Dear TNCP,
Why are we not OUTRAGED?
Why is the community not outraged? I am outraged. But I am just one representing Jane Doe and John Q. Citizen. You ask why I am outraged?
A teenaged girl lost her life at the tender age of 17. She was laid to rest in March. Her very short and confused life was snuffed out by 2 bullets from the gun of a police officer. Officers are supposed to be trained to use deadly force only when there is a real threat of danger.
Does the Lansing Police Department have tasers or night sticks? Is it not part of their training to be able to disarm or take down an offender in lieu of deadly force? I am outraged that an officer of the law chooses instead to put a bullet in the head and stomach of a 17-year-old 110 pound 5’0 girl.
According to the officer, a woman broke into the Comerica bank on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. This was clearly a case where the law was broken. The officer reported that shots were fired and the officers did not know if anyone else was in the bank with the woman. In my opinion, any part of that statement was and is misleading the public. I feel this is an outright false statement or a simple cover up.
When the real truth came to light, the woman was a 17-year-old teenage girl. The only 2 shots fired were by 1 police officer. The officer later reported that no one else was inside the bank except the girl and 3 armed police with drawn weapons. They later said the girl did have a knife that was discovered after he shot her. So what was the danger or genuine threat?
The policeman that shot the teen stated that when she was cornered by at least 3 officers she came towards them lunging threateningly. Do you not question the logistics of this? Police officers with drawn weapons facing off against a lone 17- year-old small framed teenaged girl. A girl supposedly with a knife against guns? Still who had pepper spray or night sticks and or tasers? Was she still lunging when the first bullet struck her? Is that why it took a second shot to bring the little 5′ foot 17- year old 110 teenage child down?
Someone later wrote on Facebook that the child was an abused and neglected child. Does that justify the police misuse of a deadly weapon? It’s my understanding that the mother who has 2 other children disagree. According to mother, this child was a problem child.
A working mom and stepfather left her and her siblings alone while they worked. Following parental instructions to feed the children, do chores and follow family guidelines should not be a problem when two of the children were well over 12 and should have had no problem.
Today’s youth are raised in a system that encourages rebellion. A system that tells a child to report parents that discipline. Our system does not clearly define discipline from abuse. Our system allows a child to report abuse when a parent simply refuses to let the child have things their way or try to teach them that there are consequences for a child’s disrespect or negative actions.
Granted, we are all well aware that there are genuine cases of neglect and abuse. Not only is this not such a case but even if it was where is the justification to shoot the young woman? Clearly, she broke the law by the forced and unlawful entry into a building. I find it disturbing that a 250 pound man or armed robber can be tased, wrestled or pepper sprayed but a 5′ 110 pound 17 year old teenage girl has 2 bullets put into her? I am outraged. Are you?
Derrinesha Clay was the teenager mention in this editiorial piece.
Lee Taylor
Lansing, MI
This was printed in the April 24, 2011 – May 7, 2011 edition
