"Sadly, police officers, in the heat of the moment, often shoot the wrong person."

In our concealed carry class, we were instructed to stay in the bedroom and call the police. Stolen items can be replaced.

Going hunting for the bad guy is a guaranteed way to get killed. Plus, in Illinois, you have to show he posed a threat. Just breaking in and being in your house is not enough.

If he comes for you in your bedroom, he's interested in more than just robbery, and you have a right to protect yourself.

The whole idea is to stay out of court. Even if you're totally innocent, it'll cost $10-20,000 to defend yourself.

"In this case there was someone else in the house, downstairs, in potential danger from the intruder."

Tough call. But in this case it looks as though he got downstairs at the same time the cops arrived. So he accomplished nothing -- except getting himself killed.

But in this case it looks as though he got downstairs at the same time the cops arrived. So he accomplished nothing -- except getting himself killed.

So....

You think he knew when the cops would be arriving and could should have estimated that his mother was in no danger given that estimate, AND...

He is responsible for his own death.

It's good to know you've completed your investigation.

Tough call. But in this case it looks as though he got downstairs at the same time the cops arrived. So he accomplished nothing -- except getting himself killed.

Maybe it will happen to you some day. Then some asshole can say you deserved it.

Brenda, who is a licensed gun owner, handed over her pistol to Thompkins who pursued the would-be attacker through the house.

Another way of saying that Thompkins was not the licensed owner of the gun.

When Christopher got downstairs, he encountered Juan Brian Jetter-Clark, 23, who had broken into their home. Fearing for he and his mother’s safety, Thompkins opened fire on Jetter-Clark. He missed.

Become proficient, practice, and aim center mass.

Just as Thompkins was opening fire, however, two patrol officers showed up responding to the family’s burglar alarm. Thinking Thompkins was shooting at them, police opened fire on Thompkins, killing him.

Insufficient information to tell whether this is a reasonable belief or not. It fails to note where Thompkins' bullets went in relation to the cops.

Meanwhile, Brenda was on the phone with 9-1-1, and hiding onto a roof behind the home.

After hearing the gunshots, Brenda said police came up and got her off the roof.

[...]

Police claimed they thought Thompkins was shooting at them. However, Brenda refutes that story, noting that she saw where Thompkins was shooting.

“I could see Mark shoot down the stairs at the guy. The cops came, and they shot through the door. Mark was shooting at the robber, not the cops,” she said.

Brenda was on a roof behind the home hiding, and saw Mark shoot down the stairs. The cops shot through the screen door and hit Mark. Presumably, the cops shot up the stairs where Mark was firing from. And the cops were downstairs in his general line of fire. The then-unidentified robber was apparently not armed with a gun, and was nearest to the cops. The cops returned fire at the only one who was firing a gun.

It would have been good had Brenda informed the cops that Mark was armed with a gun.

According to TribLive, Police removed for evidence a front screen door that had six to eight holes in it. It was unclear whether the holes were the result of the shooting. There were no holes in the front door, which remained attached to the house after police removed the screen door.

Instead of simply photographing the door and moving on, the entire door was removed and taken by police. What was so important on the door that it had to be taken? Did it show all the bullets fired were from the police weapons or the same caliber as the police weapons?

The door, not a picture of the door, is the best evidence. It may better reveal directionality and trajectory. Testing of the door may reveal muzzle distance.

Note that there were no holes in the solid door which remained attached to the house after the screen door was removed and taken into evidence.

Sadly, police officers, in the heat of the moment, often shoot the wrong person.

Mistakes do happen. Sadly, all too often, the Free Thought Project and yellow non-journalists such as Matt Agorist, publish creative fiction where facts are missing or misrepresented, and screaming headlines and sensationalism prevail.

Of course, Matt Agorist failed to mention that Christopher Thompkins was sent to prison in 1994 for shooting and killing someone. He was undoubtedly a convicted felon in unlawful possession of a gun.

"Cunningham was a happily married father of four boys. He just happened to be at the apartment working as a handyman and intervened when Thompkins pulled a gun on his ex-wife, Brenda Richmond."

- - - - - - - - - -

"When police arrived, they saw a man coming down the stairs firing shots in their direction. Police returned fire, killing Thompkins.

In 1997, on the same date of Thompkins’ homicide conviction, he pleaded nolo contendere in another case for possessing a firearm when he was prohibited under the law."

Sadly, police officers, in the heat of the moment, often shoot the wrong person.

Sadly, TheFreeThoughtProject and Decktard are fukin retards... "OFTEN". Any person that isn't a PAULTARD SHEEP, would see how YELLA that statement is.

Decktard should receive a blanket party for posting the shit he does.

Thompkins was sent to prison in 1994 for shooting and killing someone. He was undoubtedly a convicted felon in unlawful possession of a gun.

He served his time for that. So what - he used a gun to defend his home.

What would you have done - cower in a closet while your wife or mother confronted the intruder?

Don't bother answering I know what you'll say - "the law is the law".

"When police arrived, they saw a man coming down the stairs firing shots in their direction. Police returned fire, killing Thompkins.

In 1997, on the same date of Thompkins’ homicide conviction, he pleaded nolo contendere in another case for possessing a firearm when he was prohibited under the law."

This was numbnuts' at least third gun-related run in with the police and at least the second involving an illegaglly possessed gun. Before he took to shooting in the direction of the police, he sould have learned to shoot. As it is, on his third attempt, he became a self-correcting problem.

Not even yella journalism can make him a lamented victim.

Before he took to shooting in the direction of the police

No evidence he shot at the cops badge-licker.

[nolu chan #10] Before he took to shooting in the direction of the police

[Deckard #11] No evidence he shot at the cops badge-licker.

From my #7, linked and quoted:

"When police arrived, they saw a man coming down the stairs firing shots in their direction. Police returned fire, killing Thompkins.

The convicted scumbag killer, in unlawful possession of a gun, fired in the direction of the police and they returned fire.

The convicted scumbag killer was on the stairs, shooting an unlawfully possessed gun downward. The heroic officers were at the ground floor entrance at a screen door shooting up.

The evidence is that the convicted scumbag killer, shooting an unlawfully possessed gun, and the heroic officers of the law, were within line of sight of each other as the crazed killer came down the stairs shooting the illegally possessed gun.

The convicted scumbag killer who was shooting an illegally possessed gun in the direction of the heroic officers received return fire and karma instantly killed his sorry ass. Boo hoo.

As for the linked source from which I quoted at #7:

http://www.georgiaworld.com/2017/01/23/new-details-emerging-about-man-fatally-shot-by-police-in-larmier/

New Details Emerging About Man Fatally Shot By Police In Larmier

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The man shot and killed by Pittsburgh Police Sunday at his home in Larimer never should have had a gun in his hands.

Online criminal court records in Allegheny County show Christopher Thompkins went to prison for shooting and killing someone in 1994. That conviction means he should not have been in possession of a firearm on Sunday when investigators believe he was firing the gun to scare off an intruder.

In November of 1994, police were called to an apartment building on West North Avenue for a report of a domestic disturbance. When they arrived, they found Ronald Cunningham shot twice in the chest. He died at Allegheny General.

Cunningham was a happily married father of four boys. He just happened to be at the apartment working as a handyman and intervened when Thompkins pulled a gun on his ex-wife, Brenda Richmond.

She gave an interview to KDKA’s Ralph Iannotti after the 1994 incident.

Richmond said, “Ronald Cunningham tried to block him from shooting me. He was like blocking him so he couldn’t shoot me and he shot him. Shot him twice. Not once, twice. Shot him dead in the chest.”

Richmond went on to say, “I want to let the world know that Ronald Cunningham is a hero. He saved my life. And, believe me, domestic violence does not get any better if you are in a situation like that. The best thing to do is get out.”

In March of 1997, Thompkins was convicted of criminal homicide and sentenced to seven to 15 years in prison. That conviction made it illegal for him to ever possess a firearm.

Fast forward to Sunday at 4 a.m. Pittsburgh police were called to Thompkins’ home on Finley Street for a report of a home invasion. Richmond was there.

According to the criminal complaint, she told police Juan Brian Jeter-Clark broke in and was standing over their bed. She reported that Thompkins said to give him her gun. Investigators say they believe Thompkins was firing the gun to scare Jeter-Clark.

When police arrived, they saw a man coming down the stairs firing shots in their direction. Police returned fire, killing Thompkins.

In 1997, on the same date of Thompkins’ homicide conviction, he pleaded nolo contendere in another case for possessing a firearm when he was prohibited under the law.

Sunday’s case is still under investigation. The two officers involved are on administrative leave, which is standard protocol. Jeter-Clark is charged with criminal trespass.