Cops Kill Woman Who Lunged at Officers With Crochet Hook

[BloodEclipse]

Monday , July 14, 2008

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SALINAS, Calif. —
A disoriented woman holed up in a minivan and repeatedly stabbing herself in the neck was shot to death by local police officers who thought the distraught woman was lunging at them with a knife or pick ax.

But the 45-year-old Maria Irma De La Torre had only a metal crochet hook in her hand, the Salinas Californian reported Monday.
Officers responding to a "woman acting strangely call" at 3:45 a.m. Sunday saw the woman "stabbing herself in the neck with a small implement."
As officers tried to get her out of the minivan, she allegedly lunged at them with what was thought to be a knife or a pick ax and the officers fired. Cmdr. Kelly McMillin says the officers thought their lives were in danger. She was shot twice in the torso, and died later at a local hospital.
"It's a wrongful death," Diana Hernandez, De La Torre's niece, told the Californian. She added that De La Torre suffered from epileptic seizures but had no history of violence or hurting herself during seizures. She was taking medication to control the seizures, Hernandez said.
Click here for more on this story from the Salinas Californian.

[jontheturboguy]

Sorry, but if you come at me at 4am in the morning with blood spurting and a pointy object in your hand, you're getting shot.

[haldir]

"It's a wrongful death," Diana Hernandez, De La Torre's niece, told the Californian.

Gee, sounds like someone is already talking to a lawyer and counting her money.

[Pami]

If the woman really was having a seizure, and there are LOTS of varieties of them, I can see her niece's point of view. Lars can tell you how crazy I act after having one. I also get superhuman strength, too. I don't blame the officers for taking the shot; I can completely understand why they misunderstood. I don't know how I would vote on this one.

[Lars]

Can I plee the Fifth?

[techres]

One of the great losses in our modern mindset is the idea that some things happen and no one is at fault. Something happens and the race is on to find fault as if that is the default (bad pun).

Woman has epilepsy. No one's fault. She is reported acting strangely. No one's fault. She moves towards officers with potentially threatening weapon. If it is a result of epilepsy, then it is no one's fault. Officers defend themselves and she dies as a result. No ones fault.

The only change in all of this would be if we knew the woman was in control of herself and then it becomes her fault. But in no way does it shift towards the officers if the woman is out of control and holding a dangerous object.

I am sorry for her and her family. But sometimes the cards stack up against you and that is it.

[RogerB]

Originally Posted by W9ZEB

Can I plee the Fifth?

Lars...does it hurt when you Plee? Nevemind...TMI....

[Lars]

To piggy back onto Techres's post.

If the officers recognized the lady was having a seizure, or was not in control of her body, and they shot her anyway, THEN they would be at fault.

I agree overall though, Pami and I discussed this on the way home from work, and as tragic as this is. I can't fault the officers. I also feel remorse for the family.

[Pami]

Originally Posted by W9ZEB

To piggy back onto Techres's post.

If the officers recognized the lady was having a seizure, or was not in control of her body, and they shot her anyway, THEN they would be at fault.

I agree overall though, Pami and I discussed this on the way home from work, and as tragic as this is. I can't fault the officers. I also feel remorse for the family.

[BloodEclipse]

Originally Posted by W9ZEB

To piggy back onto Techres's post.

If the officers recognized the lady was having a seizure, or was not in control of her body, and they shot her anyway, THEN they would be at fault.

I agree overall though, Pami and I discussed this on the way home from work, and as tragic as this is. I can't fault the officers. I also feel remorse for the family.

My thoughts exactly. But I guess that if you have never experienced anyone having seizures then it indeed would seem to be strange behavior. I'm not calling it a bad shoot, just a very unfortunate one. I can't imagine what the officers must be going through right now. I'm sure it's going to replay itself over and over in their minds. Just a bad situation all around.