police Force. Really unfortunate as I guarantee that most of the people that attitude is being applied to are not criminals, they are Citizens, and should not be treated like criminals, not for one second.
 
This is a sad and tragic but all to avoidable incident. If the police are pointing their guns at you, don't freakin' move a muscle. It doesn't matter if you have a CCW, you're ex-Army, ex-CIA or a LEO from another county, don't freakin' move, keep your hands up and hold your breath. Erik Scott's arrogance got him shot. The Police perceived his actions as a threat. I don't think they should have fired on him but he should not have been reaching for his weapon. Simply telling the officers you are disarming isn't proof that that is what you actually intend to do. All parties involved here made mistakes.
 
This is a sad and tragic but all to avoidable incident. If the police are pointing their guns at you, don't freakin' move a muscle. It doesn't matter if you have a CCW, you're ex-Army, ex-CIA or a LEO from another county, don't freakin' move, keep your hands up and hold your breath. Erik Scott's arrogance got him shot. The Police perceived his actions as a threat. I don't think they should have fired on him but he should not have been reaching for his weapon. Simply telling the officers you are disarming isn't proof that that is what you actually intend to do. All parties involved here made mistakes.

I agree with this 100%, but its still really sad this happened.. those officers should not of been honored. what did they do that was SOOO great?
 
I agree with this 100%, but its still really sad this happened.. those officers should not of been honored. what did they do that was SOOO great?

And I agree with you - the officers should not have been recognized or honored for committing this despicable act of senseless violence.
 
He raised his hands up, and then told them "I'm disarming" and slowly lowered his hand towards his holster to do so.

Well, that was stupid.

From what I read, he was informed of a no weapons policy in costco and instead of leaving, he argued with the employee and kept shopping until the police arrived. At the point where officers had him surrounded with their weapons drawn, he decided he was going to take his pistol out of it's holster and that somehow that would defuse the situation...

I'm not saying it should have happened or that he deserved to die, but it sounds like a situation that most people would have easily avoided by employing the slightest bit of common sense.
 
I agree that Erik made some stupid decisions that day.

If a property owner asks you leave, you do so. If you don't leave, you are technically trespassing.

Trying to obeying the lawful order of a police officer who yells at you to drop you weapon is also pretty stupid.
 
Well, that was stupid.

From what I read, he was informed of a no weapons policy in costco and instead of leaving, he argued with the employee and kept shopping until the police arrived. At the point where officers had him surrounded with their weapons drawn, he decided he was going to take his pistol out of it's holster and that somehow that would defuse the situation...

I'm not saying it should have happened or that he deserved to die, but it sounds like a situation that most people would have easily avoided by employing the slightest bit of common sense.

I don't believe you have ever been in a situation where three or more authority personel or Cops have been yelling contradictory commands at you. You might save the hipocrasy you may suffer in the future and think about it now.
 
I don't believe you have ever been in a situation where three or more authority personel or Cops have been yelling contradictory commands at you.

Actually, I have.
My gf and I were in a park too late and were leaving. When we reached the parking lot I guess we surprised the officers who were trying to see into my car with their flash lights. When they pulled their weapons and started yelling incoherently, we put our hands up and dropped to the ground. I dont know what they were saying and I dont care what they were saying. We went into the most non threatening positions we could think of and let them sort it out from there.


You might save the hipocrasy you may suffer in the future and think about it now.

I may suffer from others hypocrisy in the future, but as of now, the only thing i'm suffering through is another persons ignorant warnings.
Going for his weapon was a stupid and dangerous mistake, and probably the final mistake that cost him his life.
You're free to disagree with me on this. Lets just hope you dont employee these instincts if you're ever faced with an officer pointing a weapon at you.
 
That's just wrong. The officers used deadly force when deadly was not necessarily needed. Erik Scott acted stupidly and got himself killed but the officers should not be honored.

This is the opinion of those who believe the media release is 100% accurate. One day someone will help people realize how innaccurate that truly is.
 
This is the opinion of those who believe the media release is 100% accurate. One day someone will help people realize how innaccurate that truly is.


I have no doubt that the media is not 100% accurate. However, I have the same view of Police PR departments and incident reports.
 
I may suffer from others hypocrisy in the future, but as of now, the only thing i'm suffering through is another persons ignorant warnings.
Going for his weapon was a stupid and dangerous mistake, and probably the final mistake that cost him his life.
You're free to disagree with me on this. Lets just hope you dont employee these instincts if you're ever faced with an officer pointing a weapon at you.

I cannot disagree, but I still think it is BS if cops really did order someone to surrender their weapon & then use that as a reason to shoot the person.
 
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