Thursday, March 22, 2018

"Eliminating the threat"

US border agent Lonnie Swartz is accused of shooting dead a stone-throwing teenager on the Mexican side of the border. Swartz's attorney, said his client "did what he had to do,"  in response to a barrage of rocks that were being thrown from the Mexican side of the border. One allegedly rock hit a US police dog, while another reportedly hit the foot of a US Border Patrol agent. The defense attorney said his client's use of deadly force was lawful claiming that agents are not required to seek cover or retreat when under attack. Chapman told the court that the agents are trained to "eliminate the threat."

Border agent Lonnie Swartz "calmly and deliberately" walked up to the border fence and fired 16 rounds in little more than 30 seconds on October 10, 2012. Swartz shot 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, hitting him 10 times — eight shots from behind and twice in the head. Swartz needed to reload his pistol to fire all 16 rounds. Swartz, who was charged in 2015 and pleaded not guilty.

Assistant US Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier said, Swartz "became the judge, the jury and the executioner" when he emptied his cartridge into Elena Rodriguez. " and she added  that Swartz "cannot use his badge as a shield against a murder charge," she added.

http://www.dw.com/en/us-border-patrol-agent-faces-murder-charge-in-shooting-across-us-mexican-border/a-43076436

2 comments:

ajohnstone said...

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43503025

Another victim, Stephon Clark, of trigger happy cops

Authorities said they thought he had a weapon when they shot at him about 20 times on Sunday night. He was unarmed, and holding a mobile phone and was shot in his own backyard.

Trevor Goodger-Hill said...

Comrade, comrade, comrade,

Members of the World Socialist Movement must always be 100% right -- like the CBC. Choke icon. It was reported that the victim, Stephen Clark, was shot in the backyard of his grandmother`s house. The report included she she came out of her house screaming at the police that they were murders. Being the bleeding heart that I am, it was distressing to hear her anguish and pain. Thanks for reporting it.