Police in Alabama said Monday that a black man killed by a cop who believed he was responsible for a mall shooting “heightened the sense of threat” by pulling out his weapon at the scene.

“We can say with certainty Mr. Bradford brandished a gun during the seconds following the gunshots, which instantly heightened the sense of threat to approaching police officers responding to the chaotic scene,” said a statement from the city of Hoover and its police department.

Hoover police initially said Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford, 21, was responsible for wounding a 12-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man following an altercation at the Riverchase Galleria in Brimingham on Thanksgiving night.

About 20 hours later, they retracted the statement, saying it’s “unlikely” Bradford was involved.

“We extend sympathy to the family of Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., of Hueytown, who was shot and killed during Hoover Police efforts to secure the scene in the seconds following the original altercation and shooting,” the statement on Monday said. “The loss of human life is a tragedy under any circumstances.”

Bradford, an Army veteran, had a permit to carry a weapon, said his father.

Bradford’s parents told CNN on Monday that the cops still haven’t spoken with them, as they called on police to release body-camera video.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a good guy with a gun,” said Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney hired by the Bradford family. “If you’re black the police shoot and kill you and ask questions later.”


Hoover police said they turned over all available video to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department as part of the investigation.

They’re still hunting for the initial shooter.

https://nypost.com/2018/11/26/...l-shooting-cops-say/

quote:

Originally posted by werzjon229:

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a good guy with a gun,” said Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney hired by the Bradford family. “If you’re black the police shoot and kill you and ask questions later.”

Oh for fuck's sake.

Can we just stop with this crap?

quote:

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a good guy with a gun,” said Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney hired by the Bradford family.

He should have stopped there and left out the "black" part. This story was a reminder to me that just because I carry for self-protection, the cops do not know who I am and I could easily be mistaken as a threat.

Reason #234 that I consider my only job as a permit holder to get me and mine out of harm's way. I am not a cop and am not looking to engage a man with a gun unless it is absolutely necessary.

No judgements either way, but this story reminds me of the training we received in our first CHL class. The instructor said: "Before you draw, ask yourself this question: Will the introduction of my pistol into this situation improve it or make it worse? Sometimes it's better to be a good witness."

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
Reason #234 that I consider my only job as a permit holder to get me and mine out of harm's way. I am not a cop and am not looking to engage a man with a gun unless it is absolutely necessary.

+1000

It's not my fault that others take their self protection less seriously than I.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
Reason #234 that I consider my only job as a permit holder to get me and mine out of harm's way. I am not a cop and am not looking to engage a man with a gun unless it is absolutely necessary.

+1000

It's not my fault that others take their self protection less seriously than I.

I agree with you two.

So sad the cops shot too soon. They saw a gun and assumed bad guy. I think the media doesn't talk enough about armed good samaritans out there and thus very few think it could actually be a good guy with a gun.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by werzjon229:

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a good guy with a gun,” said Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney hired by the Bradford family. “If you’re black the police shoot and kill you and ask questions later.”

Oh for fuck's sake.

Can we just stop with this crap?

You do know who Benjamin Crum is, right? This guy is an Al Sharpton wannabee, and is a major race baiter. Just an excerpt from his biography...

"Benjamin Crump is a Tallahassee civil rights attorney who has received national attention for his involvement in high-profile cases, starting in 2012 when he represented the family of Trayvon Martin who was gunned down by George Zimmerman. In 2014 he worked on a similar case with the fatal shooting incident of Michael Brown and that same year, also represented the family of Tamir Rice, who, at 12 years old, was shot to death by a police officer in Cleveland, Ohio who mistook his toy gun for a real weapon.

There is a good lesson to learn from incidents like this. If one is not wearing a recognizable uniform, LEO or security, one must do everything possible not to be at the ready, with firearm in hand, when first respondents arrive on scene. If it is unavoidable, and one is not taking direct fire, immediately holster or drop the firearm to the ground; before being commanded too. Ideally, a firearm should be holstered once the direct threat is no longer present. Holding a perp at "gun point" for police, and presenting a firearm before a conscious decision to use deadly force has made is a recipe for disaster.

Bad deal all around.

The cops around here are an equal opportunity shooter.
Doesn't matter the skin color, they shoot white "good guy's" just as fast as anyone else.

Myself.. I keep that lil nugget of info stored away.
People with a gun in hand make a cop nervous, add in gunfire and you may just want to keep your heater out of sight unless absolutely necessary, even then you may may end being shot if the police are on scene and ready to engage.

quote:

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a good guy with a gun,” said Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney hired by the Bradford family. “If you’re black the police shoot and kill you and ask questions later.”

It's not a "race" thing it is a Po Po "training" thing.

quote:

this story reminds me of the training we received in our first CHL class. The instructor said: "Before you draw, ask yourself this question: Will the introduction of my pistol into this situation improve it or make it worse? Sometimes it's better to be a good witness."

Absolutely.

Been following this story some, very little actual details released. Our 16 YO niece was a couple stores away during, and my SIL was freaked out for the balance of the weekend. Well, still is.

All sorts of rumors ranging from he arrived with the shooter at the mall and was part of this originally to he was just a dude in the mall. In any event doesn't sound like he was engaged at the time in any positive or negative way, but as everyone noted running around a shooting scene with a gun out is risky for good and bad guys alike.

One of the most aggravating storylines is the continual use of his pic in uniform for the imagery. He was apparently never active after not completing some part of training, and I'm not sure what the hand-sign is in the photo but it's most likely not symbol for Army Strong.

This one has potential to get interesting.

Remember that thread the other day? A good but tragic lesson to those who thought it was a good idea to jump in the middle of a domestic situation WITH a gun.

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:

quote:

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a good guy with a gun,” said Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney hired by the Bradford family.

He should have stopped there and left out the "black" part. This story was a reminder to me that just because I carry for self-protection, the cops do not know who I am and I could easily be mistaken as a threat.

Reason #234 that I consider my only job as a permit holder to get me and mine out of harm's way. I am not a cop and am not looking to engage a man with a gun unless it is absolutely necessary.

Yep, absolutely. Truth is, it was the gun in his hand, not his skin color that got him shot. It’s a damn shame and a cautionary tale to those of us who carry. If the police show up, don’t have a gun in your hand.

I think he chose poorly. He didn’t need to be lay-police.

This is naturally a big story around here. My family is actually at that mall this very moment. Word from acquaintances who were there is that there were numerous people, presumably CCW permit holders, running around with weapons drawn in the aftermath of the first shooting. It's the biggest mall in Alabama, so I'm sure there will be plenty of video to help sort out why Mr. Bradford was shot.

quote:

About 20 hours later, they retracted the statement, saying it’s “unlikely” Bradford was involved.

What Hoover PD actually said was that they believed he was involved in the altercation, but that it was unlikely he was the shooter.

Also, multiple reports show he graduated Boot Camp, but was separated during AIT.

I too have been following this closely. Lots of misinformation going around for sure.

Here's "Li Glock's" FB page - surprised it hasn't been scrubbed yet.
I also wonder what the sign he's throwing means as it's in a lot of his pics. Not to mention his gun (usually in his pocket or covered by "hearts" - except he missed the mag and muzzle on a few.)

https://www.facebook.com/Br4yzEj

Once bad guys are down the best practice is to get to cover and watch the bad guy with your gun in your holster. Show hands immediately upon cops rolling in and prep to be cuffed up until the dust settles. Please keep in mind even if your the hero in these a bunch of people just saw you shot someone which is what they will tell responders.

If the gad guy is down hard and you have a second calling in to 911, telling them the shooter is down and giving them a location and description of what you look like to identify yourself as not the bad guy isnt a bad plan.

Let me see if I'm following this correctly....

Deceased A -- nicknamed Lil' Glock - has FB page full of gang signs.

Deceased B - nickname unknown - has pics full of gang signs.


What's the common denominator here?