Mentally disabled man with toygun shot dead in Sweden

Spiritual_Chaos
Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,475
edited August 2018 in A Moving Train
Biggest news story in Sweden right now. Made me cry last night hearing about it.

Three police officers fired their weapons at a guy with Downs syndrome, who could barely say more words than "mommy",  who had escaped his home:



Police opened fire in the Vasastan district of the Swedish capital early on Thursday morning following what they described as a "threatening situation".

The man who was shot at was taken to hospital but later died, and on Thursday afternoon his family spoke to several Swedish media outlets to explain that he was a 20-year-old with Down Syndrome and autism who had left home with a toy gun.

On Friday morning chief prosecutor Tidén explained that a preliminary investigation has been launched to clear up exactly what happened.

"It has emerged that the object was some kind of toy. It has also emerged that more than one officer fired their service weapon," he said in a statement.

"It is routine to initiate a preliminary investigation when police use their service weapon against a person, but at present no police officers are suspected of any crime. The preliminary investigation is started in order for us to be able to take investigative measures."

Tidén added the the incident is "very tragic" and he understands that "many want answers quickly", but appealed for investigators to be allowed to carry out their work "methodically and thoroughly in the usual way", noting that there is no time scale and no further information will be released at present.

Stockholm's regional chief of police Ulf Johansson also commented on the incident for the first time on Friday, saying that "it is very tragic for everyone involved, and I understand and respect that what happened has caused a great feeling of upset".

https://www.thelocal.se/20180803/disabled-man-was-shot-at-by-more-than-one-police-officer-chief-prosecutor


Sixth person being shot dead by Police in Sweden this year - which is the highest number in history (Since keeping statistics).

"Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
Post edited by Spiritual_Chaos on
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Comments

  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,475
    CNN also has reported

    https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/03/europe/down-syndrom-man-shot-dead-sweden-intl/index.html
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,836
    I feel bad for this family.  

    I am tired however of hearing people ask why officers don't shoot the arm or leg....IF they believe they need to fire, this aint the movies, they are aiming at the biggest mass.  Also in the article she mentions it was obvious he had Down's and was like a 3 year old.  A 3 year old with a gun can do some damage (just see the US for this).

    If this was in America I would know why it happened.  Because of our gun culture police are quick triggered.  And I think due to terrorism, every gets even more anxious when something like this is going on.  Any idea about the police culture in Sweden?  I always hear differently than this would make it seem.
    hippiemom = goodness
  • josevolution
    josevolution Posts: 31,642
    Heart braking really sad poor family to have to endure this after taking care of him for 20 yrs no one wins in this story , it’s not a time to blame but rather reflect ...
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,836
    josevolution said:
    Heart braking really sad poor family to have to endure this after taking care of him for 20 yrs no one wins in this story , it’s not a time to blame but rather reflect ...
    I never understand the blame game....BUT you have to investigate and determine what lead to the conclusion.  It's not "blaming" if its a true investigation with an eye to improvement.
    hippiemom = goodness
  • Annafalk
    Annafalk Sweden Posts: 4,004
    edited August 2018
    This is really heartbreaking for everyone involved. Very unfortunate circumstances was leading in to this tragedy. A woman living in the same area had during the night called the police about her heavily violent ex. (Which was a well known criminal for the police) 
    In the same area was also a 20 yr old man with Down syndrome that had run from home in the middle of the night carrying a toy machine gun. I feel very sad for everyone involved in this horrible shooting.
  • Thirty Bills Unpaid
    Thirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    Don't take this as blaming in any way, but I'm just not sure (in this day and age) that toy guns are the greatest idea. I certainly grew up with them and played with them as a child, but if I never had them... I would have played with other things and never miss a beat.

    I don't know all the facts, but there have been recent stories of cops getting killed while exercising too much patience for the people they were pursuing (they're damned if they do and damned if they don't). I wouldn't be too quick to condemn the cop for his actions.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,475
    Thirty Bills Unpaid said:
    Don't take this as blaming in any way, but I'm just not sure (in this day and age) that toy guns are the greatest idea. I certainly grew up with them and played with them as a child, but if I never had them... I would have played with other things and never miss a beat.

    I don't know all the facts, but there have been recent stories of cops getting killed while exercising too much patience for the people they were pursuing (they're damned if they do and damned if they don't). I wouldn't be too quick to condemn the cop for his actions.
    I believe it was three cops shooting. One shot going through a window, which seems to go against protocol.

    We'll see what the investigation says. 

    Tragedy nonetheless. 
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • Thirty Bills Unpaid
    Thirty Bills Unpaid Posts: 16,881
    Spiritual_Chaos said:
    Thirty Bills Unpaid said:
    Don't take this as blaming in any way, but I'm just not sure (in this day and age) that toy guns are the greatest idea. I certainly grew up with them and played with them as a child, but if I never had them... I would have played with other things and never miss a beat.

    I don't know all the facts, but there have been recent stories of cops getting killed while exercising too much patience for the people they were pursuing (they're damned if they do and damned if they don't). I wouldn't be too quick to condemn the cop for his actions.
    I believe it was three cops shooting. One shot going through a window, which seems to go against protocol.

    We'll see what the investigation says. 

    Tragedy nonetheless. 

    Agreed. Awful.
    "My brain's a good brain!"
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,664
    Thirty Bills Unpaid said:
    Don't take this as blaming in any way, but I'm just not sure (in this day and age) that toy guns are the greatest idea. I certainly grew up with them and played with them as a child, but if I never had them... I would have played with other things and never miss a beat.

    I don't know all the facts, but there have been recent stories of cops getting killed while exercising too much patience for the people they were pursuing (they're damned if they do and damned if they don't). I wouldn't be too quick to condemn the cop for his actions.
    My thought exactly.  We weren't allowed to have toy guns when I was a kid.  I just don't think they're a good idea for any kid. 
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • unsung
    unsung I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487
    Only government should have guns, right?

    Just another example of police murder. 
  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,475
    unsung said:
    Only government should have guns, right?

    Just another example of police murder. 

    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • Meltdown99
    Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    I haven't seen the toy gun.  Some of those guns look real, especially from a distance.  Who thought it would be a good idea to give this individual a toy gun?  Hard to fault the police, especially the Swedish police ....
    Give Peas A Chance…
  • lastexitlondon
    lastexitlondon Posts: 14,904
    My kids have never had toy guns.  The more I think about toy guns the  more utterly  ridiculous the idea is. This story is tragic 


    this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,475
    edited October 2018
    "Three policemen shot 25 bullets against Eric Torell, 20, when shot dead at the beginning of August, according to Expressen.
    Three shots met. The killing shot hit his back.
    The information is confirmed by lawyer Thomas Nilsson.
    The policemen claim that they killed Eric in self-defence.
    The 20-year-old, with Down's syndrome, had that night escaped with a toy weapon."


    "The investigation shows that the light conditions in the morning were good and that the faces and expressions of a person in the courtyard could be registred, even from a higher POV and from 20 meters away.

    Eric Torell, 20, had Down's syndrome and could only say the word "mom". He was short, around 150 centimeters, wearing a black toy weapon missing some parts that he brought when he left his father's apartment in the middle of the night."
    Post edited by Spiritual_Chaos on
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • Meltdown99
    Meltdown99 None Of Your Business... Posts: 10,739
    So what's going to happen to the cops?  25 shots?  That's just crazy?
    Give Peas A Chance…
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,680
    edited October 2018
    lastexitlondon said:
    My kids have never had toy guns.  The more I think about toy guns the  more utterly  ridiculous the idea is. This story is tragic 
    Anything other than a Nerf gun or a Super Soaker seems completely unacceptable to me.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • dankind
    dankind Posts: 20,841
    We have Fart Blasters in our household. Those things are a hoot.
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,836
    dankind said:
    We have Fart Blasters in our household. Those things are a hoot.
    Do they have specialized Fart Blasters?

    Silent But deadly
    wet one
    etc?


    hippiemom = goodness
  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,475
    Meltdown99 said:
    So what's going to happen to the cops?  25 shots?  That's just crazy?
    The investigation is not finished yet.
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • dankind
    dankind Posts: 20,841
    cincybearcat said:
    dankind said:
    We have Fart Blasters in our household. Those things are a hoot.
    Do they have specialized Fart Blasters?

    Silent But deadly
    wet one
    etc?


    No, but you can set it to go off in something like 20 or 30 seconds. So you do that and then sneak it under someone's chair at dinner or next to the dog's crate. It's never not funny. Especially the dog. Dumb dog.
    I SAW PEARL JAM

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