Did Deputy Kill Unarmed Man to Protect Her Ego? | Christopher Lee Mercurio and Lorena Gonzalez

This video answers the question: Can I analyze case of Christopher Lee Mercurio and Lorena Gonzalez?
Support Dr. Grande on Patreon: / drgrande
Subscribe to the Bella Grande Media Podcast: / @bellagrandemedia
Dr. Grande’s book Harm Reduction:
www.amazon.com...
Dr. Grande's book Psychology of Notorious Serial Killers: www.amazon.com...
Check out Dr. Grande’s merchandise at: teespring.com/...
References:
• Critical Incident Brie...
signalscv.com/...
policetribune....
lasd.org/wp-co...

[@truthfactmysteryfictionfan7138]

Non biased, non judgemental, and a fair analysis. Thanks again Doc, you rock.

[@DrDemented9885]

💯

[@globes179]

This is my hometown - I used to work at that mall - and the police station is literally about one minute away from there (walking distance down Magic Mountain Parkway). And (and this is a big "and") the cops in this town are known for sending an overabundance of officers to respond to every incident. I can't begin to fathom why a single female officer was sent to deal with a violent trespasser. If I had to speculate - I'd say it was due to the close proximity of the police station. Since it was just around the corner, they could pop over, take a look, and send more if need be. But I really don't know. At any rate, it was a death without reason.

[@throbbinwoodofcoxley6830]

Dude, I’m an og cop hater, but this was 100% suicide by cop. No one has the responsibility to back down to someone stalking them like a damn animal.

[@seanrodgers7327]

I worked in that mall as a teenager. The sheriffs department is literally across the street from the mall.

[@user-ox2mg4gi6p]

They moved in to the mall in 2017.

[@nonkama-uj5cy]

Damn you dudes worked and or got stuff some from the same place? Just some crazy homeless dude.

[@nonkama-uj5cy]

Just be cautious though kids. People warn ya. He prolly did suicide by cop not finished yet.

[@cheryl7011]

Excellent analysis, thank you 😊 xxx

[@nonkama-uj5cy]

@@user-ox2mg4gi6p wait the homeless dude or the police he prolly slept outside of it. Cops where there because of a variety of issues I figs.

[@frankhanson9260]

This is a tough situation for any officer when a perp, who out weighs you by 100 lbs, refuses to acknowledge your commands and your authority to tell them what to do. On top of that, the perp threatens you verbally and physically and walks towards you unafraid. So, what should the Officer do in that situation. What does the training manual say about this situation. Every Police SOP is likely different. We will definitely find out if this case every goes to Trial.

[@cheryl7011]

​@@okarowarriorstandard operating procedure

[@TheIronWord]

It should have never gotten to that point.

[@bloodycupcake219]

Didn't she have a tazer?

[@angelise367]

@@bloodycupcake219 if a bullet didn’t stop him how it’s designed to I don’t think a taser would have did anything except agitate him even more..

[@Kgosha]

​@@bloodycupcake219A taser can't penetrate a jacket. Even loose t-shirts occasionally stop the barbs.

[@elkelewtschuk9894]

Police officers are trained, (or should be trained) to talk down aggressive people. I don't believe this shooting should have happened. The man wasn't going anywhere. His intention was to sleep in the doorway. With that in mind, the Officer could have returned to her car and called for backup if she felt threatened. In the alternative, the Officer could have shot to wound, not to kill. Unless of course Officers are trained to shoot to kill in every situation.

[@aaaarrrgggghh]

Because you are a Cupid Stunt and don't understand what she ordered him to do. Maybe you don't understand English. You speak it but do not understand.

[@malaika4960]

"Threatened violence?" He actually offered violence!

[@lizb4156]

She has legs to leave.

[@firekind1980]

@@lizb4156 You want a cop to leave someone who's threatening to kill people alone? You sound like a BLM supporter.

[@Parkhurst12-79]

@@lizb4156 Police are trained and paid not to leave

[@linkny2914]

@@Parkhurst12-79 so they should be physically capable of taking down unarmed men.

[@Parkhurst12-79]

@@linkny2914 This wasn’t a Hollywood skit, this was real life. Cops have guns for a reason. In this situation the guys superior strength was his weapon

[@John_Doe62]

As someone from South Africa, which is currently the country with the 3rd highest crime rate and 9th highest murder rate (higher than ukraine), envy living in the US. You guys should stop complaining about police being trigger happy and be glad you have a functional police force! Our shopping centers are full of homeless people and are therefore probably the place with most robberies.

[@dalepointer9414]

A mundane encounter turns deadly. * He was threatening, claiming to kill. He had a bulky jacket with his hands in his pocket and possibly a weapon inside with his finger on the trigger. * She could have left him alone and waited for back-up. * He was wanting to die buy cop-suicide. * He could have been a combat veteran and decided to hold his ground at all cost. * The end result for the officer-- a mundane situation turning into a life time of remorse or inflated contentment while protecting life and property. Only she knows. * Homeless gentleman-- homicide. Life on the streets -- cops or homeless-- ain't easy. Deadly force is the last and only last straw. I know a police officer who shot a handcuffed man who ran from his patrol car in an attempt to get away. The officer shot him several times as he was running. Nothing happened. The suspect died. That was thirty-years ago. He still brags about it.

[@privard89]

Police: there is a large aggressive man at Macy's making threats let's send a female cop by herself

[@RabbitFighter]

Yes, whoever made that decision should be fired. Clearly 3 or 4 cops should have went on this call. The body cam video, with sound, tells you that.

[@dwightk.schrute8696]

@@RabbitFighter agreed, here in czechia they usually send 2-4 big boy cops even if the suspect is 150lbs soaking wet. this is sickening ...

[@RabbitFighter]

@@dwightk.schrute8696 agreed. It almost seems like some sort of prank was played on the female officer. As the OP wrote. "Let's send her to this call, it'll be hilarious!" NOT at all funny. Sad.

[@maximinus5151]

Why can't a female handle the situation? I've been told by modern day feminists and their male sympathizers that there is no difference between the sexes and they should be treated equally.

[@kittygirl171979]

You can not know someone is unarmed without searching them

[@frankhanson9260]

and he had his hands in his pockets. the officer never told him to show his hands. i thought that was odd.

[@lewisner]

​@frank hanson and he had "army" on his coat and implied he was a veteran.

[@anthonyd7581]

Yeah right, cops could have just used the super x-ray powers to see he wasn't concealing any weapons on his person.

[@mountainlove5531]

Damn right! Simply put and 100% accurate

[@tashaposlaniec8009]

Which is why she should have waited for backup

[@Latoree33]

I believe he came to that area to die. It just seemed to be easier for some people to let the police kill them than to do it themselves. I don't know where this man was mentally but when he said security for the whole country. He wasn't afraid to die.

[@VIK_1903]

It does look like suicide by cop.

[@irishgotee]

I agree. A sad person who was tired of being sad so, he became dangerous to put an end to his sadness.

[@Raev222]

Was my first thought too..

[@JeremyHelm]

Very tidy thoughts here

[@LBdreamin]

The known and accepted existing low threshold for police to commit homicide on a civilian is a driving force in these "suicide by cops" incidents. It'll outweigh that civilian's suicidal motivation. Thus, these incidents have a cry for help period where a potential successful mental health intervention could happen. There should be a mental health training program that could produce specialized officers designed to deal with these crises (similar to K-9 units). There's an opportunity to save lives instead of dispatching them.

[@jacquelinefernandez2195]

How the hell was he standing, walking and so calm after being shot! Damn

[@kaidenvideoshows4414]

Its not like the movies or TV. Bullets and guns do strange things. I saw an individual hit 5 times in the chest with a 45 at near point blank range, and still kept fighting for another minute, he had zero reaction, even tho the bullets destroyed his heart, he kept going.

[@garfjaconsen1161]

Drugs

[@comanchecounty4149]

Demon possession.

[@robinrobyn1714]

I was wondering about that!!!

[@globes179]

Teddy Roosevelt got shot point blank in the chest during a speech - he finished his speech and sought medical aid like an hour later.

[@user-ne4fp2ts3n]

I’m kind of torn on this one. On one hand, I can’t help but wonder how differently things could have gone had she just heard him out. In the beginning of the video it seemed like he wanted to vent which could have led to a more peaceful agreement. Or if it was starting to escalate allow her to wait for backup. But the minute he struck her I feel like she was within her right to use any force she saw fit. It’s easy for us who are not in the shoes of a cop that there were ways we would handle it. Putting myself in her shoes I can see what led her to what she did.

[@cathybassett6432]

She could have avoided being struck if she had retreated and waited for backup.

[@user-ne4fp2ts3n]

@@cathybassett6432 in hindsight it could have happened that way but she probably wasn’t expecting for it to take a turn like that. If she handles a ton of similar calls with a usual outcome, like any job I feel like even law enforcement can be blindsided by an encounter not going routinely. Overall I think it was justified but a lot of missteps on how she handled it.

[@imaner76]

"But the minute he struck her I feel like she was within her right to use any force she saw fit" Sorry, but no. Basics steps before hand would have prevented this. Going to the actions that you'd find unacceptable is not transferrable to an officer with a gun.

[@LostSoulsmusic22]

Police are trained to always use taser or mace on someone who has no weapon. This is a story of a woman who decided not to train in self defensive martial arts in her spare time so when she got hit she freaked out.

[@lisah.6857]

If he wants to vent, he can call his congressman.

[@aimeehemingway9271]

I love your videos because they encourage viewers to use critical thinking as well as educates...but most importantly your humor is the best...this video is not an example , but sometimes your humor has me on the floor laughing.

[@lilyrrichard236]

Dr Grande seems to know when humor is appropriate and when its not. He's the best 😊

[@papi-champoo6033]

Critical thinking in a heated situation that you don't know the outcome or what the individual is capable of is not how this works. He could've had a weapon in his personal belongings. How would you know? What's his background? In the actual video, he mentioned something about serving in Iraq or somewhere in the Middle East. Whether that's true or not, how would you or anyone know at that moment? He could definitely be a huge danger to her. He could be on drugs as well? So "Critical thinking" is absolutely a stupid and non practical term to use. No information was given on the guys' background, so we don't know if he was a homeless vet suffering from ptsd. Maybe she could've used her taser, but that may have done nothing either. Again, we'll never know.

[@sjappiyah4071]

@@papi-champoo6033 You clearly weren’t paying attention, the commenter said Dr.Grande encouraged his own KZbin channel viewers to use critical thinking. Not the subjects in the video….

[@herrguru4264]

I`m sorry but I just dont get it. - He punched her multiple times, but he didnt have a knife. He didnt have a gun. Her life was not in *immediate* danger. - *She has a tazer. She has a pepper spray. She could have arrested him for trespassing and assaulting a police officer. Instead... she decides to kill him?* *I just dont understand why police officers have tazer and pepper spray, but then decide to kill unarmed people instead. I`m sorry, but she must go to prison for manslaughter. there were better ways of dealing with this mess other than shooting him dead* (By the way she also lied, that he punched her to the ground).

[@aimeehemingway9271]

@@papi-champoo6033 I was referring to viewers of Dr. Grande. Go back and read my post again. I specifically said " I love your video's because they encourage people to use critical thinking and educate.

[@paulwolf8444]

Once he said, "I AM NOT LEAVING," ninety percent of people would be able to recognize that she would not be able to physically make him by herself. Words were not working. Take a step back, get backup, and be patient. He obviously had no intention to leave his spot, and it WOULD REQUIRE physical means to do so. This was just pathetic. Or maybe she had been pressured by management for not being able to handle things by herself.

[@coolcatrich]

There is a stigma against female cops not being able to handle situations by themselves. So they feel a need to prove themselves through these types of interactions.

[@SoulDelSol]

​@@coolcatrich they need to be able to do the job which includes taking down large men without using deadly force. Just as you wouldn't be hired as bra model you have to be able to do job

[@u-neekusername4430]

It could be pressure not just by management, but co-works as well - there is still a lot of prejudice & discrimination against female officers with-in the force. They are often considered weaker & unable to handle situations "like a man". If this was occurring, it would absolutely explain her not wanting to call for back-up for a person without a weapon. Even though if would have been appropriate & acceptable for a male office to call for back-up, in a discriminatory situation it would be held against her anyway. Just ask any female who's entered a male dominated industry throughout history, being good isn't enough you have to be above & beyond - thus beyond reproach & criticism - "the best". Is this what happened here? Who knows, this is not a diagnosis, this is just my opinion about what could be happening in a situation like this. (one of many things that could be happening)

[@MandrakeDCR]

@@u-neekusername4430 It's not prejudice nor bigotry, it is indeed discrimination - normal discrimination. The lowering of the bar to pass the physical exams has allowed women and puffball men to enter the force. Then number of unnecessary fatal encounters has increased because of it. End of list. White knights are going to be the end of society if we don't get past this crap. Teaching small people - women or men regardless - that they can be ANYTHING they want if they just put their mind to it, and shuffle them into positions like Police, Fire, Military, here they can't defend themselves without resorting to lethal force, they can't break down a door to get to you or carry you out, etc. - then we're going to just keep getting more of this. All the while you people make excuses for them.

[@ChairmanTrump]

Capitalism caused this death. Why is he homeless? Capitalism. If the government actually taxed the wealthy at reasonable rates she wouldn’t have been alone. The department would have every unit doubled through proper government funding from taxes. The top 0.1% have over $10 trillion in offshore accounts and nobody is angry about that?? Source is Pandora Papers. Capitalism is the problem.

[@paullovio7909]

I don't think she was capable of thinking about escape routes, she was so scared of being attacked that she pulled out her gun and gave him the choice of either stop or she'll shoot him.

[@destresschiropractic]

Totaly agree. When youve been hit, and the cortisol pumps through your veins, clear calm thinking is usually not on the table for us non anti social types.

[@carolnahigian9518]

this is so SAD& clearly he a MENTAL.

[@tomgardner5006]

It's not a police officer's job to escape from an attacker. He got what he paid for.

[@katiekarakondis3348]

Why kill him? Shoot him in the leg stupid woman.

[@nagantm441]

​@@tomgardner5006it's also not a police officers job to shoot someone who's resistance doesn't meet the threshold for deadly force.

[@BanjoMic3728]

Agreed Dr grande has some of the best jokes I've literally ever heard... "The couple started vomiting. This is not surprising because they were driving through new Jersey". Not from this video but one of my favorites.

[@SharonNolfi]

I disagree with this analysis. This man was a menace, refusing to obey security and the officer. In addition, he physically threatened and attacked her. I don't think a police officer should be held to the standard of a mental health professional. No one really knows if he was "asking for help". Similarly, no one knows whether Lorena's ego was an issue here. Aggressive homeless people are a real problem here in Southern California, a problem which politicians have failed to address. No police officer should be expected to solve problems that powerful individuals choose to ignore. Lorena had a right to protect herself, just as Christopher had a responsibility to act in a lawful manner after many repeated warnings.

[@WendiKristyna]

Well if you watch the video what we do know is he had mental issues; he is not making sense. We also know that she put herself in an unsafe situation by continuing to argue with a large man with mental deficits. Putting her hands on him wasn't smart either. It is amazing to me that you Californians love to complain and bash homeless people and blame politicians yet don't do anything to effect change....you just want to allow cops to kill those that inconvenience you? It amazes me that so many of you expect someone with mental illness(es) to think and act logically and make decisions like someone with a healthy brain. Mental. Illness. It's almost like you don't know how to use empathy or compassion.

[@shaunhayward]

Having watched the video, it seemed cut-and-dry at first, but your analysis helped me see it from the other angles. This is why I really appreciate your channel.

[@nefelikousi9782]

that was my first reaction as well. For a moment I thought the title was just clickbait then I realized what the argument was.

[@justinafuchs2619]

@@nefelikousi9782 His main argument is an assumption about her ego. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t impressed with that explanation ..

[@cheryl7011]

​@@justinafuchs2619analysis is the opposite of assumptions, considering the options, evidence and likelihood of each factor. Each element was balanced against the outcome either way, she could have backed off and he lived, or she fired and he died. It's a fair and determined analysis and not overly critical. Did you watch it 😮?

[@iwearmarkV1]

It was incredibly cut and dry. It's why it's a closed case justified shooting. Thankfully the law is pretty clear about these things.

[@coreyms63]

All I got from this was that female officers should call for backup. I thought she did an outstanding job of standing her ground to protect those who called for protection.

[@BabyBishRemy]

This happened in my town. In our local boards it was mentioned by a retired dispatcher used the dispatcher on the call used the wrong code with the officers. That the officers came in blind, not knowing Mercurio was as unhinged as he was. The 911 call sounded very casual and the dispatcher doesn't seemed concerned with the security guard mention of how the guy was asking to be removed by headlock and other violent actions. Had the call clarified the danger when she probably would have been sent there with a partner.

[@ralphalvarez5465]

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is notorious for using a smoke and mirrors approach to deployment. They say they will have 4 units working an area but that means 4 deputies in 4 units. In more violent areas such as Century Station, they deploy 2 deputy units but in "quieter areas" they deploy 1 man units. It seems like they are more concerned about grabbing more areas such as Compton, MTA Green Line and Blue Line rather than taking care of deputies safety. It's easy to blame a dispatcher rather than the tactics and deployment of a major Sheriff's Department. I watched a short pursuit in an area covered by LASD Norwalk and the suspects threw a handgun out of the vehicle. The suspects crashed and the deputy had to maintain control of 2 gang members as well as lookyloos who were wandering downrange. It took responding units over 5 minutes to arrive at the scene. It was about 9 at night and it seemed like forever that he was by himself. Totally unacceptable.

[@throbbinwoodofcoxley6830]

@@ralphalvarez5465that’s life in a city.

[@jennyjay7816]

Your timing of the guy saying “you know what “ was perfect. 😂☮️

[@LaniLanilei]

I caught that too

[@TRamone01]

I think once he struck her, it is hard to say what might have happened after that. He could have ended up with her gun. Who knows. He was shot coming at her. Stand your ground is so popular in areas of the country. It may be her training discouraged fleeing.

[@tomruth9487]

@TRamone01, That's a very good point. What if he would have killed her? Do cops not carry tasers anymore?

[@209er2]

She shouldve left the second he said I'm not leaving. Any female should not get into an obvious physical confrontation with a full grown man

[@MakerInMotion]

​@@209er2 What would be the point of employing cops if they ran like cowards at the first sign of danger? She was sent to resolve the situation. She can't leave.

[@TRamone01]

I should have said, once he struck the OFFICER. The man was told to stop or I'll shoot by an officer who had gun drawn. And he did not stop.

[@lizb4156]

​@@MakerInMotion Well don't employ women then and what if it's a big muscle man and an ordinary man?

[@gnuwaves743]

I've never seen a police officer "walk away" from an aggressive suspect.

[@TWats1]

They wait for back up all the time🤷🏾‍♀️

[@flaccidego4291]

My cousin is a cop (seargent) After these typed of police cam videos come out, his liutenant always asks after showing the video "what was the right way to handle this situation"--- not "what would u have done?" But "What was the right way to handle the situation" - there's only one right way & that way was to back off after he became verbally aggressive & wait for back up. My cousin says the problem with police these days is twofold. Poor training & quite simply that there are way too many people who chose to become police officers who never should've chosen the life. He says "the life" because being a cop is a calling. A special calling. Too many cops don't have that special calling & chose to be in law enforcement for the wrong reasons.

[@robertgiles9124]

@@TWats1 Yup, people lie about Cops all the time though. gnu waves would call Mommy I bet.

[@terryKessler42719]

I think this deputy was well within her right to defend herself. It was self defense.

[@LaniLanilei]

She could have shot in the knee

[@ZombolicBand]

She put herself in that situation and now he is dead. She should have backed off(like any normal cop would) and called backup. American cops scare me more than any horror movie... its like giving a rifle to a boy scout.

[@jwhippet8313]

​@@LaniLanilei you always aim center mass. If the situation doesn't justify killing a person, it doesn't justify using a firearm.

[@LaniLanilei]

@@jwhippet8313 Was this a justified shooting? I say no. The officer was at fault. IMO. When she did not allow Chris to talk to her she only made it worst. She could have let him vent until backup arrived. Or, use her pepper spray or taser on him. She could have called an Ambulance.

[@jwhippet8313]

@@LaniLanilei , I'm with you. I think she was obviously wrong.

[@D45VR]

Alternative scenario- she retreats to her car and he wanders off then randomly attacks someone before other officer(s) arrive...?

[@colbypatterson8273]

He seemed like he just wanted to chill lol

[@elitegamer8351]

Just watched the video, uncut. She is a tiny officer with a tiny voice. Either she went there to prove herself, or got sent there as a prank by her seniors. Im guessing none of them expected her to ventilate the guy.

[@RabbitFighter]

The man was very aggressive and threatening. Looked perfectly able to fight it out with a man, let alone this officer. He did not seem like he was just looking for help, at all. Seemed like a bully. I did wonder if she was sent there, alone, as a joke, or some type of test.

[@yatesmsw]

Did she know he was unarmed? I might’ve missed that part. Just a sad situation all around. Thank you Dr. grande.

[@martyal]

He had fists and wasn’t afraid to use them.

[@JohnGalt916]

In my opinion, if hes not naked, i cant trust hes unarmed. You can hide a knife in that windbreaker.

[@tomgardner5006]

It doesn't matter that he was unarmed. That is a false argument against the use of deadly force. I'm 60 years old. There are circumstances I would be justified using deadly force now that would not have been justified 20 years ago. Her job was not to retreat. It's on him he decided to attack a female officer-she's not going to win a fist fight and she is not there to retreat. He owns this, 100% Good shoot.

[@joniroake4426]

He physically attacked her. She doesn't have to wait for him to brandish a weapon.

[@drstevenbrule]

Everyone knows the most reasonable way to deal with fists is always a gun

[@sbrooke210]

It was 11 PM. Macy's would be closed. What's the harm of letting him sleep there? The employee should just go home and he would probably be gone in the morning.

[@ricksomething]

This analysis is horrible and so wrong. So, now cops are expected to run away? They've already been told to stand down in places like Chicago, where the crime rate is off the charts. Maybe you're safe in your gated community, but us normal people want our cops to take control of the situation and to execute the law.

[@lustrazor44]

Incredible how you go to the most extreme example. She SHOULD have backed off here and called for backup. We dont kill people over shit like this in other western countries. You dont want them to execute the law, you want them to execute people. You should be a cop. They like hiring stupid people in the states.

[@victoriajohnson4420]

Dr. Grande, are you seriously suggesting that a police officer should actually run away from an aggressive perpetrator? Especially a female officer? She'd be rightfully fired ASAP. Our society extends far too much tolerance to the people who make our neighborhoods dangerous, and gives far too little support to those who try to protect us by confronting these aggressive and unstable individuals.

[@spritecranberry420]

Dr. Grande, did we watch the same video? He literally lunged towards her, she had no other option than to shoot. If he got her and apprehended her, then people would say she wasn't fit for this job. This happened in my own town and I am glad police is finally doing something about the transient issue. I feel your analysis is very biased

[@imaner76]

Never underestimate fear. Especially when faced with perceived unreasonable aggression. Officers need to protect first.

[@gazepskotzs4]

If she is scared this quick a les stressfull job would be better for her and her victim.

[@imaner76]

@@gazepskotzs4 indeed.

[@cliffmathew]

Fear when having a gun is worse than fear without a gun.

[@imaner76]

@@cliffmathew it is, but fear can be manged with training. Trained options are belter than reactive ones. All the realistic trainable options left the room on this encounter.

[@dishonoredundead]

I remember back in the day when cops used tactics. Stalled for backup, surrounded people, tried negotiating to nonviolent outcomes. Now it's just shoot. Just always shoot. You see a car with someone drunk the passenger seat? Don't block them in, don't use stop sticks, don't take cover, just scream and then shoot when they wake up panicked. They don't even try for de-escalation anymore, they refuse to use tactics, they refuse to value life, it's just about ego. The way they handle things today you'd think they were paid by the kill. Not a single person is asking a cop to put themselves in danger. Not a single person suggested she try to fight him all by herself. Or to even approach him and be within striking distance. And yet here we are again, conflating "officer safety" with just shooting everything. As if they are analogous. Officer safety is backup, numbers, tactics, training, equipment, overwhelming force. Not sprint up and shoot...

[@lulukazhila6309]

It's easy to judge & treat the homeless like lepers & inconveniences to society. Not all of them are bad people. Some are. Some aren't & just get so battered & beaten down by life that they become angry & hardened in heart. Some are just mentally ill. Some are just harmless & fell on tough times. It's unfortunate his life ended the way it did, justified or not. I wonder what his story was. I think the cop could have tried harder to avoid shooting him as Dr Grande has stated. Maybe he was mentally ill.

[@nefelikousi9782]

you mean to say that homeless can be good and bad just like the rest of the population? It is as if they are human!

[@paulinecowan9066]

He was unarmed.

[@lulukazhila6309]

@@RVWUSA1776 Yes that's true. But if she received good training, I'm pretty sure that part of that training would involve learning to assess the risks in situations as accurately as is humanly possible before resorting to deadly force. Deadly force should be the last resort, not the first. Who wants to live in a world where cops end more lives than they save.

[@johnnyearp52]

​@Searching for Ufos After hitting a cop they would take him to jail not a mental hospital. There are more mentally ill people in jail or prison than in mental hospitals in the USA.

[@lulukazhila6309]

@@SandraMcLemoreTMM Really? Do you no more about this case?

[@ottomattix86]

Who knows what he had hidden at that point. He struck her. She raised her gun so at that point he knew what the stakes were.

[@vladimirputindreadlockrast812]

Exactly.

[@felbicky6333]

Was looking for this comment 👍

[@aterryadg]

Exactly and what if he knocked her out? Would he have stopped there?

[@cathybassett6432]

She could have avoided being struck or at less tried.

[@ottomattix86]

@@cathybassett6432 I would agree that this may have been avoided if the perp was in a rational enough state. He wasn't, at least with her.

[@thierrymarcellus9082]

Thank you for being fair in all your analyses, Dr. Grande.

[@NASAastronautStep-Mom]

She was threatened and hit physically, once she pulled her gun for protection she could not allow him to take the gun from her. You are correct that she failed to use other options that would have prevented this man's death.

[@zzzz-sf5lr]

You cant reason with insane. Did you hear him say he wanted to kill ? It was his fault. He should've backed down... he is dead by his own actions.

[@xCmDrunkX]

He said he thinks it was warranted..but to fire the second shot that killed him wasnt…

[@Kangaroojack1986]

A bum was actually told he had to follow rules in California, and this happens. No wonder they let them shit in the streets 😂

[@Ocinneade345]

@@Kangaroojack1986 not in the right state of mind. I hope you are not against housing people.

[@basscataz]

​@@Ocinneade345 in who's house, yours?

[@TAB1127...]

He threatened her with words then acted on it by hitting her. He continued to approach her and she shot him. She did absolutely nothing wrong. This man was obviously a very violent human.

[@ralphalvarez5465]

Could you imagine what he would do to a regular citizen that wasn't armed?

[@magilem8075]

@@ralphalvarez5465 you don’t have to imagine. He talks about it in this video right at the beginning!

[@TacitusR]

She could have called for additional units to assist (the best option), she also had non-lethal means available, pepper spray, baton, taser. However when she got popped in the mouth it rattled her and she went into fear mode because she knew she would not prevail in a physical fight. She is the one who escalated the encounter into a deadly shooting by attempting to dominate instead of investigate the situation. The man was not a threat to anyone who was not confronting him and was not a flight risk as he also communicated that he wanted to lie down and be left alone. He was clearly frustrated with his unfortunate circumstances and was at the end of his rope and merely wanted to sleep instead of being harassed. Just a moment's reflection on his plight and an attempt to provide some understanding could have prevented this needless loss of life. These issues are handled far differently in the UK and consequently seldom does anyone lose their life as a result. US police forces seem to have a policy of confront and escalate which too often ends with unnecessary killing. US police behavior bears more resemblance to an occupying security force than a civilian policing agency.

[@frostypop934]

Excellent understanding of a far-too-common scenario here. I’ve lost trust in our safety services over the years.

[@jennh2096]

Guns also aren't rampant in your country,and our cops have no way of knowing right away if someone is armed or not. Most of our cops also don't carry batons anymore,some don't carry pepper spray, and tasers don't work on a lot of people. She did a horrible job handling this no doubt, but the US is far different from the UK

[@RabbitFighter]

The way this man was coming at her, she wouldn't have had time to take a moment and think of his plight. In the video, he seems quite physically capable, and a bully. Not that he should have been shot, of course. She should have waited for back up, in her patrol car.

[@TeoBlu]

With all respects, the job of a Police Officer is to confront the threat, not to run across the street. This is why deputies in Uvalde were universally considered as cowards. Sad as it is, this situation falls into the category of 'suicide by cop'.

[@kimt3463]

As soon as she realized she shot Michael Meyers she should of called for back up

[@xporkrind]

Are you kidding me? She's supposed to turn her back on a guy who is already trying to hit her? What if he can run faster? What if he has a gun or knife? How can you be sure she can retreat safely? Why should she have to retreat? Unbelievable. How wonderfully prescient of you that you can guarantee her safety from the solitude of your recording studio.

[@cherylkeck9739]

Law enforcement have non-lethal weapons to use against disorderly unarmed suspects, which is something she failed to even try.

[@LaniLanilei]

This cop is short and she is up against a Goliath. Don't tell him he can't talk. Let him talk while you wait for backup. Don't irritate a man who have a death wish and do not like you.

[@pazuzuxx]

At the end of the day she eliminated a mean menace to society who wasn't productive to himself or society as a whole. Let's be brutally honest.

[@veganandlovingit]

Was he known for being mean our just having a bad day?

[@colbypatterson8273]

What a disgusting way to think

[@pazuzuxx]

@@colbypatterson8273 just being honest. It's sad and unfortunate but facts and Truth hurts sometimes. Sorry 😔

[@mrparlanejxtra]

I am not a fan of people shooting others but if a person is ordered to stay away from a police officer and they approach, there is justification to the officer to shoot the person approaching so the threat is removed. There is no requirement to consider anybody's ego here. There was no need to empty the gun on him as is often done in these situations. That is wrong. This guy was basically committing suicide by walking into police fire. He invited the officer to shoot him. He knew he had no right to be at that place. We are seeing too many people thinking they are entitled to do whatever they like and roam around where they are not supposed to be and living by stealing and demanding from others. Two shots were appropriate here. The officer had the ball in her court when he moved toward her and it went too far as soon as he touched her. At that initial approach point she as an officer, was well entitled to shoot

[@GGiblet]

So many feel hopeless or have no where to go. He may have been one such person. I wish in situations like this the police would get a mental health advocate to try and assist.

[@pebblepod30]

More housing & less red tap & artficial expenses to build it would be even better.

[@throbbinwoodofcoxley6830]

I’m going to educate y’all about the homeless, so I hope you see this. They don’t want help, they don’t want to be part of society, they don’t want a hand. What they want is what they have, free money, free food, a free Obama phone, and their drugs of choice. They’re not good people down on their luck, they’re dangerous scumbags. Source: I worked shelters for two plus years in an attempt to prove my point that they were indeed good people that just need help. I was dead wrong. One out of thousands was a decent guy, but those numbers show the truth.

[@followyourbliss7249]

She shouldn't have been there alone. That being said, he was asking for those shots

[@SebastianSkadisson]

The magic ice breaking keywords from her side would've been: "Where were you deployed?" I doubt his army jacket was bought or stolen with how many veterans are doomed to live the life of a rat.

[@haroldcampos9661]

Once I heard a similar story where the guy said "now you have to shoot" and they did. I've always remembered that.

[@haroldcampos9661]

Had to say "you don't wanna do this" once. It's harrowing out there lol.

[@haroldcampos9661]

'she complied' lol oh boy...

[@haroldcampos9661]

(Sorry for double posting they kept deleting my comment)

[@DeadboltDame]

If I had to venture a guess as to why she was sent to the call alone it was probably because they were short staffed, like many many other agencies are right now. You couldn't pay me enough money to be an officer in a city like LA. I respect her for standing up and doing the job and I don't fault her for her reaction. The fact of the matter is that if male attacks a female officer the likelihood of a firearm being used is greater because the likelihood of the officer being able to fend him off physically is less. Statistically it is much more likely for lethal force to be used in cases that female officers are being attacked.

[@robertgiles9124]

More than one cop has had their weapon taken away and used on them. This was a suicide by Cop. He had no regard for his own life. I cannot feel any sympathy for the guy. She was doing her job and was polite until set upon. The End.

[@sunnycatc6491]

The homeless problem in LA County is out of control. Closing the institutions and assuming pharmaceuticals would help these unfortunate folks decades ago, here in the US, didn't work. However, they can be dangerous, and she didn't know if he was armed. PS unlike the tape, your enunciation is excellent, Doc. Out here we just say "Sanna Clarida."😉

[@alexmurphy5289]

She didn’t need to immediately jump to lethal force

[@EJ1443]

Not to mention the person could have anosognosia, where they genuinely don’t believe they’re bipolar or on the schizophrenia spectrum. It’s not denial, they have the symptoms but they genuinely don’t believe they have a disorder. And meds have pretty serious side effects and can be pretty costly. It’s not always just one medication either….. it’s a very sad situation whenever I really think about it. 🥺

[@frankhanson9260]

@@alexmurphy5289 Imagine if she had other Options on her utility belt to subdue an unruly suspect.

[@barneyronnie]

​@@EJ1443 Psychiatry is a pseudoscience with no effective clinical tests to establish diagnoses. Sadly, it's all that we have ...

[@roxannespahr2804]

@@alexmurphy5289 Agree completely!! She didn't need to use lethal force on a old man who, on first interaction, seems to have some mental disorders. She could've backed away while speaking to him calmly and called for backup, all at the same time. I don't see why she has as reason to believe he was armed. His fist didn't warrant a lethal bullet to the chest...police are trained for these situation, or are suppose to be. Words don't kill, as he began to get angry she shouldve de escalated the situation at all costs by telling him it was ok for him to sleep and stay there, as she called for backup. It's ridiculous that the option she used was the lethal option before any other forms of force.

[@damianquin5233]

the guy wanted it so he got it. officer displayed more than enough patience. if i was living that way id want it too.

[@destresschiropractic]

She is close to PERFECT!! Firm, polite, not overly dickish office. She ONLY shot twice. A male officer would have dumped his whole clip then reloaded and started firing again. I disagree with you on this one Doc, but love the humor.

[@sidviscus]

I think it was the other way around, the homeless guy kept antagonizing the officer to protect HIS ego. She had every right, both logically and legally, to shoot.

[@jasonfield3903]

You Never Cease To Amaze Me Doctor Grande! Every Law Enforcement Officer (LEO). You Really Covered This Case And All the Chances To Change The Outcome And “Preserve Life”. Dr. Grande, you are a blessing to us all!🥰🥰🥰,

[@sophiaisabelle01]

We appreciate Dr Grande's effort and hard work as always. God bless him.

[@farmcat3198]

One problem may be that in this situation, the officer lacked combative skills, and became focused on weapon retention. A lack of fighting skill may have prevented her from feeling confident about working up a force escalation tree. She may have felt that drawing her weapon was the best retention strategy, leading to the inevitable outcome. But none of this changes the conclusion about protecting her ego.

[@krissteel4074]

Women police officers really aren't up to the task of taking down really aggressive fellas on that physical level, they'll get their arse kicked. Sure, there's probably some women capable of it after taking up a lot of boxing and MMA type of skillset, its different when its on a street level where there's no time out or rules about dealing some serious injuries when eyes get gouged or ears ripped off. What they are good at is empathising and defusing aggressive situations so if the guy in question had his 5min ramble while support units arrive its really no problem- (I mean he's not exactly a small bloke!) and if you're an officer, fair fights are for suckers anyway so you want someone to help out and make sure no one else is jumping in. Single officer patrols are a rubbish idea for general duties police for that reason Someone makes a bad judgement by themselves, it can be fatal, its much less likely to happen with two officers on the scene and if a shooting occurs then due to a consensus there's a much more likely reason they chose that route as a duo. Like if there was a weapon involved, they're on meth, alcohol, psychotic episode and other removals of reason.

[@robinrobyn1714]

@@krissteel4074 Thanks to social engineering, that man is dead.

[@krissteel4074]

@@robinrobyn1714 More a case of shit policing policy getting him killed more than some kind of widespread social contract we all signed up for. Sadly I don't think this outcome alone is going to change much. At the very least there should be some top down investigation as to why it happened, but given the nature of institutions they'll probably throw the cop under the bus, save their own arses and business as usual tomorrow

[@russiaprivjet]

no woman, trained or not, would even risk throwing hands with a guy people don’t understand how easily women can be just thrown or manhandled regardless of their training. sure, it’ll help somewhat but the best choice is always to retreat hell, that even applies to men.

[@fairymagic697]

I think she made the right decision. The one other option was to wait for backup. She should not have been alone.

[@the.amazing.spatterman]

Good Dr. you are much more thoughtfully thorough, and capable of seeing the big picture than seemingly 95% of the randos I find commenting here. I'm happy you're the one making the videos on these topics.

[@luckylass5444]

The officer was not capable of fighting off the transient, nor do I believe she could have retained her weapon against him. I don’t believe the officer had any choice. Two officers should have been sent, without question. Sad situation.

[@braydendykstra]

A “TASER” would have solved the problem instantly, but magically nobody’s even mentioning this.

[@robertodell9193]

Tasers aren't always effective.It's doubtful a taser would have penetrated the jacket and clothing. If two rounds to the chest didn't stop him what makes you think a taser would?

[@devadasn]

Can you please do a video on the recent child marriage debate by Daniel hiqiqatchu. It’s crazy that it’s being defended in this day and age

[@jayblackwood4357]

Whaaaaat

[@Lol78209]

Hi Dr Grande, might be a complete cold case with nothing to find but would you consider doing a video on Matthew Greene, missing hiker. Hopefully you see this. Thanks for all you do for us ! X

[@peltotalo]

I've said it on Active Self Protection channel....USA police are deathly afraid to go hands on or use any other tools other than a firearm. Shooting a homeless man simply because he punched you? You gotta do better than that. Tactical repositioning and waiting for backup is always an option.

[@enterchannelname4542]

Do you not think she would have been killed had she attempted to fight him? If you fight someone and they get your gun, they are in a much stronger position to do harm. I agree that she might have been able to run away. I’m just not sure running away would be the best way to protect the public from the crazy guy threatening to kill everyone.

[@peltotalo]

@@enterchannelname4542 i am an officer that carries a firearm. We are trained to retain our firearm if assaulted. By pulling out her firearm she made it more likely that her firearm could be taken from her. Firearms in retention holsters are difficult to snatch from an officer. I am trained to meet force with only enough force to overcome the force I am facing. Of course there are variables such as number of opponents or size disparity or the skill of opponent. But that is why we have other options such as pepper spray (distance option), baton (closer range option) and some have tazers (i don't have that option). I would have pepper sprayed this guy and problem solved. To pull out a gun when faced with fists is a disproportionate use of force. If she was afraid of losing her gun and getting shot with it by a homeless guy who is clearly mentally unstable, she should not be a cop. She used zero de-escalation techniques. She used poor judgment to.let him get so close to her. She should be charged for this man's death in my opinion.

[@enterchannelname4542]

@@peltotalo That makes sense. Thank you for taking the time to reply. If he had knocked her out would he be able to get the gun? Does pepper spray always stop an attack? It really seems like her size has her at a disadvantage.

[@peltotalo]

@@enterchannelname4542 I don't think a mentally disturbed person could take a gun from a retention holster. Unless you know how to do it, it is difficult to figure out on your own. Pepper spray does not always stop an attack. Some people who eat a lot of spicy food (no joke) or are completely enraged and out of control won't be affected by pepper spray. The vast majority of people thougb are affected. Pepper spray is a great tool to stop an attacker in their tracks. There is no shame in her repositioning to get clear of this guy. There wasn't another soul around for him to hurt. No reason at all for this poor guy to.lose his life.

[@senseofstile]

Great video Dr. Grande, I worked at the LA County Jail TTCF (Twin Towers Correctional Facility) in medical, I remember an inmate acted similar to Christopher. The deputies were about to get physical. However a Sgt. talked to the inmate. The key was the Sgt. started agreeing with the inmate. This completely diffused the situation. The inmate was eventually no threat and compliant.

[@barneyronnie]

Then you know nothing about clinical medicine; I had a friend die because the jail nurse refused to give him his medication (Xanax) which he had taken for years. Clearly, withdrawing from benzodiazepines is a medical emergency, yet he died from status epilepticus. You guys love to sadistically watch people suffer, but this may lead to death. Perhaps, you should find other sources of entertainment 😮 Reinhold Von Treffencaunbowz, MBBS, PhD

[@senseofstile]

@@barneyronnie That seems like a personal attack. You don't mention where this occurred.

[@barneyronnie]

@@senseofstile Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh, Pa. Death by forced withdrawal is extremely likely for older patients who have longstanding addictions to certain substances. No personal attact; just what I have witnessed. Why not allow incarcerated persons access to ALL of their meds??

[@senseofstile]

@@barneyronnie Didn't happen where I worked.

[@herrguru4264]

I`m sorry but I just dont get it. - He punched her multiple times, but he didnt have a knife. He didnt have a gun. Her life was not in *immediate* danger. - *She has a tazer. She has a pepper spray. She could have arrested him for trespassing and assaulting a police officer. Instead... she decides to kill him?* *I just dont understand why police officers have tazer and pepper spray, but then decide to kill unarmed people instead. I`m sorry, but she must go to prison for manslaughter. there were better ways of dealing with this mess other than shooting him dead* (By the way she also lied, that he punched her to the ground).

[@elizabethwarman9028]

Good afternoon Dr Grande, excellent analysis. I agree shooting Christopher was not necessary. The lady officer should have called backup. My Dad always told me " you never shoot an unarmed person. You never shoot anyone in the back." As always I learn something new from your videos. Have a wonderful evening.

[@misterbxiv]

Except he could be armed and you just don’t know it. Easy to say after the fact.

[@misterbxiv]

Also, if she ‘shouldn’t shoot cause he’s unarmed’, what happens when he overpowers her and takes her gun? Grow up man, cops aren’t supermen

[@Tom-my8fd]

The police officer should have used pepper spray when she was convinced that he was going to attack her or advise him where he could sleep, like a shelter for homeless people

[@nagantm441]

​@@misterbxivyou don't get to assume someone is armed.

[@nagantm441]

​@@misterbxivlike the doc said..she could have easily created space between them

[@jaybuffie9624]

As a combat vet, I feel this man's pain. Idk if he is a vet or not, but seems to be. Either way, I understand the mindset of a person who has gotten to the point of being done with being nice/civil, and now just wants action. I've been severely mistreated by the VA for years. They simply don't care. Every day I have to deal with them, I do so from a blank slate. However, it can quickly devolve with their extreme indifference. I feel this man got to that point, and became depressive/suicidal/angry, and now, it doesn't matter what happens, I'm going to get what I want: help, or death. The death option is a belief in the relief of suffering, when really, it's a momentary fallacy that entices a depression-suffering person into taking control in a last ditch effort for help. He didn't want to die. He just wanted someone to care, and help. Unfortunately, they would have to get past his anger to do so. Not many people can get past someone who's angry. It's not like one who is sad or upset. I feel for the man, because I can be that man. 😢 I was threatened with arrest and jail when I answered honestly once that I was considering suicide. That's not the proper response to suffering. That's what I got, and the foundation of that response is what got this man shot. Yes, his actions did, too, but understanding would've prevented death.

[@neverinthemoment]

Excellent analysis, I am a veteran as well and was homeless on a number of occasions in my younger years. Thankfully, most of those times I still had a vehicle to sleep in but if security or police discover you, unless you want to face arrest you have to leave. One of the last times this ever happened I parked in a truck stop and was not disturbed. The only other options were rescue missions or homeless shelters.

[@jaybuffie9624]

@@neverinthemoment You could've been literally in the same position this man was, then, had you not complied. So, you know first hand this man's experience, or at least, what I believe it to be. Thankfully, you are still around to give example of the correct response. The problem comes when you give the proper responses over and over, yet get no empathy or sympathy from whom you desperately need it. Thank you for sharing, and thank you for serving.

[@WendiKristyna]

Thank you so much for your empathy. Christopher is....was.... my cousin. I also want to thank you for your willingness to share your story, you obviously know where Chris was at. He lost everything, distanced himself from family (as well as permanently pissed some of them off) He was not suicidal, but if that was the only choice given to him, it is better than continuing to face his fight alone. You nailed it and it is nice to see a little kindness towards him/his situation. I truly believe if any other officer had handled that call he would be with us and could be getting help for his mental illness. I will never understand why she continued to argue with him and push him/poke him in the chest. Anyhow, I hope you get the help you deserve ~ thanks so much for your service and sacrifices. Peace All.

[@jaybuffie9624]

@@WendiKristyna Whoever the officer was to respond, if my assessment of his mindset is true, it would require someone else who has had that mindset (i.e. been there, done that) to see through the rage and into the depression. No matter the age, race or gender, this man needed a veteran, possibly combat veteran, officer to respond to him to properly handle this situation. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, but hopefully this will be a training scenario for future events, because this won't be the last time this happens, I'm sure. Especially with the type of "care" the VA gives...

[@jjHunsecker]

I have no qualms about the way this officer defended herself. 👮‍♀️She She gave him plenty of chances to back down and she warned him about violence. He persisted in attacking her so she used deadly force. 🔫 Frankly, if you ask me, he had been looking for this fight for years.

[@deemen7132]

Nope! If this were a Male cops hed be charged by now!!

[@melvinlovejones9722]

Outside of the cop lying, force was justified. Not saying Mercurio deserved death, but walking towards an armed officer in a threatening manner isn't going to reward you with a birthday cake and balloons.

[@anzolomyer4584]

being a cop must be the crappiest job in the world.

[@vaneast411]

I am not sure that teaching police to run from aggressive behaviour is the answer

[@terrioestreich4007]

Hey, I know that I might get some shit for this but I think that the police officer did the right thing. I think that this guy was willing to hurt anybody, and I'm sure that he would in the future. He hit her! F him, too many of these people out there as it is. I think that he wanted suicide by cop. He was not asking for help, that part is bs. I think that the Dr is way off on this one

[@mikelobrien]

He obviously had mental health issues and was actively intimidating her into a physical confrontation. Maybe HIS ego wouldn't allow him to take direction from a female officer? He struck her with his hand, so was close enough to deploy the use of a blade if he had one and chose to. Lots of stabbing deaths these days. All the "woulda/shoulda/coulda's" will NEVER put us in the officer's or Christopher's shoes. Monday Morning Quarterbacking by the general public is one of the reasons law enforcement departments are always looking for officers...the officer always seems to be wrong when a suspect is shot these days.

[@jarvismckenzie776]

This shooting is justified. Law enforcement or policing isn't necessarily done on an overwhelming basis but must stand rebostly having attempted an intervention by other means. À lone woman in a deteriorating circumstances will likely be placed in a position of reaching for her weapon to threaten or subdue, sooner - establishing a clear sense of order. He presented himself as a viable threat, before n during, having been well warned. He thought she was but a mere woman without the resolve to follow through. Oooops!

[@frankhanson9260]

@@jarvismckenzie776 Cops can get away with this type of behavior All Day without much debate. If this were you or I, we'd be sitting in a jail cell soon after.

[@user-cv8qe9ru8c]

Not a tough one. Don't threaten a cop. Don't step at a cop.

[@axer3515]

I have been in many restraints of people with mental illness in my years as a counselor.i would always try to avoid conflict mostly because there is so much paperwork to do to justify the restraint. Screw your ego when deal with people with mental illness. There is no prize money in that fight. I believe you're correct about this event. Police seem to be scared of the people they are supposed to protect.

[@ralphalvarez5465]

Sir Robert Peel (founder of the Metropolitan Police of London) stated the police work is 90% sheer boredom and 10% sheer terror. She was probably in that 10% area and didn't know what to exactly do. She didn't have the luxury of time and distance. Running away from a situation isn't a good idea when wearing 20 lbs of gear. She could have been easily overpowered by the suspect and executed with her own weapon. I'm sure that you are a strapping and brave fellow, have you given thought about putting on a Sam Browne.

[@axer3515]

@@ralphalvarez5465 I am an army ranger who ben a few tough situations. It's learning to tamp down your anxiety and use your training. One of my harshest criticism of the police is they are too scared of the people the are there to serve. I was 50 years.old before I ever had handcuffs on and that was when I was pulled over for speeding. "For my protection ". Violating people's right because you are scared is not an acceptable option.

[@kevintownsend8476]

When she said she went down that may have been her recollection of the event. A hit by someone that large and strong could have "rung her bell" whereby she had a false recollection of the event. She could have had a loss a brief loss of consciousness. I have seen people try to make sense of events where there are gaps in memory. It is not always a lie but human nature where we attempt to string the coherent and the incoherent together to make sense. I'm sure all this will come out at the end of the investigation.

[@robertrobert7924]

I would be interested to know from her hospital report if she suffered a concussion, or any other brain damage.

[@TheBullyDisciple]

​@@robertrobert7924 brain damage 😂😂 gtfo

[@TheBullyDisciple]

Get out of her with that bull, she was not incoherent in any of her language or actions. Stop making excuses for poor policing.

[@Kami3Kaze]

Y'all love making excuses for these unstable officers

[@LostSoulsmusic22]

Naw man. I train and compete in combat sports. You don't forget anything until you've been really wobbled hard. Which she wouldn't be able to talk coherently for at least 20-30 seconds and would almost certainly hit the ground.

[@JacobSantosDev]

What is sad to me is that Chris sounds a lot like my nephew who has anger management issues with a healthy dose of not listening to authority. I can easily imagine my nephew in that position doing and saying the same thing.

[@popeye5274]

He needs to learn to correct that behavior before it costs him his life.

[@JacobSantosDev]

@@popeye5274 unfortunately he is in America where mental health is not a priority. He went to a professional and got medication and a diagnosis but he stopped going. It is easy to ignore a professional because the advice and tools they provide are difficult to execute, especially in the heat of the moment so to speak. Edit: and yes we have mentioned that. He has spoken of confrontations that could have turned bad quickly except he out crazied the other person.

[@popeye5274]

@@JacobSantosDev I understand… you can only help those who want to help themselves.

[@misterbxiv]

She was justified. She cannot physically stop him without a force multiplier, she was alone, and police can’t just “walk away” from dangerous threats who say they’re going to kill people. They have a job to do. If she left and some one comes buy and he stabs or shoots them you would say she fucked up. You can’t taser in this situation because you are alone, a failed taser will not give you time to switch to your gun before your attacked, and the taser wouldn’t work with his heavy jacket anyway. This was justified.

[@tiffany.0214]

The police department is literally right across the street from the mall. She couldn't walk circles holding him at gunpoint until backup arrived? Seriously??

[@AbuilyasalAryanee]

"This was his way of asking for help. Either help me or i will cease to exist either option is acceptable. He was not going to be pushed around anymore. He was done asking nicely anymore" That part was deep. I definitely wouldnt have interpreted it that way but thats why you're the respected counselor who millions of people watch and appreciate your insight while im a lonely angry unemployed immigrant who's way of finding help for my issues is smoking fentnyal and meth instead of getting proper help like normal successful people would do. Anyways. Thanks Doc.

[@spinfish1434]

Your analysis is way off.. 100% Justified, Christopher was belligerent, combative and may have had a weapon. The Officer had no prior knowledge if he was armed.. I bet he has a long criminal record.. Police only shoot to stop the Threat that’s why she shot the way she did. He continued after the first shot so she followed it with a 2nd… The Community is a safer place now. Thank you Officer!

[@bmck-8400]

It’s too easy to speculate things… I speculate that if he had been two feet faster he could have gotten the gun from the officer. I also speculate that one person in fact can’t subdue another person as I’ve seen small men and women take several large police officers to get under control. This is so tragic in several ways… this man has something wrong and it’s not been tended to…the officer now has this death on her soul which would easily have been avoided if the person had done as requested. Looking back on something is always easy… handling it in the moment is very hard. I think the failure is the lack of mental health facilities for the person who was so far gone he was going to sleep on the door step of a department building. There just isn’t enough known to make a judgement in this situation either way. I’m glad the officer was not over powered and shot… just speculating.

[@L_Leocel]

The man appeared to not care living anymore (depressed and hopeless), he didn't even care if he dies at that moment.

[@lewisner]

Couple of thoughts 1) in situations like this Adrenaline takes over and not easily explained if you are not there. 2) she may have thought he was wearing body armour under his coat because he appeared unfazed by the shot to the chest.

[@barneyronnie]

Another murderous cop😮

[@LaniLanilei]

Why didn't she shoot him in the knee. This would drop him. Threat removed. Common sense. No kill shot is necessary in this situation. Some women may feel the need to prove themselves in an environment where majority are men. Perhaps she is one of them. Ego? What do you think. Or, fear. It does not appear that she can think quickly and soundly under pressure. Hence, the bad judgement call.

[@rudiwiedemann8173]

With the (obviously) massive disparity of force (gun vs weight), the deputy had the means, and thereby the OBLIGATION to seek and employ EVERY non-lethal means to resolve the situation in one of several ways available to her.

[@walterroswell8376]

He made his choice and put that choice on her. His death may have been avoidable but he had as much a role to play as the officer in his death.

[@danielvillarini1777]

Justified shooting

[@lordvlygar2963]

​@Lauren Lewis We can't say he was a vet just because he had a military emblazoned jacket. My opinion is he was never in any military. But, if we can prove he was military, this does change the perception.

[@lordvlygar2963]

@Lauren Lewis Has very little to do with the claim of being military. We don't know he was a vet. Doesn't change protocol, it only answers the question of why he is wearing the jacket.

[@lordvlygar2963]

@Lauren Lewis I don't think you are grasping the point. In your first reply, you called him a vet. There is no solid evidence at this point to show he was a veteran. That is inaccurate information.

[@logoutjason4689]

that was a terrible guy, but she could've just pepper sprayed him and waited for backup. Also sending one female officer to deal with a beast like this was ridiculous...

[@herculesbrofister265]

she did the right thing. put the beast out of his misery.

[@nate_8403]

you could do that. join the police force and do that.

[@tomruth9487]

Yes, where was the pepper spray or stun gun when needed? I would have done either of those before I let him attack me.

[@kevinhornbuckle]

Like Dr. Grande, that's what you want to believe. But it does not hold up to the least bit of critical scrutiny. Public agencies do not have the staffing levels to allow for such luxury. Also, you want the command staff to discriminate on the basis of sex.

[@Bilmonis]

@@herculesbrofister265 First dehumanize him, call him a beast, or a monster, then pull the trigger. How simple (simplistic?)

[@KaiserKiller]

Unarmed does not equate to no threat to life

[@lustrazor44]

She put herself in that situation. You could tell immediately he was mentally ill. She should have disengaged and called back up. Like every other western nation does. American cops are fucking awful.

[@tikkamasala9062]

"Shouldve waited for backup"....in a state with massively underfunded and ostracized police

[@Flying_Fetus]

If it was a private citizen, it would have been justified. Definitely don't think this was an officer acting above the law. Plus, nobody is mourning the loss of Christopher.

[@victorianatheart7390]

I wonder if she feared that her fellow police officers would think she couldn't handle it because she was a female. Is possible that she experienced flack (real or imagined) for being in a formally/traditionally male dominant field? Was she under the impression that she had excel at her job just to be seen as average? Did she feel the man didn't need to back down to her because she was a female. Did she wonder if he would have backed down if she were male? Let's throw in a dash of racism. How often has she experienced disrespect from "build the wall" suspects. I don't work in that field or live in that area so I don't what the culture in that job is like.

[@Mr.Chris.P.Bacon1]

*Poor guy reached his limit and had his fill of this world, and chose this SPECIFIC hill to die on.*

[@011silbermond]

Yes, and she seemed to see herself in the position to go with his choice. The whole scene appears to be like this, a oneway to hell where one deadly desperate person goes ahead and the other one follows

[@lilyrrichard236]

Thanks Dr Grande. I love how you can make sense of senseless acts like this. Bad decisions all around.

[@stevecastro1325]

When I first saw the video, in the moment it seemed justified, based on disparity of strength, that he had already hit her, and that Taser would likely not work due to his puffy clothing. Your analysis is spot on.

[@privard89]

Yes it was justified but she probably should have retreated to a safe distance at some point and waited for backup

[@robertlivenmore1786]

The female officer did not have enough of a "physically intimidating" presence. The man used poor judgement in trying to exploit it.

[@straat9066]

I’m glad you here to make these situations more clear doc. Especially where you said this was his way of asking for help. Spot on.

[@kellykane7586]

It probably was his way of asking for help...but she's not a shrink, she's a police officer. She should have let him say his piece....but at the end of the day she gave him more chances than most officers would have given. She didn't know if he was armed or would lunge at her and grab her weapon...it's very sad because it certainly didn't need to happen...but she's not at fault.. and that crap about her Ego..smh, can you imagine how her colleagues would've treated her if she ran away???

[@kellykane7586]

It probably was his way of asking for help...but she's not a shrink, she's a police officer. She should have let him say his piece....but at the end of the day she gave him more chances than most officers would have given. She didn't know if he was armed or would lunge at her and grab her weapon...it's very sad because it certainly didn't need to happen...but she's not at fault.. and that crap about her Ego..smh, can you imagine how her colleagues would've treated her if she ran away???

[@oldandtired940]

If only there was something Christopher could have done, or not done to avoid this outcome....

[@tdgdbs1]

Hands in pockets while encountering cops is a bad idea.

[@orionspur]

Seems totally justified under the general rule of "f around, find out".

[@chigbungus3026]

I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment. No one wants to fight over a random sliver of private property. Something brought him low enough to the point that he made his last stand there. Unfortunately we will never know what brought him to that point or how his issues could have been resolved because he's dead. It's natural to look at a man like that who's highly aggressive as a lost cause but like you said there were avenues to diffuse the situation that were not taken. So we will never truly know how lost of a cause he was. That's something police officers need to weigh out. They don't know the individual they are just the ones in charge of seeing them at their worst. If the situation on her end was inescapable I'd disagree with you but from the video evidence she had many opportunities to not shoot.

[@666cemetaryslut]

It wasn't public property, if it was he wouldn't have been kicked out.

[@RabbitFighter]

You should watch the body cam video with sound. More of a bully, than a poor defenseless homeless man. She was afraid of him. She should have waited in her patrol car for back up. Lots of back up.

[@HollyMendence]

I actually live in Valencia and am aware that there are numerous restaurants and bars adjacent to the Macy’s entrance where this occurred. There’s also a large parking structure across from that entrance (briefly visible on the right of the screen at the beginning of this video) where many patrons park their vehicles to come and go from those establishments. It might seem like this officer could have retreated to her car and waited for additional back up, but the probability was high that innocent bystanders could come into contact with this man while she was waiting. I think she might have had a chance to call for backup much sooner but the interim danger was greater than it looks on this video.

[@stanzaschulz4339]

I think it was after 11pm and in my experience ppl won’t ever go galavanting up to an active altercation between someone and a cop

[@HollyMendence]

@@stanzaschulz4339 that’s true. In this video, there was an active confrontation. However, if the deputy retreated to her car it wouldn’t have been active, and an innocent bystander might have unwittingly walked through there and triggered the man to react to them. The entrance to the parking garage would have taken patrons right past the Macy’s door to access that parking garage.