nchawkeye

I haven't read all the post but do live in the area and have had a few things mentioned by the folks that live close by...

1) They have a neighbor that had been caught on their land a few times and run off...
2) The Game Warden was not in uniform but in camo...
3) The old gentleman was very hard of hearing...

Now, those 2 facts can lead to a lack of communication as to who was slipping through the woods and walked up on the older gentleman...When you add in the fact that a neighbor had been run off then you begin to realize that IF there were bait in the area maybe the older gentleman didn't even know it was there...

Lanse couche couche

Blackheel,

My question isdid the situation really even need to reach the point where you two guys out in the woodswith agun being pointed? We know what needed to be done IF the GW's version of the story is completely true. Up until that point of no return, however,things likely could have been handled muchbetter.

Stonewall308

Allegedly. Dead men tell no tales,which is convenientfor Johnny Rambo who was sneaking around in camo on private property enforcing corn pile regulations.

rogerstv

Been monitoring the post and need to add my $0.02.

I was on the CPOs side for a while and still probably am because if the hunter complied, then nothing would have happened - presumably.

However, my question is why camo? Neither the bait pile nor the 76 year old man is going to run away when the CPO walks up and catches him red handed. Going in to that situation, I am wearing blaze orange and keeping a large tree between us until the situation is diffused.

I think the CPO is over zealous playing Johnny Rambo like Stonewall states and could have handled the situation in a manner that would have not led to a shooting.

blackheel

and what is wrong with enforcing the game laws of our state? He was well within his rights to enforce corn pile regulations.

Lanse couche couche

The authorities are in their rights to send in a SWAT team to arrest you while you are at the local shooting range holding a loaded gun if you have forgetten to pay atraffic ticket and a bench warrant is issued. However, LEO rights have to be balanced with common sensein some instances.

Stonewall308

I just have trouble believing that a LEO with a level head on his shoulders couldn't have avoided this situation entirely. It is undeniable that if you have a gun intentionally pointed at you that you should react to protect yourself. However it seems exceedingly likely, virtually certain, that such an escalation could have been avoided.

What was said? What was the demeanor of the two parties involved? Was their some confusion because of a hearing disability? Was their confusion about the identity of the game warden? Did he show identification? Did he identify himself immediately?

Every+70 year old I have ever met was as harmless as a fly and probably would have gladly accepted a citation just for the opportunity to have someone to talk to.

On the contrary, I have seen more than a handful of LEO who are completely out of line, on a power trip, and not understanding or patient about some confusion or misunderstanding that a citizen has. In the last year alone videos have come out showing LEOs beating up little 90 lb. kids with skateboards, dumping people out of wheelchairs onto the ground, elbowing and bodyslamming teenage girls and then picking them up by their hair, etc.. Its true that laws are laws and need to be obeyed; its also true that citizens are people and sometimes a little patience goes a long long way.

stealthycat II

everything is alleged by the game warden - there are no facts available that says the old man pointed a gun, or said what he said is there?