Police decline Ohio man's request to shoot him, even when he rushes an officer
Boston Police have released details on their encounter with the guy they say refused to move his car off Boylston Street in Copley Square yesterday as they were trying to get the street ready for the Greek Independence Day parade.
Police say an officer in a cruiser pulled up behind Udaykumar Patel , 25, parked in front of Old South around 12:19 p.m. yesterday, and turned on his blue lights and siren in an attempt to make Patel move. When that didn't work, the cop got on his cruiser loudspeaker and told him to move his car:
Additionally, the officer observed that the driver had interlocked his fingers behind his head in such a way as if to suggest he was in no rush or urgency to move his vehicle. Seeing this, the officer exited his cruiser and approached the driver's window.
As the officer got closer to the suspect’s car, the driver flung the door open, raised his hands and started yelling: “I'm unarmed!!! I'm unarmed!!!” At this point, the officer told suspect to calm down, return to his car and move his vehicle. After which, the suspect calmed down and acknowledged that he needed to move his vehicle. When the suspect returned to his car, the officer backed away from the vehicle and waited for the vehicle to move. About a minute later, the vehicle remained stationary and, again, the suspect flung the car door open and again jumped out of his vehicle. Sensing danger and feeling that an immediate physical attack was likely imminent and unable to see if the suspect was in possession of a weapon, the officer unholstered his firearm for his own safety and protection. The officer then observed the suspect walking around in circles, waving his arms and yelling: “I'm unarmed!!! (Expletive) kill me!!!” Seeing that the suspect was - in fact - not armed, the officer returned his firearm to his holster and again encouraged the suspect to calm down. Instead, the suspect, while yelling incoherently and waving his arms in a threatening manner, started walking towards the officer. At this point, the officer ordered the suspect to place his hands on the trunk of the car. The suspect refused and continued to yell incoherently.
As the officer was calling in his location and requesting additional units to respond to his location, the suspect again walked towards the officer with a crazed look on his face. Again, the officer ordered the suspect to back up and stop. When the suspect ignored the officer’s legal instructions and continued walking towards him, the officer, in an effort to create distance and allow more time for back-up officers to arrive, shoved the suspect in the upper chest with an open hand knocking the suspect back. The suspect approached the officer several more times and each time the officer shoved the suspect back. The suspect never used his hands or feet to assault officer but just kept approaching him in a menacing manner. Numerous pedestrians were stopping on the street witnessing the incident. When back-up units arrived, the suspect complied and placed his hands on the roof of his vehicle. Suspect was placed in handcuffs and secured.
Police say that inside the car, officers found "a notebook opened to a page with several references to elected officials coupled with disrespectful and profane language" as well as "a wire protruding from the trunk area near the back window."
That brought the bomb squad and led police to shut the intersection of Dartmouth and Boylston and the Green Line Copley Square stop until the bomb squad declared the item safe.
Patel, of Ohio, faces arraignment on charges of being a disorderly person and failing to obey a police officer.
Innocent, etc.
Ad:
Comments
Good news
No police department has an unblemished record on use of force and race relations. That said, I think the officers of the Boston Police Department do a highly intelligent and professional job and that makes our city better for everyone. Good for them, and here's hoping other police departments follow their example.
"A notebook opened to a page with several references to elected
officials coupled with disrespectful and profane language"
I thought this was a news site.
Must be so fun
to be a cop these days. God bless them all
Additionally, the officer
Considering how he reacted when the cop approached (the "I'm unarmed!!!" part), this was probably the guy preemptively putting his hands behind his head so they wouldn't think he was dangerous.
So what did this turn out to be? A wire to a broken third taillight or audio system or some such thing?