I think the mores of parents in the inner city raising their children is based on "what you can score off the streets".  It isn't all about who can do what to who, but what can I get out of this? This seems to be the mentality perpetuated by MTV and inner city raised "rappers".  If you get rappers(50cent, Tupac) that lived this way off the streets and their movies and videos depicting this type of lifestyle, what can you expect?  As parents we must use discernment in what children watch and what they learn off of television.   It is the ultimate responsibility of parents to raise their offspring, not a society based on greed and materialism.  You can't let the television be your babysitter.  If kids are already stealing cars at such a young age, what more do they have to look forward to?   A slap on the wrist is not good enough.  Society comes to the rescue often times a little too late.  Punishment is not always considered education.   Consequences are the ultimate learning tools.

I am very disturbed by this whole incident. I can't believe how volatile and angry that community is. I was watching the news and they were talking about having another riot, burning everything down, etc. I know this has a lot to do with cultural differences, poverty, anger because of poverty, etc. It's still no excuse to act like a bunch of savages. 
I too wanted a career with the LAPD, but I think I have changed my mind. I think that I am going to pursue an LE career outside of California. I think that my efforts will be better appreciated in a community that supports it's police. I could talk forever about Los Angeles and the mixed cultures and why minorities hate the police and many other figures of authority, but I don't want to bore you. I just want to state that I think the kid got what he deserved. At the time that he was trying to kill that officer he was not a good kid, or a model student, or any of the other stuff that they are trying to say that he was. He was a criminal, who stole a car, led police on a chase, and tried to kill those very same officers that were trying to get him to stop. He payed the ultimate price for his behavior, and I think that those officers should be commended for taking a piece of dirt trash off the streets. Chances are he would have continued his bad behavior and commited more crimes as an adult. 
Dimas was correct when he said that the family is going to sue. I just saw on the news that the mother has intentions of suing the city for millions. This makes me angry. She is going to be set for life for raising a piece of shit kid (who was a burden to society in the first place) and live the rest of her worthless life spending my hard earned tax money. 

A few years back I wrote a thesis paper on juvenile crime.  In it I specifically pointed out that juvenile crime is not considered "crime".  Society as a whole is set and ready to forgive them because they are just kids.  Unfortunately, the reality of it is a kid with a gun is just as deadly as an adult.  As a kid I knew that shooting someone is WRONG.  Yet I have often seen kids who do drive by shootings get off with a measly 6-9 months for their actions.   I have often seen kids severly assault and hospitalize someone and only get probation for half a year.

A 13 year old behind the wheel is no less deadly than a 31 year old.  The car does not become less of a threat to the police officer and last I checked the cops were not paid to die.   I don't know the circumstances behind this incident, but I can honestly tell you that I dread ever having to use my gun against ANYONE.  But if a 13 year old kid was trying to run me over you bet your ass I would shoot at him to keep myself alive.  I owe that to MY FAMILY.

On the topic of family, why is it the media never holds the grieving parents accountable?  Why weren't these parents caring for their child, or there to instill values or morals?  Maybe  someone should realized that the parents hold some accountability into the fact that their child was out stealing cars.

Fact of the matter is the parents will sue, they in reality probably did not care about this child (my experience is that most juvenile delinquents have parents that view them as an obstacle and not their responsibility), but I can tell you they will more than likely profit off of this.


Hmmmm...... I guess I sound really pessimistic but if you work this job enough, it tends to make you that way.   

Either way, any time a life is taken it is a tragedy.

It is easy for the public to monday morning quarterback situations like these in law enforcement. The fact is you have a split second to decide what you are going to do. Many people don't take this in to account. I don't know the entire situation so I find it hard to comment on events such as these. Being in law enforcement myself I would take my chances with the jury rather then be put in the ground. This is sad that it was only a kid but people are straying on how the incident began (media shock effect).

PAQ

I have never been in LE and at my age never will be.

Any person who has been in the military, in a shooting conflict, will tell you that a bullet from a gun has the same impact whether the trigger is pulled by a 13 year old kid or a grown-up. A car, aimed a standing person, is a deadly piece of arsenal. The question in my mind is: If the officer had time to draw, thingy and fire, didn't he have time to sidestep the charge and put a few rounds in the motor to stop it. A simiautomatic is not exactly a fast draw piece. One would have witness the action to draw a definant conclusion.

Most people in this site have something to do with LE, wether they are trying to become a cop or they are a cop, even the disliked polygraphers. I am sure everyone has heard of the 13-year old kid that was shot yesterday in south-cental L.A. by a police officer and the  socalled community outrage. what is everyones opinion on this. I feel very strong about it as I am just finishing up my Background with the LAPD and i feel that the officer is not getting the support that he deserves. He didn't know it was a 13year old kid in that stolen car that was trying to run him down. He did what he was trained to do, protect himself.