Intervening on Behalf of Third Party

[kw5kw]

I learned a long time ago to "Never say Never" or on the other hand "Always do this" to anything or any situation because something will always come up that will change your Always to Never or your Never to Always.

Russ

The opinion is mine and no one else's.

[DoubleActionCHL]

This situation is, as many have stated, a no-brainer. I'm confused and a bit dismayed at the fact that several people "tried to intervene and get involved, but their efforts really didn't have an effect." Huh? Was he the Incredible Hulk? I have to believe these people didn't try very hard. They apparently wanted to help, but not at the risk of wrinkling their shirt or breaking a nail.

The people who 'tried to intervene' should be ashamed of themselves. What kind of token effort could they have given that didn't succeed in separating this maniac from the toddler?



We have truly become a nation of sheep. Like sheep, we simply stand around, munching our grass, and barely give it a second thought as we watch the wolf carry off one of our own. Why get involved? The shepherd will take care of us.

[45 4 life]

I am a little confused here as well. Several people tried to stop this and then the LEO arrived and had to shoot the man. I would like to see the complete story on this one.

Has far as what to do if this should happen in front of me, I agree with the majority view. We all have our on priorities and beliefs and each individual will make thier own decision. We just have to pray that we are right when the time comes.

[HerbM]

I am a little confused here as well. Several people tried to stop this and then the LEO arrived and had to shoot the man. I would like to see the complete story on this one.

Has far as what to do if this should happen in front of me, I agree with the majority view. We all have our on priorities and beliefs and each individual will make thier own decision. We just have to pray that we are right when the time comes.

Some versions (which seem to be the more complete) say that only one person tried to intervene, others say several. (I don't know which is true -- and if it was one, I might understand failure* but then WHY didn't a group attack this guy or distract him while others removed the child etc.)

*The first to arrive were an "elderly couple" and I am pretty sure that some version say the man tried to interfere but was (words to the effect) shrugged off or brushed off by the attacker. If so, this might be understandable except...

This went on for SOME TIME -- a helicopter was eventually the first responder -- it was in the air already (by some reports) but it was not immediately on the scene, had to find a place to land, and the pilot (in one report at least) officer had to shut down, leave the helicopter, move to the fence, order the man to quit, then shoot him. This all took a while.

I am not so young anymore and if I took on a 26 (?) year old maniac or PCP user (just speculation) then maybe he would kick me silly too, but I have to think that even if I discount all my physical skill (and weapons), then I could have gone to the car and gotten out the JACK, or LUG WRENCH and maybe gotten the fellow's attention.

As focused as he seems to have been on mayhem, hitting him in the back of the knee or head with a tire iron would seem to have been possible -- ok, we weren't there and we cannot trust the reliably incompetent media to report it accurately....but come on!

My wife who has no martial training immediately came up with the Jack idea.

She also asks, "Was the baby already obvious dead?" (but if that was the case why take the risk of intervening at all?)

[E10]

My first thought when I heard about this was, "Didn't anyone think of using a tire iron?" I would have caved his head in.