LETTER: Rayshard Brooks and the death of justice and decency
In response to Victor Joecks’ June 17 commentary regarding the Rayshard Brooks shooting: Mr. Joecks writes, “If a suspect resists arrests, steals a Taser, punches an officer and then fires a Taser … it isn’t unreasonable for an officer to use his firearm.” What? Notwithstanding what preceded the incident, since when is it OK to shoot someone in the back (twice) while they are running away?
Tasers are not lethal weapons. Consider: “For us, Tasers are considered less-lethal,” Sean Whitcomb of the Seattle police said. “I think you’d have to make a really hard argument that a Taser is a deadly weapon.”
Sadly, we are — and have been since 2016 — witnessing the death of justice, human rights, decency, common sense, respect for life and any semblance of restraint. Shame on Mr. Joecks.
