Police in the San Diego, California, suburb of El Cajon shot and killed an unarmed African-American man Tuesday, after his sister called 911 to report her brother was having a mental health emergency. Eyewitnesses said 30-year-old Alfred Olango was holding his hands up when he was tased by one police officer and then fired upon five times by another officer. In video posted online, Alfred Olango’s grieving sister is seen tearfully confronting police. She tells them, “I called you to help me, but you killed my brother.”
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This is so dreadful. It just never stops. it’s unbearable. A very similar incident happened in the UK while I was there, barely a month ago. I’m sure you saw this story Amy E and Geoff:
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-37082207
sickening. just… sickening
I hadn’t seen that, Lizzy – thanks for the heads up. How are you doing, btw?
And I agree – this is horrifying. A secondary problem to the blatant racism and evident over-arming of cops is the failure to provide adequately trained officers to deal with mental health issues when they crop up. Extreme underfunding, no doubt, especially in the US. All this aside, however, I am constantly stunned by the impunity and the apparent indifference with which these cops kill their fellow human beings.
“I am constantly stunned by the impunity and the apparent indifference with which these cops kill their fellow human beings.” Yes – I agree, dear Amy – think that the stuff that Pam has been posting on violence in males ties in very much with all this.
Not an easy patch – thanks for asking, sweetheart! But am off on a meditation retreat over the weekend – in the middle of nature – so that will be great. (((()))))
I hope it gives you some peace xx
Thank you, dearest Amy. xxxx
My best wishes, too, Lizzy. xxx
I did see it, Lizzy, and it shocked me, too. Perhaps I should have drawn it to PW’s attention at the time. It used to be the case that the British police were not routinely armed, although there seems to be a marked increase recently in the use of tasers which are seemingly subject to less rigorous control and training than guns.
I notice that the event happened about two months after the Brexit referendum since when there has been a significant increase in race-hate crimes in the UK according to most news sources. It is my feeling that the upsurge in police-on-black killings in the US in the last couple of years is not unconnected with the coming end of Barack Obama’s presidency. The white racists are saying, in effect, ‘You’ve had your black president and it hasn’t made a scrap’s worth of difference to our attitude towards you.’
Yes, I didn’t connect that tragic incident with the surge in racism and violence after the Brexit referendum. Good points, dear Geoff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq1tm5TqYsg&app=desktop
worth putting it up again. (credit to planetwaves for the original post!)