WATCH: Dallas cops shoot mentally ill man who refused to stop twiddling screwdriver

he family of a mentally ill African-American man who was shot dead by Dallas police last summer has released footage from an officer’s body camera that recorded the incident, the Dallas Morning News reported on Monday. The move comes as police across the country have come under increasing scrutiny for using deadly force, particularly against black men, in the wake of high profile killings of unarmed African-Americans in Ferguson, Missouri and New York City.


The footage, released by the family of 38-year-old Jason Harrison and their attorney Geoff Henley and published by the Morning News, shows officers responding to the home of Harrison’s mother the morning of June 14, 2014. Harrison’s mother had called for help to take him to a local hospital as he was in a mental crisis, suffering from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, the newspaper reported.

In the video, Harrison’s mother opens the door to the awaiting officers and he appears behind her twiddling a screwdriver. The officers immediately demand he drop the tool and within seconds fire several shots, killing Harrison. Harrison’s family in October filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and the two officers, who appear in the video to be white, arguing that he did not pose a threat, according to the complaint.

Dallas Police Department spokesman Lieutenant Jose Garcia said the case was forwarded to the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, the Morning News reported, adding that an attorney for the officers said they feared for their lives.
A representative for the police department could not be immediately reached for comment.




http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/watch-dallas-cops-shoot-mentally-ill-man-who-refused-to-stop-twiddling-screwdriver/

THIS case shows serious and disturbing parallels with the 4 or 5 Sydney cops who murdered a mentally ill woman who was threatening passing traffic with a carving knife...

DESPITE photo's from witnesses smartphones and nearby CCTV cameras showing that the police were 4 metres or more away from her, the cop who shot her claims that she was lunging at him (funny no-one else saw that, nor do the cameras support his version !) and that he was scared for his life..

NEEDLESS to say, both the Police Association and Murdoch press are strongly defending the guilty officers, while the guvm'nt refuses to Act, and keeps on delaying enquiries into yet another needless killing.    

they should fire every cop that can't use their baton properly
if they draw their gun on a knife wielder they shoud be fired for incompetence
the batons they have a really good and can easily beat a knife.

If they cant then they should not be cops end of story. a cop is not a job anyone can do the problem is they have so many incompetent cowardly cops that should never have been allowed a badge in the first place.

IN that Sydney incident a couple of months ago, the cops used a Taser and pepper spray before the shooting, but none even saw fit to draw their batons...

PLUS most police vehicles in NSW have one of those fixed batons with the side handle sitting in the front passenger footwell..

MAKES me wonder if they're teaching police how to use their batons these days ~ one uppercut would have knocked the knife out of her hand, while a couple of quick taps across the shins and hamstrings would have put her on the ground ~ with NO permanent injuries, if used properly.

AND the Police are attempting to call that a "righteous" killing ~ LET'S see if the State Coroner agrees when they finally get around to a Coronial enquiry ?