Fatal shooting by Norfolk police will go before grand jury

Randomn gunfire in the minority communities by police officers on a call-of-duty suggest a lack of concern for the innocence. After visiting several crime scenes the day after,there were bullet holes in houses and vehicles in these communities from police shooting. The morning after the incident in question, the same was there. It is a fact that during their tenure, only 95% of police officers get to use their weapons. It is obvious that these officers were 2 of the greater percentile. This young man was, in fact, shot from the back. Witnesses not only witness the shooting but also witness one officer burst into tears sobbing on his knees. Since not being faced with these incidents regularly, the finger gets a little nervous on the trigger. Too bad for the victim that his life was cut short that way, leaving his love ones in turmoil.

Curtis J, responing to you ignorant post. No he didn't live out there. His parents do. He use to live there himself. How do you know his hands weren't raised? If he turned arond with the gun in hand why not tell him to drop it and then give him a chance to do so. Instead of killing him. He was in fact robbed. His friends that were there were robbed at the same time. He felt he worked too hard for the little bit he had to let some one take it. Evidently he wasn't trying to harm anyone else, since no one got shot. Maybe he was hoping some one would hear the shots and call the police. This young man was as sweet as a person you could ever meet. Respectful and once again never been in trouble. Yes there were witnesses who saw the incident. Why would they lie on the police. There's nothing political about this. Just overzealous police officers who shoot to kill and ask questions later. Not all young black men are gangsters.

As a former law enforcement officer, both in the uniform patrol, & plainclothes narcotics division, I am aware of split - second decisions police officers sometimes make. I myself drew my weapon several times during my career. However, thankfully, I never had to fire it anywhere but the practice range. One incident, a woman stood at arms length from me while brandishing a large butcher's knife. Providence enabled me to quickly assess the situation. I did not fire but I held my combat masterpiece a few inches from her head while speaking in a calm manner. I told her to drop the knife, which she did. There were a few more incidents of this nature. Each time, I was blessed & able to talk the situation down.
I will not try to judge what these officers did as right or wrong. One's reaction to an incident, even after intense training, will be influenced by many variables; such as one's upbringing, stresses from work, home, etc., general outlook on life, & the mood of an individual just before the start of an incident. I hold good police officers in esteem. I view lazy, "take the easy way" officers in disdain. I hold crooked cops or even " John Wayne" type cops, at the lowest rung

The comments are " What police have to go through". They enter predominately black areas like military assault teams. Several carloads stop one unarmed black man, frisking and searching him.
Chief Marquis stated the Police dont have time to check for guns. In other words, they shoot first. Sort of a wild west mentality. Officer Darden was shot close range by a fellow officer who saw a black man witha gun and immediately shot first. Neighbors said Officer Gordon got out of his car, set his dog on bystanders, drew his gun and fired.
Police should be held accountable.They can execute on the spot without trial. They will always lie for each other. Several black males have been beated to death or maimed by police. I saw one young man sitting on the ground with mouth bloody. The officer said, "He tried to run". I saw another pick up a young teen by the belt and slam him on the ground because he asked the officer a queston.
These are the attitudes and behavior an unaccountable police forcehave when the people they encounter do not matter in the community,

They better double check the testimony against the their previous witness statements. These people have plenty of motive to lie and will be under pressure to do so. The grand jury is totally politically motivated to placate the black community by frying a pair of desperately needed police officers. Bottom line--when the police say "Freeze" do so.

Man is in a public place shooting at an unknown target, the witness saw his hands up but she claims she didn't see the other bad guys, she just happen to be there as witness only when the police were there, yeah right. The man didn't live in the neighborhood but the claim was he was getting robbed so as the suspected robbers were running away he's going to shoot them in the back ?. Did the family, friends or neighbors ever say they were glad that no stray bullet hit someone other than the intended target?, because if it did the family of those victims would sue the police for not getting there quicker. Who called for the police when he was getting robbed ? Why didn't this witness call when it was going down????? If the police never shot this person you would never had witnesses to come forward with what they saw, just the fact of life. It's easy to blame the police than to blame each other. This man didn't have his hands up, with his heart racing and blood pumping from the excitement of the shooting he turned around with the gun in his hand.

And I agree that the decision to have this grand jury is politically motivated. The evidence shows once thing and the friends and family

As Cities become overpopulated criminals congregate in neighborhoods that can no longer control them. It's not the guns, but the person using it. I have seen many weapons sit for years without committing a single murder on their own.

Has there ever been a police involved shooting wherein one of the victims' parents hasn't come forward and sworn that their son wouldn't have done such a thing as challenge a police officer with a gun? Well, guess what folks - It happens. Happens all the time. If you want to do something about it, instead of crying foul to the media, why don't you try instilling some common sense and responsibility in your son, before it's too late.

I don't understand why these critics would think that police officers go around looking for people to shoot. I suspect that the Police Officer involved feels very badly about what he was forced to do. As in most cases such as this, he most likely used incredible restraint before having to make that horrific decision. Probably more restraint than I would use.

It appears again, that Jack Doyle has made a decision based on politics as well as his usual noncommital manner in handling matters within the Norfolk Commonwealth Attorney's office. While this police shooting is unfortunate, especially for the victim's family; the officers involved are deeply affected too. They had a split second to see and react to the situation at hand. The victim was no doubt not expecting the Norfolk Police to be near him as he was dischaging his weapon in various directions. If the report that the victim was robbed prior to the incident was true-then why did he go and retrieve a gun, fire the gun in various directions possibly endangering others instead of calling the Norfolk Police? These officers are in the area, hear the shots, locate the source and challenge the victim who pointed his weapon at the officers. Both officers are fine police officers and should not be subjected to this ridicule. Does anyone have to wonder why Norfolk has so much problem hiring and retaining police officers? Jack Doyle is putting the burden on Norfolk citizens that are selected for the Grand Jury instead of doing his job, what he was supposedly elected for.

Wonder what he was shooting at in the first place? I remember some report that his family stated he was being robbed, true? Guns are dangerous and even extremly dangerous when they end up in the hands of any person who doesn't understand the rules.

Shame on you people. I knew the victim. He was a hard worker. Never been in trouble. A very respectable young man. He was being robbed himself that night. The police didn't give him a chance to explain before they murdered him. He would have never pointed a gun at a police officer. When is it alright to shoot to kill? If they thought he was pointing a gun at them why not shoot in the arm or leg. This young man went to work every day. Made an honest living. He didn't fall in to the gang life like most young men his age. You people assume his murder was justified because the police went to a dangerous neighborhood. That's the only neighborhood some people can afford these days. What about his family? Feel sorry for them. They lost a son. An innocent son who was being robbed. Wronged twice in one night. Payed with his innocent life.

I know the area this took place in and it is a very dangerous place. I would not go there unarmed. As with may areas of our city and country, the criminals have taken over. It's hard to believe that the police just murdered this guy, and he was just trying to surrender. If this is true, we are all doomed, as the police have become the criminal. We should have more support for our police force than people do. They are laying their lives on the line every second for peanuts in pay. If you want to see the "paradise" these police have to patrol, just take a walk in the Stoney Point neighborhood one night, unarmed, and hang out for awhile. You would be lucky to leave alive. I'm sorry, but until the folks that live in these areas start securing their own streets, this will continue to happen. Our police have to go into "Iraq type" situations, dealing with an insurgent like environment in their own country. We should not accept this violent society anymore. We have to support our local police and fire departments. It is what keeps us civilized. Maybe it's time to have a "surge" into these
bad neighborhoods, and clean out the criminals. This is getting old people.

It is unbelieveable what police officers have to go through when they're patrolling and trying to keep peace. It's a terrible situation when an officer has to make a "quick" decision on whether to protect themselves at a time when things are out of control. If someone is holding a gun on them, it's absolutely necessary to protect themselves. I'm not saying they're totally right all the time, but I would say that most of the time they are correct in their actions. There is so much they have to deal with out in there that the public doesn't realize how quickly they have to make a decision in the face of danger. I hope the police officers will be cleared, and I wish them the best. Also, I wish the best for the entire Norfolk Police Department, and may God bless and keep them.