Young woman shot and killed by Denver police in "stolen car" incident.

[librechik]

http://www.9news.com/story/news/crime/2015/01/26/officer-involved-shooting-denver/22342531/

Once again, a simple arrest just wasn't an option for some reason. These kids were like 14. Outstanding police work!

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

1. Stealing a car was a right of passage for many of us as teens back in the day

now if you do you die, i guess

i never stole one but some of my friends did, the worst thing that happened to them was a nite in juvie

[840high]

2. Stealing did not get

her killed. Ramming the car into the officer did.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

5. First of all, at this point all we have is what the cops told us or the media, and cops lie

about absolutely everything.

So while the story may be accurate, I will wait to hear it from a witness.

I notice certain types of people here and in general never question the honesty of police, and certain types of people ALWAYS do

[Duckhunter935]

6. how did his leg get fractured?

[mythology]

10. Obviously after the young woman was dead, he took one for the team

Because people are on the the idea of the cops dropping an unregistered gun. The cops are stepping up their sneakery.

I have a hard time mustering up sympathy for somebody who steals a car and then hits somebody with it.

[pintobean]

32. He beat it with his throw-down pistol

[840high]

13. I'll take the story at face value

this time.

[Taitertots]

62. Why do you support summary execution of assaulting an officer

From the story: Officers started shooting after he was hit, meaning it was after any danger to the Officers ( as described in the article) had passed.

[840high]

65. He responded to violence against him.

[uppityperson]

73. He shot her in revenge rather than because he was in danger? Thanks for clarifying. nt

[840high]

98. If someone rammed me with

their car and I had a gun - I would use it. Good day to you. Don't want to be dead - don't do crimes.

[uppityperson]

101. my, you get my heart all aflutter. what a man! nt

[840high]

112. I am a woman - sure hope

your heart calms down. lol It's called surviving in the face of violence.

[uppityperson]

122. shooting someone after they run you over is "surviving in the face of violence", even if it was acci

an accident?

[840high]

123. This was deliberate. Of course if

accident it's a different matter. Enjoy your evening. Peace and out.

[Taitertots]

140. Killing people who ram you is a crime. Don't want to be dead - don't do Oh wait...

But then who kills the person who kills you.

[cpwm17]

99. You may be right.

What would have happened if he didn't shoot the girl? Were the cops still in danger? We don't know any of that yet.

[JonLP24]

129. Two teens here in Mesa in 2000

were shot the same way. Stolen vehicle at a Circle K parking lot, cop cars had the vehicle blocked in so they tried to squeeze throw ramming and were shot like over 20 times. Can't remember the number but it was overkill on the bullets. Cops survived the lawsuit which was about all that happened with that, except for sad families.

[Brickbat]

11. Stealing? Or borrowing your parents' without telling them?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

23. Both, my brother borrowed from our parents and paid hell for it and he stole

a car and spent night in juvie.

Friends of mine would steal a neighbors car and leave it in the driveway in the morning, sometimes get caught, sometimes not.

These were OF COURSE not car stealing rings where the cars were stripped, etc.

I guess I should have made that clear but didnt think I needed to, given the time I grew up these things were pretty common.

Small town stuff, pretty common...

I was always too big of a worry wort and potential crybaby (were I ever to be arrested) to do it.

[cwydro]

57. I had some wild times as a kid.

But I never stole a car. Never entered my mind.

My parents did a pretty good job teaching me to respect other people's property.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

58. So you never stole anything in your life?

candy bar at the retail store you worked at?

NOTHING

I wish I could say the same but when I was a kid I did steal a couple times, small stuff but that doesnt matter.


One of my main deals was stealing single Salem cigarettes from my best friends mom, I was addicted at a VERY early age...but I admire someone who never once stole anything ever in their life.

[cwydro]

60. I said I never stole a car.

I think I might have stolen tootsie rolls (a penny each) at the corner drugstore as a child. I got caught.

I took a magazine home from a doctor's office once.

Oh, and one time in Florida...I paid for one bag of ice, but took two. I still feel guilty about that lol.

So yes, I stole things.

Not somebody's car. Cannot even imagine doing that.

[840high]

115. When I was 12 I stole a pair

of white kid gloves from a store. Just had to have them - they were soft and beautiful. It bothered me so much that in my 30's I sent a money order to the store.

[Travis_0004]

131. Are you implying that stealing a candy bar is the same as running over a police officer?

[WillowTree]

143. Or any other human, for that matter......?

[840high]

14. Not in my neck of

woods. It was always considered a very serious crime.

[X_Digger]

19. I think this says more about you than you imagine it does.

Very illuminating.

Quoting in case it gets disappeared..

NoJusticeNoPeace (1,360 posts)
1. Stealing a car was a right of passage for many of us as teens back in the day

now if you do you die, i guess

i never stole one but some of my friends did, the worst thing that happened to them was a nite in juvie

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

22. Oh we can keep it RIGHT HERE for everybody to see, I know OUTSPOKEN liberals are

dangerous to some of you...



HEY EVERYBODY, I said that when I was a kid I knew many people who stole a neighbors car or their parents car for the night, many times they got caught and spent a night in juvenile hall

I NEVER did it, because I was always WAY to afraid to risk the consequences, probably NOT because I cared so much about inconveniencing someone for a night, you see I was a kid and kids tend to think that way

NOW ALSO, I am an OUTSPOKEN, often VERY ANGRY

LIBERAL

and some people hate that...will do everything in their power to SHUT me up..

Aint gonna happen

Go ahead and BOOKMARK this thread and post EVERYBODY

[snooper2]

86. don't be angry be happy!

look at all of the sad blue balls, be the happy one!

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

93. I was extremely happy when I wrote that...i am not the one pretending to be a saint

and the funny thing is I said i did NOT steal a car, but I have enemies here who will take ANY chance they can to give me shit

used to it



3, 2, 1

Why look at who thinks highly of him or herself, thinking he or she has enemies



Like anybody gives a shit one way or the other about you...

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

24. PS Lets see, I have not stolen a car, have you?

Have you stolen a pack of gum?

Magazine?

Cigarette?

Ever commit any crime?

Hmmm, so you have committed some crime in your life, stealing a beer at that liquor store you worked at?

Hmm, tells us WAY MORE ABOUT YOU

blah blah blah

Go ahead, cast the first stone...

[X_Digger]

130. Ooh, apparently I struck a nerve. Who'da thunk it.

As for the rest? You keep arguing with things I've never said, or what you think I might say. It's amusing, if not as enlightening.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

147. ahh, the OLE "struck a nerve" ploy when you have nothing else to say, so as to make

onlookers who arent paying attention believe that you have somehow "actually" struck a nerve

[X_Digger]

148. You get on with your bad self. Argue with what you think folks say. lol. n/t

[Boudica the Lyoness]

141. Most people don't steal.

I never have stolen. No one in my family steals. I wouldn't be friends with a thief because nice people don't commit crimes.

You act like everyone commits crimes in some shape or form.

[LanternWaste]

25. As does your focus on it.

"I think this says more about you than you imagine it does..."

As does your focus on it.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

39. Well, aren't you special to do that? I've never met anyone that was

completely innocent of committing any kind of crime. I bet you've never so much as littered!!

I'm am proud to know you are part of this community!

[samsingh]

89. i don't think it says that much about him/her at all.

[NCTraveler]

55. Grand theft is not a right of passage for many of us as teens.

Extreme extreme minority I would say.

[trumad]

77. Stealing a car was a right of passage

Where the fuck did you live?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

92. I would never disclose that, there are many people on the internet, probably right here at DU

who would wish to cause problems for outspoken liberals like myself, so no thanks, I am not going to tell you where I live, or lived.

[pintobean]

102. My spidey senses are telling me the KC area.

Am I close?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

109. Are you trying to out me? Why would you do that?

[name not needed]

120. Cut the guy some slack. He's just gonna borrow your car for a bit.

[pintobean]

126. He reminds me of someone

And HOW.

[REP]

127. If you're right

Then stealing a car isn't exactly a rite of passage - it's a way of life in KCMO. KC is a thriving hot car/parts city; almost everyone has been on one end or the other of it (or both - getting your recovered stolen car repaired with stolen parts).

When my car was stolen, it was recovered a month later by my brother and his buddies in the worst part of town by mere coincidence. Still had the screwdriver in the steering shaft. They were going to just steal it back, but my brother was pissed enough he called the cops, who initially treated it like "who cares" and then dismantled my car and covered it with fingerprint dust. The thieves stole my library books but did leave me a cigar and a Tupac tape.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

79. "Stealing a car was a right of passage for many of us as teens back in the day"

There's an epic level sense of entitlement right there.

[name not needed]

118. So it's not about justice so much as your ability to commit felonies without interference.

[H. Cromwell]

3. Stealing a car

is one thing. Purposely hitting a LEO while driving a stolen car and breaking a leg will usually result in shots being fired...

One of the officers got out of the vehicle and approached the car.

At that point, the woman driving the car drove into one of the police officers, fracturing his leg. Four other people were in the car with her at the time of the incident.

Two officers discharged their weapons. The woman driving the car was shot and killed.

I guess the police officers used excessive force as opposed to the force of a vehicle hitting them.

[uppityperson]

75. "Purposely" is the issue here. Did the 17 yr old do this on purpose or panicked accidentally?

[H. Cromwell]

103. either way...

If you accidently aim a stolen car at a LEO or do it purposely And break a LEO's leg in the process; it is pretty much a fact that they will aim their guns at you with the intent to kill you.
If you do the same thing with a car you legally own the end result will be the same.

[uppityperson]

104. that broken leg for not appear to have been broken. Today's articles say injured.

"Purposely hitting a LEO while driving a stolen car and breaking a leg will usually result in shots being fired...".

Only the last of those has been shown to have happened.

[Duckhunter935]

4. well my take

Do not run over an officer fracturing his leg with a deadly weapon, you might get shot.

[840high]

119. xcatly

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

7. Yep, some folk INSTANTLY believe anything and everything a cop says, and some dont

[COLGATE4]

8. Yep. The cop broke his own leg in order to be able

to claim self-defense. These guys are incredibly sneaky.

[librechik]

9. do you really buy the notion that the girl deliberately tried to hurt the officer?

Or is it more likely something that happened in the panic of the moment. And anyway, pulling your gun? Really?

[COLGATE4]

12. I've been a lawyer for more than 25 years and

have seen more than one case where a car was deliberately aimed at police. I can't fault an officer for defending him/herself when that happens. Unfortunately, the only practical way of doing that is taking out the driver.

[librechik]

17. that is simply

Bullshit!

[hunter]

31. The most practical way of defending oneself is to jump out of the way.

People never seem to think clearly when they are holding a gun. They seem to think guns are magical, that they will make people do what you want them to do, or that they will stop a moving car.

Being threatened by a gun doesn't stop some people, it just makes them more dangerous.

But most of all, a bullet can't stop a moving car. It's simple physics.

[uppityperson]

76. The only practical way to avoid getting run over is kill the driver? How about getting out of the

way?

[COLGATE4]

80. Certainly not every case of assault by auto

results in a shooting. However when an officer is in very close proximity to a rapidly moving (or accelerating )auto which is being being aimed the officer, jumping out of the way" ceases to be an option.

[hunter]

106. I'd much rather suffer a broken leg than shoot someone.

Why go for the second scoop of shit when you've already bought one?

[pintobean]

108. Because that's his/her job.

If a suspect is willing to run over an officer, they are a danger to the public. What if they hadn't shot, and while escaping, she ran over some little kids?

[hunter]

137. Hostile encounters like this happen every day in U.S. high school parking lots...

... and the teachers or other parking lot supervisors don't shoot the kids.

I've had to confront both idiot kids and idiot parents in school parking lots.

Usually a good thump on the fender or window gets their attention.

If they keep going, that's no reason to shoot.

Look, I don't know what happened in this case, but I'm absolutely certain shooting the girl did not improve the outcome.

Once the guns come out, everything is FUBAR.

[Ace Rothstein]

144. High school students are running over other people with stolen cars on a daily basis?

I find that difficult to believe.

[COLGATE4]

111. You're assuming that the only consequence to the

officer will a broken leg. Not realistic when a 2000+ lb object moving at speed is being thrown at a person.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

83. I'm an anarchist. In my not-so-humble opinion the police should be disbanded.

I certainly reject the notion a badge entitles anyone to special consideration in the eyes of the law.

That being said, this is victim-blaming nonsense. It doesn't matter if the perpetrator had any intention of harming the officer, she did. It also implies the officer could have avoided being hurt but somehow elected to have his leg broken.

As far as equality in the eyes of the law is concerned I wouldn't place the blame on the car's owner for shooting the perp after being hurt so I won't place it on the officer.

[uppityperson]

95. I do not see anything about a broken leg in today's reports of this. Just "injured"

To all who are snarking how'd he break his leg, the answer is it does not appear he has.

I hold professionals like cops to higher standards about shooting people than John Doe.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

97. The severity of the injury is immaterial. The driver drove the car at someone.

It doesn't matter if the driver did it on accident in a panic or wanted to escape but not harm anyone or actually had malicious intent. The fact is she drove a deadly weapon at another human being.

As a matter of clarification, the link in the OP does state the cop suffered a fractured leg.

[uppityperson]

100. and today's reports do not indicate a fractured leg. 1st reports often are inaccurate

[Nuclear Unicorn]

107. Again, the severity of the injury is immaterial. The driver drove at another person. That qualifies

as assault with a deadly weapon. No injury required. No duty to dodge.

[treestar]

116. maybe there isn't time to get out of the way?

good grief. Victim blaming.

[uppityperson]

117. if there is time, is the only practical way to kill the driver?

That was my point, that killing the driver is not always the only way to react.

[840high]

16. Deliberate.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

27. You were THERE, REALLY!

Awesome, you see NONE of us were, we would like to know more, can you tell us EVERYTHING you saw please!

[Dreamer Tatum]

29. Were you? nt

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

30. NO, neither have I claimed what happened, only unwilling to instantly believe every word

out of the mouth of a cop.

But, alas, I am a liberal and that is what we do, we always question authority.

You see some people here instantly believe the story they are told by the police, never occurs to these people to question the police.

[Dreamer Tatum]

33. In the world where adults live, there is evidence and its preponderance.

And in matters involving life, death, and property, evidence is studied and evaluated.

You clearly don't believe the cop, but you've yet to present your version of the story, which would be a neat trick since you weren't there. The rest of the world has the aftermath to evaulate, however, and to date the evidence seems to indicate that a car was driven into a police officer, who fired his weapon at the driver. In the world of adults and reason, it is not acceptable to ram a car into anyone.

Kindly present your evidence that the story is something other than what the cop stated. Can you do that, or are you resting your case on, "who would ever believe a COP, mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn?"

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

34. You dont even realize what you are saying, if you did maybe you would think twice

The silliness of course is you think YOU are the adult and the one who questions authority isn't.

[Dreamer Tatum]

35. So, you got nothing. Fine.

Can't or won't refute any of the story? Fine.

In this matter, you are not a serious person.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

36. Stop it, you are embarrassing yourself... you are INSISTING that unless I was THERE i MUST accept

what the police say.

Stop doing that on this liberal, alleged liberal message board, you are embarrassing me, all of us.




(I am betting two to one that somehow he will get this hidden, lets see - any chance to SHUT up the liberal)

[Duckhunter935]

37. I actually think you have that wrong

"embarrassing yourself" might just be you here

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

38. LOL look who it is!!! I have to comment now before I am locked out for being too liberal

[Duckhunter935]

44. whatever

so you are calling all of the responders in this thread not liberals?

They just make a judgement with the known facts and do not agree with you.

Stealing a car was a right of passage for many of us as teens back in the day

I guess I lived in the wrong area as we never even thought about vehicle theft when I was growing up. Used to even think cops could never do anything wrong after watching Adam 12. Times have changed and cops definitely do some awful and I think unlawful things but when you steal a car and attempt to kill a cop with a deadly weapon he or she should protect themselves with deadly force isf the situation warrants.

[cherokeeprogressive]

41. Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back.

You angry liberal you.

[Duckhunter935]

47. or break a leg

like the officer did

[treestar]

113. You're not merely questioning authority

It's the facts of the case, and who is credible and the evidence. You're claiming because a cop is a person of authority, that makes him less credible?

[treestar]

114. Why is it better to claim the cop is always the one lying?

And here we don't even know what the people in the car claim. They might admit she did it.

[TheSarcastinator]

45. I was there and you have no clue whatyou are talking about

How about that, you brave internet warrior for the police violence?

[Dreamer Tatum]

48. Let's see how it plays out. The truth is usually in the middle of the extremes.

And I'm putting you at one of the extremes.

[cherokeeprogressive]

72. Were you there AS it happened, WHILE it was happening, or AFTER it happened?

Just checking.

[uppityperson]

78. thanks for your posts. Would you know of a link to this from today?

You keep saying the cops leg wasn't broken, I'd like to be able to throw an updated story at people. Thanks and it sounds just awful.

People jump to false conclusions based on initial often inaccurate reporting and everyone is a critic.

[840high]

66. Were you?

[WillowTree]

59. And the cop.......

.......with the car heading for him/her and/or their partner, was supposed to be able to determine the difference how, exactly? In time to choose some alternative action?

Are you suggesting that the cop should have just laid down in front of the car and tried to stop it that way?

Geez! This "the cop is always wrong.......and evil" bullshit has gotten completely out of control.

[TheSarcastinator]

42. the cop's leg is NOT broken

You haven't read the news reports properly.

[cwydro]

68. The link clearly says

his leg was fractured.

Is that news report wrong?

[NM_Birder]

84. facts get convoluted ...............

when "immediate aftermath" internet testimony is offered as fact.

[cwydro]

87. So his leg is not fractured?

Confusing.

[NM_Birder]

94. I was pulling your leg a little bit, ........ bah duuum bump !

I don't know,.......... that is only one of a several discrepancies in the internet chatroom litigation that is swollen with contradiction around here, but it also doesn't matter if its broken or not.

assault on an officer with a car doesn't even have to include a physical hit, you aim a car at a person that is assault. You hit them or even touch them, it's assault with intent to do great bodily harm and/or death. You aim a car at a cop, and hit and/or touch them with said car, you are now in assault against an officer and all bets are essentially off.

The other kids in the car will likely be charged with accessory to the car theft, and if they encouraged the dead girl to speed away,...they might get charged with assault on the cop as well. but we'll see.

Blaming cops for murdering children has become a huge cause to rally around, and a fair cause it is, when it applies. No cop should be given a pass in anyway if someone is killed that should not have been. However, not every incident is a "cop murdering children", there are laws, and the laws about stealing cars and assaulting officers with said stolen cars are not interpreted according to chatroom defense attorneys. These kids displayed incredible stupidity, this will change thier lives forever, the dead girl paid the ultimate price, The lesson here is 1) don't steal cars 2) don't hang around kids that steal cars 3) don't try and run over cops with stolen cars. One girl won't have time to reflect on her stupidity, the others will live with this forever. Hopefully other kids or at the very least ONE OTHER will think twice before performing this level of stupid.

[NM_Birder]

82. Doesn't matter.

spitting is considered assault.
A wedding ring can be considered a weapon during an assault.
A car is considered assault with a deadly weapon, and/or intent to do great bodily harm.
Assault an officer, accept the consequences.
If she didn't understand the consequences of stealing cars and assaulting cops then, hopefully her stupidity will teach others the lesson.

Stolen car.
Stolen car driven by a young female.
Stolen car driven by young female strikes officer.
officer / officers discharge weapons and young female driver of stolen car is killed.

Accomplices taken into custody will likely be charged with stolen property, and possibly in the assault as well if they encouraged young female to flee in stolen car.

Your " immediate aftermath" witness-ing ain't going the distance in this case. But I am curious if you made a police report in the "immediate aftermath"
Unlikely, but I'll believe you if you claim you did.

[840high]

15. Some folks INSTANTLY make up stuff.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

26. Now other comments I am getting are making more sense...got it

[chrisa]

18. If you try to run cops over with your car, they're probably going to shoot you.

Never a good idea.

[kiva]

20. Are you saying the car wasn't stolen?

Or did you just have some extra quotation marks that needed to be used before they expired?

[Dr. Strange]

21. Fun with quotation marks.

"Young" woman shot and "killed" by "Denver" police in "stolen car" incident.

[librechik]

70. look--we don't "know" the car was stolen by those kids--that would have to be determined in court

And just because police officials "confirm" it was stolen I remain unconvinced before a full investigation, including independent confirmation. I'm totally over cops trying and executing folks on the street when provoked using some accusation or other for cover. We used to have a legal process here in the US.

[Dr. Strange]

71. True, we don't "know" the car was stolen by those kids.

But we also don't "know" that the cop shot anyone. Sure, it's being reported that way, but why should I believe ANY of it?

[kiva]

134. How do I know I'm on "DU"?

For that matter, how do I "know" that that I'm really on my computer?

Thankfully all I need to do is stop using quotation marks and reality is back...well, for you and for me at least.

[Dr. Strange]

135. Here's how I know if I'm on DU.

Do I smell whiskey and fried chicken?
Are people yelling at each other in ALL CAPS?
Is everyone walking around without their pants on?

If the answer is yes to all three, then I know I'm "on" DU.

[kiva]

136. Is that fried chicken coated in cornflakes?

[Dreamer Tatum]

28. Let me ram a car into you and let's see if you try to defend yourself.

Darwin Awards aren't just for adults.

[TheSarcastinator]

40. what an amazingly reprehensible post

As the only one on this thread who was witness to the immediate aftermath of this event, allow me to state directly and without fear of contradiction that not only is your willingness to toss aside the life of a 16 year old girl with a snide remark truly disgusting, but your unthinking, reactionary acceptance of the righteousness of the police response gives a very clear picture of your personal agenda on this board.

Nowhere in any story does it claim the girl "rammed" the officer: that's your word and has no connection to the actual situation. I actually saw the car -- instead of just making self-righteous comments on the intertubes to excuse the needless death of a child -- because this event occurred immediately behind my house, in an alley. It was very clear to me, my fiancee and every other person in the neighborhood what occurred: the young girl panicked when the cops pulled out their guns and didn't put the car properly in park. The car sat in the middle of the alley, with room to move on either side. No one was in danger: she panicked and did not operate the vehicle properly because SHE WAS A 16 YEAR OLD CHILD. Hell, I've done this a million times during my life, and I've even done it when I was much older than 16 and did not have screaming cops pointing guns at my face.

Of course, the officer's injury report hasn't yet been released, and I know it is for this very reason -- there was no real danger to this officer. Every one of us who lives in the neighborhood and saw what occurred is confident this is the case.

The cops also acted reprehensibly after they killed this young woman: the very first thing they did was drag her body out of the car, flop it on the ground and handcuff her. One of the idiots then made a comment like "I think she is dead". AND THEN THEY TRIED TO CONFISCATE EVERYONE'S CELL PHONE.

Here is the victim, tough guy: 16 year old Jessier Hernandez.

So you go ahead and continue to make your snide Darwin remarks while sitting at your keyboard. Your hateful comments say much less about the tragic death of this young woman than they do about you.

[Dreamer Tatum]

43. Maybe you should be a cop.

Except, instead of knowing for sure what happened afterward, or at least what you're pretty sure what happened, you are only allowed to know that four people are in a stolen car, and it's rolling.

If the cops can be wrong, so can you be. Let's see how it plays out.

[TheSarcastinator]

49. Another clueless arrogant post

I saw the immediate aftermath -- you make clueless comments from whatever basement you inhabit. Only ONE of us is qualified to discuss the situation in any type of honest manner and it is not you.

By the way, every article published in town yesterday described this GIRL as a WOMAN in the headline. Even the Denver Post began that way...at least they corrected it later. The cop's leg was NOT broken, either.

But you rock on with your bad self, amigo. Keeping making snide comments about dead kids.

[WillowTree]

64. Seeing "the immediatie aftermath" and seeing what actually happened are two different things.

Maybe it happened exactly the way you described it and maybe it happened exactly the way the cops described it. More likely, the truth lies somewhere in between.

Let's not make like this is just some kind of a "kids will be kids" prank and the kids were totally blameless in what happened. I'm dreadfully sorry for the tragic loss of a young life, and I know I'm probably going to be trounced upon for saying this, but the fact is that if those kids has been at home doing their algebra homework, none of this would have happened. This whole thing started there and ended in heartbreak. Too sad for words.

[JonLP24]

133. He mentions "Every one of us who lives in the neighborhood and saw what occurred"

Cops have a certain power over an event in describing an event, police reports and even when they don't have to, still insert fiction into them. Residents on the other hand are a different story. Unlike police, they don't have the incentive to protect their asses or write or witness things the same way cops do. Cops are unlikely or even when a cop does (that face abuse from coworkers) to describe what really happened.

If what the poster says is true, more likely the truth is more on the other half towards the residents but either way the truth stays the same no matter who accepts what version.

The last thing any of us knows is what kind of living situation each and everyone of them has (the ones that aren't dead are fine though and unlikely to face any sort of significant punishment) but she certainly had the choice to steal the car or not steal the car. I don't deny that.

[Comrade Grumpy]

51. I've seen a lot of stories about cops killing drivers who hit or rolled toward them.

The cops always say the driver was trying to run them down.

Unlike Sarcastinator, I wasn't at the scene of this one, but I've got to say that I don't think we have an epidemic of people trying to kill cops with their cars. In many of these cases, it seems much more likely that the drivers just panicked or were simply trying to get away. And in America these days, that seems to warrant the instant death penalty.

[Oklahoma_Liberal]

149. As it should, under certain circumstances.

A panicked escape attempt with a human being between the vehicle and freedom is identical, in something I like to call reality, to a murderous vehiclular assault.

It is a ridiculous notion to expect a cop or anyone else to allow themselves to become roadkill if they can't immediately discern the intent of the person about to run them down.

[Comrade Grumpy]

46. Thank you. n/t

[cherokeeprogressive]

50. So were you an eyewitness or earwitness to the actual shooting?

You're making some pretty concrete statements about what is perfectly clear to everyone who witnessed the event. With that many eyewitnesses it shouldn't be too hard to straighten this all out.

[TheSarcastinator]

53. earwitness to the shots and

Eyewitness to the immediate aftermath. There were actually quite a few people present, which is why it has gathered the publicity and notice it has. Park Hill is a busy residential area just to the east of downtown Denver.

[TheSarcastinator]

54. ...and I want to be clear about something else, too

It's pretty obvious that this entire event was due to an incredible confluence of bad decisions made by EVERYONE involved: the kids, their parents and the police. The whole thing is just so sad, ugly and stupid.

[Kingofalldems]

52. Excellent post.

[herding cats]

61. I have a question.

One of the mom's of one of the teens in the car said four teen girls and one boy had been sitting in the car in the alley for several hours listening to music and talking. Have you heard anything about how the car became mobile again after being parked, was the engine even on? The pics of the car up against the fence imply it was barely moving from the looks of it. Like it might even have rolled into it in neutral or something.

I'm asking because you're closer than I am and apparently some of the kids are your neighbors. If you'd rather not reply I understand. Peace be with you.

[librechik]

69. wow. Thank you so much for this thoughtful (and fortuitous) post, Sarcastinator

and welcome to DU

[NM_Birder]

74. " I saw the immediate aftermath" =

You did not see what occurred prior to "the aftermath", which means you know nothing more than the rest of us. Your post is full of condescension, speculation, and ignorance with just a little sprinkle of self gratifying arrogance. You seem very proud to have not seen what happened, and then demand everyone acknowledge your speculation.

The ironic thing about you post is that with all the "immediate aftermath" baloney you cannot comment in any way, shape, or form on whether she yelled "you'll never get me copper" before she tried to run him over........ can you ?

[snooper2]

96. She was 17 not 16 so automatically everything else you wrote is suspect

Why you post "tough guy" when it was a girl?

Are you there? okay?

17-year-old Jessica Hernandez of Thornton

[840high]

121. +10

[hunter]

138. I've had worse shit thrown at me.

"Defending one's self" is much overrated.

Backing off until the situation calms down, or even running away, usually results in much better outcomes.

[Taitertots]

56. My first thought is: Why didn't the cop move out of the way?

I read the story as: police officer attempts to physically block a vehicle by standing in a roadway(alley) and gets hit when they try to flee.

How about the police start using common sense and stop looking for an excuse to murder children for petty offenses?

[NM_Birder]

91. stealing cars and running into cops with said stolen car ?

Too much to ask for that "common sense" baloney to be applied to people other than cops ? Isn't it ?
If that stupid cop had just let her go about her crime business, none of this would have happened.

This one was just too good of an opportunity for cops "to murder children", wonder how the other passengers got away ?

[Taitertots]

105. We send car thieves to jail. That's common sense.

Who are the people that you think arn't asking common sense be applied to the children in this case?

[NM_Birder]

125. you seemed to have missed the point, not surprised

[hughee99]

110. I believe that's called "victim blaming". n/t

[LittleBlue]

63. Anti-cop hysteria underground

Hard to make a simple arrest when the suspect runs the cop over with a car. What an awful thread. Embarrassing.

The driver is responsible for this outcome.

[840high]

67. ....

[hunter]

139. Cops in the U.S.A. need to clean up their act.

Very few of them could handle a high school classroom as a teacher, much less competently decide when or when not to shoot a kid, or a harmless mentally ill person, or a black guy reaching for his wallet, or a family's friendly dog when they go kicking in the doors of the wrong house.

The statistics are pretty damned clear.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

145. "The statistics are pretty damned clear."

Adjudicating by statistics is a bad practice. It's how we end up with "Well, you know how THOSE people are" laws.

[Chemisse]

81. The people who say we are anti-police when we decry cops murdering unarmed civilians

Are validated when we take a story like this and call it an example of excessive force.

On the face of it, this seems fully justified. What is the cop going to do? Lay on the ground with a broken leg and wait for the car to run him over?

Save your outrage for the outrageous.

[NM_Birder]

85. you say 14, the article says 17, and an earshot witness in "the immediate aftermath" says 16

how could internet crime solving be mistaken about anything with this level of accuracy ?

Stupid cops are wrong about everything huh !

[samsingh]

88. it sounds like she tried to run the cops over and hit one of them.

[librechik]

90. UPDATE: Prosecutors promise probe

http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/2015/01/27/police-shooting-denver/22395049/

DENVER (AP) - A day after Denver police shot and killed a 17-year-old girl in a stolen car, some residents are calling for charges against the officers responsible.

Prosecutors told the Associated Press that they will do a thorough investigation of the incident. They said Tuesday, however, that they can't discuss the facts of the case.

A small group rallied outside the office of District Attorney Mitch Morrissey on Tuesday morning. Morrissey normally investigates police shootings, but some residents don't believe it would be a fair inquiry.

Police shot the girl, identified by police as Jessica Hernandez of Thornton, on Monday morning after they say she struck and injured an officer in a stolen car.

Morrissey was out of town and chief deputy district attorney Doug Jackson spoke after the rally over shouts and obscenities from some of the protesters. He said the findings of the investigation will be made public and people can decide if the right decision was made…." more at link

[libodem]

128. Joyriding

Becomes a Capital crime. It's a war zone.

[magical thyme]

142. no, assault with a deadly weapon is potentially deadly

driving into somebody with your car is assault with a deadly weapon, and you can end up dead.

[Agnosticsherbet]

132. "the teen driving the car drove into one of the police officers, fracturing his leg."

No sarcasm involved, just colossally poor judgment by the young woman who, no doubt out of fear, assaulted an officer with a deadly weapon.