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Police in Utah fatally shot a man from behind while he was running away from officers, according to newly released footage, which has sparked accusations of racial profiling and a “brutal execution”.

Prosecutors in Salt Lake City have said officers were justified in killing Patrick Harmon, 50, who was pulled over for riding a bicycle without a light and who attempted to flee when police tried to arrest him. Police are not facing charges despite the fact that the body-camera footage captured officer Clinton Fox shouting “I’ll fucking shoot you!” from a distance before he fired three bullets into Harmon, who was running in the opposite direction.

The district attorney’s office claimed that Harmon said “I’ll cut you” and turned and faced officers with a knife as he was running. The video, however, raises questions about the narrative. Harmon cannot be heard making that threat and was running away from the officer, not facing him, when he was killed.

Salt Lake officials have claimed that the killing of Harmon was legal because the officers feared for their lives, even though the video, released to local media, revealed that Harmon was not advancing toward them. Another officer said he fired his Taser at the same time that Fox shot Harmon. The footage showed the officers handcuffing Harmon as he laid on the ground face-down, groaning in pain.

Civil rights activists said the killing of Harmon was the latest example of police brutality and a prejudiced criminal justice system in the US, where officers kill black men at disproportionately high rates. Data has shown that across the country, black citizens and people of color are stopped by police and targeted for low-level offenses at higher rates than white residents, and some reports have suggested that police stop and cite black cyclists for minor infractions with much greater frequency than others.

Police are rarely charged and almost never convicted for use of force in the US, where the law generally allows officers to use lethal force if they claim that they perceived a threat.

Police declined to answer questions about the case, but the chief, Mike Brown, said in a statement: “We trust the process and support the decision from district attorney Sim Gill. I believe our officers have the training and judgement and ability to make split-second decisions in dynamic situations.”

Gill added in a statement: “Officer Fox reasonably believed deadly force was necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to himself and/or others and therefore his use of deadly force was ‘justified’.”

“He was scared. All he did was run,” said Adriane Harmon, another niece, who was sobbing after watching the footage for the first time Thursday. “It hurts … They said ‘I’m going to kill you’ and they shot him three times. He’s just moaning on the ground.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/05/patrick-harmon-utah-police-shooting

 

[RS4-]

Fuck cops.
Fuck the system.
Fuck America.

RIP Mr Harmon.

 

[DaytimeWhiskey]

*black man runs in opposite direction of officers*

"We feared for our lives"

*run* *opposite direction*

*opposite*

Fuck this country

 

[RoadHazard]

Here we go again. Fucking hell, America, what's wrong with you? This doesn't happen in other first world countries. It just doesn't.

 

[Syder]

Why does a cyclist need 3 cops to deal with him?

Why is the first instinct to end a life over a fucking missing light?

 

[SeanC]

Here we go again. Fucking hell, America, what's wrong with you?

Death throes of a failing empire.

 

[timetokill]

I guess black people should just teleport out of these situations if they don't want to get shot, huh

 

[Enzom21]

A cop lying about murdering a black person... I am shocked! Probably one of those "good" cops I have been hearing about.

Why does a cyclist need 3 cops to deal with him?

Why is the first instinct to end a life over a fucking missing light?

The answer to both of your questions, he was black.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Fuck that DA, do your fucking job instead of enabling racists.

 

[traveler]

Gill added in a statement: “Officer Fox reasonably believed deadly force was necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to himself and/or others and therefore his use of deadly force was ‘justified’.”

Reasonably?! REASONABLY?!?!?!

What the hell? How can you put that out in a press release AFTER the footage has shown otherwise. Total BS. How is it that these guys get away not only with murder, but also straight up lying to the court? Like, even if we hypothetically let the murder slide because we accept the "scared for life" excuse they peddle- which is far more grace than they deserve- how are they not getting punished for lying to everyone about it? There's no above the law defense there.

 

[T-Rex.]

The shit American cops get away with is sickening.

 

[norm9]

Police Chief Mike Brown. We're in one fucked up timeline.

 

[shnurgleton]

He was advancing backwards though, he was moonwalking

 

[Fenderputty]

Sigh ....

 

[Mahonay]

Murderers.

The police support and promote the murder of black civilians, flat out.

 

[FinaruDensetsu]

Here we go again. Fucking hell, America, what's wrong with you? This doesn't happen in other first world countries. It just doesn't.

You know what's the worst part about it? We are the #1 holier-than-thou country, never hesitating to criticize and condemn other countries. And you know what? Nobody can do shit because we're the most powerful due to all the focus on military.

 

[manhack]

The fact they stopped him in the first place is ridiculous. As a former SLC resident it makes me sick.

 

[Timedog]

Fuck that DA, do your fucking job instead of enabling racists.

His job is enabling racists though.

 

[Beartruck]

I guess black people should just teleport out of these situations if they don't want to get shot, huh

"Don't know where he went, better glass the county."

 

[Bad_Boy]

They need to take the flag off their uniform at this point.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

I guess black people should just teleport out of these situations if they don't want to get shot, huh

“Quantum bullets to be provided to police force”

 

[____]

Oh how fun. Another one of these. Just another day it seems. SMH.

 

[Apathy]

Another state minorities should never visit and should get the fuck out of.

Holy shit these cops are turning into Jimbo and ned from South Park.

 

[cdyhybrid]

The only shocking thing about this is that the cops actually had their cams on.

 

[FinaruDensetsu]

Fuck that DA, do your fucking job instead of enabling racists.

He is doing his job. DAs and cops are about as close of buddies as can be. Across the country DAs and cops eat lunch together all the time at joints that are pretty much specifically for DAs and cops.

 

[The Faceless Master]

the system is working as intended.

i told y'all years ago the cameras wouldn't help.

 

[Cat Party]

Obviously nothing will happen because he was "resisting arrest."

But the cop shoots him like one second after he breaks free to run. I know the real answer, but why do American cops go to lethal force that quickly? It's insane seeing it happen in so many of these videos. So many lives taken because cops blast away a the first hint of a threat.

 

[BlastCore]

At this point we should just call all police 'American ISIS'

 

[manhack]

Every cop that kills someone should be tried for murder, period. If they are innocent let a jury decide.

 

[Rockin' Ranger]

Reasonably?! REASONABLY?!?!?!

What the hell? How can you put that out in a press release AFTER the footage has shown otherwise. Total BS. How is it that these guys get away not only with murder, but also straight up lying to the court? Like, even if we hypothetically let the murder slide because we accept the "scared for life" excuse they peddle- which is far more grace than they deserve- how are they not getting punished for lying to everyone about it? There's no above the law defense there.

You gotta be a pretty fucking big coward to reasonably fear for your life from someone who's running away from you.

 

[whatsinaname]

Watch the lil bitch ass closet racist come on and defend this. Every time we want to address this racist issue towards black racist media change the narrative. They want black people to care about every non black problem except blacks.

He shouldn't have ridden without a light.
He had an outstanding warrant.
He was no angel.
He wouldn't have died if he had just followed instructions.
All Lives Matter.
Please stand up for the National Anthem.

 

[Inuhanyou]

white supremacy continues unabated

 

[Vincent Alexander]

I have got to keep getting pissed by this, because I am so numb to this fuckery.

 

[Seik]

Black man runs away and cops be like

 

[legacyzero]

So when can we expect the indictment?

Spoiler

 

[FinaruDensetsu]

So when can we expect the indictment?

Spoiler

That's not how you spell promotion.

 

[shadow_shogun]

I know this is naive as fuck but thus HAS to be the one where justice is served.

 

[Captin Quacker]

Police Chief Mike Brown. We're in one fucked up timeline.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who one caught that

 

[Thequietone]

My best friend keeps his ID around his neck now because of this shit. No reaching for a gun or knife when asked for ID.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

It's really fucking pathetic how quickly some of these dumb ass cops resort to firing their gun in the name of self defense. And real fucking sad how they keep getting away with it.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

He is doing his job. DAs and cops are about as close of buddies as can be. Across the country DAs and cops eat lunch together all the time at joints that are pretty much specifically for DAs and cops.

I'm aware of the messed up relationship between the DA and cops due to the importance of their testimony in court cases but that doesn't mean it's in the actual job description.

It's a corruption of their office.

 

[SlickShoesRUCrazy]

I feared for my life as he had his back turned to me and was running away!

Fuck this broken system.

 

[F0rneus]

Life in prison for these murderous assholes.

 

[kamineko]

How many more, america

Come on

 

[thefragrance]

Fucking despicable. The worst part of all this is how unsurprising and normal it has become. I usually skip reading these stories admittedly not just beacause they are too tragic and infuriating, but also because how frequent they are. It's always the same story about cowardly, piece of shit cops feeling threatened by a black man and getting a paid vacation for murdering them. These fuckers will continue to protect their own and skip trials as long as the system lets them.

He shouldn't have ridden without a light.
He had an outstanding warrant.
He was no angel.
He wouldn't have died if he had just followed instructions.
All Lives Matter.
Please stand up for the National Anthem.

these are also people who probably sleep better than all of us at night despite this shitty conscience. You can bet these asshole cops will also hide in their little mormon church and feel absolved by the love of joseph smith or some shit

 

[RoadHazard]

My best friend keeps his ID around his neck now because of this shit. No reaching for a gun or knife when asked for ID.

Must be horrible to have to constantly fear for your life - not from criminals, but the very people who are supposed to FIGHT crime and protect you from it - just for existing as a non-white person. What a fucked up situation, what a fucked up country.

How many more, america

Come on

How many black people still alive in America? Around that number. Gotta run out of them eventually, right?

 

[Verelios]

Not even going to say I'm not Surprised. Pretty much an American tradition at this point.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

Doesn't matter. This is the system white supremacy set up and wants.

But remember, kneeling is disrespectful.

 

[FinaruDensetsu]

I'm aware of the messed up relationship between the DA and cops due to the importance of their testimony in court cases but that doesn't mean it's in the actual job description.

It's a corruption of their office.

I know I'm not being literal that it's actually in their job description. Just saying DAs and cops fucking love each other. DAs very rarely go against cops regardless of their actual job description.

 

[Ushay]

Fucking sickening.

Animals have less to fear then this. America is going downhill ...