Brad
06-10-2009, 05:35 PM
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jzX4UzbJG2uI7XvTmLfH2plxZU6AD98O276G0
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A 15-year-old South Carolina girl shot to death by police after a store robbery was holding a BB gun that looked like a 9 mm pistol, authorities said Wednesday, calling the officers' actions justified. The state said it wouldn't bring charges against the men.
Yvette Williams was shot to death by police last week, minutes after authorities say she robbed a grocery store in Rock Hill, about 25 miles south of Charlotte, N.C. Police have said two officers fired on the teen after she pointed a weapon at them and refused to drop it.
Solicitor Kevin Brackett reviewed video of the shooting taken from one of the officer's police cruisers, and he said there's no question the officers thought Williams was pointing a real gun at them.
"Nobody in their right mind would look at that and think, 'Oh, it might be a toy,'" said Brackett, the prosecutor for the county surrounding Rock Hill and a neighboring county. "They had no choice."
Brackett's findings will be part of a report on the shooting being prepared by the State Law Enforcement Division, which is conducting the investigation into the shooting. Officers Carlos Culbreath and Claude McCarley have been placed on paid leave since the shooting.
SLED Chief Reggie Lloyd said Wednesday the investigation is complete and he wouldn't bring charges unless new evidence were to emerge.
"We have no intention of filing any charges against their officers," Lloyd said.
"It's tragic, unfortunately, that the police had to take the action they did. But it was all justifiable," he added.
Brackett said the officers fired about a dozen shots at the teen in three clusters: one after she initially pointed the weapon at them; another after she had hit the ground but sat up, still clutching the BB gun; and another after she had dropped the weapon but appeared to be trying to roll over on the ground and reach it with her left hand.
She was hit with three bullets, he said.
As soon as Williams stopped moving, Brackett said one of the officers moved toward her to retrieve the weapon. But as soon as Culbreath picked up the gun, Brackett said it's obvious from the tape that the officer knew he was not holding a real handgun.
"You hear him start to whimper," Brackett said, again referencing the dash-cam video. "You could see from his reaction on the video tape."
Brackett declined to release the video.
Hundreds gathered Tuesday at funeral services for Williams, whose family has expressed outrage at her death.
Authorities have declined to make Culbreath and McCarley available for comment, and a phone listing for neither man could be found.
I bolded some parts, but I get that the family is saddened that their daughter is dead, but come on. First, why the hell is a 15 year old holding up a grocery store? Secondly, people should know not to even think of pointing a gun at the police. It is a bad situation, but I see in no way that the police is in the wrong here. Maybe they shot a tad too much, but if she was going for the gun, they have to assume it is a real gun. Comment away...
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A 15-year-old South Carolina girl shot to death by police after a store robbery was holding a BB gun that looked like a 9 mm pistol, authorities said Wednesday, calling the officers' actions justified. The state said it wouldn't bring charges against the men.
Yvette Williams was shot to death by police last week, minutes after authorities say she robbed a grocery store in Rock Hill, about 25 miles south of Charlotte, N.C. Police have said two officers fired on the teen after she pointed a weapon at them and refused to drop it.
Solicitor Kevin Brackett reviewed video of the shooting taken from one of the officer's police cruisers, and he said there's no question the officers thought Williams was pointing a real gun at them.
"Nobody in their right mind would look at that and think, 'Oh, it might be a toy,'" said Brackett, the prosecutor for the county surrounding Rock Hill and a neighboring county. "They had no choice."
Brackett's findings will be part of a report on the shooting being prepared by the State Law Enforcement Division, which is conducting the investigation into the shooting. Officers Carlos Culbreath and Claude McCarley have been placed on paid leave since the shooting.
SLED Chief Reggie Lloyd said Wednesday the investigation is complete and he wouldn't bring charges unless new evidence were to emerge.
"We have no intention of filing any charges against their officers," Lloyd said.
"It's tragic, unfortunately, that the police had to take the action they did. But it was all justifiable," he added.
Brackett said the officers fired about a dozen shots at the teen in three clusters: one after she initially pointed the weapon at them; another after she had hit the ground but sat up, still clutching the BB gun; and another after she had dropped the weapon but appeared to be trying to roll over on the ground and reach it with her left hand.
She was hit with three bullets, he said.
As soon as Williams stopped moving, Brackett said one of the officers moved toward her to retrieve the weapon. But as soon as Culbreath picked up the gun, Brackett said it's obvious from the tape that the officer knew he was not holding a real handgun.
"You hear him start to whimper," Brackett said, again referencing the dash-cam video. "You could see from his reaction on the video tape."
Brackett declined to release the video.
Hundreds gathered Tuesday at funeral services for Williams, whose family has expressed outrage at her death.
Authorities have declined to make Culbreath and McCarley available for comment, and a phone listing for neither man could be found.
I bolded some parts, but I get that the family is saddened that their daughter is dead, but come on. First, why the hell is a 15 year old holding up a grocery store? Secondly, people should know not to even think of pointing a gun at the police. It is a bad situation, but I see in no way that the police is in the wrong here. Maybe they shot a tad too much, but if she was going for the gun, they have to assume it is a real gun. Comment away...