St. Louis police shoot, kill 18-year-old after home search

[webfact]

St. Louis police shoot, kill 18-year-old after home search
By JIM SALTER

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A black 18-year-old fleeing from officers serving a search warrant at a home in a crime-troubled section of St. Louis was shot and killed Wednesday by police after he pointed a gun at them, the city's police chief said.

The shooting drew protests, with many of the roughly 150 people who gathered at the scene later Wednesday hurling obscene gestures and expletives at investigators and questioning the police use of deadly force. Some chanted "Black Lives Matter," a mantra used a year ago after the police shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in nearby Ferguson.

St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson said two suspects fled from the home about noon Wednesday on the city's north side before the 18-year-old turned and pointed a handgun at the officers, who shot him. That suspect, identified later in a statement by police as Mansur Ball-Bey of St. Louis, died at the scene. Police are searching for the second suspect, who they said is believed to be in his mid- to late teens.

Both officers, who are white, were unharmed, according to a police report.

Dotson said four guns, including the handgun wielded by the dead suspect, and crack cocaine were recovered at or near the home, which last year yielded illegal guns during a police search.

A man and woman who were also inside the home were arrested, Dotson said.

Police obtained the search warrant because they believed the home harbored suspects in other crimes, Dotson said.

Dotson didn't specify which crimes, but he noted that a killing happened on the same street Monday and a nearby market just was riddled by bullets.

That area also is near where a 93-year-old veteran who was part of the Tuskegee Airmen — black World War II pilots — was the victim of crimes twice within a few minutes Sunday, being robbed and then having his car stolen. The veteran was unhurt, and his car was found Tuesday blocks from where it was taken.

Many of those who gathered near Wednesday's shooting voiced anger at police. As police removed their yellow tape that cordoned off the scene, dozens of people converged on the home's front yard, many chanting insults and gesturing obscenely at officers. Several onlookers surrounded individual officers, yelling at them.

"Another youth down by the hands of police," Dex Dockett, 42, who lives nearby, told a reporter. "What could have been done different to de-escalate rather than escalate? They (police) come in with an us-against-them mentality. You've got to have the right kind of cops to engage in these types of neighborhoods."

Another neighborhood resident, Fred Price, skeptical about Dotson's account that the suspect pointed a gun at officers before being mortally wounded.

"They provoked the situation," Price, 33, said. "Situations like this make us want to keep the police out of the neighborhood. They're shooting first, then asking questions."

SWAT members arrived on the scene later in the afternoon to disperse the crowd after some had thrown water bottles at the officers.

Later Wednesday, police fired smoke canisters to break up crowds near the site of the shooting, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Officers limited access to the area, and dozens of police cars gathered, according to the newspaper.

Some of those who gathered in the afternoon had spent the morning in downtown St. Louis, marching to mark the anniversary of the fatal police shooting of Kajieme Powell. He was fatally shot by two St. Louis officers after police said he came at them with a knife. Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce is still reviewing the case to determine whether lethal force was justified.

Tensions also remain high after unrest during the anniversary of Brown's death. Brown, who was black and unarmed, was fatally shot by Ferguson officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014. A St. Louis County grand jury and the U.S. Justice Department declined to charge Wilson, who resigned in November.
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Associated Press reporter Jim Suhr contributed to this report.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-08-20

[daoyai]

thug lives matter?

[Shot]

Don't deal crack. Don't point guns at cops. Don't get shot and killed.

[slapout]

Everyone is innocent as per the protesters, the police are at fault, too agressive, racists, etc. Many of this type of neighborhood are like a war zone, between drug dealers, teen and adult gangs. Its not like the police raided the local Sunday school class room.

The history and reputation for violence in some areas are such that any law abidding citizen gives them a wide berth, thus law enforcement people are going to be quick on the trigger if they value their own life when serving warrents, making traffic stops, etc.

[NeverSure]

When dealing with these thugs it's well to remember that if they have a felony criminal record they aren't allowed to possess guns. They aren't even allowed to live in a house where there's a gun. That means if even one of them has a felony record there can be no guns in the house.

Also possessing a gun aggravates a drug crime and escalates the charges and sentence. I'd guess there's a good chance a lot of laws were being broken. Then this knothead has to shoot at cops who are there legally with a warrant obtained from a judge.

Now the press which is color blind by virtue of being PC just naturally mentions the color of every actor...

[oneday]

If the kid pointed a gun at the cops, then the cops were in the RIGHT! I'm a huge advocate of non-lethal weapons, but when a gun is pointed at you then lethal weapons are perfectly fine to use as defense...IF HE DID INDEED POINT A GUN AT THEM.

Every single cop needs to have vest cameras on them so the truth will always be known. Too many cops lie.

[SOTIRIOS]

...just have to ask.....

...would it make any sense for him to point a gun at 2 police officers.....

...did they have their guns drawn......

[squarethecircle]

I blame it on liberals

[Tywais]

[Tywais]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9XXNu9u2J8

[slipperylobster]

Boring news.

You would think something more interesting would be put on the forum for discussion...

This looks like a legit reaction by the police...

Edited August 20, 2015 by slipperylobster

[Jimlove]

If the kid pointed a gun at the cops, then the cops were in the RIGHT! I'm a huge advocate of non-lethal weapons, but when a gun is pointed at you then lethal weapons are perfectly fine to use as defense...IF HE DID INDEED POINT A GUN AT THEM.

Every single cop needs to have vest cameras on them so the truth will always be known. Too many cops lie.

and too many cops die ...

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

do cops lives matter? This is ridiculous, just an excuse for more criminals to protest. If you are stupid enough to point a gun at a cop you deserve t be shot.Anyone that would kill a cop will kill anyone, don't these idiots realize that.

The cops should come out publicly and say that they will not patrol this area for 2 weeks. We will see a lot of people change their opinion pretty quick.

[F430murci]

If the kid pointed a gun at the cops, then the cops were in the RIGHT! I'm a huge advocate of non-lethal weapons, but when a gun is pointed at you then lethal weapons are perfectly fine to use as defense...IF HE DID INDEED POINT A GUN AT THEM.

Every single cop needs to have vest cameras on them so the truth will always be known. Too many cops lie.

And crack dealing, gun toting, gang banger thugs don't lie?

[ggt]

"They provoked the situation," Price, 33, said. "Situations like this make us want to keep the police out of the neighborhood. They're shooting first, then asking questions."

I still maintain that there are two things you want to avoid at all cost: 1) spending a night in a hospital 2) calling the police to intervene on your behalf

There are of course exceptions...but generally speaking...either of these things could cause your early and unfortunate demise...

Both the hospital and police culture demands a cover-up of wrong doing...we only hear about a fraction of the people harmed by these two institutions...IMHO

[copa8]

thug lives matter?

nope. a dead thug is a good thug.

[HLover]

What a circus.

[Travelman868]

aB ay​

...just have to ask.....

...would it make any sense for him to point a gun at 2 police officers.....

...did they have their guns drawn......

How many people on here have dealt with someone on crystal meth or in the case of Thailand Ya Ba.

Nutcases resisting arrest.

Look at the TV shows or are these shows fiction????????

[Rancid]

Seems US Police kill an awful lot of people, let along tasering and beating. I don't live there so I'll take posters at their word that all is good in the US world of law enforcement. Does seem though that when your police are more heavily armed than the marines that there is something socially wrong. Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out?

[ravip]

Seems US Police kill an awful lot of people, let along tasering and beating.

At least things are improving. Let them kill themselves instead of destroying other countries.

This world could do with a lot less nut house inmates trotting around the world.

Edit

Every single cop needs to have vest cameras on them so the truth will always be known. Too many cops lie.

He he he, so it is NOT ONLY the BIB?

There are worse scoundrels...

Edited August 20, 2015 by ravip

[speedtripler]

So tired of black people complaining about this shit, I hate cops but if he was carrying an illegal gun in his hand in a crackhouse, which is in a street where people got murdered just days ago and in the same house arrests were made last year, he would have been shot no matter what colour he was .....

[Merzik]

Poor Mansour; he was such a nice young man just like Michael Brown. He could have grown up to be an astronaut or a brain surgeon or something like that?

Never mind.

[slipperylobster]

Here is what you never do read in the news...especially Thai Visa. This shows what goes on day to day with police officers...trying to make quick decisions. This decision..as what happens most of the time...was a good one. Saved their lives, and caught on camera. Police have only seconds to react. It's like the old adage..."the quick and the dead".

https://www.full30.com/video/dc1c563aa6b106f252dfe6a9d91ffd94?ref=F530fb

Need more of this posted on thaivisa...in order to get a clear picture. I hope they don't blame all cops all the time...and hope you guys start reporting both sides of the story.