Another All-Too-Familiar Occurrence

David Couper

On November 14, 2017, CNN reported the following concerning another police-involved shooting:

“As a community grieves and a family has few words, Wisconsin investigators say the 911 call that preceded the police shooting of a knife-wielding Native American teen was made by the teen himself.

“Ashland County Sheriff’s Deputy Brock Mrdjenovich fatally shot 14-year-old Jason Ike Pero last week after receiving a report that a male was walking down the street with a knife in Odanah, Wisconsin, about a 4-hour drive northeast of Minneapolis.
“Odanah hosts the administrative offices for the Bad River Band Of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians, of which Jason was a member.
“‘Pero approached Deputy Mrdjenovich with a large butcher knife and he refused numerous commands to drop the weapon,’ said a report from the Wisconsin Department of Justice. ‘On two occasions, Pero lunged at the deputy while the deputy was attempting to retreat. Deputy Mrdjenovich fired his service weapon at Pero, striking him twice.’
“The middle-schooler was pronounced dead at Memorial Medical Center in Ashland…”
This past week, the District Attorney who investigated the death ruled that the behavior of the officer involved was “justified given the circumstances he [the officer] found himself in.”

Those of you who follow this blog know my thinking on these all-too-frequent police events. I have stressed the importance of police finding ways other than using deadly force to contain a person threatening with a sharp or blunt instrument. These are approximately 30% of the approximately 1,000 persons whose lives are taken by police officers each year.

You can hear what I have to say on this week’s interview with me concerning the use of deadly force in these instances.

To check out my interview go to Madison’s WORT Radio’s archive and click on “A Public Affair” for Monday, January 21.

 

 

Published by David Couper

I served over 20 years as the chief of police in Madison (WI), four years as chief of the Burnsville (MN) Police Department, and before that as a police officer in Edina (MN) and the City of Minneapolis. I hold graduate degrees from the University of Minnesota and Edgewood College in Madison. I have written many articles over my years as a police leader. After retiring from the police department, I answered a call to ministry, attended seminary, and was ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church. After 25 years leading two Episcopal Churches in Portage and North Lake, Wisconsin, I now serve as Associate Pastor in a growing, dynamic, and Spirit-filled Lutheran congregation in nearby Mazomanie.

4 Comments

  1. This is outrageous and deplorable. What ever happened to “shoot to stop”! If he or any officer believes they are in danger of someone attacking them then shoot them in the leg or foot.

    For God sake don’t kill/murder them. Are the police officers not trained in target practice with their guns?

    This has to stop now; it makes no sense and is NOT JUSTIFIED.

    There are many areas of qualified immunity that police ENJOY THAT MUST CHANGE AND BE REFORMED.

    They have a green light to do and act as they please with no accountability for their often violent and unjust misconduct.

    These laws are antiquated and must be changed; it is against all humanity and justice for the people. Because they where a badge most think they are above the law.

    Speak out and urge for an imperative modification and change in policy Immunity laws!

    We, the people, must act now!

    Adrienne Miranda

    Like

    Reply

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