Unarmed elderly man with dementia shot and killed by cop.

[zenkai]

Source



BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - A Bakersfield police officer answering a report of a man with a gun shot and killed an unarmed 73-year-old as he stood in a neighbor’s driveway, authorities said. The man’s family said he was in the early stages of dementia.

Francisco Serna was declared dead at the scene about 1:15 a.m. Monday, the Kern County coroner said in a statement.

Police had arrived about 12:30 a.m., and when a witness pointed to Serna, one officer fired several rounds and killed him, Bakersfield police spokesman Sgt. Gary Carruesco told CBS Bakersfield affiliate KBAK-TV.

No gun was turned up in a search of the scene, Carruesco said.

Serna’s son said his father had worked at a cotton gin in California’s Central Valley until retiring about a dozen years ago.

“My dad did not own a gun. He was a 73-year-old retired grandpa, just living life,” Rogelio Serna told the Los Angeles Times. “He should have been surrounded by family at old age, not surrounded by bullets.”

Rogelio Serna said his father had been suffering from delusions and other early signs of dementia that had appeared to be getting worse in the past month. His father often took late-night walks alone to tire himself out, he said.

Family told KBAK-TV that Serna lived with his wife and one of their daughters.

Police had visited the house twice before because his confused father activated a medical alarm, Rogelio Serna said.

The coroner said an autopsy would be performed on Francisco Serna.

Officials told KBAK-TV that the officer who shot Serna is on administrative leave. Their name has not been made public at this time.

How do you call and report someone with a gun when they have no gun? WTF

[GennGreymane]

Police had visited the house twice before because his confused father activated a medical alarm, Rogelio Serna said.

Dick way for officers to prevent this from happening a third time.

[Deleted]

--SNIP--

Don't post spam

[the game]

Well this is one side of the store.

[Deleted]

For the cop's sake hopefully the old man actually did something stupid like rush the cop else he's fucked. Even if it's night and the guy supposedly has a gun unless he does something stupid you don't really get to shoot them. Hopefully there's some bodycam or at least dashcam footage to sort this out nicely.

Also, in a typical "news" manner we have this bit

"Police had arrived about 12:30 a.m., and when a witness pointed to Serna, one officer fired several rounds and killed him, Bakersfield police spokesman Sgt. Gary Carruesco told CBS Bakersfield affiliate KBAK-TV." linking to a source where the bolded part isn't mentioned in the article nor in the video. Like fucks sake, is anyone even trying to only present facts.

[Deleted]

Even an unarmed 73 year old man rushing at a cop doesn't justify shooting them, imo.

It doesn't assuming everyone has all the info. If you're a cop answering a call about someone brandishing a gun at night and said person starts rushing you it's a tad risky to go "Yeah, he looks like a nice fella. Better not shoot him".

[Independent voter]

Hard to judge without all the information.

[Sigxy]

Even an unarmed 73 year old man rushing at a cop doesn't justify shooting them, imo.

Ech, if it was all happening very fast I wouldn't blame the cop in case he felt he was in danger in case the man was prepared to do something. Now, granted, the police shouldn't have shot the person if he was actually unarmed, but you just shouldn't charge someone - especially the police. It's just not a good idea, never has been. ;_: