In the past years there has been a horrific trend of police not valuing the life of others, and now this reoccurring monster has landed itself in our own back yard.
The Fatal shooting of Aaron Campbell by Portland police officer Ronald Frashour has many people both grieving and outraged. As citizens we are all vulnerable to the discretions of the police we empower.
On January 19 Policed were dispatched to an apartment because of a 911 call they received about a man (Aaron Campbell) being suicidal. Officer James Quackenbush was texting with Aaron trying to get a confirmation that he was indeed not going to hurt himself.
The 911 call originated from Aaron Campbell’s girlfriends aunt who said she was worried because she has not talked to her niece all day. You can listen to the 911 call.
The aunt’s name is Sherry Stewart, and her number is listed in the 911 call if you want to ask her, her side of this story. In my opinion this lady acted irrationally and set the police up to believe the situation was much more dangerous than it really was.
The police both contact Aaron and surround his apartment. The police officer who is contacting Aaron is James Quackenbush. Quackenbush states that he was texting with Campbell and doing so only because he had poor cell reception.
Police: "Aaron, we need to know if you intend on hurting yourself,"
Aaron: "Never. Wow you guys text too. You get kudos."
Police: "Thanks Aaron, I appreciate your help. I'm truly sorry about your brother, can you promise me you won't hurt yourself?
Aaron said that he felt the texting and not calling was somewhat strange. I don’t think this is unreasonable, after all I’m sure every reader raised an eye brow when they heard that the police texted Campbell.
The police officer felt this was not unreasonable and gave Aaron a call.
After talking, the police officer asked Aaron if he would come out.
Aaron went outside with his hands behind his head.
It is the testimony of the five officers who surrounded Aaron’s apartment that they did not know James Quackenbush told Aaron Campbell to come out side, and they did not know they had made progress with him according to a 700 page police report released on February 16 2010.
Aaron Campbell came out and kept his hand on his head. His hands stayed on his head until Officer Ryan Lewton who felt he was being incompliant shot him with a bean bag gun. Aaron took what police called "half stutter step forward," after being hit by the first bean bag. Office Ryan Lewton then unload all the bean bags in his gun, a total of six
Aaron Campbell started to run in the direction of a Volvo.
Then according to the police report k9 officer Jeff Ellias released his dog to pursue Campbell, simultaneously Officer Ronald Frashour who claims he did not know “why” the bean bags had been fired shot Aaron Campbell with his military grade weapon.
"I remember thinking, 'I cannot let him get to hard cover 'cause he's going to shoot at us, and he's protected if he shoots at us from there [the Volvo].' ... I knew there was a gun coming out of back of his waistband and before he got to the corner of the Volvo, I shot him.”
Those are the words of the officer who shot Aaron Campbell. According to the police report, Campbell was not shot because the officer thought someone might be in danger in the apartment complex Campbell lived in.
Officer Ronald Frashour claims he saw Aaron reaching for a gun
“I mean he just dove his hand straight down the middle of his back, and I instantly thought, 'He is pulling a gun out,'".
His testimony does not match up with Officer Jeff Elias who was also on scene that night and claims Aaron’s hands were
” just in front of him”
Aaron Campbell was later found to be unarmed.
This can be a very emotional subject for some people who want to believe that all police are good but it’s time we face facts. Some police don’t really value the lives of others and act accordingly.
The police officer who shot Aaron Campbell should go to jail. He killed a man with a military grade weapon because according to him he thought he had a gun.
There was a police dog on the scene who they could have had go after him. But no, Aaron Campbell’s life was not worth the waiting for to officer Frashour.
This officer was not even fully aware why the bean bags had been fired. Was this police office even paying attention before he killed this man?
Why do we as a society give a police officer’s imagination a license to kill?
It is so devastatingly important that we hold our law enforcement accountable and limit their power. History has taught us this time and time again. Names like the Gestapo, the KGB, and the SS have names that will forever echo in time with an association of terror and fear. Let’s not allow the American police to be added to this list.
This incident is not isolated either. Many have seen the Bart video of the police officer who kills a man for no apparent reason at all. Although this video may not be graphic I warn you this is disturbing.
The Police officer claims he believed he was holding a tazer. One could argue that a tazer and a gun neither look nor feel similar but look at it from a different angle.
How atrocious is it that a police officer cares so little about the damage he inflicts on a human life he is not sure if he is about to shoot or taze someone. That he cares so little about what he is doing to check.
Luckily with the invention of cell phone cameras police are held more accountable. Who knows what story the police would have told if they were not on camera.
But technology is not always being there to hold the police accountable and with our current technology there is no reason it can’t be as citizens we are all vulnerable.
All Aaron Campbell was guilty of was running behind a car after being shot by a bean bag gun but that police officer gave him the death sentence. We give police officers, some who are only high school graduates, the privilege of carrying a gun while working and they abuse it for the judicial power of judge and juror.
We need the police to be more closely monitored. Because if we don’t they will keep operating with the same idiocy they have displayed.
At a Glance: Who: Aaron Campbell What: Fatally shot By : Portland police When: January 29 Update: Important UpdatePortland police department found to be negligent |
