Woman dies, crochet hook mistaken for weapon

[Mrs. Principal]

This is a sad story:

 

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381783,00.html

[craziebunny]

:eekthat is awful!

but how could a hook look like pick ax?geesh!

[namffoc]

that is an awfully strange story. :sad

[losingmymind2]

Unfortunately, officers have only a split second to decide if their lives or the lives of their fellow officers are in danger if someone has an object in their hand, and all too often it IS a weapon. I feel sorry for everyone involved, the officers who have to live with making the decision to shoot, and the family of the woman. It's a hard call, and I don't think I could make it.

[Elle]

This is a very sad story indeed. I think it's a bit unrealistic for them to think that the crochet hook was a "pick ax", but whatever it was, the woman was obviously not in her right mind if she was stabbing herself in the neck with it. Another thing to keep in mind is that no matter WHAT it is, if an implement of any kind is being wielded in an attempt to cause harm, it is considered a weapon, whether it's an actual gun or a nail file, so while it sounds ridiculous to think of a crochet hook as a weapon, if someone is attacking someone with one, that's exactly what it is.

[adagio]

It was dark out, I think. That would make it even harder for them to decide what she had in her hand. Very sad for everyone involved.

[rashidah]

So sad it bring tears to my eye.

[eyrthmother1]

a very sad story. many of us cannot understand how they could mistake a crochet hook for a knife or other weaon, but, realistically, anything can become a weapon w/ a warped enought mentality (our prison system is full of very industrial people who sharpen toothbrushes into shivs, and use staplers as a tattoo implement along w/ the soot from a candle flame mixed w/ shampoo....no, ive not been to jail, just learn things from others). W/ her acting oddly and stabbing herself w/ the hook, was a likelihood she would have used it on the cops.

 

My prayers go out to both her family and the cops, during a very difficult time.

 

Sandy

[misssmaggie]

So sad !!! Thanks for sharing .

[Darsa]

This is a terrible thing It does say, further into the story, that the mistaken implement was an "ice pick" rather than a "pick axe" as originally stated, which is more plausible.

 

I hope that Maria is at peace.

[Ladycrochat]

so sad:(

[RoseRed]

I thought they were supposed to use non-lethal means first.

 

The other cop used a Taser. You need to be shot with a Taser and a bullet to be stopped?!?

 

Can anyone say 'Over-use and abuse of force?"

[Redheart]

A tragedy for everyone concerned. Here in NE OH we are burying the fourth police officer killed in the line of duty in less than two years. A split second decision can have a lot of consequences.

[SaxDragon]

I thought they were supposed to use non-lethal means first.

 

The other cop used a Taser. You need to be shot with a Taser and a bullet to be stopped?!?

 

Can anyone say 'Over-use and abuse of force?"

 

Not necessarily. The taser probably was the non-lethal means, but there have been several cases where a disturbed person (whether mentally or on drugs) has not been brought down by taser. In some cases, a disturbed person has continued to be a threat even after multiple gunshots. So I wouldn't automatically blame the police for abuse of force.

[christinanthemum]

Wow...

 

I can't blame the cops, they usually deal with the scum of the earth every single day, but I do commend the one who used the taser instead of the gun.

 

Like said before though, tasers don't affect everyone.

 

We think about how sad it is for the family, but think about this - now that the cop knows she was only holding a crochet hook, can you imagine the guilt he feels?

 

It's just a sad situation over all.

[mythunderbird]

that is so sad, i too thought maybe exessive force at first but then after thinking about it if she would not respond to their commands to put it down and seemed to lunge at them they had no other choice, i feel very sorry for all involved, i know the officers who shot her have to be feeling so guilty, but they didn't create the problem she did sad sad day for all in my opinion