Another Umbrella - Another Lockdown

This time at a shopping mall in Syracuse, New York. Man with umbrella prompts lockdown at Destiny USA: People thought it was an AR-15

People are stupid. Cops are also stupid sometimes.

Just after 3:20 p.m., police received a 911 call reporting a man walking near North Geddes and Spencer streets with what looked like an AR-15-style weapon, according to Kieran Coffey, a spokesperson for Syracuse Police.

Minutes later, another caller reported seeing the same man near Hiawatha and Solar streets cock the gun and sling it on his shoulder, police said.

Of course it wasn't a gun. People are jumping at shadows.

As for the cops...

By 4:10 p.m., officers had detained the man. They discovered he was carrying a black umbrella with a samurai-style handle and a strap, which from a distance resembled the barrel and stock of a rifle, police said.

The man was taken to the Syracuse Police Department for questioning. After reviewing video footage and speaking with witnesses, investigators determined he had committed no crime. Police said he cooperated fully and was released without charges.

Did they really have to detain him to determine that carrying an umbrella is not a crime?

Hat tip to Miguel Gonzalez and Frightfully Dumb and Utterly Dumber.

Any other police department in Southern latitudes would have gone back to pastries and caffeine after meeting the alleged suspect and visually confirm it was a frigging umbrella. And now you know the quality of PD the city of Syracuse has patrolling the streets. Not a warm/fuzzy feeling there.

“See Something, Say Something” has been a catchy and soothing slogan, and I guess the “Use Fucking Common Sense Before Shitting Panties” was too long and triggering.

See Campus Lockdown Over Black Umbrella for the incident from last week.

I suddenly have an urge to buy a black, golf umbrella.