Deaf driver shot dead by US police during traffic stop

[zenkai]

Source

Miami (AFP) - Authorities in the southern US state of North Carolina are investigating the death of a deaf man who was fatally shot after a trooper tried to pull him over for speeding.

Daniel Harris, 29, who used sign language to communicate, led trooper Jermaine Saunders on an eight-mile (13-kilometer) chase on Thursday that started on an interstate highway and ended outside his home in Charlotte, local television station WSOC reported.

The driver exited his vehicle in the neighborhood and an "encounter took place" that led to a shot being fired, North Carolina State Highway Patrol spokesman Sergeant Michael Baker said in a statement.

The driver died at the scene, Baker said. No weapon was recovered from Harris, the State Bureau of Investigation told WSOC.

Saunders has been placed on administrative leave while investigators review evidence, including dashboard and body camera videos.

A neighbor called the shooting "totally unacceptable."

"He didn't even hear the siren, he didn't hear anything... You're pulling someone over who is deaf, they are handicapped," Mark Barringer told WSOC.

Harris's family has launched an online fundraiser to pay for funeral expenses.

Leftover money "will be used to set up a foundation in his name to educate and provide law enforcement proper training on how to confront deaf people," the family's YouCaring.com fundraising page said.

They hoped to change drivers' registration systems so that a "deaf" alert will show up when police look up a car's license plate.

"With this change, Daniel will be a hero in our deaf community," the family said.

More than $10,000 had been raised by late Monday

Another Source but it's race bait so I won't quote it - http://www.cbsnews.com/news/charlott...ch-impairment/

It says an encounter took place. Doesn't everyone know you don't get out of your car unless the officer ask? Second, Deaf or not, do people drive miles without even glancing in their rear-view mirror? I am always aware of the cars around me, probably why I never been involved in an accident since I was 17, which wasn't my fault.

[GennGreymane]

Welp

http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...-seeks-answers

We think in a similar way.

[kail]

More trigger happy law enforcement. Their jobs must be that boring it seems.

[Jotaux]

I can't comment on the shooting without knowing why he was shot but even deaf, wouldn't you still see the sirens behind you?

[Deleted]

Another Source but it's race bait so I won't quote it - http://www.cbsnews.com/news/charlott...ch-impairment/

It says an encounter took place. Doesn't everyone know you don't get out of your car unless the officer ask? Second, Deaf or not, do people drive miles without even glancing in their rear-view mirror? I am always aware of the cars around me, probably why I never been involved in an accident since I was 17, which wasn't my fault.

Deaf people can be idiots too. But this is Florida right? So of course he had to shoot. It seems to be standard procedure.

[Aleksej89]

Americans might find this hard to believe but in many parts of europe the police officers do not shoot traffic violators on sight.

There is no hand gesture or choice of words that will get you shot by a police officer in a civilized european country.

The media make it appear as if you can get shot by a USA cop for absolutely no reason what so ever.

Either the cops are paranoid because every child can steal a gun from their parents, or they just love shooting civilians for no reason.

[GennGreymane]

I am moving my thread made within the same minute to this thread

http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/23/us/nor...ing/index.html

(CNN)Days after his deaf and speech-impaired brother was shot and killed by a North Carolina state trooper, Sam Harris wonders whether the shooting happened because his sibling's disabilities led to a misunderstanding.

No official has said this was the case. But Harris says his family is pressing for more information about why Daniel Kevin Harris was shot near his Charlotte home Thursday after what police say was a roughly 7-mile vehicle chase.

Daniel Harris' relatives told a crowd of dozens gathered for a vigil outside his house Monday night that they want more answers about the 29-year-old's death.

"The police need to become aware of how to communicate with deaf people, what that might look like and how to avoid situations like this from ever happening again," Sam Harris, who also is deaf, told CNN affiliate WSOC through a sign-language interpreter on Monday.

Here's what we know so far about the shooting:
Police: An 'encounter' happened after driver led trooper on chase
Daniel Harris was driving a Volvo on Interstate 485 in the Charlotte area when a trooper tried to pull him over on suspicion of speeding around 6:15 p.m. Thursday, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said.

Harris did not stop, but instead exited I-485 and drove to his Charlotte neighborhood, highway patrol Sgt. Michael Baker said.
At the neighborhood, Harris "exited his vehicle, and an encounter took place between the driver and the trooper," leading to the shooting, Baker said.

Harris died at the scene. Police haven't elaborated on the encounter or revealed what, if anything, the two had said or otherwise communicated, or whether the trooper knew whether Harris was deaf.

The trooper was placed on administrative leave after the shooting as is usual for any trooper involved in a shooting, Baker said.
Authorities are gathering dashboard-camera and body-camera video relating to the incident from the highway patrol and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, which sent officers to the scene after the shooting, said Audria Bridges, a special agent with North Carolina's State Bureau of Investigation.

"Because at least 20 highway patrol officers responded, it is taking some time to get all videos related to (the) incident together," said Bridges, whose agency is investigating the shooting.

Baker and Bridges declined to answer CNN's questions about whether Harris was armed.
Neighbor says he heard gunshot

A neighbor, Mark Barringer, told CNN affiliate WBTV that he saw the trooper's car give chase shortly before the shooting.
"(The trooper's car) was kind of smoking real bad, and then he stopped over here, and then a few minutes later, I heard a gunshot. I saw a body on the street," Barringer said.

Another neighbor told WBTV that he'd previously seen Harris use sign language.
"I saw him out in the neighborhood signing with his family," Ryan Russell said. "It seemed like a very peaceful family."
Harris' relatives, friends and neighbors gathered outside his home for Monday's vigil. Flowers and written messages lined a sidewalk.
A page on the crowdfunding site YouCaring.com is raising money for what the family says is Harris' memorial and cremation expenses. Money left over would be used to establish a foundation "to educate and provide law enforcement proper training on how to confront deaf people," a message on the page says.

Sam Harris told WSOC through the interpreter that his brother was funny and sociable.
"People enjoyed being around him -- just a very unique man," he said. "It's a really nice feeling knowing you've got a community like this that supports you."

[Deckon]

Deaf people can be idiots too. But this is Florida right? So of course he had to shoot. It seems to be standard procedure.

No, it's North Carolina

[Scathbais]

This just isn't newsworthy unless something the officer did was improper.

[Zeth Hawkins]

Two questions:

Why/how didn't he see the lights?

Should deaf people be allowed to drive? Hearing sirens is kinda important.

[NYC17]

Deaf people can be idiots too. But this is Florida right? So of course he had to shoot. It seems to be standard procedure.

Except when a "college kid" is literally eating his victim's face...

[Zogarth]

This just isn't newsworthy unless something the officer did was improper.

He shot an un-armed person. Must have done something wrong no matter what with that. Especially when it was a fatal shooting.

Two questions:

Why/how didn't he see the lights?

Should deaf people be allowed to drive? Hearing sirens is kinda important.

Honestly I can't see why they should not be allowed to drive. But they should of course be extra aware with checking their rear window and such, but honestly... how much do you use your hearing when driving?

[Xar226]

This just isn't newsworthy unless something the officer did was improper.

...like shooting an unarmed man?

Even if you want to criticize the guy for getting out of his car or not checking his mirrors soon enough, none of those are capital offenses. You don't get to use lethal force by default unless the victim gives you reason not to; you use lethal force as a last resort where your life or the life of others is in imminent danger. It's going to take a hell of a story to convince me an unarmed deaf man posed that kind of threat.

[GennGreymane]

Except when a "college kid" is literally eating his victim's face...

[Deleted]

I can't comment on the shooting without knowing why he was shot but even deaf, wouldn't you still see the sirens behind you?

The sirens can be quite hard to see, I'd imagine would've noticed the brightly flashing blue and red lights though.

[zenkai]

Welp

http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...-seeks-answers

We think in a similar way.

Wow, we literally posted about the exact same time lol

[Deleted]

already have Europeans from 10 person countries telling us how American cops shoot jaywalkers on site

Probably because it's true.

[Grumchuck]

Americans might find this hard to believe but in many parts of europe the police officers do not shoot traffic violators on sight.

There is no hand gesture or choice of words that will get you shot by a police officer in a civilized european country.

The media make it appear as if you can get shot by a USA cop for absolutely no reason what so ever.

Either the cops are paranoid because every child can steal a gun from their parents, or they just love shooting civilians for no reason.

I tend to think that the ease with which any person can get a gun creates an "arms race" situation where the police are on heightened alert even for things like routine traffic stops. So when the civilian does anything out of the ordinary, the situation escalates a lot faster than it should. I'm guessing, of course. Would be interesting to hear from actual police.

[Deleted]

No, it's North Carolina

Ach, you Americans and your multiple places with the same names.
I think I counted 8 Chicago's once.

[Paranoid Android]

Another Source but it's race bait so I won't quote it - http://www.cbsnews.com/news/charlott...ch-impairment/

It says an encounter took place. Doesn't everyone know you don't get out of your car unless the officer ask? Second, Deaf or not, do people drive miles without even glancing in their rear-view mirror? I am always aware of the cars around me, probably why I never been involved in an accident since I was 17, which wasn't my fault.

First bold part. He was deaf. Do not know how he could hear instructions or sirens. Even with that "excuse" you don't fucking pull the trigger and shoot someone as your first act in a traffic stop. Again this is seriously another fast shooting cop.

As far as being aware of cars, cop sirens around you. Yes. Again, you are implementing your story onto this one. Which however you look at it. He should not have been shot over a traffic stop.