The latest shootings of police officers at a police brutality rally in Dallas sadly punctuates the great divide between police officers and the citizens they are hired to protect. But while the media has painted a picture that seems pretty black and white (white cops killing black civilians), statistics on police violence would suggest the opposite.
Heather McDonald recently wrote a piece for the Daily Wire which uncovered some interesting facts. In 2015 cops killed nearly twice as many whites as blacks. According to statistics compiled by the Washington Post, 50 percent of the fatal shootings by police were of whites; and 26 percent were of blacks. This while statistics also show that a disproportionally higher percentage of blacks are perpetrating the crimes that would compel the police to use their weapons. In addition, MacDonald cites a 2015 Department of Justice report conducted by University of Pennsylvania criminologist Gary Ridgeway that determined black cops were 3.3 times more likely to fire a gun than other cops at a crime scene.
Given all these statistics, the fact remains that every year police fatally shoot civilians who are either unarmed, armed, innocent or guilty, black and white. The Washington Post reported that last year 965 people were shot and killed by the police. What needs to be determined in these high-adrenaline, often split second decisions, is whether the police acted responsibly and if they followed proper protocol in their procedures before resorting to the last resort of firing their weapon.
Citizens need to know their rights in these situations. Police represent the law, but there are times when prejudice, anger, and bad judgement cloud the scene and cause horrific outcomes. If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed due to excessive force and unnecessary use of a weapon, it is critically important that you call an experienced, and effective lawyer to handle your case. Contact the law firm of Mitchel Ashley and speak to Mr. Ashley himself. He will let you know right away if you have a case against the City of New York.
