In This Viral Thread, This Policeman Calls Out Lazy Cops Who Pretend To ‘Mistake’ Guns For Tasers
On April 11, 2021, a police officer fatally shot a 20-year-old African American man, Daunte Wright. According to Chief Tim Gannon of the Brooklyn Center Police Department, it all began when officers pulled Mr. Wright over for a traffic violation related to expired registration tags. Officers then discovered that he had a warrant for his arrest.
As the police tried to detain Mr. Wright, he stepped back into his car, prompting a brief struggle with officers. Graphic body camera footage revealed one officer was pointing a handgun at Mr. Wright and shouting “Taser.” After the car pulled away, the officer said, “I just shot him.”
Image credits: nytimes
After the car traveled several blocks, it struck another vehicle. The police and medical workers pronounced Mr. Wright dead at the scene.
“It is my belief that the officer had the intention to deploy their Taser but instead shot Mr. Wright with a single bullet,” Chief Gannon said. Later, the Hennepin County medical examiner confirmed that Mr. Wright died of a gunshot wound to the chest.
In the wake of these events, a video reaction went viral on TikTok, showing another police officer demonstrating how it’s impossible for an experienced cop to mistake their gun for their taser.
“I don’t understand how we can mistake a taser for a gun or a gun for a taser. 99% of our job is communication. You don’t gotta be quick to pull out a gun or a taser. Not everybody’s a threat. Try talking to them, get to know them people.” — 12 year Veteran Police Officer Brian B pic.twitter.com/feOIUBH2tu
— Qasim Rashid, Esq. قاسم رشید (@QasimRashid) April 17, 2021
The officer behind the video identifies himself as Brian B. In the recording, he readies his belt and shows the positioning of his ‘dominant’ and ‘not so dominant’ weapons.
He then stresses the weight difference between the two and shares his thoughts on the deadly shot, saying that anybody who can such a mistake, even in the heat of the moment, doesn’t deserve to be on the force.
Image credits: QasimRashid
Image credits: QasimRashid
Image credits: QasimRashid
Image credits: QasimRashid
Image credits: QasimRashid
Image credits: QasimRashid
Image credits: QasimRashid
Image credits: QasimRashid
Image credits: QasimRashid
Image credits: QasimRashid
Image credits: QasimRashid
Image credits: QasimRashid
Brian B’s video was recently shared on Twitter by human rights lawyer Qasim Rashid, and that’s when it became really blew up.
But Rashid didn’t find the TikTok. It found him. “Someone sent it to me. I shared it because the officer was correct, and because it’s important for people to see that police officers are working to stop the injustices,” he told Bored Panda. “It is important we elevate those voices against injustice.”
Officer Brian B was really firm in his video, saying “It makes no sense. Ninety-nine percent of our job is communication. You don’t have to be quick to pull out a gun or a taser on somebody and think everybody’s a threat. Not everybody’s a threat. Try talking to them; get to know these people.”
Shortly after, as the recording was getting more and more popular, a heated debate erupted under his post and Brian’s TikTok account disappeared. But just after that, The Independent reported the video had garnered about 6 million views and 1.4 million likes.
“People recognize we must do and demand better, and the responses indicate that,” Rashid said. “We still have a long way to go.” The lawyer said in a Facebook post that every bit of this murder is reckless and inexcusable.
“More than police reform, we need to reimagine our entire understanding of public safety,” Rashid added. You can learn more about what he means by these words here.
So far, it’s still unclear where Brian is from, which police department he serves under, or why he removed his TikTok account.
Following Rashid’s report on Twitter, users expressed the need for more attention to this demonstration made by Brian. “Wait! This is the first time I’ve heard a police officer actually say what we’re saying,” David Bishop said. “We need more of this conversation. A lot more. This is exactly what’s missing in all the police communication: calling out bad behavior and focusing on communication over violence.”
While it is rare for police officers to mistake their sidearms for their stun guns, it is even rarer for charges to be brought against them in such cases. A New York Times review of 15 other cases of the so-called “weapon confusion” over the past 20 years showed that only 5 of the officers were indicted. Only 3, including the only 2 cases in which people were killed, were eventually found guilty.
People praised Brian B and his attitude
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I was thinking about what Rashida4Prez said, "Where TF are THESE cops at?" I think I know. I think that these kinds of cops are the ones who don't make the headlines because they didn't mistake a gun for a taser or something. These cops are here, we just can't tell because they do their job so well, nobody recognizes them for it.
Exactly. Same thing with Muslims, whose sole press is the extremists in the Middle East, or Christians, the hateful discriminatory variety of which gets the most press. The bad apples affect the perception of the whole.
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How do you mistake a cellphone for a gun? How do you mistake a sleeping couple for assailants? How do you mistake a black man for a pair of white boys? How do mistake a jogger minding his own for an attacker? How do you mistake a shoplifter for a hardened criminal? But the real question is, how do you assholes keep getting away with these "mistakes"
Becasuse they WANT to. I suspect we should not, in the US, allow ANY former military personnel into our police forces. The last place a PTSD sufferer should be is in a high-stress job with bullets. IMHO.
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The US police force are trained as a para-military organization. They know how to use guns and tasers, they don't know how to communicate and de-escalate a situation. Their sense of authority is enormous; "I'm a cop and I'm the law. Whatever I say happens. " But that doesn't work when you're dealing with person who is in a psychosis. Add their insufficient training, the systemic racism and the fact that you can't join the police force when you're too smart, to this cocktail and you know why these incidents keep happening. On the very same moment one cop was found guilty of murder, 2 cops killed another unarmed black man.
Actually, it was a teen girl armed with a knife. yeah. A teenager with a knife. So they shot her to death in Columbus, Ohio. WTF? Oh, wait. Was there another one? B/c I wouldn't be surprised. I have met a few good cops, but they're usually ones who left b/c they couldn't deal with the "protect the bad guys if htey have badges" mentality.
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Weapons are supposed to be used only when there's an imminent threat to the life of the officer or victims. But too many officers pull out their guns just to threaten people into compliance. "Obey me or I'll shoot." Among cops, and society in general, guns are seen as the solution to all problems.
While your point is correct, this case was misreported. When the confrontation happened, it was dark, and the man looked like he was grabbing for a weapon. Them pulling a weapon on him was understandable. Though yes, they shouldn't have used a gun
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How would you mistake a taser for a pistol? Tasers have a safety catch designed to flip in the opposite direction of a pistol. Automatic pistols require a slide to be drawn back with a second hand that you wouldn't even use to shoot a taser. And in this incident, the victim was fleeing, not attacking, nor even holding a weapon; so "I was confused in a moment of self-preservation" is not valid.
Agreed. A taser weighs different, is drawn different. But pistols are holstered with the expectation that they will be used the moment they leave the holster, and so all that is required is flipping the safety. BOOM. Models are also made to not require you to slide back, if you've already cahmbered a round, which most cops have. ---- courtesy Civilian Police Academy, Charlottesville, Virginia,
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It's obvious to me that the police are so unaccountable for their actions the police chief simply doesn't think he needs to put any more effort into his lying. We absolutely need to change our policing system to root out people like this police chief who clearly doesn't give the faintest crap, or even enjoys, the fact that his men are just a gang of murderous thugs. In essence, this police chief is at the very least an accessory to murder.
It takes years to train a police offer in most first world countries. But just weeks in America. Maybe they need to increase the training time?
The incompetence of those police officers cause a human life. It’s not worth having officers who can’t handle the heat of the moment out there.
One of the best people I know was a cop for 32 years in a large city. He always said, "Good cops don't have high arrest rates. Good cops go out and talk to people and solve problems. Of course, some people have to go to jail, they robbed a store, beat someone, stole a car, but as a rule of thumb, a police officer should only take someone to jail as a last resort. Putting someone in jail changes their life forever and that is not a step we should take until we have exhausted all other courses of action." Those words have stuck with me for years. I really think we need more cops like him.
I agree with several points made by the police officer and responding posters. Unless you KNOW you are going into a situation where the offender has a gun, you need to use lower-levels of intervention first. Drawing your gun in the first instance should NOT be your go-to action. If you can't stand the pressure of these kinds of situations and are wont to make a mistake like confusing your gun and taser, you need to find yourself a different job. Better psychological screening and on-going training would also be a good thing for all (especially US) police officers.
The thing is, most cops are good people... the same way most teachers are good people... You don't brand all teachers pedos because one abused a child... think about it, we all like to think we are different, special etc but are so quick to paint others with the same brush... some people are inherently bad people, but they are the minority...
Every time I hear a cop say, "I was scared," I wonder what the hell they are doing being in the police. It's wonderful to hear a policeman stand up and say the same. It's men and women like him who are the only ones who can change the culture, and certainly not chiefs who say things like, "She was reaching for her taser."
Several years ago, our local PD ran a civilian police academy. This may enlighten a lot of people as to why cops act/react as they do: "If the other person has a weapon out, and yours isn't out," the instructor said, "then you're done." In other words ----- go into every situation with the gun ready to use, b/c that's the way they're trained. AND IT IS STUPID. The instructor even admitted it. *sigh*
I knew I shouldn't have read this goddamn post. This just absolutely ruined my day. Since it did, I'll start ranting. Why TF would cops sign up for being a cop if they're that mentally impaired? Why TF are some cops so damn retarded? WTF is wrong with americans and their prejudice against "colored" people? White trash say that they are superior when over half the world isn't even white. Screw the cops, they're even worse than trash. Don't get me wrong though, there are good cops out there, but some of them are just too cowardly to face the corruption in AMerica's law system. America is a so-called land of freedom, where literally anyone can do anything they want as long as they have power. We are literally still wild animals.
It must be nice to be so perfect. EVERYONE makes mistakes even him. Some mistakes can end a life. The question is do we want the police to be slower on the shoot which will kill a LOT more of them. If so you will see MANY less qualified people becoming cops.
It's irresponsible social media such as this that cause people to be tried ans convicted in the court of public opinion. Many people base their beliefs solely on what they see on social media. The cop that fired her gun instead of her taser is still supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. This know it all cop may have put undo influence on the potential jury pool thus making an unbiased trail impossible. If he wants to spout his opinion after the trial process go right ahead. Until due process is done keep your opinions to yourself.
After this incident happened, I asked my dad who had trained to be a cop,but didn't join the force did this excuse about taser/gun confusion make sense and he said no. I think I already knew that I just wanted the opinion of someone who actually had held a gun in his hands. Tasers and guns have very different weights and in the case of that lady cop, the taser was bright yellow in color. I agree with everything that this officer says, but I know he is going to be in trouble for speaking up.
Okayyyy well the comment "Most cops shouldnt have tazers or guns" isnt correct. police training is brutal and if they are good enough, they get to be a cop. not many people realize, but during police training, they get pepper sprayed and tazed and sometimes when one of those happens, you are made to go through a whole entire training course. How do I know all of this? A few years ago as a high schooler, I wanted to be a police detective. Changed my future career to something less dangerous lol
In other words: Police officers need guns, but only the ones who can talk it through first.
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I haven't scrolled through all the comments, so if someone has pointed this out already, I'm sorry that I'm repeating it. The headline on this story--which is a good story--is obnoxious. "This Policeman Calls Out Lazy Cops Who PRETEND To ‘MISTAKE' Guns For Tasers." What a prejudicial statement! In the context of the story, the implication seems to me to be unmistakable: Cops intentionally kill people (of color), after which they pretend that they made an innocent 'mistake' (quotations marks!) to cover the murder that they just committed. Why not point out that a FEMALE police officer made the 'MISTAKE,' implying that only a woman would try to pull off something so criminal.
I wrote that many tasers actually do look and feel like guns, and the recourse for unspeakable incompetence is to be fired and sued. I was down-voted heavily and told that the police never face such consequences for such incompetence. No-one bothered to Google the case to find out that officer, Kim Potter, had quit, is now beinng charged with manslaughter and that in just about ANY case you've heard about, the city settled for many millions of dollars... or that Tasers, including the one in question, actually DOES look like a handgun. And since the OP claimed you should know which hip your gun is on (very true), I'd also point out that in this case, the officer wasn't wearing her firearm. (I'm a little incredulous that she left it in her car.)
1. Tasers do not weigh and balance like guns. Been there, done that. They *feel* different. How you hold them due to that is different. So, for *me*? How they look is irrelevant b/c your eyes are on the potential target. 2. She no more left her gun in the car than she flew to the moon on butterfly wings, IMO. 3. Training emphasizes qualification with guns, moreso than with tasers. so 4. I agree. We have a problem in the US with how our police *think* and *train*, and it's costing everyone.
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There should be common practise shared throughout all forces, minimum standards and procedures etc. There should be a desire from cops themselves to ensure that their colleagues are the best and have integrity and that their image is one where people feel SAFE with them - even when being a suspect in a crime. In my country cops don't ever carry guns but manage to detain suspects with knives. Carrying Tasers is still fairly uncommon too..
While a lot of the points on here are correct, this case was misreported. When the confrontation happened, it was dark, and the man looked like he was grabbing for a weapon. Them pulling a weapon on him was understandable. Though yes, they shouldn't have used a gu
But they're made not to feel identical. That was the entire point of this article. That it was incompetence and lack of communication that is at fault here, not problematic weaponry.
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In the US? I'm calling BS. Very few cops are held accountable for their "mistakes". Even when it hits the news like a train wreck most of them still get off with next to no punishment.
Load More Replies...
If a cop thinks that it's "not fair" for a murderer to be declared guilty of, you know, murder, then that cop is most definitely not a good cop and most definitely doesn't have a brain.
Load More Replies... I was thinking about what Rashida4Prez said, "Where TF are THESE cops at?" I think I know. I think that these kinds of cops are the ones who don't make the headlines because they didn't mistake a gun for a taser or something. These cops are here, we just can't tell because they do their job so well, nobody recognizes them for it.
Exactly. Same thing with Muslims, whose sole press is the extremists in the Middle East, or Christians, the hateful discriminatory variety of which gets the most press. The bad apples affect the perception of the whole.
Load More Replies... How do you mistake a cellphone for a gun? How do you mistake a sleeping couple for assailants? How do you mistake a black man for a pair of white boys? How do mistake a jogger minding his own for an attacker? How do you mistake a shoplifter for a hardened criminal? But the real question is, how do you assholes keep getting away with these "mistakes"
Becasuse they WANT to. I suspect we should not, in the US, allow ANY former military personnel into our police forces. The last place a PTSD sufferer should be is in a high-stress job with bullets. IMHO.
Load More Replies... The US police force are trained as a para-military organization. They know how to use guns and tasers, they don't know how to communicate and de-escalate a situation. Their sense of authority is enormous; "I'm a cop and I'm the law. Whatever I say happens. " But that doesn't work when you're dealing with person who is in a psychosis. Add their insufficient training, the systemic racism and the fact that you can't join the police force when you're too smart, to this cocktail and you know why these incidents keep happening. On the very same moment one cop was found guilty of murder, 2 cops killed another unarmed black man.
Actually, it was a teen girl armed with a knife. yeah. A teenager with a knife. So they shot her to death in Columbus, Ohio. WTF? Oh, wait. Was there another one? B/c I wouldn't be surprised. I have met a few good cops, but they're usually ones who left b/c they couldn't deal with the "protect the bad guys if htey have badges" mentality.
Load More Replies... Weapons are supposed to be used only when there's an imminent threat to the life of the officer or victims. But too many officers pull out their guns just to threaten people into compliance. "Obey me or I'll shoot." Among cops, and society in general, guns are seen as the solution to all problems.
While your point is correct, this case was misreported. When the confrontation happened, it was dark, and the man looked like he was grabbing for a weapon. Them pulling a weapon on him was understandable. Though yes, they shouldn't have used a gun
Load More Replies... How would you mistake a taser for a pistol? Tasers have a safety catch designed to flip in the opposite direction of a pistol. Automatic pistols require a slide to be drawn back with a second hand that you wouldn't even use to shoot a taser. And in this incident, the victim was fleeing, not attacking, nor even holding a weapon; so "I was confused in a moment of self-preservation" is not valid.
Agreed. A taser weighs different, is drawn different. But pistols are holstered with the expectation that they will be used the moment they leave the holster, and so all that is required is flipping the safety. BOOM. Models are also made to not require you to slide back, if you've already cahmbered a round, which most cops have. ---- courtesy Civilian Police Academy, Charlottesville, Virginia,
Load More Replies... It's obvious to me that the police are so unaccountable for their actions the police chief simply doesn't think he needs to put any more effort into his lying. We absolutely need to change our policing system to root out people like this police chief who clearly doesn't give the faintest crap, or even enjoys, the fact that his men are just a gang of murderous thugs. In essence, this police chief is at the very least an accessory to murder.
It takes years to train a police offer in most first world countries. But just weeks in America. Maybe they need to increase the training time?
The incompetence of those police officers cause a human life. It’s not worth having officers who can’t handle the heat of the moment out there.
One of the best people I know was a cop for 32 years in a large city. He always said, "Good cops don't have high arrest rates. Good cops go out and talk to people and solve problems. Of course, some people have to go to jail, they robbed a store, beat someone, stole a car, but as a rule of thumb, a police officer should only take someone to jail as a last resort. Putting someone in jail changes their life forever and that is not a step we should take until we have exhausted all other courses of action." Those words have stuck with me for years. I really think we need more cops like him.
I agree with several points made by the police officer and responding posters. Unless you KNOW you are going into a situation where the offender has a gun, you need to use lower-levels of intervention first. Drawing your gun in the first instance should NOT be your go-to action. If you can't stand the pressure of these kinds of situations and are wont to make a mistake like confusing your gun and taser, you need to find yourself a different job. Better psychological screening and on-going training would also be a good thing for all (especially US) police officers.
The thing is, most cops are good people... the same way most teachers are good people... You don't brand all teachers pedos because one abused a child... think about it, we all like to think we are different, special etc but are so quick to paint others with the same brush... some people are inherently bad people, but they are the minority...
Every time I hear a cop say, "I was scared," I wonder what the hell they are doing being in the police. It's wonderful to hear a policeman stand up and say the same. It's men and women like him who are the only ones who can change the culture, and certainly not chiefs who say things like, "She was reaching for her taser."
Several years ago, our local PD ran a civilian police academy. This may enlighten a lot of people as to why cops act/react as they do: "If the other person has a weapon out, and yours isn't out," the instructor said, "then you're done." In other words ----- go into every situation with the gun ready to use, b/c that's the way they're trained. AND IT IS STUPID. The instructor even admitted it. *sigh*
I knew I shouldn't have read this goddamn post. This just absolutely ruined my day. Since it did, I'll start ranting. Why TF would cops sign up for being a cop if they're that mentally impaired? Why TF are some cops so damn retarded? WTF is wrong with americans and their prejudice against "colored" people? White trash say that they are superior when over half the world isn't even white. Screw the cops, they're even worse than trash. Don't get me wrong though, there are good cops out there, but some of them are just too cowardly to face the corruption in AMerica's law system. America is a so-called land of freedom, where literally anyone can do anything they want as long as they have power. We are literally still wild animals.
It must be nice to be so perfect. EVERYONE makes mistakes even him. Some mistakes can end a life. The question is do we want the police to be slower on the shoot which will kill a LOT more of them. If so you will see MANY less qualified people becoming cops.
It's irresponsible social media such as this that cause people to be tried ans convicted in the court of public opinion. Many people base their beliefs solely on what they see on social media. The cop that fired her gun instead of her taser is still supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. This know it all cop may have put undo influence on the potential jury pool thus making an unbiased trail impossible. If he wants to spout his opinion after the trial process go right ahead. Until due process is done keep your opinions to yourself.
After this incident happened, I asked my dad who had trained to be a cop,but didn't join the force did this excuse about taser/gun confusion make sense and he said no. I think I already knew that I just wanted the opinion of someone who actually had held a gun in his hands. Tasers and guns have very different weights and in the case of that lady cop, the taser was bright yellow in color. I agree with everything that this officer says, but I know he is going to be in trouble for speaking up.
Okayyyy well the comment "Most cops shouldnt have tazers or guns" isnt correct. police training is brutal and if they are good enough, they get to be a cop. not many people realize, but during police training, they get pepper sprayed and tazed and sometimes when one of those happens, you are made to go through a whole entire training course. How do I know all of this? A few years ago as a high schooler, I wanted to be a police detective. Changed my future career to something less dangerous lol
In other words: Police officers need guns, but only the ones who can talk it through first.
Load More Replies... I haven't scrolled through all the comments, so if someone has pointed this out already, I'm sorry that I'm repeating it. The headline on this story--which is a good story--is obnoxious. "This Policeman Calls Out Lazy Cops Who PRETEND To ‘MISTAKE' Guns For Tasers." What a prejudicial statement! In the context of the story, the implication seems to me to be unmistakable: Cops intentionally kill people (of color), after which they pretend that they made an innocent 'mistake' (quotations marks!) to cover the murder that they just committed. Why not point out that a FEMALE police officer made the 'MISTAKE,' implying that only a woman would try to pull off something so criminal.
I wrote that many tasers actually do look and feel like guns, and the recourse for unspeakable incompetence is to be fired and sued. I was down-voted heavily and told that the police never face such consequences for such incompetence. No-one bothered to Google the case to find out that officer, Kim Potter, had quit, is now beinng charged with manslaughter and that in just about ANY case you've heard about, the city settled for many millions of dollars... or that Tasers, including the one in question, actually DOES look like a handgun. And since the OP claimed you should know which hip your gun is on (very true), I'd also point out that in this case, the officer wasn't wearing her firearm. (I'm a little incredulous that she left it in her car.)
1. Tasers do not weigh and balance like guns. Been there, done that. They *feel* different. How you hold them due to that is different. So, for *me*? How they look is irrelevant b/c your eyes are on the potential target. 2. She no more left her gun in the car than she flew to the moon on butterfly wings, IMO. 3. Training emphasizes qualification with guns, moreso than with tasers. so 4. I agree. We have a problem in the US with how our police *think* and *train*, and it's costing everyone.
Load More Replies... There should be common practise shared throughout all forces, minimum standards and procedures etc. There should be a desire from cops themselves to ensure that their colleagues are the best and have integrity and that their image is one where people feel SAFE with them - even when being a suspect in a crime. In my country cops don't ever carry guns but manage to detain suspects with knives. Carrying Tasers is still fairly uncommon too..
While a lot of the points on here are correct, this case was misreported. When the confrontation happened, it was dark, and the man looked like he was grabbing for a weapon. Them pulling a weapon on him was understandable. Though yes, they shouldn't have used a gu
But they're made not to feel identical. That was the entire point of this article. That it was incompetence and lack of communication that is at fault here, not problematic weaponry.
Load More Replies... In the US? I'm calling BS. Very few cops are held accountable for their "mistakes". Even when it hits the news like a train wreck most of them still get off with next to no punishment.
Load More Replies... If a cop thinks that it's "not fair" for a murderer to be declared guilty of, you know, murder, then that cop is most definitely not a good cop and most definitely doesn't have a brain.
Load More Replies...
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