The friend of a college student killed by New Hanover County sheriff's deputies posed with guns in photos on the Internet.A picture of a "friend" is all the pretext they need.
That made authorities think they would be at high risk when they entered the Wilmington home shared by four people.
And that made them shoot Peyton Strickland when he was unarmed, and kill his dog for good measure.
This story is a real turnaround and bears further watching, because previous accounts had Strickland named as the alleged thief. According to this, it was Mills, and he didn't even live in the raided house.
Make no mistake--government fears an armed citizenry. It scares the hell out of them. What further proof do we need?
[Via Cousin G]
"What further proof do we need?"
ReplyDeleteNone. Now that the determination has been made. We need to stand up en masse and show them our resolve. Once our Sovereignty is again acknowledged. We need to continue doing it from time to time to keep the point fresh in their minds.
As it stands now, they only assume the 'authority' that we give up by acquiescence. Freedom isn't free, it demands eternal vigilance.
They were serving an arrest warrant on Strickland.
ReplyDeleteThe sheriff has released the names of the deputies involved, but they have left the county along with their families.
So far it looks like the case is being handled properly, as opposed to the Sal Culosi case.
Strickland's father is an attorney who deals with wrongful death cases - I wonder if that is helping to shape events?
I'm wondering what type of arrest they used on Mills. Did they take him in his home like Strickland or did they pick him up elsewhere? If they did use a different approach, it may be more difficult for them to justify what happened to Strickland.
ReplyDeleteBrass
They couldn't run far enough or hide deep enough, and I sincerely hope each one has his head mounted on a wall.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, they have friends with guns. We have reason to kill them.
According to this report both Strickland nd Mills were involved in the robbery and assualt.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I love this site and your writing, but I think you are off on this one. These two were known to use violence and weapons and be willing to commit crimes. I carry, and I know that I would have shot these two dead if they had attacked me with a sap. They got lucky when they robbed an unarmed man, and as far as I'm concerened, Strickland was living on borrowed time.
Brass
Brass, no doubt they deserved to be repelled by their victim using whatever force needed. My beef is with dynamic entry as routine police procedure, practiclaly guaranteeing the result. I find it hard to believe that a bit of detective work couldn't have resulted in an arrest that would not have involved that level of force.
ReplyDelete“The Internet photo showed Mills posing with a shotgun alongside with two other young men posing with an assault rifle and handguns.”
ReplyDeleteThat’s about a non-sequitur if ever I saw one.
Brass wrote:
“According to this report both Strickland nd Mills were involved in the robbery and assualt.
David, I love this site and your writing, but I think you are off on this one. These two were known to use violence and weapons and be willing to commit crimes. I carry, and I know that I would have shot these two dead if they had attacked me with a sap. They got lucky when they robbed an unarmed man, and as far as I'm concerened, Strickland was living on borrowed time.”
Oh – an allegation in a newspaper now trumps the presumption of innocence. O
Brass – if for any reason the MAN had a “reason” to kick down your door in a dynamic entry, would you accept the fact that you should be shot dead if you had an object in your hand(s) because your valiant protectors – the police – had evidence that you subscribed to Guns and Ammo? What if someone had seen you leaving a gun store? Or saw your picture under a bull elk trophy displayed in the local sporting goods store?
I can draw all kinds of conclusions from the photo supplied in the paper. As a Range Safety Officer, I would most likely conclude that the “perps” were mugging for a photo with some guns, in typical Hollywood poses. I would THINK that they were assholes. That, in my mind, doesn’t equate a death sentence via “dynamic” entry.
Right now, I’m using several carpenters who might, or might not, just be tweakers. Does that mean that the police should have the right to break down my door and shoot me? BTW – I’m using these guys because I got hosed to the tune of about 10,000 bux by an alleged “Christian” contractor who has an ICHTHUS symbol on his business cards. (I should have known better. My experience with people who use Christian symbols or that claim to be “Christians” to acquire business, and who have screwed me or others, still stands at 100%.
So I guess I deserve to be raided because it’s possible that there are potential drug users that I am using to fix the screwed up work that a “Christian” contractor performed.
Get a grip. I had the immediate judgment from the photo that the guys were idiots – not dangerous.
But I kinda equate the typical “we’re from the Government and we’re here to help you” policeman to the guy that uses Christian symbiology on business cards. That is – they can’t be trusted.
I don’t ever blame the police for being cautious. But when they burn down “compounds” and raid and kill unarmed people, I have a problem.
It’s possible that all of the people involved were bad actors. But being that the JBT’s probably knew everything about them prior to their choice of “dynamic entry,” had I been on the team, I’d have called the father – apparently a well-know local attorney, picked him up, and had him come with me to the door. Imagine what that might have accomplished.
And don’t try to make the argument that the powers that be didn’t have access to that information. They likely know that you are posting anonymously at “The War on Guns” blog-page with a “Brass” moniker.
Seems like a hell of a good reason to kick down YOUR door…
"Strickland's father is an attorney who deals with wrongful death cases - I wonder if that is helping to shape events?"
ReplyDeleteYou mean to NOT look into cases involving the "only ones" or you'll end up like your son? Noooo, not at all.
Anonymous, let me personally apologize on behalf of Christians for bad work being done by a "Christian" contractor. This happening is rather well known by Christians too. I think the saying is something like, innocence does not shriek it's name. If you are actually being dealt with by a Christian, you will probably never know it. Just honesty and integrity, as you would expect and give in return. The "light of the world" is supposed to shine, not emblazon or announce itself, and attract those who would become curious about it, voluntarily. As Christ went to the cross, on His own, anyone who would come to Him is to come on their own also. My belief is that He gave us a free will to demonstrate His glory, not ours. Mea Culpa.
ReplyDeleteFrom the sound of things, I rather suspect the young man was a bad man. I rather suspect that of a lot of people. Perhaps we could get the cops to shoot them all through the door.
ReplyDeleteJust think of all the trouble we'll save the courts. I saw a kid yesterday, about 10 or 11 with a bb gun, later I saw him with ham sandwich. I should have shot him. Right? Brass? Right?
Brass, what if that had been some innocent uninvolved kid visiting who answered the door. Would the bullets have veered aside when they realized he wasn't the guy?
ReplyDeleteNO? Surely you jest! Either that or the cops were too trigger happy to be allowed to carry and certainly shouldn't be cops.
What if that had been a twelve year old paper boy leaving after having collected, holding his money pouch?