Man Killed By Armed PSU Officers Had Valid Concealed Carry Permit

[phillygirl]

Jason Erik Washington, the man killed by armed Portland State University officers early Friday morning, had a valid concealed carry permit at the time of his death.
Two of Washington’s colleagues and at least one witness say Washington, 45, was black.
Keyaira Smith, a witness who took video of the moments leading up to Washington’s death, told OPB that he was “trying to be a good Samaritan” by breaking up a fight.
Video footage shows what appears to be a black object attached to Washington’s right side as he’s seen pulling one man off another. Two PSU police officers can also be seen.
“The gun slipped out of the holster when he had fallen, and I think he may have tried to retrieve it,” Smith said. “Then they said ‘gun.’”
That’s when police fired, she said.

Video at Link.

[gary m]

It was easy to see in the video that Mr. Washington was carrying a gun. I'm sure the cops didn't miss it.
So why did they not try to disarm him when they were less than a foot away?

No audio so we don't know what they may have said prior to pulling the trigger, but hard to see how this could ever be a justified shooting.

[Michele]

All he looks to be doing through most of the video is trying to get a guy moved away from the crowd...that follows them.

[Tom Servo]

I don't see what having a valid concealed carry permit has to do with anything. The issue is not the legal right to carry the gun. It's the color of the skin of the man who was carrying it.

[Novaheart]

I don't see what having a valid concealed carry permit has to do with anything. The issue is not the legal right to carry the gun. It's the color of the skin of the man who was carrying it.

So much so that his race needed witnessing?

"Two of Washington’s colleagues and at least one witness say Washington, 45, was black."

Don't you find that an odd thing to write?

[Tom Servo]

So much so that his race needed witnessing?

"Two of Washington’s colleagues and at least one witness say Washington, 45, was black."

Don't you find that an odd thing to write?

Yes. I thought that was a very odd turn of phrase. I've never known skin color to need corroboration.

[phillygirl]

Yes. I thought that was a very odd turn of phrase. I've never known skin color to need corroboration.

Unavailable for comment:

[Adam]

PSU officials are already preparing to defend the university against a lawsuit. Leaders convened a closed-to-the-public executive session Friday afternoon to discuss potential litigation. The session came even as leaders knew little about the victim, other than that he likely wasn’t a PSU student.

Translation: they know that they screwed up bigtime.

[phillygirl]

Such a shame. I can't tell if he knew the intended participant in the fight or not, but the video shows that he clearly was trying to stop the fight from occurring. Horrible that it ended in his shooting death.

[Celeste Chalfonte]

If I were going to politicize a tragedy, I would point out that the rabid anti-gun atmosphere in Portland contributed to this man's death. If the PSU police (and don't EVEN get me started on the qualifications and [in]competence of campus cops) conditioned to believe that every civilian with a gun is a bad guy, they would have followed reasonable protocols and held their fire. They undoubtedly would have put him on the ground and secured the weapon, but the "shoot first and ask quuestions later" mentality is a product of the policy that no civilian "needs" or legitimately carries a gun.

[Adam]

If I were going to politicize a tragedy, I would point out that the rabid anti-gun atmosphere in Portland contributed to this man's death. If the PSU police (and don't EVEN get me started on the qualifications and [in]competence of campus cops) conditioned to believe that every civilian with a gun is a bad guy, they would have followed reasonable protocols and held their fire. They undoubtedly would have put him on the ground and secured the weapon, but the "shoot first and ask quuestions later" mentality is a product of the policy that no civilian "needs" or legitimately carries a gun.

Amen, sistah!

These guys are routinely given far too much authority with far too little training to people who have no actual business being in law enforcement and usually have been rejected for just that reason.

[Norm dePlume]

If I were going to politicize a tragedy, I would point out that the rabid anti-gun atmosphere in Portland contributed to this man's death.

When Philando Castile was shot, did you attribute that to rabid anti-gun atmosphere in St. Paul?

[Celeste Chalfonte]

When Philando Castile was shot, did you attribute that to rabid anti-gun atmosphere in St. Paul?

I'm sure you somehow think that's a relevant inquiry. It might be, if the circumstances had been in any way similar.

[Norm dePlume]

I'm sure you somehow think that's a relevant inquiry. It might be, if the circumstances had been in any way similar.

Philando Castile was a black man with a carry permit who was shot and killed by police, whereas, this guy was a black man with a carry permit who was shot and killed by police. So, I don't see your point.