FBI Agents Investigated Over Shots Fired During Standoff
Source: ABC News
FBI agents who were at the scene of the shooting death of a key figure of the occupation of an Oregon national wildlife refuge are under federal investigation for not disclosing they fired two shots that missed Robert "LaVoy" Finicum.
Oregon law enforcement officials said Tuesday that two Oregon state troopers were justified in shooting Finicum on Jan. 26 because he failed to heed their commands to surrender and repeatedly reached for his weapon.
Finicum was struck by three rounds fired by state troopers after he got out of his truck. The troopers also shot three rounds into Finicum's truck as it was barreling towards them, officials said.
But officials also said that FBI agents who were on the scene failed to say that as Finicum was getting out of his truck, they themselves fired two rounds, neither of which hit him. One of those rounds hit the roof of Finicum's truck.
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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/fbi-agents-investigated-shots-fired-standoff-37512406
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)We need to start looking very closely at how our law enforcement agencies behave, and hold them accountable for bad behavior.
I don't necessarily think that the FBI screwed up here, but it's better to err on the side of understanding and accountability than to just assume there is no problem.
CanonRay
(14,112 posts)at least in the Federal system.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)It is hard to have strong nerves in a stressful situation. But that is part of the job for law enforcement agents.
The color of the skin of the victims does not matter. Excessive force is excessive force.
I don't know what happened in that situation at the moment of the killing, but I certainly hope that there will be a fair and careful investigation.
Black Lives Matter will benefit if the precedent that all killings by law enforcement are very carefully investigated is established.
LaVoy was unusual because he was white, but the principle that law enforcement should be there to protect life and to make peace, not to kill or create strife is the same regardless of the color of the skin of the people involved.
SeattleVet
(5,478 posts)According to other articles from yesterday, the agents denied firing, and others tried to cover for them.