Mt Pleasant cop shoots bicyclist while euthanizing raccoon

[velcroMedic1987 330]

http://www.lohud.com/article/20110726/NEWS02/107260334/Bicyclist-struck-when-cop-shoots-raccoon-Mount-Pleasant-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

Mount Pleasant sure can't catch a break.

[OnTheWheel 43]

I believe they are not sure as to what hit the persons leg. I think the title of this thread is misleading and blows it out of proportion.

[bad box 371]

Perhaps you could elaborate as to why this is such a joke? I would like to hear from another "expert" on law enforcement procedures from someone in this forum who is in fact, not involved in law enforcement.

Anytime someone is injured through no apparent fault of their own, I am unable to see humor. I too would enjoy hearing what part of this incident is 'comical'. I wonder what chance (if any) there is of the civilian contracting rabies (if the animal proves to be rabid & if the projectile actually had passed through the animal prior to striking the bike rider) ...

[jayhalsey 6]

I always thought they used .22s to euthanize raccoons and other small animals. Is this no longer the case?

[ny10570 745]

I believe they are not sure as to what hit the persons leg. I think the title of this thread is misleading and blows it out of proportion.

At least the headline is technically correct. That alone is impressive for the Journal news.

[Haggerty 1029 16]

I always thought they used .22s to euthanize raccoons and other small animals. Is this no longer the case?

I know in my fathers PD they use their onduty Glock 22 .40s for raccoons.

[jayhalsey 6]

I know in my fathers PD they use their onduty Glock 22 .40s for raccoons.

Seems a little, pardon the pun, overkill, no?

[helicopper 1,050]

An even more fundamental question is why do people call the police to euthanize animals in the first place? How is this a police function? Unless it is a properly trained specialized unit/resource with the proper equipment, this is what's going to happen when you give a patrol cop, with patrol equipment, this assignment.

[SOUSGT 357]

At least the headline is technically correct. That alone is impressive for the Journal news.

Actually the headline is misleading, and the rider may have hit a branch or some other object and may have not been struck by an object not related to the shot. For some reason the article failed to mention if the slug was found in the animal, in the dirt or was never located.

[huzzie59 75]

As with everything -Believe none of what you hear, half of what you read and all of what you see.

[StOpGoBlUE 11]

I have seen a fair share of GSW. To every part of the body, even fragments down here in yonkers, txp many and a lot of the time they are in a lot of pain, I don't think if you got a fragment in your leg you would ride a bike 3 miles to a police station let's bee real here, its just another persons way of givng Mppd a bad name and its crazy...

[gamewell45 258]

An even more fundamental question is why do people call the police to euthanize animals in the first place? How is this a police function? Unless it is a properly trained specialized unit/resource with the proper equipment, this is what's going to happen when you give a patrol cop, with patrol equipment, this assignment.

I'm curious as to why the Park Police didn't euthanize the racoon themselves? Or are they unarmed?

[x129K 1,393]

I thought that was why cops carry clubs still....

[RZ502 12]

I have seen a fair share of GSW. To every part of the body, even fragments down here in yonkers, txp many and a lot of the time they are in a lot of pain, I don't think if you got a fragment in your leg you would ride a bike 3 miles to a police station let's bee real here, its just another persons way of givng Mppd a bad name and its crazy...

Couldnt have said it better myself buddy, I had a guy who was hit with a .22 round in the leg and he was in pain, and I could just imagine a .40. Ever been shot with a bb/ pellet gun... makes ya stop for a minute when ya get hit with it.... why wouldnt the rider attempt to notify police prior to his 3 mile ride, and or RMA until convinced??? Just my 2 cents

Edited July 28, 2011 by RZ502

[INIT915 1,119]

I'm curious as to why the Park Police didn't euthanize the racoon themselves? Or are they unarmed?

They are armed.

[x635 4,066]

There's no evidence IMO that this guy was hit in any way. He would have been way worse off had the rabid racoon attacked him. The Mount Pleasant Officer saved him from potentially more serious injuries.

[Goose 188]

There's no evidence IMO that this guy was hit in any way. He would have been way worse off had the rabid racoon attacked him. The Mount Pleasant Officer saved him from potentially more serious injuries.

I also agree there doesn't seem to be any real evidence of a bullet fragment striking this bicyclist. The only thing that seems relatively certain is that whatever he was hit with occurred shortly after he heard what appears to be this officer's weapon discharge. He may as well have been bit by road debris kicked up by a tractor trailer or surface traffic. I would think they would have some sort of contract with a 24/7 credentialed trapper or animal control company to deal with this sorta stuff.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

I also agree there doesn't seem to be any real evidence of a bullet fragment striking this bicyclist. The only thing that seems relatively certain is that whatever he was hit with occurred shortly after he heard what appears to be this officer's weapon discharge. He may as well have been bit by road debris kicked up by a tractor trailer or surface traffic. I would think they would have some sort of contract with a 24/7 credentialed trapper or animal control company to deal with this sorta stuff.

Or at least the towns Animal Control Officer...

[SOUSGT 357]

I thought that was why cops carry clubs still....

Never use a club, axe or even a pike pole on a suspected sick animal for two reasons. First you don't want to get that close (it may turn may bite you). Second you dont want any suspected rabid or any blood to splatter on you or your partner. Most police don't carry bio hazard suits.

[SOUSGT 357]

An even more fundamental question is why do people call the police to euthanize animals in the first place? How is this a police function? Unless it is a properly trained specialized unit/resource with the proper equipment, this is what's going to happen when you give a patrol cop, with patrol equipment, this assignment.

The department I retired from had such a protocol. They used a dart gun with a lethal dose of chemicals provided by a vet. The offficer had to make a determination if the animal appeared to be sick or just trapped or scared. There were a few calls where the animal appeared to be healthy but was disturbed by gardeners or workman and had no where to hide. The caller was often told that they had to stay clear of the animal until it got dark or left the area. Needles to say this did not sit well with someone want their children to be able to play in the yard.

Even darts had a risk. You had to take the same precautions as if using a high velocity firearm. If you missed and the dart skipped along a rock (and did not discharge) and hit some one, it would probibbly be more devastating then being hit with a rifle round. There was no antidote carried in the field nor anyone able to administer a countering agent.

This process put the officer under a lot of stress and many refused to use the dart gun.

[mfc2257 464]

Bullets travel at close to or above the speed of sound and thus it is impossible for him to have heard the shot and then been struck.... Case closed.

Edited July 28, 2011 by mfc2257

[helicopper 1,050]

Bullets travel at close to or above the speed of sound and thus it is impossible for him to have heard the shot and then been struck.... Case closed.

Don't take it so literally. Eyewitnesses are notoriously unreliable so his statement that he heard it and then felt it may not be correct. That's how his brain told him he should interpret it so that's how he remembers it.

[Haggerty 1029 16]

Seems a little, pardon the pun, overkill, no?

At this point all the officers carry is the glock, a shot gun with slugs, and the SGTs carry a bean bag shot gun and AR-15. So the glock is IMO the best choice, for deer its the shot gun.

[INIT915 1,119]

At this point all the officers carry is the glock, a shot gun with slugs, and the SGTs carry a bean bag shot gun and AR-15. So the glock is IMO the best choice, for deer its the shot gun.

A handgun works fine for deer. A shotgun isn't necessary.

[Haggerty 1029 16]

A handgun works fine for deer. A shotgun isn't necessary.

The dept. has found shot guns work better, especially after it took 13 rounds to put down a deer once. And yes all the rounds fired hit the deer but they went right through and the deer kept running in traffic.

[INIT915 1,119]

The dept. has found shot guns work better, especially after it took 13 rounds to put down a deer once. And yes all the rounds fired hit the deer but they went right through and the deer kept running in traffic.

Are you kidding? If the deer was still able to run in traffic after being shot 13 times, and able to outrun pursuing officers, he probably never needed to be euthanized in the first place!

Let me ask you this, how many deer have you euthanized roadside?

[x129K 1,393]

You HAVE to shoot a deer AND hit it in the right spot to kill it quickly and with one shot!

If I can do it with a little old bow and arrow, you coppers should have NO excuses! LOL

[helicopper 1,050]

You HAVE to shoot a deer AND hit it in the right spot to kill it quickly and with one shot!

If I can do it with a little old bow and arrow, you coppers should have NO excuses! LOL

Apples and oranges. Cops are trained to neutralize a threat posed by humans using deadly physical force. Deer anatomy is different and if you apply the same theory (aim for center mass) you won't hit anything vital in a deer.

Hunters train to drop deer. Cops train to drop bad guys. Big difference.

[x129K 1,393]

I could take a bad guy out with my bow at 50 yards...easily. LOL

[INIT915 1,119]

Apples and oranges. Cops are trained to neutralize a threat posed by humans using deadly physical force. Deer anatomy is different and if you apply the same theory (aim for center mass) you won't hit anything vital in a deer.

Hunters train to drop deer. Cops train to drop bad guys. Big difference.

Our agency euthanasizes deer (and other wildlife) pretty frequently. With deer, one shot to the head is all that is necessary.