Baton Rouge Cop Points Assault Weapon At HuffPost Reporter, Protesters

[TomCADem]

Source: Huffington Post

Tensions hit their peak in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, late Saturday night when police officers armed with military equipment tried to clear those gathered for a demonstration from the streets and highway.

One officer, armed with an assault weapon, deliberately aimed the gun at protesters and journalists, forcing them to retreat. HuffPost senior crime reporter David Lohr was among them.

Lohr arrived in Baton Rouge earlier this week to help capture moments from the Black Lives Matter protests that took over the city’s streets. He launched a live-stream on the HuffPost Black Voices Facebook page around 11 p.m. that captured some tense moments, including police making several arrests and one protester getting shocked by a stun gun. In one jarring moment, Lohr captured an officer pointing her assault rifle at protesters ― and at him.

“An officer just pointed a machine gun at me,” Lohr says in the live-stream. “I’m not quite sure what that female officer was doing; she pointed an assault rifle at us.”

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/baton-rouge-assault-weapon-huffpost-reporter-protesters_us_5782415be4b0c590f7e9b48e?section=

[hill2016]

1. that's not

a machine gun.

[OldHippieChick]

2. Your point?

???

[Bluenorthwest]

3. How important is that, really?

nt

[Hoyt]

5. Nomenclature doesn't matter. No gun, club, fist, whatever was warranted.

[KeepItReal]

6. You are right. And not helping. At all.

Show some compassion, please.

[forest444]

7. I once had one pointed at me near Rio during a stick-up.

Trust me, semantics are the last thing on your mind when something like that happens.

[Android3.14]

8. Now you call for accuracy in reporting

[irisblue]

9. that is the important take away? where is her trigger finger on realation

to the trigger? Looked pretty damn close to my non gunhumper eyes.

[Skeeter Barnes]

10. You know that for sure? It's not unusual for police departments to have some select fire rifles.

[greiner3]

15. Wtf

[MynameisBlarney]

20. So fucking what?

What goddamn difference does that make?

[TomCADem]

24. Apparently, If You Don't Guess The Correct Gun, You Deserve to Die

Police: What gun am I point at you?

(Protester holding hands in the air).

Protester: What? An AR-15?

Police: Wrong! It's an SKS semi-automatic rifle! Boom!

(Policeman guns down protester for ignorance relating to fire arms. Hill2016 gives a thumbs up in knowing appreciation.)

[MynameisBlarney]

29. IKR?

It's like if you aren't fluent in Guntardese, any argument of point one tries to make is invalid.

[jpak]

22. Sorry - gunners don't get to dictate terminology any more.

yup

[Rex]

25. Double fail - and assault weapon is not a machine gun.

You failed twice! Congrats!

[jtuck004]

4. They probably misinterpreted the police actions,behaviors...

"It was the third time he addressed police-community relations while in Poland for a summit of NATO leaders. “You have not seen riots, and you have not seen police going after people who are protesting peacefully."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/09/america-not-divided-obama-says/86893422/

[StoneCarver]

11. Holy shit!

That lady cop has her finger on the trigger too! WTF! You're supposed to put on the side rail until there is a clear and present danger then you drop it to the trigger to engage a clear and present danger. I know she was probably scared, but she needs WAY more training!
BTW most military assault rifles can select between semi or full auto. The civi version is only semi. I don't know what the cops carry.
Stonecarver

[christx30]

13. "Keep your booger hook off the bang switch" nt

[Roy Rolling]

12. Let's get serious

That officer, al least, needs way more training. And, at most, needs to be let loose to find another profession.

That could have ended tragically, at least other cops recognized it and should refuse to work with her from now on.

[DustyJoe]

14. was it legally purchased ? nt

[rladdi]

16. Baton Rouge is another Ferguson, MO. I feel that those cops will soon be killing protesters.

It is a dangerous situation. Our nation must pass laws as well as communities, educating cops better. It is a community and state issue that must be resolved by the citizens.

[metroins]

26. When is the last time

Police killed peaceful protesters in America?

[Calista241]

27. When was the last time a bunch of cops were killed at a protest? N/t

[metroins]

28. Why ask me?

The poster thinks police are going to murder peaceful protesters. I can't recall a time they did.

The vast majority of police are there to help keep people safe.

[liberalmuse]

17. Any state that promotes racism...

...and promotes inequal injustice needs to be immediately cut off from Federal funding.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

18. The cops in this country have been pointing weapons

at and killing our citizens for well over two centuries for political reasons and they are unlikely to change anytime soon.

They are obsessed with the rule of law and maintaining the status quo at all costs.

The question is, who is the enemy?

[yourpaljoey]

19. whoa!

[Night Watchman]

21. Red Stick Redneck

[Ash_F]

23. I understand they are trained not to aim their weapons unless they have decided to fire.

They are not supposed to aim their weapons as some kind of threat.

Another officer noticed her getting out of control and placed his hand on her shoulder to make her lower it.

She should be disciplined.