Ok, so normally I would put this on Facebook and bitch a little, but I figured it’s a big enough issue I would write a rant about it, especially since it got my blood boiling. I came across a post on facebook which showed the below video and only the following caption:
Now what pisses me off, is that there is no information on what happened on the other side of that wall, or what happened before the altercation began. Despite this lack of information, Facebook and |Youtube have blown up with comments on how the security guards should have their gun permits revoked, and that there was absolutely no reason to pull a gun and fire it. When I first saw this, I was outraged. How quick we are to jump to the conclusions that this was an abuse of force without actuall proof.
The first fact they got wrong, it wasn’t a security guard that was wrestling with the teenager, it was a special constable, a member of the police force assigned tot he courtroom. Yes, the security guards were present but were not involved in the altercation or the shooting.
When I first responded to this on Facebook, I like many others, had not read any articles on the incident and had no idea what had really happened. I was in defense of the officer with this:
I got a lot of backlash from this comment, with one response saying:
“Regardless of what he did they had tazers they didnt have to shoot the kid in the face the gards life was in no danger thay just all hid behind a fucking badge cause they no nothing will happen to them even if that kid doeant maake it the gard will get a vacation with fucking pay that is our system and this poor mother just lost her son to a trigger happy security guard a fucking rent a cop not even a cop so not being a cop he had no right and you mean to tell me that 5 security guards cant handle one 18 year old boy so they shoot him”
Again, I was infuriated, this person had no clue what had happened, and again, assumed that the officer was the one in the wrong and that there could not have been any possible reason to pull his gun and shoot… Again, remember, we have no idea what went on behind that wall. It’s a Schrödinger’s cat, but so many more possibilities and variables other than a cat and a bit of poison. But without facts, this person was very confident that there was no possible outcome that would warrant the use of deadly force.
What got me even more aggravated, was a response to the Youtube video from a supposed member of the Armed Forces:
Again, not knowing what really happened, saying that these guys should have their right to carry a concealed weapon revoked. Now from the video, after looking at it more closely after being told on Facebook that they have tazers, I found 1. No evidence that the Security Guards were armed in any capacity (no utility belts on them) and the Officer involved was not concealing his weapon, and NONE OF THEM HAD TAZERS! Sorry, a little outburst there… As I said, my blood is boiling a little.
So after I had seen a few responses, I decided to take a walk on the internet and see if I missed an article from a news outlet that explains why these people are screaming abuse of power.
I found 2.
They obviously didn’t.
Article 1: CBC News: 18-year-old seriously injured in shooting at courthouse in Maniwaki, Que.
“Quebec’s police watchdog is investigating a shooting at the courthouse in Maniwaki, Que., in which an 18-year-old man was seriously injured when he was shot by a special constable.”
So, not a security guard, but an office of the law.
“According to a BEI news release, the teenager seized a baton from the special constable during the altercation and hit him with it. The investigation is ongoing, but the statement said the special constable then fired his gun, shooting the man in the head.”
As I said, maybe the teenager reached for a weapon…
At the time I am writing this the article now reads:
“The agency said Wednesday the civilian managed to seize the constable’s baton and allegedly used it to strike the officer over the head at the courthouse.”
It previously said:
“The bureau said the man seized the constable’s telescopic baton and hit him in the head”
The reason I make that distinction is that they describe the type of baton in the earlier version. When you think Police Baton you imagine the wood or fiberglass batton with a perpendicular handle, not the hardened steel telescopic which to me is more deadly.
Oh, and the nice Facebook post from that ranter of “this poor mother just lost her son to a trigger happy security guard”… again, misinformation:
“A woman who said she was the man’s mother wrote on Facebook that her son was stable and that the bullet hadn’t hit his brain.”
So I really urge people to do a little research, I spent no more than 5 minutes finding these articles that within a few paragraphs give me more information of the incident that the video that shows us practically nothing at all.
If you are gonna make shit go viral, make sure you have the right information, cuz not everyone does the research to make up their own mind. We have a habit of following the masses. If the massed call for murder, we are quick to jump on the bandwagon without researching the facts.
Ok, blood isn’t boiling anymore… Rant over.