And frankly, this time it's got zero to do with them being police; anyone lawfully armed has a right to defend himself against deadly force. I love how the mother concludes that the two lawfully-armed police officers were "looking for trouble," whereas her handgun-armed 14 year old was just an innocent victim.
http://www.nbc4.com/news/14136716/detail.html
WASHINGTON -- Police said Tuesday that a 14-year-old who was shot and killed during a shootout involving District officers apparently provoked the incident.
Authorities said that just before 7 p.m. Monday, two off-duty officers in plain clothes responded to a report that one of their homes had been burglarized.
Video: Watch The Report
Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the officers drove around the area in hopes of finding one of the stolen items -- a mini bike. Lanier said one of the officers saw the teen on a mini-bike in the 600 block of Atlantic Street in Southeast at about 7:40 p.m. and approached in a civilian vehicle. At that point, police said, the teen opened fire and struck the officer's car at least once.
Lanier said the officer returned fire without having a chance to identify himself, hitting the teen once in the head.
"My understanding is that when the officer pulled up next to the decedent on the mini-bike to ask him about the mini-bike, as soon as the officer pulled up, the decedent opened fire, striking the officer's vehicle while the officer was still in the vehicle, and the officer's initial return of fire he was still in the vehicle so he did not have time to identify himself," Lanier said.
According to Lanier, the officer who fired was the officer whose home was burglarized. He fired eight shots, and the teen fired three shots, police said.
The teen later died at a local hospital. He was identified as Deonte Rawlins. His stepmother, Sheila Rawlins, questioned the shooting.
"Off duty, in plain clothes, carrying pistols?" she said. "You were looking for trouble. You were looking for trouble. You were determined you were going to kill somebody. How would you feel if someone did that to your child?"
Police have not recovered the teen's weapon, and the officers are on routine paid administrative leave.
Mayor Adrian Fenty said it has not been confirmed that the mini-bike that Deonte Rawlins was riding is the property of the officer.
"My sympathies go out to the family. It is never easy to lose a loved one, especially a young person," Lanier said. "I have promised the family that my Department will conduct a thorough and detailed review of the officers' actions. And as always, whenever there is a police-involved shooting, the United States Attorney's Office will conduct an independent review."
The officer who fired the shots is a 22-year veteran assigned to the department's special operations division. The other officer is a 19-year veteran with the training academy. with deadly force.
http://www.nbc4.com/news/14136716/detail.html
WASHINGTON -- Police said Tuesday that a 14-year-old who was shot and killed during a shootout involving District officers apparently provoked the incident.
Authorities said that just before 7 p.m. Monday, two off-duty officers in plain clothes responded to a report that one of their homes had been burglarized.
Video: Watch The Report
Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the officers drove around the area in hopes of finding one of the stolen items -- a mini bike. Lanier said one of the officers saw the teen on a mini-bike in the 600 block of Atlantic Street in Southeast at about 7:40 p.m. and approached in a civilian vehicle. At that point, police said, the teen opened fire and struck the officer's car at least once.
Lanier said the officer returned fire without having a chance to identify himself, hitting the teen once in the head.
"My understanding is that when the officer pulled up next to the decedent on the mini-bike to ask him about the mini-bike, as soon as the officer pulled up, the decedent opened fire, striking the officer's vehicle while the officer was still in the vehicle, and the officer's initial return of fire he was still in the vehicle so he did not have time to identify himself," Lanier said.
According to Lanier, the officer who fired was the officer whose home was burglarized. He fired eight shots, and the teen fired three shots, police said.
The teen later died at a local hospital. He was identified as Deonte Rawlins. His stepmother, Sheila Rawlins, questioned the shooting.
"Off duty, in plain clothes, carrying pistols?" she said. "You were looking for trouble. You were looking for trouble. You were determined you were going to kill somebody. How would you feel if someone did that to your child?"
Police have not recovered the teen's weapon, and the officers are on routine paid administrative leave.
Mayor Adrian Fenty said it has not been confirmed that the mini-bike that Deonte Rawlins was riding is the property of the officer.
"My sympathies go out to the family. It is never easy to lose a loved one, especially a young person," Lanier said. "I have promised the family that my Department will conduct a thorough and detailed review of the officers' actions. And as always, whenever there is a police-involved shooting, the United States Attorney's Office will conduct an independent review."
The officer who fired the shots is a 22-year veteran assigned to the department's special operations division. The other officer is a 19-year veteran with the training academy. with deadly force.
