How to fight crime.

[Vodner]

Lethal action is to be taken when it's the last recourse or as defense. I think the policeman should have shouted something like "drop your gun" before shooting, even if it's just allowing the thief to do so for a fraction of a second, and certainly not shoot twice if the first bullet hit. I can understand the cop's action in the heat of the moment but if he had thought this through that's what he should have done.

In the case of defending property, it often is the last available recourse, before expensive (or irreparable) damage is done. At any rate, in this case both property and lives were at stake, so I feel it would have been far too risky to give the thief a chance to either raise his weapon, or attempt to drive off.

e: Scratch that, he actually pointed his weapon at the officer. There's no debate at that point - he needs to be shot.

So how's this trip to Tiananmen going ? "people" is much too vague, as only those actually lighting cars, pillaging and doing damage should be arrested. The best riot polices in the world are capable of isolating violent groups among peaceful protesters so I don't see why it is necessary to blindly go for global violent suppression.

I was referring to the individuals visibly causing damage. In the case of the Vancouver riots, most people in the mob weren't actually doing anything damaging. You don't even need multiple people shooting - a single guy can fire a shot or two into one of the vandals, which I imagine would be enough to (at least temporarily) dissuade any nearby, unwounded vandals.

Care would have to be given to make sure that the bulk of the mob is distant enough to prevent people from panicking and trampling one-another, and to ensure that the shooter is suitably trained such that innocents won't eat stray bullets or ricochets. If the latter isn't possible, then less-lethal weapons could be used (although, in the case of teargas, I would imagine the chance of causing a stampede would be even greater than with bullets).

The best riot polices in the world are capable of isolating violent groups among peaceful protesters so I don't see why it is necessary to blindly go for global violent suppression.

The police were unable to prevent a great deal of property damage during the riots, so I assume they felt that it would be far too risky to attempt to move in and arrest vandals. Even with the limited measures they took, there were still nine officers injured.

[Leshma]

shot down by a fat ugly evil cop!"

Cops are no better than criminals in most cases. Same mentality, just wears a badge.

[Xant]

They would think twice if crime did not pay off. Crime thrives hand in hand with poverty, yes, but not only "rich" people are affected by crime. I'm talking about gangs and other types of criminal culture that subjugates the majority of people in slums. Even in slums, you will find that they have their own economy; price of food and living space is affordable through work. It is not impossible to lead a good life, a happy life if you will. There are just some people who, through interactions with their surroundings, are shaped into criminals. Mostly kids, orphans or neglected kids who are kicked out into the night to beg money for their parents. This is a societal issue, but that does not make a criminal exempt from moral judgment. Quite the opposite.
I do feel sorrow for these kids, but when you have lost your touch with humanity so as to be able to rape, murder and rob without remorse, you are too far gone. Just like a gangrenous limb, it is necessary to cut it off before it spreads too far.

The more poverty stricken or the more contrasted the rift is between rich and poor in a country, the more extreme the crime fighting is. As is the case in the video in the OP. And even the crime fighters are sometimes criminals themselves, bribing is not uncommon in Kenya at all, or as they call it "finger oiling". The places with the most poverty rates are fucked up, no doubt.

I visited two slums when I was in Kenya this year, these two were Kibera and Korogocho, Korogocho being the more habitable of the two. In Korogocho, you had breakfast diners, furniture shops, motorbike repair shops, internet cafés, grocery stores where you could pay with mobile credit etc etc. The community of people in slums learn to support each other. It's far from perfect and their life quality is abysmal, but happiness is achievable.
In Kibera, however, it was a step up on the poverty scale. When I arrived to Kibera, almost within 5 minutes I see our guide chasing off some inebreated guys who were eyeing our cameras with a nasty look.

So I would like to claim that I have stood face to face with this type of poverty and it's a nasty thing, but far from all poor people are driven to crime. If anything, they are more inclined to hate crime than us cozy westerners in our social welfare bubbles. We just have more channels to express ourselves, so it must seem like we are more vocal. I have some Kenyan friends on FB who have happened to link a crime related news article or two, and the animosity in the comments toward criminals is quite scary.

Man, that's obvious bullshit. You're talking out of your ass. But I'm too lazy to point out all of this obviousness, brb going to type a long post after saying I'm too lazy to type.

[Sniger]

if you have a gun or a toy that looks like a gun and you run around with it in public in certain contries, you are utterly mindless and deserve to be shot.

but ye ill give you that range is queer.

[Leshma]

Yes, in certain countries. That's why people try to leave those countries as hard as possible.

[Bjord]

Man, that's obvious bullshit. You're talking out of your ass. But I'm too lazy to point out all of this obviousness, brb going to type a long post after saying I'm too lazy to type.

Have fun.

[Sniger]

summa sumarum: cop did gj. without him, that robber would go on a spree either killing or robbing. if he DID use a toy gun... dang... tard. as if cops can see from distance what is toy and what isnt toy.

cop did gj. end of story.

[zagibu]

summa sumarum: cop did gj. without him, that robber would go on a spree either killing or robbing. if he DID use a toy gun... dang... tard. as if cops can see from distance what is toy and what isnt toy.

cop did gj. end of story.

Yeah, because most robbers go on a spree. It's a solid way to make sure you can enjoy what you just robbed for as long as possible.

[Xant]

summa sumarum: cop did gj. without him, that robber would go on a spree either killing or robbing. if he DID use a toy gun... dang... tard. as if cops can see from distance what is toy and what isnt toy.

cop did gj. end of story.

Using a toy gun makes him a retard because cops can't see from a distance it isn't a real gun?

Except he wasn't waving a gun around for the benefit of the cops, and didn't intend to rob any cops.

[Bjord]

Using a toy gun makes him a retard because cops can't see from a distance it isn't a real gun?

Except he wasn't waving a gun around for the benefit of the cops, and didn't intend to rob any cops.

He's a retard because you don't flaunt an object around that resembles a lethal weapon in the vicinity of an armed policeman.

For example, I had this lovely jet lighter, lady shaped lower piece and a pistol head on the top, but the fuckers at Irish customs took it from me because it resembled a gun.

[Sniger]

if you gonna rob, do it properly and dont rob useless MCs and what not... WITH A TOY GUN SEEMINLY?! nab

rob a fucking bank or gold reserve. raid a drug kartel. something! geez

[Sniger]

He's a retard because you don't flaunt an object around that resembles a lethal weapon in the vicinity of an armed policeman.

For example, I had this lovely jet lighter, lady shaped lower piece and a pistol head on the top, but the fuckers at Irish customs took it from me because it resembled a gun.

and in a country where 70% (exaggeration) of the public are armed lol

[Xant]

He's a retard because you don't flaunt an object around that resembles a lethal weapon in the vicinity of an armed policeman.

For example, I had this lovely jet lighter, lady shaped lower piece and a pistol head on the top, but the fuckers at Irish customs took it from me because it resembled a gun.

Yes you do, if you don't want to get arrested and that's your only chance of bluffing your way out of it.

and in a country where 70% (exaggeration) of the public are armed lol

"..extremely severe restrictions were made by the federal government since 2002 making it virtually impossible to obtain a carry permit.."

Really?

[Bjord]

Note: Flaunt is not the same as threaten. If you're in a position to threaten a police officer, then you already had the advantage. A trained lawman would blast you to bits if you made the slightest intent of pointing a gun or an object resembling a gun in his direction while his finger is on the trigger. You'd be better off taking a hostage if you had the chance, then they would at least hesitate shooting you to death and you'd have more leverage.

However, if the robber in the video was using a toy gun expecting to be given a "chance" to escape, he'd still be dead. That's why it would be even more stupid to not carry a real piece over a toy gun.

Although in Sweden, you'd probably want to use a toy gun, Swedish lawmen are a lot more lenient.

Going even farther than Sweden in leniency, in Ireland, the only place where the police, or "garda", are armed is in Limerick. Otherwise it's only batons and other non-lethal weapons. Pretty good to know if you wanna make a career in crime in Ireland.

[Xant]

No shit you'd want a real gun instead of a fake one, the point being is that if he had a fake one (unlikely) then he only carried it to make hijacking the motorcycle easier. Either way, the robber probably knew the risks.