Protests erupted Wednesday night in Anaheim, resulting in 24 arrests, after two videos emerged showing an off-duty Los Angeles police officer pulling his gun and firing during an altercation in a residential Anaheim neighborhood on Tuesday, February 21, with a 13-year-old Latino boy after the boy and his friends walked across the officer’s front lawn.
The videos show the white cop pulling the boy by his sweatshirt collar across a stretch of grass. The boy, who has been identified by the O.C. Weekly and Telemundo as Christian Dorscht, shouts to the officer to let go of him, and tells the man that his dad is a cop. (The 13-year-old’s step-father is reportedly a police officer.)
The LAPD officer says he won’t let go of Dorscht claiming that the boy said he would “shoot” him, and that the boy is resisting. Dorscht tells the cop that he said he would “sue him” for hitting a minor, not “shoot” him. “Can’t you hear?” yells the upset Dorscht. The boy appears to say in the video that the officer tried to punch him in the groin.
During the altercation, Dorscht says the officer “tackled” him after he stood up for his friend, a girl, whom Dorscht says the cop called a “cunt,” when they walked across the man’s yard. In the video, the boy says he only told the officer to “respect the girl.” The officer denies calling the girl a “cunt.”
In the video, as the officer and the boy move across the yard in tandem, the teenager continues to try unsuccessfully to break free. Another teen moves in and pushes the officer over a short hedge, sending both the officer and Dorscht sprawling. The officer gets up quickly, and starts dragging the boy again, this time by the hood of his sweatshirt, across the hedge bordering a driveway.
Another boy appears to smack the officer’s hand, and several more boys move closer to the cop and the boy. Meanwhile kids are yelling at the officer to let Dorscht go. The officer then pulls out a gun from his waist, facing several of the boys, and then uses the hand holding the gun to continue his effort to drag the boy across the hedge. At that point, the officer discharged his weapon, sending kids running.
Christian Dorscht was released from Orange County Juvenile Hall one day after the incident, after being arrested on criminal threats and battery charges. Photos obtained by OC Weekly show bruises on the boy’s neck and forehead.
One of the boy’s friends, a 15-year-old, was arrested for assault and battery, but was reportedly released to his parents the day of the incident.
The boy’s father, Johnny Dorscht, told OC Weekly that his son had never before been in trouble with the law, is a good student, and is very well-mannered. Dorscht said that the family would be filing a lawsuit.
“This is B.S. Even the cops, when they got there, they had all the kids down,” the boy’s father said. “They didn’t even go after the guy.”
The LAPD has launched an internal investigation into the incident, and the officer involved is currently on administrative leave. In a statement released late Wednesday, the LAPD said that detectives from the department’s Force Investigation Division and a representative from the Inspector General’s Office responded to the location. Anaheim police were at the scene conducting the criminal investigation.
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck and the LA Police Commission will review the investigation and decide whether the use of deadly force was in compliance with department policy.
Without being there and seeing everything, besides YouTube footage, here are my thoughts. Some juveniles can be “shit heads” with their mouth/actions, however at some point the (off duty) officer should have let the kid “Dorscht” go. The officer was emotionally caught up in the moment. Hopefully there is some type of mediation or resolution.
So as a police officer most of us would like to be unknown to most of our neighbors and the general public. We learn early on to keep a low profile and only get involved if someone’s life is in danger, your own included obviously. Like the previous comment, I was not there. Unfortunately for this guy, everybody now knows who you are and where you live. In addition, this will be looked at under a microscope.
Horrible end for emotions.
For me, turn the sprinklers on the buggers and call it a day.
@ EM. Truly spoken. The officer is on the worldwide radar. Yes….. it’s even in the U.K. Press. Sprinklers work or having a obedience session with your Rottweiler on the front lawn. The worst part was drawing his weapon and firing it, even with an accidental discharge. Wowzer
Punk kids causing problems during the day and their punk parents destroying property at night. Pretty much.
Shameful. Add these families to the list of Trump deportees immediately.
@OC Cares (for police): You say that “at some point he should have let the kid go?” How about, he should never should have grabbed the kid. You are correct that some juveniles can be “shitheads” with their mouths/actions. This is America and its not against the law to be a shithead. In fact, as we now know, one can be a shithead and become president. Can you point out the penal code sections dealing with being a shithead or talking shit? That officer is suppose to be a professional, and, if he is going to pick on someone, he should pick on someone his own size and without the gun. But, alas, I have yet to see one of those cowboys be that brave.
I was not there, like you, but I saw the video, like you. I have a different lens than you do, and I saw a grown man grabbing a 13 year who was a fraction of his size and an officer who was “going to teach” the kid a lesson. I assumed the kids walked on his lawn, the officer told them to get the fuck off, and the kid told him to fuck off. Wanting to make America great again, the officer decides to teach the little wetback a lesson. Because Billy Bob remembers the good ole days of the OC when Mexicans cut one’s grass, not walk across it, he decides to teach little Pedro a lesson (he doesnt really know the kid’s name, but probably assumes its Pedro). Alas, that America does not exist anymore, and this kid and his friends are no longer afraid of the Billy Bobs of this world and dont think twice of mouthing off a good, hardy “Fuck you” or maybe “Fuck You Pig.” Being a veteran of the force, Billy Bob has a fall back once he sees the kids arent leaving and, worse, they are recording him. So, Billy Bob makes up a story, mainly that he grabbed the Kid because he heard the kid say he was going to shoot him and he was afraid. But, alas, people see through the bullshit and call him on it. I was not there, but if you were honest, you would admit that this is how it played out. Save the story for the defense, at least here be honest. In the good ‘ole days, when America was great, Billy Bob would have kicked the kid’s ass and then charged him with assault on a peace officer and resisting arrest. If you are old enough, you probably remember the good ole days, when America was great that way.
And, now you’re hoping for “some type of mediation or resolution.” I do not think the kid and his mother are going for it. I’m sure Billy Bob’s buddies in the APD tried to get the kids to “admit” they assaulted the officer. But, this little Pedro sounded feisty and not impressed with your ilk. Personally, I think Billy Bob should be fired and charged with assault and battery and everything else you guys would tacked on if it were Mexican or Black man grabby little white Jimmy (or is it Carson or Cody these days). I know that will not happen, and the union will come to the rescue, so Ill set for him getting fired.
@Anaheim – I know all Mexicans look alike, but they aren’t all undocumented. Some, if you watch something other than Glen Beck or the drug-addicted, portly bag of air Rush Limbaugh, you would find out, to your horror, that some of these “Mexicans” are citizens or, hold on, actually born here. Your Great America is not coming back. With that I say good bye. Or, in a way you understand, Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-That’s all folks.
The racist punk cf shooting off his big mouth about a video he didn’t see the start of assuming the cops a Klan member obviously hunting kids of color for sport because that’s what all White cops do. No idiot, and where I thought he should have been a good wit and done some videoing himself as he’s had problems with these kids before and was attacked while he was holding/dragging the kid which you could care less about cop hating maggot that you are, the aftermath of what adult types did to his and a neighbors house and vehicles instead of letting the system handle I’m sure met with your mindless approval, low life type that you are.
The discharge was stupid weather accidental or not, weather the kid threatened him or not he should, in my opinion have backed off just think he got to caught up but think much more needs to be learned. That’s what investigations are for but cf let’s hate of cops drive his decision making process not right and wrong based on what actually took place. He’s just a troll here to make his lowly remarks and nothing more.
Hey cf I could load this site up with videos of cops doing brave things if you want to see some, just let me know a.h.
Wow is all I have to say about some of these comments. We are all born stupid and learn from our parents and friends. I remember going to a call at an elementary school where school police had a “trouble maker” handcuffed to the chainlink fence by school police. When other LE arrived for the call and contacted the kid. He, the kid, pulled down his pants and pissed on his hand with the handcuff on. His little shit mouth then says, “now take the cuffs off bitch”. Where do you think he learned that? Elementary school age kid! Remember. Dealing with juveniles is one of the biggest pain in the ass issues LE has to deal with. There is zero punishment for them through the courts. They go home before the paperwork even starts. I am not on the side of the officer or the kids. It doesn’t really matter if you are a LE officer or not, pick your battles carefully and keep your wits about you. Sometimes second changes don’t come and you can’t undue what’s done. Think think think.
After the lawsuits, payouts and protests, this video will be implemented as a training guide for “what not to do” applied to law enforcement everywhere. I guarantee it. My personal opinion is that the man overreacted. I’m guessing that he has less than 5 years on LAPD, based upon his temperament, attitude and action. Typical “I’m the man” syndrome.
Hey cf, in the “good ol days”, when an adult asked kids to get off their yard – they got off their yard. No back-talk, it was an adult telling them to do something that they knew they should do.
Get off your high horse.
CF: Thought they picked you up at the last ICE raid. Wasn’t that you waving the Mexican Flag and flipping off America for all the free shit you get…………obviously the free education we gave you……didn’t help…..well got to go…..go vandalize someone’s property or whatever you do when your not at a anti Trump rally….Viva La Trump!
CF: I know you are still pissed off because we stole Texas and California from your ancestors ….but time to get over it! The wall is going up and you are going home. I guess I will have to start mowing my own lawn…like the “good old days”
Still doesn’t excuse the inappropriate behavior of the officer to manhandle someone else’s child based upon the totality. Even back in the good ol’ days, some kids did whatever regardless of adults speaking. Don’t minimize the behavior of the officer. Makes you look bad.
The cop reminds me of Sean Penn as Pacman in the movie Colors. For those who saw the movie, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
True Joe…but don’t minimize the behavior of the parents either……obviously, respect wasn’t first on the list….any by the way…having worked some of the most challenging areas in Los Angeles County…I can tell you these “children” you speak of commit murder, assault, and robbery on a daily basis……many a thirteen year old have “pulled the trigger” on real children. Be care where you leave your compassion!
You’re preaching to the choir……Don’t deflect the issue at hand.
Not deflecting Joe….just thought your use of the term “children” to describe a bunch of asswhole tenagers was musplaced…..
Misplaced……..
@ Long Gone: I agree that if you ask someone to get off your lawn, they should. And, if that kid was my kid, I would pissed off at him. I wouldn’t want him to talk back to an adult, if for no other reason because that person may do something stupid, like this officer did. If for no other reason, than someone may try to bust a cap in his ass, as this officer could have done had there been no video. The point is this officer is supposed to be a professional. He may have been emotional and had a bad hair day, but we do not need people like that on the taxpayer’s dime. Had it been anyone else who did this, especially a black or brown man doing it to a 13 year white boy, it would have played out differently. That person’s ass would be grass. Be honest. You, law enforcement, cannot be doing this crap, its not your job to teach anyone a lesson.
@Bandwagon: No, Amigo. Unfortunately for you, I am a US Citizen, so, no, it was not me that got picked up and I am already home. I am as American as they come. Reading your post, I would even venture to say, although not great, my English is better than yours thanks to that free education I received. Because I do not have blue eyes and blond hair, do not assume I am any less American. Those are the assumptions that get you, and got Billy bob, in trouble. And, free shit? What are you talking about? Based on the nerve I struck, I assume you are law enforcement. If so, I hate to tell you this, but I probably paid more in taxes than you did. You are able to ride that black and white and stop at Krispy Kreme because I pay taxes. And, when the city pays out because you can’t do your job properly, I am paying part of that, too.
@Sure Fire – Really? You want to post videos to show cops doing their job? Is this not absurd to you? Does anyone post videos of a teacher conducting a lesson without stuttering, of a waiter bringing food without dropping it, of a doctor not botching an appendectomy, of a truck driver not falling asleep at the wheel? The reason they do not is because that is their job. A waiter is expected not to drop your food; the doctor is expected not to butcher you, the truck driver is expected not to fall asleep at the wheel. That is their job. They are getting paid for that and its not too much to ask that they do it. And, if they do not like it, they quit. If they cannot do it, they get fired. Your ilk can hardly be fired because, as much you complain about about the government, you are a government employee. So, if you do not like your job, quit. And, if you can’t quit, stop whining. You are there to SERVE, and if you cannot SERVE, go do something else. Do you really need the job that much that you whine about it every day and still do it? Between the part-time work you can get as a security guard at the Trump rallies and at the KKK rallies, you should be fine. In fact, ICE will be hiring soon. Please stop whining and go make America great Again.
Teenagers……
CF: No nerve struck amigo…..by the way…I’m just another retired cop living off your taxes…….brown hair and green eyes…but what the heck…..we all look a like right “Pedro”
CF, you winey little bug, your words punk, “But alas, I have yet to see one of those cowboys be that brave.” I started in the military in the early 70’s morphed to cop work after my ets and still sworn and seen countless brave acts by cops and civilians of every look you can imagine. On and off duty so nothing you spout has standing ever to me, you’re just noise.
I am greatly disappointed and saddened by the preceding dialogue. I respect all of the individuals that stated their opinions and points of views. I am a God fearing Patriot who loves this country only second to Christ and my kids. I am also law enforcement, it truly hurts,saddens and disappoints me that there is such anger and lack of respect for one another. We as Men should conduct ourselves in a more appropriate manner. If not then we are no better than the criminals that plague our society. While we all may and should agree to disagree we should speak to each other respectfully. I see and understand both perspectives. I feel sorry for the young man. This should not have happened. I also feel sorry for my brother in LE. But his tactics,actions and judgement were excessive. We are all human. I understand and respect his concern for his home and family but his emotions took the best of him. I am not better than him or anyone else. I pray for him, his family, the young boy as well as the community.
Bandwagon, you are welcome. I have no problem supporting the young woman with a kid on welfare or the old cop on welfare. And, coincidentally, my name is Pedro, so I have no problem you calling me that.
Sure Fire, I’m not sure what your point is. I’m sure you may have seen many brave acts. My point is that our men in blue should not act as if they are doing the communities they are supposed to serve a favor. They are getting paid, paid well, and should provide decent customer service. No reason why I should be treated better by the security guard at Target making $10 an hour than the security guard in a black and white making $50 an hour.
Oh, Chief Parker is rolling in his grave. I’m sure he could not imagine a world were a good ‘ole boy cant smack a 13 year old Mexican. Let us make America Great Again.
@ Frank Craig…… Bullseye!
@cf, why do you have to keep making this a race issue? It is an adult – in this case an off duty cop – and a group of kids. You keep making this a race thing with someone named “Billy Bob and “Pedro” and someone would “cut lawns” or what would happen if this were “especially a black or brown man to a white kid.” Does EVERYTHING have to be about race? Is every adverse interaction between people of different skin color because of their race?
This adult and these kids obviously live in a neighborhood of different ethnicities. The adult chose to. One would assume that he did so knowing that he would have neighbors who had skin color different than his. And, evidently, he was good with that. Is that an act of overt racism? One would think not.
Then he gets in to a beef with some neighborhood kids. AND NOW he becomes racist by the name of Billy Bob? Why? Because the group was, like the neighborhood, mixed races. Meaning he was in a beef with those other than his own skin color. BIG MISTAKE. And according to cf this is a racist incident.
That’s par for the course. Everything is all about race. A cop stops someone to give them a ticket and they are a different color than the cop, they are a racist – never mind the cop can’t tell WHAT they are because of the blacked-out windows. A cop shoots someone who is someone with a gun, it’s because they are black or brown and the cop is “afraid”- never mind that cops shoot many more whites than browns or blacks.
Yep this was all about race. This couldn’t have been just an adult and some kids getting in to a 415 that got out of hand – naw, there had to be more to it than that.
cf, thanks for bringing that out, I would have missed it otherwise.
CF: You used “Pedro” in your previous post. My use was not meant to be derogatory…..Rather to show you the bigotry and hate you seem to direct to people with “blond hair and blue eyes”. Obviously, my satirical comments are little above your highly educated brain……keep up the good work…..Trump was voted in due to people with your ideology and hate. Make America Great Again…..Alpha Mike Foxtrot!
People: I think we can all agree that in today’s society the behavior of these teenagers is something we have grown accustomed to……..due to lack of proper parental supervision or the mob mentality…..but I do not believe we have to accept that behavior….nor go cowering into our homes when faced with such idiocy. The fact this man is a police officer does not exclude him from the rights of any other homeowner or decent human being attempting to stop this behavior. Comments from residents in the area all support the fact these “kids” are out of control. Clearly, he was surrounded and assaulted by these “young children” and was justified firing a warning shot into the ground. Perhaps we should have our officers turn and run next time they are involved in a situation which may later have “political” consequences…..if so….leave them in the station and just roll them out to clean up the mess or turn them all into firemen….
One last thing for all the haters like “CF”. Not to worry…the officer will either be severely disciplined or fired….why……… because cowards like the mayor of Anaheim and the Chief of Police will throw him under the bus to placate the “politically correct” crowd (mob) that has ruined this country for the past eight years and to protect their own backsides! CF: please proof read my comments and let me know if I violated any grammatical rules of English…………….
Bandwagon, you’re still making excuses for the (soon to be fired) cop. All he had to do was let the kid go, be a good witness and go from there. You know damn well a warning shot is not policy. … period. You are not a Mayor or Police Chief, so save the preemptive comments concerning their investigation. The bottom line is that he over reacted. Chief Beck will decide.
Yep you’re right……lets give your address to these punk kids and let them camp out on your front lawn….and next time some hoodlum is resisting arrest….you let him go also….and just be a good witness…your comments reflects the permissive attitude that allows the behavior of these kids and led to the incident in the first place…..just my opinion…and by the way…is the over reaction the gabbing of the kid and holding for the arrival of the police…or when he fires the shot into the ground when he is being assaulted….just curious….
Cop: Maybe you are just another cop throwing out your opinion……or maybe you are an Assistant to Chief Beck and gets Charlie his coffee every morning….I don’t know. I do know your comments stand in contrast to those of the Police Protective League who fully support the officer. History has shown us the officer will be relived. …put on ice for two years and finally fired…..ultimately Civil Service will grant him his job back….and an already strapped city budget will have to pay his back wages and the subsequent civil suit…but that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.
.
Been there, almost did that. I used common sense and kept my job. Easier said than done. I’ll pass on your snide remarks.
Thanks cop…I would do it myself, but I doubt he would let me into the building. We all have made stupid mistakes during our careers…part of the learning curve. But, we don’t have to throw every cop who makes one under the bus for the sake of political expediency….which often happens….. unless your one of the “chosen few” immune to the consequences afforded the rest of us. I speak from personal knowledge….say hi to Charlie for me…I enjoyed our conversation. By the way my remarks were meant to be funny not snide!
@Lone Gone: Everything does not have to be about race, and I do not make everything about race. Unfortunately, race permeates this society, especially law enforcement. The fact that this officer lives in a community with people of color does not mean he chose to or that he is fine with that. He may have no choice and would rather these people not move in, or maybe he cannot afford the whiter parts of the OC. I do not know, but I would venture to say he would rather they not be in his neighborhood, and, I would venture to say, if more move in, he will move out, if he is in a financial position to do so. I do not know, but that is usually how it plays out in white communities when people of color move in. But that is his right and his choice.
And, that fact that an officer stops someone of a different race to issue a ticket does not make him a racist or make it about race, but it may be. The literature is clear, brown people are more likely to be stopped for the same offense than whites, and blacks more likely to be stopped, all things equal, than any other race. Unlike my friend Bandwagon, I do not pull this out of my ass. This has been looked in many a state and its clear.
Same for the shooting. You are correct that cops shoot more whites. However, this is a superficial point. There are more whites, so more whites should get shot. In fact, there are more white people on welfare, but almost all stories or images of the issue, have people of color. What we need to look at is the relative numbers. And, if you are brown you are more likely to get killed by a cop than a white person, and, if you are black, you won the lottery, and are more like to get killed by the police than any other race.
But, I appreciate your comments. My friend Bandwagon, on the other hand, appears to be one of those rogue cops that should not be on the government dole and may be a little racist and unstable. Maybe he thinks he is still in Nam and cofuses, as he no doubt calles them, niggers for kooks, or misses the days with the when he was on CRASH (the good ‘ole days). Bandwagon says, “Clearly, he [the officer] was surrounded and assaulted…and was JUSTIFIED firing a warning shot.” He finds nothing wrong with what this officer did, aside from the fact that he let others record the incident. Let us assume race did not play an issue; it was still stupid and bad judgment. Aside from Bandwagon, does anyone really think this officer was justified in pulling and firing his weapon. It was even bad judgment to grab the kid for either walking on his lawn or mouthing off. It was worse judgment to pull out his gun, and it was the height of stupidity to fire it. It may be in line with Bandwagon policy, but not LAPD policy.
And, Bandwagon, when he hears from his colleagues, such as Another Cop, a viewpoint different than his, he turns on them. I hope Bandwagon is no longer on the force. Otherwise I’ll have chip in more change for the lawsuits that I am sure are coming. Snap out it, blacks and Mexican aren’t kooks. Since the communist took over South Vietnam, it seems like you screwed up that job, too. Thank you bandwagon for your poor service , both in Nam and on the force. I hope its not too hard to type your rants with the hood on. Take care. I, too, bid you farewell, Alpha Mike Foxtrot.
cf, the next time you go outside be careful because there is a racist behind every bush. This off-duty cop can’t wait to escape his over-run neighborhood. He just didn’t make the move fast enough. You are right, the cops are racist and they run around trying to ticket, arrest and shoot every brown and black that comes their way. Study after study comes to the same conclusion – at least according to the media.
Oooops. I guess the media overlooked the study in New Jersey where they actually did a drill-down study of the demographics of speeders on the New Jersey Turnpike where the State Troopers were ticketing more blacks than their representative population? What, blacks actually speed more than others????? The study has to be flawed. How can you determine that blacks ACTUALLY speed more than others? Throw that study out because it does not fit the narrative. And, anyway, certainly don’t report it in the mainstream media. But it is what it is: https://www.city-journal.org/html/racial-profiling-myth-debunked-12244.html Naw, it had to be racist troopers, had to be.
Then there was the study by a Harvard Professor last year. A black Harvard Professor, who set out to PROVE that police shootings were racially motivated. He found that there was no bias in police shootings. What? No bias in police shootings? Can’t be true. Yep, that’s what the study says – but story after story debunked the study or minimized it because he DID there was “bias” in the use of force. Is that the media’s version of moving the goal posts? Ok, he found bias in the use of force, I can actually buy that, having been “on the streets.” BUT I will submit that there are other factors involved that were not taken in to account namely the type of incident that initiated the contact. He simply added up the number of “contacts” of various races and the number of force uses and came up with a correlation. Any cop will tell you that don’t cut the mustard in real life – but the media, nor do I think does cf really care. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/12/upshot/surprising-new-evidence-shows-bias-in-police-use-of-force-but-not-in-shootings.html?_r=0
Unfortunately, cf, browns don’t have a place at the media’s table when it comes to these issues. Yeah you get some antidotal stories but you don’t count to them, the must figure you are no longer a minority so you don’t count. However, for the real facts in So Cal, I suggest you look at your local PD or the LAPD or LASD’s and their demographics. They are well represented by a large percentage of brown officers who work side-by-side with their “racist” white colleagues. Perhaps you can buddy-up to a few of them, you know, homeboy to homeboy. Ask them what’s up with all the mistreatment of the browns that goes on day after day. I think you may learn a thing or two.
CF: I though we were amigos…now I realize I have struck a cord……I find it easier to to feed into your racists comments than deny them. You live in a twisted world where everything revolves around race. Obviously, nothing anyone says on this post will change your mind or outlook…..like I said before,…your anger denies you free choice…..I actually feel sorry for you…..by the way I have two life saving awards…one for saving the life of a child in ELA and another for saving the life of an African American in South Los Angeles. Don’t say it…I know it was my job and I had no choice…..my fellow Klan members will never let me live it down. By the way….I guess in your world…all cops have the same opinion…..
CF: Get some sleep….all that marching you are doing at the anti Trump and BLM rallies are catching up to you….things will look better in the morning after a good nights rest. By the way how many years did you serve in the military fulfilling your military obligation to your county…..I did eight and not in Viet Nam either, although I do thank all our Viet Nam vets for their service!
CF: Bigotry takes many forms….I find it quite often in the comments of our educated liberal class who should spend more time on introspection than pointing out the worlds ill. Bottom line is your bigotry is as offensive as those you profess to hate……but I doubt your “limited” intellect will ever allow you you to see it…..Evidently all that education you received….did not provide you with any common sense….later amigo!
I’m from an earlier era. Reason and experience tell me times have changed. Yet my heart goes out to the LAPD officer for what appears to be (on the surface to me, anyway) a level of frustration born from a lack of respect for legitimate adult authority, muddled by today’s perceptible general incivility and seeming sense of entitlement among many young people within some communities, sometimes provoking fed-up property-owning adults, even well-trained officers/deputies, to over-correct ‘snot-nosed’ juveniles (this might be an old problem), doing so in a hypertechnological age in which distortions of perceptions through angles, editing, quick distribution, a lack of proportionality, history, and context tend to ‘frame’ and ‘post’ an incident or event prior to a proper understanding of its facts or a thorough investigation is conducted. (Responsible, legitimate, ethical journalism assists in that understanding.) Yes, videos are compelling pieces of the puzzle. But they are not the entirety of the puzzle. There may be more to the story here than we know, which is often the case (e.g., Don Jackson/LBPD; King/LAPD). Administrative discipline must always follow from investigative validity and procedural due process and not from the tom-toms or impulse — warranted or not — of a mob or media. Yes, police chiefs and sheriffs are inherently political officials, which, regrettably, does not inoculate their decision making, such as it is, from politics of the moment. No profiles in courage are exhibited there. However unlikely, maybe a restorative situation could yet be worked out. There was a comment about mediation. The round discharged makes that possibility remote, but one can hope that some form of deescalation and settlement could be worked out consistent with professional ethics, civil liability, potential criminal issues. If ‘restorative justice’ works in one direction, why can’t it work in another direction? (I know, I know: lawyers.)
There may be more to story here than we know, which is often the case (e.g., Ron Settles/ Signal Hill P.D.; Delois Young/ LASD) with a never-ending list.
Obviously Ferguson’s LAPD “on-duty” tactics used in Los Angeles does not work “off-duty” in Anaheim. Go figure
Further information reveals that LAPD Officer Kevin Ferguson joined LAPD in 2013 and works Hollywood Division. It is reported that Ferguson was drinking a beer outside of his home as a young female student walked across his lawn which led to the entire incident.