Palin: "Absurd" Not To Consider 2012 Run
Bloomberg: Crime Stat Manipulations are "Tiny"
Wall Street Throwing More Money at Republicans
School Already Canceled Tomorrow for Snowpocalypse!
More Bald Eagles Spotted In Harlem!
An off-duty New York City cop shot a knife-wielding man Thursday night after a bar brawl that started in the Strong Island watering-hole Napper Tandy's and spilled out into the street. John Gomez, 27, was one of the many witnesses in the crowded bar at 12:30 a.m. when two men began fighting in the front foyer.
The man who later would be identified as the off-duty cop apparently knocked down his opponent. Gomez told Newsday that the cop was ejected from the club and that bouncers tried to block his opponent and his two companions (one of whom showed a knife) from leaving the bar, but the three "ripped through a tarp-covered smoking area and ran to attack the off-duty cop."
"They were just pounding the little guy, beating that kid down," Gomez said, adding the cop did repeatedly say he was a cop. "When the guy swings the knife the last time, the kid jumped back, kind of jerked back, and that's when the gun goes off."
Police have identified the knife-wielder as Atiba Watkins, 23, of Central Islip (or as the locals refer to it: "C.I."). According to WABC News he was shot "once in the torso," and is now in critical but stable condition. The investigation is ongoing, but no arrests have been made. NYPD has not commented on the incident.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
From what the article says, I don't think the cop did anything wrong. He got in a fight, yes. However he (seemingly) didn't escalate the fight after being ejected and in fact was pursued. He yelled that he was a cop, it was several on 1, and one of the guys had a knife. Seems like reasonable self-defense.
I agree. Though on the other hand the article also says he was sitting in his car outside when they came out, which if true probably means he could have simply driven away.
Cops in bars are dangerous. If they see a fight about to begin, they should call in and get help. I guess many of them are cowboys and then they get into trouble.
Most I know do exactly that -- especially when out of jurisdiction, as this guy was. But, that's not what the report says happened here. He didn't see a fight about to begin, he was in the fight when it began.
I guess since it's on the Island you don't need to bother actually identifying the town this happened in? It's OK, I know taking the energy to point out some people nickname Central Islip probably didn't leave anything for actual useful details behind.
It happened in Miller Place.
Maybe there will be more details on LawnGuylandist.com
Stay classy, C.I.!
A 22 year old cop shoots a 23 year old in a bar fight. The cop was never given a breathalyzer to determine in he was drunk. The 22 year old cop waited outside when yes he could have driven away but didn't. The cop waited outside with his friends to fight. This could have all been prevented if the cop left after he was thrown out of the bar. It was 7 on 1. Atiba Watkins that was shot, was there with his cousin that was being beat up by the cop and his friend. He tried to defend his cousin. That's what Aviewanew is talking about. Its ignorant to say that this cop didn't do anything wrong when he shot someone in the back. To me two things could have lead to this 23 year old child being shot in the back. He was either running away or he was walking away. This police officer is wrong. You can not justify shooting someone in the back.