Comments on: Justified Shooting at Northwoods Mall?

By: PeoriaIllinoisan

PeoriaIllinoisan — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:41:00 +0000

Thank you, Stephanie. I am certain that you have gone through many difficult times because of this and I had no intention to disrespect you, your family or your father. As I said, I was not there, but I was asking questions as were many in Peoria about someone firing off shots at the mall where I’ve been hundreds of times. I guess the difference is that I posed my questions and opinions in full public view, as sometimes questions need to be posed publicly.

Stephanie, I do not know you, nor you me, and at this point I’m still not sure if what was done was right or wrong, but I respect your opinion and hope that I would be able to be as brave as your father in a similar situation.

By: stephanie

stephanie — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:29:39 +0000

in other words, i stand by my father. his actions were completely justifiable, and im really proud to know that my dad is willing to help someone in their time of need. there should be more people in the world like him.

has anyone ever thought that had one of the professor’s or students at Northern University been trained to have and handle a firearm, then when the crazies come into the classroom and open fire, someone may have actually been able to stop it? crazy guy comes in, shoots like one person, and then is fired upon before he or she can hurt anyone else. in fact, just the knowledge that there would be immediate consequences to their actions might help distract them from doing that in the first place. just a thought.

By: stephanie

stephanie — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:18:30 +0000

well, look at it this way. what if it had been your daughter, sister, or mother? would saving their life not be justifiable? i honestly believe my dad probably saved that woman’s life, and im really proud of him. you wouldn’t know what you would do in that situation, because you weren’t there. i couldn’t be more proud of my father, and i agree with the states attorney on the fact that he deserves a medal! i think its funny how often people judge people when they have no idea what they are talking about, and weren’t even there. i guess its really easy to say what you would do, but a whole other thing to actually do it. so your telling me you would sit back and let that man keep beating that poor woman? its sad how heartless people can be.

oh, and by the way, my father wasn’t shooting to kill. he could never do that. if you actually knew what you were talking about, you would know that the two shots he fired were to intentionally stop the crazy guy beating the woman and almost hitting people with her car. have a heart.

By: WLW

WLW — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 08:26:48 +0000

A car is considered a lethal weapon and if a person uses it to try and strike someone, use of lethal force is justified by law.

I am not saying that I agree that taking shots in this case was the right thing to do, just that by precedent, it could be justified.

By: Cory

Cory — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:45:46 +0000

I know one thing for sure. If I had been there, and had a loaded weapon in my car, and my FOID card wasn’t expired, I would’ve done the exact same thing the C-Coeur auxilliary did.

By: PeoriaIllinoisan

PeoriaIllinoisan — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:35:23 +0000

Anon E., in referring to my other post of a week or so ago, I absolutely had no problem with the cop shooting the guy who pulled out a shotgun. Maybe I wasn’t clear on that.

In this instance, there are too many unknowns to draw a perfect conclusion. I commend the officer for stepping up in a horrible and dangerous situation, but I still have reservations as to how it went down. He reacted with a split second decision, and maybe I do not understand the concept of deadly force, as you say, but it seems to me he made the wrong decision.

What I say here will not affect the outcome one way or another- maybe he made the right decision- I’m not convinced of that, but I’d like to hear from some people who actually were there as witnesses. Until that happens it’s just a bunch of us arguing back and forth about something none of us really know the answer to.

By: Anon E. Mouse

Anon E. Mouse — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:09:50 +0000

Cory and Floyd are right.
PI, you seem to be on a bit of a bent about cops actually using their weapons.
Both of these recent cases you have mentioned, recently, seem pretty righteous and a pretty good case of police work.
I read your stuff and you seem a pretty reasonable and level headed guy, but I think you have no appreciation for being in the situation at the heat of the moment. Whether it is a cop on a side street or mall parking lot, or a soldier in battle, there are a large number of decisions made under such pressure and in such a short amount of time.

In this case, the perpetrator had already injured two people and was tearing away in a stolen vehicle. One shot hit the windshield. That means the vehicle was heading generally, if not directly, TOWARD the police officer.

Had the cop simply stuck his hand up, yelled “Halt” and been run over, we might be talking murder instead of carjacking and various assault charges.

While I understand your concern for the bystanders, it clearly seems to me that you do not understand the concept of deadly force and its use.

By: Floyd

Floyd — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:37:48 +0000

I’m all for it. Shoot more of these kinds of folks. Or learn how to hotwire an unoccupied car. Seriously.

By: Cory

Cory — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:56:10 +0000

The officer had reasonable belief that the carjacker could cause him or someone else great bodily harm or death. He was absolutely justified.

Oh, and real bullets, unlike those in the movies, go THROUGH the sheet metal of a vehicle. They usually don’t bounce off. Doesn’t anybody watch Mythbusters?

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:21:49 +0000

You are asking the wrong question. The trained officer was indeed justified in firing his sidearm. (The criminal was using the stolen vehicle as a weapon). Why wasn’t the victim allowed to carry a firearm to protect herself?!! Thirty-seven other states don’t stand in the way of that 2nd amendment right. It is time Illinois stop treating its law abidding citizens as criminals and allow us to protect ourselves.

By: PeoriaIllinoisan

PeoriaIllinoisan — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:46:39 +0000

Anonymous, I am not defending Mr.Ranson, nor do I intend any disrespect to the victim, but I think you’re missing the point. All I’m asking is if it was necessary for the officer to open fire in a shopping mall parking lot. If one of those bullets went astray and killed an innocent bystander, how would you feel about that?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:28:29 +0000

justification??? please name me one thing mr. ranson did last night which was justified? ask the defenseless woman who was the victim how she feels right now. he deserves more than the slap on the hand he’ll get thru the judicial system. i bet after he serves his 12 months, he’ll think twice next Christmas when he’s strolling thru the mall stalking his next victim, whether or not someone close to the attack site will be packin a weapon of self defense. i hope the best for the victim and pray the nightmares of this one night and the ignorance of one person do not stay with her long.

By: Tim M

Tim M — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:13:14 +0000

http://www.crevecoeurpd.com/C101/crevecoeur.nsf/employment?OpenPage

You too can be a Creve Coeur Auxiliary….just apply

By: reno

reno — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:36:47 +0000

Meh, I don’t think he should have been shooting in the parking lot, but I can’t complain too much. At least this time the police were shooting at the bad guys instead of tasering and pepper-spraying a bunch of unarmed, peacefully protesting college kids. Matter of fact, I’d say it’s a big improvement.

By: Katie

Katie — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:56:06 +0000

I had wondered the same thing when I heard the story on the news. My biggest concern was about innocent bystanders. Couldn’t one of those bullets have deflected off the SUV and hit some one else? This is not a Hollywood movie and some one could have been killed. I appreciate the officer trying to do the right thing, but it seemed not very well thought out and a little trigger happy.