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GEOFF SCHUMACHER
Local police officers are on edge
The shooting death of Erik Scott at the Costco store in Summerlin is, as with most such incidents, unique. The facts of the case, some of them still not clear or available to the public, make it difficult to generalize or to lump this incident into a category or trend.
Here's basically what we do know. Scott possessed a concealed weapons permit, and he was carrying two guns with him while he shopped in the store on Saturday. He caused a disturbance in the store that prompted employees to call the police.
When officers arrived, store employees ordered customers to evacuate the building. Three officers were waiting for Scott when he exited. They ordered him to drop to the ground. For whatever reason, Scott did not do so. Instead, some witnesses say he appeared to reach for one of his guns.
All three officers shot the 39-year-old Las Vegan.
Scott was a military veteran. Friends told reporters that he was a great guy and upstanding citizen, and they insist the officers overreacted. There's certainly no reason to dispute these assessments of Scott's character, but they don't explain why he placed himself in such a dangerous situation last weekend.
Based on what we know, the officers involved in the shooting likely will be cleared of any wrongdoing. There is little evidence so far to suggest they should have done anything differently.
But while this is a unique case, I think there's at least one lesson to be learned from it and other recent incidents.
The city is a dangerous place. Bad things happen in urban and suburban neighborhoods alike. This has been true for a very long time. But the city has become even more dangerous for police officers. Bad guys today seem less intimidated by officers and more likely to act violently against them.
As a result, officers are edgier than ever before. Their first priority is to go home to their families at the end of the work day -- a reasonable expectation. And so, in light of the increasing brazenness of criminals, officers are intent on being prepared to deal with potential aggressors.
Metro reports there are 28,536 people in Clark County who have concealed weapons permits allowing them to carry around firearms. These individuals have undergone a background check and a training program. As a result, they're well versed in the rules they must follow, including what to do if they are confronted by police.
It would appear that Erik Scott either didn't remember the training he received, or for some reason purposely ignored it. But regardless of his behavior, I think the result ought to give other concealed weapons carriers pause.
Most people with concealed weapons permits are law-abiding citizens, probably a higher percentage than those of us who don't have them. But in the eyes of nervous police officers, gun-toters are subjects of interest and concern. And who could blame the police for being extra-cautious?
I don't have a concealed weapons permit. Heck, I don't even have a gun. But if I did have a permit, I'd be thinking twice these days about carrying a gun in places such as a suburban warehouse store where it's more likely to cause a stir than to protect you.
The bottom line is that if Erik Scott had not carried a gun into the Summerlin Costco last weekend, he would not be dead today. Police might have detained and questioned him, and they might even have arrested him based on whatever happened in the store. But he wouldn't have been shot to death.
Let's be clear: I'm not arguing for stricter gun control laws, or for elimination of concealed weapons permits. The U.S. Supreme Court has spoken twice in recent years on what the Second Amendment allows, and I don't take issue with its rulings.
But I am saying that if you legally carry a concealed weapon in Las Vegas, you might want to evaluate your habits. For good reasons, local police are unusually anxious these days about the potential threats around them, and you don't want to find yourself on the wrong end of a misunderstanding.
On a related note, local police are increasingly finding themselves in situations where they're being forced to shoot individuals who want to die. This is known as "suicide by cop." We may never know if Erik Scott had this in mind in front of the Costco store, but we have a pretty good idea that other recent police shootings have been suicide-related.
It's difficult to imagine a more cowardly act. These suicidal individuals don't have the guts to do it themselves, so they put themselves in a position where someone else -- a police officer -- does it for them. Not only is this horrible for the victim's family, but it is traumatizing for the officer and his family.
Most officers don't want to shoot anybody. They'd be perfectly happy retiring from a 30-year career without ever firing their weapons at anything except a target. Unfortunately, the odds of that happening these days are getting worse.
Geoff Schumacher (gschumacher@reviewjournal.com) is the Review-Journal's director of community publications. His column appears Friday. He has a relative who is a Metro police officer.
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This is a tragic story for all involved. I have worked as a police officer in the past and I am a CCW permit holder here in Nevada. As a police officer, I would tell suspects who I thought might be armed to keep their hands where I could see them. If they were holding a weapon of any kind, I ordered them to drop to it. According to a 911 tape, police can be heard yelling for him to drop it. This is very compelling as to what transpired that day. Also, having all threee officers firing at the same time leads me to belive that they all independently made the decision to fire based upon their observations. Lastly, as a CCW holder and carrier, when stopped by the police for any reason, I do not move until I verbally identify myself as a permit holder so that there is not any misunderstanding between myself and the police. To date I have not had any issues with the police when I have been carrying my weapon. As for all the speculation based on witness statements, the public is generally not very reliable in high stress situations as witnesses. People unintentionally tend to slant things the way their beliefs want things to be versus the way they really are. Please let all the facts come out before you start the bus rolling. Lastly, if the police were incorrect in using this deadly forse, then they should be held responsible. I do not condone any use of force by out law enforcement community that is not justified.
MR. SCHUMACHER,
You are a hack! Your history of putting your personal agenda spin on stories is vast. (your blog, your article history here on the RJ, Huff-post wanna-be) You are a liberal, and abuse your position as a journalist to make veiled attacks on things, people or beliefs that are in opposition to your liberal views. You make laughable attempts to hide this, you comment on how you don’t oppose CCW rights, but it’s just lip service. If you wish to be an advocate for the liberal agenda, please quit your job and do so openly.
While my disdain for Mr. Schumacher was the spark that started this comment. I want to extend my sympathies to all parties directly involved with this tragedy. Unlike the author, I will wait for the facts and the truth to surface, and as a citizen I demand that they surface. Too much gets white washed in this town, one way or another justice must be served here.
Not racist, Not violent, JUST NO LONGER SILENT! – John Q.
Just so we are clear, Geoff makes the case for Police being on edge due to increased violence from criminals, (and we can look at local headlines to see unprovoked attacks on innocent citizens are up, especially in public places, such as Wal-mart parking lots, shopping centers and the like), but it is unreasonable, perhaps even foolish, for a law abiding CCW holder to carry legally carry a firearm to protect himself and his family?
Way to make your case Geoffry......
As to the "suicide by cop" comment, I doubt someone shopping for items for a new home with their SO would have this in mind. Try some journalistic integrity and sensitivity to the family of the deceased vs sensationalistic smear.
No truer words could be spoken, Mr. Schumacher - "Based on what we know, the officers involved in the shooting likely will be cleared of any wrongdoing."
The fact that only ONE police shooting has been found unjusitified by the coroner's inquest in the past 30 years makes it clear that the coroner's inquest is a complete and total joke. Kind of like your column, Mr. Schumacher.
How about you pretend to be an actual journalist, and wait for actual facts to be provided, instead of a one sided police departments' "facts" before you write a column stating the officers will likely be cleared of any wrongdoing? Doesn't the fact the police department refuses to release the 911 tapes make you think for just a minute that the so called "facts" you are basing your opinion on may be just a bit suspicious? As a real journalist, shouldn't you be attempting to obtain those tapes before you write completely biased articles in your blatant attempt to assist your relative's employer, the LVPD?
Thank God this time, Metro murdered the wrong person - the Scott family will not go quietly into that good night, and those dangerous trigger happy members of Metro will finally be exposed for what they are - criminals. For the sake of the good and decent officers, I pray the dangerous ones are exposed and thrown out like the trash they are.
I wish to say that i was upset to say the least upon reading the commentary by Geoff Schumacher regarding the shooting of Erik Scott. How many times have we been in a store and may have done something alittle out of the ordinary, i for one did something similar to what Erik did before making a purchase by putting things into a backpack however no one said a word to me. What made his behavior so bizarre? Have not heard that either! Even though no one has seen any pictures as yet i think we had a situation whereby a over zealous Costco employee spotted someone with a gun, became frightened thinking "Oh my God, a SHOOTER" and either notified management or metro. I have not heard if Erik Scott threatened the store employee with his concealed weapon for him to notify metro in the first place. It was poor judgement in my view and escalated into a situation where this young man lost his life. Now, i have another question. How did any Costco employee involved in the situation know if Erik Scott was a under-cover police officer, or for that matter a police officer off duty????? This employee cost this man his life because he assumed something he shouldn't have, and instead of going into the store to confront Erik Scott the police stayed outside and decided to confront him around a birrage of people. I like everyone else wants to know exactly what happened and for Geoff Schumacher to say that Erik Scott "put himself in a dangerous situation" was not warranted."Based on what we know, the officers involved in the shooting likely will be cleared of any wrongdoing" what do you know Geoff that the rest of us don't know????? One more thing, i don't believe for one minute that this young man had suicide on his mind and i don't think anyone else believes that either. I pray that the truth will prevail.
HAHA this guy is telling me i'm better off without carrying my gun. to that to the people who get murdered everyday and couldve prevented it themselves. thanks for the advice but no thanks, wherever i go my gun goes. and if a place like cosco is going to over react and cause this scene to start with then i won't shop there or anywhere else thats posted not allowing guns. i only have one chance at life and im not going to chance it with these screw balls in vegas. few years ago my friends friend went to his car. came up to his car and startled a theif that was in his car. he's dead now. if that would of been me i'd probly still be alive. thats what made me get my ccw most people won't realize they need to protect their own lives until it hits home.
@ Been there done that: The facts are not clear. What about the other witnesses, claiming he did not touch his gun but lifted up his shirt to show his weapon? Witnesses stating that they were unclear of what was shouted to Erik? Maybe he was being shouted at by all three officers in a contradictory manner, which caused him to become confused and he made a instinctual call to listen to the first or loudest order which may have been "drop your gun". If he had touched his gun he may have been trying to do exactly what was ordered to him. That side of the story seems more logical to me, but again you are right the facts "as we know them" have not fully been disclosed so any one to assume they know what happened given the "facts as we know them" is quite bold or just plain ignorant. Also, BIASED OPINIONS do not relevant in our judicial system.
Store employees ordered customers to evacuate the building????
Was that at the direction of the police who were responding,or the store management?
Sure doesn't sound like standard procedures to me. Wouldn't that put everyone at greater risk????
Mr. Schumacher's column is very well thought out and expressed. It doesn't matter one twit that he has a relative who works for Metro. The facts as we know them in this case are clear. His point that we live in an ever increasingly violent society and that people are more likely to challenge the police now than ever before is right on point and exactly right. I thank him for being honest in this journalistic endeavor and explaining the pressure that the police are under today. CCW permit holders, of which I am one, need to be aware of what happened in this case and know that where you have a right to carry, the police have a right to be safe as well, and they can't tell from looking at you if you have a CCW permit or not. It all goes back to following police orders when necessary. If Mr. Scott had done so, he'd be alive.
@ GEOFF SCHUMACHER - IT ALL SEEMS LOGICAL, BUT SO DOES THE OTHER SIDE TOO..HAHA. A TRUE JOURNALIST TRYING TO SEEK OUT AND REPORT THE REAL STORY WOULD MAKE A BETTER EFFORT IN OBTAINING ALL THE FACTS, BEFORE MAKING SUCH INFERENCES...SHAMEFUL ON YOUR PART. IN THE EFFORT TO REDEEM YOURSELF, HOW BOUT USING YOUR JOURNALISTIC TALENTS IN OBTAINING THE INFO SURROUNDING THE MISSING VIDEO AND 911 TAPES! NOW THAT WOULD BE GREAT JOURNALISM..PLUS APPARENTLY YOU MAY HAVE INSIDE INFO, THAT COULD GET YOU SOMEWHERE..NO?