Why Didn't He Identify Himself?

He jumped out of an unmarked car, pulled out a gun, and started chasing a guy down the street. Shooter freed because deputy said ‘police’ only after he was shot

This incident took place in April of last year, but the investigation has been dragging on, and the police have been not releasing the video because of the ongoing investigation. They finally closed the case, because the video apparently shows the officer being an idiot.

The cop was shot by the brother of the guy he was chasing.

The suspect had run out of frame. Also out of view was the suspect’s brother, Ivan Watson, who was a passenger in a car nearby.

So if you saw an armed man chasing your brother, what would you do? No cop car lights and sirens, no uniform, no badge, no screaming, "I'm a cop." What would you do?

The shreriff said, "We're gonna get this young man." Since then his department has refused to release the video

Oh, yeah, there is video. Video the cops didn't want released to the public.

Lafond [the officer] denied firing his weapon in a written statement obtained from the sheriff’s office by Atlanta News First Investigates. APD investigators determined otherwise.

A dozen .40-caliber shell casings were found close to the spot where Watson told investigators he had fired his Glock Model 26 handgun. A single 9-millimeter shell casing was found on the sidewalk next to Lafond’s car.

“Video evidence shows Sheriff Officer Evans [SIC] Lafond not identifying himself as a police officer to Mr. Watson before firing his weapon,” investigators concluded when closing he case in May of last year.

The video was obtained not through Freedom of Information Act request, but because it was released by a source at the sheriff's department. It is worth repeating; it was not officially released.

So he didn't identify himself, he openned fire, and got shot. Then he identified himself. Then he wrote a report saying he did not discharge his firearm.

Is this cops acting badly, or cops acting stupidly? He didn't ID himself. The Sheriff said he was going to "get this guy" before considering the evidence, and they didn't want the public to see the actual video. The officer in question submitted a statement/report that didn't match the video.

If he had been shot in the head, instead of the leg, would it make a difference? Considering that he was unlucky enough to get hit - the guy fired a dozen times and only hit him once - I think he's lucky he didn't get shot in the head or the heart.

In the end, they decided that the guy who shot the non-identifying cop, was acting in defense of his brother and went away.

Atlanta Isn't What It Used to Be

Another story of people with blinders on... The Dumbest White Liberal in Georgia : The Other McCain

Because I’m a native of Atlanta, I’m old enough to remember when DeKalb County was nice — affluent, prestigious, even. But the DeKalb County of 40 or 50 years ago has ceased to exist, and the only white people who live there now are those too stupid to understand their imminent peril.

Pretending otherwise...

So what would you do, if you called 911, and no one bothered to respond to your situation?

This is the story of a woman caught in a "chaotic street takeover" in DeKalb County. Click thru.

It is probably worth quoting John Farnam's Rules of Stupid, even though nothing bad happened to her. Well, 45 minutes after her initial call, when she was "safe at home," she did get a text message from 911 asking if she still needed help.

“Don’t go to stupid places; don’t associate with stupid people; don’t do stupid things.”

That's by way of the The Bugscuffle Gazette

Now there are 2 things to note about the 911 call. The first is that she was scared when she called 911, and the situation was such that if the crowd turned violent, she would have been screwed. She was, however, not being attacked, so it wasn't a high-priority call. The second thing to note, is that 45 minutes is a really long time to wait if something bad happens, and if the crowd did break open her car window, she probably wouldn't have had time to call 911 back. So she would have been screwed, and been on her own.

Which brings me to the Graham Combat Killhouse Rules, because our whole modern world seems to be predicated on the idea that you are not responsible for your own safety.

The Graham Combat Killhouse Rules:

1. NOBODY IS COMING TO SAVE YOU.  Whether an event lasts a few seconds, a few hours, or even a few days – you have to work as though nobody is coming to save you.

2. You are your savior, so start working because EVERYTHING IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.  You are your security, you are your medic, you are your rescuer.

3. You are your own best resource to SAVE WHO NEEDS TO BE SAVED.  Nobody wants to save your life more than you, so set yourself up for success by having the simple tools and knowledge to do so: do what you can with what you have.  Recognize that nobody is in a better position to start saving your life than you.

4. Sometimes saving lives means you have to KILL WHO NEEDS TO BE KILLED.  It has been almost 15 years since I first wrote “the more effective you are at taking a life, the more successful you’ll be at saving one” and nothing in the intervening time has changed my mind.  Be swift, be decisive, be final.

5. Mostly, ALWAYS BE WORKING.  There is always something you can be doing to improve your position.  Always.  Because nobody is coming to save you.

Your Home Is Not a Free Fire Zone

Not even if you are really mad at porch pirates. Atlanta homeowner arrested after shooting alleged porch pirates | FOX 5 Atlanta

An Atlanta homeowner accused of shooting two teens he believed stole a package has been arrested, according to court documents obtained by FOX 5.

If package theft is a problem near you don't have packages delivered to your home. It is easy, if nothing goes wrong. This guy is going to pay for these packages for a long time.

Rakim Bradford, 34, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Even if a jury finds him not guilty, he will spend a long time fighting these charges, and if he is found guilty or takes some deal, he will spend time in prison. For the time being, he is in the county jail. Over what? Something he ordered for the holidays?

One of the teens was shot in the torso, and remains in the hospital. The other was shot in the foot. No word on whether or not they will face charges.

Self-Defense in Atlanta

This story makes less sense to me than usual, and I never really understand what the bad guys are thinking. Man says he shot, killed man who tried to rob him after inviting friends to his Atlanta home

Joe said he and his roommate invited a friend over to watch football on Sunday night. He believes that friend had two other people come to the door and pull on gun on him,

“I told them to leave. They left with no contest. When I turn around, there’s a barrel of a gun to my face. My roommate wrestled the victim to the ground with the gun pointed to me…which they separated and I opened fire in self-defense,” Joe said. “The victim had a gun in his hand and everything.”

With friends like this...

Police are not commenting, but they didn't arrest anyone.

You can file this under, "Another failure of the victim-selection process.

Self-defense is a human right.

Epic Failure of the Victim-Selection Process

If you're going to break into homes, you should probably try to avoid off-duty police. APD: Man tries to break into off-duty officer’s apartment, falls 3 stories after being shot at

Investigators say an off-duty Atlanta police officer fired at a man who tried to break into the officer’s apartment. [SNIP]

Police say the officer, who was home and off-duty at the time, grabbed a gun and fired toward the man.

He wasn't hit by gunfire, but he fell 3 stories, and suffered "non-life threatening injuries."

No names were released. A neighbor - also anonymous - said that there has been a rash of burglaries around the apartment complex. I'm thinking there is a good chance they will stop now.

The investigation continues, but self-defense is a human-right.

Families of Dead People Don't Like Self-defense

And just because you are or were once an "educator" doesn't give you a free pass for consequences for your actions. Family of former Atlanta assistant principal Abnerd Joseph demands justice

His family, and apparently a lot of people in Atlanta, want "Justice" for Abnerd Joseph. What they mean by that is they want his shooter in jail, despite the fact that in the People's Republic of Chicago, where the shooting happened, it was ruled to be justified self-defense. But don't clutter the issue with facts.

“He was an educator, he was an assistant principal, and he was murdered by a resident in his own condo,” Joseph’s sister said to rolling out. “We’re just trying to get justice for him. It’s been four months since his passing. There’s been no convictions or anything. We’re just trying to spread awareness for him.”

Also, he was NOT in "his own condo." He was in the hallway outside his condo, assaulting his neighbors.

Chicago police said that Joseph was shot multiple times in the chest, abdomen, flank, armpit and ring finger at his downtown high rise after a dispute with another tenant. Joseph later died from his injuries. The tenant wasn’t charged and had a concealed carry license.

Here is what I had to say, back in September of 2023 when the shooting took place. "Role Model" Shot in Justifiable Homicide.

The guy who did the shooting was briefly taken into custody, and then released, because even in Chicago, self-defense is becoming a real thing. (HeyJackass! has the current stats for self-defense in the windy city as 2 killed, 12 shot and wounded, and 2 dogs shot; I don't remember if the dogs survived. I also don't know if the stats have been updated to include this incident yet.)

The bulk of the article really is, "He was a great brother," and "He was a role model to the students."

I searched, but I could not find a follow-up article that discussed anything along the lines of toxicology. He was "yelling incoherently" just before he was shot.

Self-defense is a human-right, even if relatives don't like that fact.

And you can find the stats I mentioned at HeyJackass! As I type this, the year-end stats for 2023 are still up. I imagine that will change to 2024 soon. If you want to see the 2023 stats after the site updates, there is a link at the top of the page for "Past Years" that will get you the historical info.

He Is Not a Trump Supporter

At least that is my guess. Right-Wing Trump Supporter Charged in Murder of Black Transgender Woman : The Other McCain

Police eventually arrested Darius Mills in the shooting, but before that the Media and The Left (but I repeat myself) were free to say it was those evil Republicans.

Yes, black trans women are always “targeted” on Highland Avenue, Fairburn Road and MLK Boulevard in Atlanta, and if you know anything about the city, of course, these are the exact locations where you’d expect to find right-wing transphobic Trump voters.

None of the false claims about responsibility will be mentioned again of course. The Left never apologizes for anything.

“Possible motive”? The motive is obvious — TRUMP!

This guy was clearly a right-wing Republican, just like those guys in MAGA hats who attacked Jussie Smollett in Chicago.

RTWT.

DAs HATE Self-defense - Atlanta Edition

So how would you respond to a Mixed, Martial Arts competitor rushing you? Former Morehouse athletic official who shot 2 people at party did it in self-defense, judge rules

This was after you had a "confrontation," and he put another person in a chokehold. The judge in the case threw out the charges, citing self-defense.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney closed this case, ruling that Thomas “was acting within the bounds of the self-defense laws that our Legislature has duly passed when he used that gun to repel what he reasonably believed to be another potentially deadly assault.”

The DA and the guy who got shot are not happy.

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston was appointed to prosecute the case.

“When we received this case, we knew based on the evidence it may be difficult to prosecute,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “While we respect Judge McBurney’s ruling, we are still considering options regarding an appeal and are consulting with the victims and their families.”

Translation: We knew there was a good chance that people would see self-defense all over this, but we were hoping the jury wouldn't notice because they might hate guns and gun owners. And we respect the judge's opinion, but we are trying to figure out how to tear it up, because we hate self-defense.

Individual liberty? Not depending on the state for your safety? [In your best Gretta T. voice...] How dare you!

I'm Shocked That a Criminal Would Ignore a Sign!

Shocked I tell you! In Midtown shooting's wake: What can companies do to protect workers, customers?

Okay, so NO ONE is shocked, with the possible exception of some Leftist who actually thought a "no guns allowed" sign would keep criminals for carrying guns into an establishment.

The man accused of shooting up a Midtown doctor’s office on Wednesday, killing a 38-year-old public health official and mother of two, and wounding four other women, strode past a sign on the building’s front door stating that weapons and drugs were prohibited on site.

But how can that be? How can criminals ignore signs that have the backing of law? It is almost like criminals are determined to ignore the law. Or something. </sarcasm>

The 12-story Northside Hospital office building has security personnel. But, like shopping centers, restaurants and most other buildings Americans enter every day, it is not a high-security zone, such as an airport or courthouse. And experts say it’s unlikely Americans would put up with the hindrance or cost of implementing tight security screening every place they go.

So what is to be done? The reporter seems to shudder at the very idea of eliminating gun-free zones defenseless-victim zones.

Maybe If They Face Consequences Behavior Will Change

And these 23 shouldn't be able to cause problems for a good long time. 23 people charged with domestic terrorism after attack on Atlanta police center 'Cop City'

Authorities charged 23 people with domestic terrorism after more than a hundred protesters dressed in black breached a proposed police and fire training center site in Atlanta Sunday, burning vehicles and setting off fireworks toward officers stationed nearby, according to police.

The Atlanta Police Department said 35 people were detained and accused the crowd of throwing bricks, large rocks and Molotov cocktails at police officers.

Though I don't know anything about the DA in Atlanta, I think that probably means that whoever holds that office isn't an idiot that makes the news constantly. That gives me some hope that these people will face consequences for their actions.

For too long the violence of the Left has been allowed to rampage across the country. People need to be held accountable for their actions.

State of Georgia to Deal with Atlanta Rioters

From The Other McCain: State of Emergency: Gov. Kemp Issues Order to Deal With Atlanta Rioters

Governor Kemp is preparing to call up the National Guard to deal with the situation. Good.

If there is another riot in Atlanta, much of the responsibility will belong to the media, because of their idiotic repetition of the activist propaganda narrative. The belief that these “forest defenders” are protecting some kind of sacred indigenous territory is false and ultimately dangerous.

Click thru for the details.

If You Shoot at Cops, You Are NOT a Protestor

You have the right to peacefully protest. You don't have the right to shoot at cops and call it a protest. If you engage in civil disobedience, you should expect to be arrested. If you go on to play stupid games, well... Georgia trooper stable after being shot, protester killed near controversial 'Cop City' police facility site

If you shoot at cops, they will shoot back. Is anyone surprised by this?

This was at the site of a proposed Atlanta Police Department training facility, derogatorily called "Cop City" by the people opposed to it.

The shooting happened around 9 a.m. Wednesday during a "clearing operation" at the site, Georgia Department of Public Safety Colonel Chris Wright said at a press conference at Grady Memorial Hospital. Investigators say law enforcement officers were attempted to get a man out of a tent located on the property.

He did not respond to commands given to him to exit and at some point, Wright said that a protestor fired a shot, hitting the trooper. Officers returned fire, killing the suspect.

The officer is through with surgery and is in the ICU in an Atlanta hospital.

And make no mistake, these are not peaceful protestors.

People are "illegally occupying" the area and are committing criminal acts that endanger the community, including arson, beating people up, using explosives and setting booby traps that have the potential to seriously hurt someone, [Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Michael Register said.

I haven't followed up on this story, but I'm sure someone had something to say about how cops shooting back is "unfair."

The Downfall of Atlanta

I usually write about crime in Chicago, because it was once home. I sometimes write about crime in NYC because it is an easy target. Less often I write about other cities, but that doesn't mean that things are going well in our smaller cities. From The Other McCain we get Crime Scene: Atlanta

He covers 3 stories. The first was of a 12-year-old being killed and 5 teenagers injured in a shooting near the Atlanta Station retail district.

Atlantic Station is a massive 138-acre commercial development with shopping, dining and recreation, located on the site of a former steel mill. Located near the Georgia Tech campus and the upscale Midtown neighborhood, Atlantic Station was intended as an all-inclusive destination, the kind of place where you could spend an entire day, see a movie, eat a meal, go shopping, etc. But it has now become a magnet for teenage criminals, and scarcely a week goes by that there isn’t some story about violent mayhem perpetrated by these feral youth

Conspicuous by its absence is any mention by the media of the demographics of the criminals in any of the three stories.

Remember when the whole country decided to riot because one black guy died in police custody in Minneapolis? Now you’ve got black kids getting shot to death routinely in Atlanta and nobody seems to care.

It’s almost as if their lives don’t matter, or something.

And it isn't just Atlanta of course.

Civilization is built on a foundation of security. Without security people will not invest for the future because everything can be taken away from them so easily.

Uber Will of Course Fire Her for Defending Herself

How dare she defend herself from a maniac! That is against Uber policy! Atlanta 911 call in driver shooting man who followed her

He tried to block her from exiting a parking lot after she dropped off her passenger. Then he followed her, and tried to force her off the road, eventually totaling her vehicle.

The call captures her panic after she's run off the road and in a confrontation with the man, telling him "you're not a f******* police officer!" and a "maniac" before the gunshots can be heard.

According to police, the man is facing charges including aggravated assault and impersonating an officer. The incident occurred earlier this week in Buckhead.

Buckhead being one of the nicest neighborhoods in Atlanta. Well, it is probably the nicest that I know of, anyway.

Uber put out a generic statement that the driver is not allowed to drive while the police investigate. But really, Uber's policy - being the good, woke, California company that they are - does not allow its drivers to be armed. So they would have preferred that this woman be defenseless, and so raped or murdered or whatever this maniac had in mind.

She should have depended entirely on the State for her protection, even though the state was not able to provide protection in this instance. Anything less is not progressive enough for Uber!

Another Episode of Aspiring Rapper Update

From The Other McCain: Aspiring Rapper Update.

Skating, bowling, laser tag — the Metro Fun Center on Atlanta’s south side has lots of entertainment, including live gunfire.

An argument over a bowling ball led to a shooting death. A. Bowling. Ball.

Incidentally, what is now Metropolitan Parkway used to be called Stewart Avenue, but the city changed it because it was named for Confederate Gen. A.P. Stewart, who commanded a corps in Hood’s army during the battles around Atlanta in 1864. Lots of other streets around Atlanta have been similarly renamed, although how exactly this erasure of history has improved anyone’s quality of life is uncertain.

Civilization was nice while it lasted. Civilization was built on the promise of security through law and order. Now? We live in Hobbes' state of war, in which life is "nasty, brutish, and short."

It is Time for Another Aspiring Rapper Update

From The Other McCain: Aspiring Rapper Update: Bloods Gangster Arrested for Shooting Atlanta Cop 6 Times.

Hey, aspiring rappers: Please keep recording these videos to provide police with conclusive evidence of your gang membership. Between this evidence and the bodycam video when you shoot a cop, your attempted murder conviction will be a cinch. That’s why I’m not even bothering to use “alleged” in describing this aspiring rapper’s crimes, because (a) there’s not any real doubt about his guilt, besides which (b) he’s got too many problems to even be thinking about a libel suit.

Click thru for all the details.

Don't Bring a Knife to a Gunfight

He suffered a failure of the victim-selection process. Intruder who entered home and grabbed kitchen knives shot by homeowner

The intruder broke into the home just after 11 p.m. on Wednesday evening. The suspect took two knives, and made his way to another room where he tried to stab a resident of the house who is confined to a wheelchair, police said.

The homeowner then opened fire on the suspect, shooting him in the stomach and arm.

He will live to face trial.

Self-defense is a human-right. Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0.

How Would You React to an Armed Intruder?

An intruder climbing through a window. Homeowner shoots, kills intruder who climbed through window of Atlanta home.

Police determined that the man who died climbed into the window of the home and attacked the homeowner. The homeowner then shot the man, killing him. The homeowner remained at the scene and was cooperative with the investigation.

The homeowner had also been shot, but is in stable condition.

Police do not expect charges to be leveled against the homeowner.

Self-defense is a human-right.

A College Student Able to Rely on His 2nd Amendment Rights?

Pearl Clutching ahead. Shooting at The Mark in Midtown Atlanta leaves 1 dead.

In a statement, Landmark Properties said police confirmed to them that a tenant came home and found an intruder inside their unit. The resident confronted the intruder who was shot and killed. Officers said the shooter was taken into custody for questioning and was cooperating.

The apartment complex is not associated with any university, but is set up to cater to students and draws its residents from several Atlanta institutions, namely "Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Emory and [Savannah College of Art and Design - Atlanta]."

The intruder was let into the building and onto the floor by another resident, who has since had his access revoked.

And of course they have to have a quote from a university student on how "scary" The Real World™ can be.

"So we all locked [our] doors locked everything and just stayed inside, and yeah it was just very scary last night," [Georgia Tech junior Tate Niekemp] said.

Self-defense is a human-right, even if you're a college student. No word yet on whether Atlanta will recognize it as a legal right in this case.

Self-defense in Atlanta

What would you do if you were attacked while out and about? Man tells police he shot someone in self-defense; person with gunshot wounds suspected of attempted attack

A guy called police to say he had shot someone in self-defense, while another guy with gunshot wounds show up at a local hospital.

Police said a man told them he shot at someone after being followed - he said he pulled into a parking lot and when the following car blocked him in, the incident ensued.

Police responded to the scene on a person shot call, but when they arrived there was no gunshot victim. They said they interviewed the shooter and "he stated that he was attacked by the person he shot at."

Police can't tell if the guy was targeted or selected at random.

Police said charges may be pending on the person who was shot, and that no charges were expected against the shooter.

Self-defense is a human-right.