Police open fire on Dine and Dasher

[Captain Awesome]

I do not think these people "tried to kill" a police officer.

Hey, you're free to think whatever you want.

[Oxl3y]

I think at that point they were fired upon not because of food, but because dumb *bleep* tried to kill a police officer by running him over.

They didn't slow down, it was dark outside, and considering you cant really hear people yelling outside while your inside a moving car driving down the road - there is a good chance they didn't even see the cop until the last minute - the same last minute the cop decided to escalate a dine and a dash into a shootout situation on the streets of Montreal.

I do not think these people "tried to kill" a police officer. I think the cop jumped infront of a moving car over a minor issue and risked his own life and then let the fleeing "criminals" assume the same risk he was willing to accept ( stupidly ).

How do you know he knew it was a minor issue? He saw suspects fleeing the scene he tried to get them to stop, they continued he shot at them. You are fighting a losing battle Bag O and you look the worse for it, these guys were morons and they deserved what they got, I hope they spend a long time in jail when they are caught.

[Oxl3y]

I do not think these people "tried to kill" a police officer.

Hey, you're free to think whatever you want.

But he looks silly when he's wrong ;) If a cop steps in front of you and asks you to stop and you don't TA DA you are trying to kill a police officer.

[Al Czervic]

I do not think these people "tried to kill" a police officer.

Hey, you're free to think whatever you want.

Of course they didn’t try to kill him; they only tried to run him over. If the Officer actually happened to die as a result of these injuries who would have thought that could happen? Heck running people over is a pretty safe thing to do right? It amazes me that some people actually come to the defense of these lunatics....

[Loed]

I do not think these people "tried to kill" a police officer.

Hey, you're free to think whatever you want.

Of course they didn’t try to kill him; they only tried to run him over. If the Officer actually happened to die as a result of these injuries who would have thought that could happen? Heck running people over is a pretty safe thing to do right? It amazes me that some people actually come to the defense of these lunatics....

No-one has come to the defense of these "lunatics", they are only looking at the whole picture.

[fvkasm2x]

So who was dumber? Me for trying to catch the criminals or these idiots who went from a simple "Theft from a vehicle" to assault with a deadly weapon.

The situation is very similar to this news story.

You are, for risking your life over a insured piece of metal.

Perhaps. But I'm alive and got my stuff back. They went to jail.

[Bagotricks]

I think at that point they were fired upon not because of food, but because dumb *bleep* tried to kill a police officer by running him over.

They didn't slow down, it was dark outside, and considering you cant really hear people yelling outside while your inside a moving car driving down the road - there is a good chance they didn't even see the cop until the last minute - the same last minute the cop decided to escalate a dine and a dash into a shootout situation on the streets of Montreal.

I do not think these people "tried to kill" a police officer. I think the cop jumped infront of a moving car over a minor issue and risked his own life and then let the fleeing "criminals" assume the same risk he was willing to accept ( stupidly ).

How do you know he knew it was a minor issue? He saw suspects fleeing the scene he tried to get them to stop, they continued he shot at them. You are fighting a losing battle Bag O and you look the worse for it, these guys were morons and they deserved what they got, I hope they spend a long time in jail when they are caught.

A dine and dash is a minor issue. Having worked in the food industry and have phoned the police many, many times for "dine and dashes" - only to be told to file a complaint - the cops don't even show up for them.

[Oxl3y]

A dine and dash is a minor issue. Having worked in the food industry and have phoned the police many, many times for "dine and dashes" - only to be told to file a complaint - the cops don't even show up for them.

The cops were nearby, they weren't called, probably saw the employee frantically trying to stop the people as they got in their car and tried to stop the vehicle, that's a cops job to stop criminals...

[fvkasm2x]

A dine and dash is a minor issue. Having worked in the food industry and have phoned the police many, many times for "dine and dashes" - only to be told to file a complaint - the cops don't even show up for them.

Yes, but driving a car towards a police officer is a major issue. THAT is the key aspect of the story.

[Bagotricks]

I do not think these people "tried to kill" a police officer.

Hey, you're free to think whatever you want.

Of course they didn’t try to kill him; they only tried to run him over. If the Officer actually happened to die as a result of these injuries who would have thought that could happen? Heck running people over is a pretty safe thing to do right? It amazes me that some people actually come to the defense of these lunatics....

Nowhere in the article does it say they tried to run him over. They didn't slow down, at night, while they were fleeing.

Trying to run someone over would be - lets say - steering into them and swerving to hit them.

Do you really think 2 guys that just did such a lowbrow cheesey crime would want to step up their criminal careers to murdering a police officer?

I think the cop was trying to be a hero and risked his life over something stupid and decided to put everyone's life at risk in the process.

[Bagotricks]

A dine and dash is a minor issue. Having worked in the food industry and have phoned the police many, many times for "dine and dashes" - only to be told to file a complaint - the cops don't even show up for them.

that's a cops job to stop criminals...

No its his job to catch criminals safely, not create life threatening situations over a dinner tab.

Getting a plate number - why was that not the best course of action here - considering the outcome? It was better for him to risk his life and others - given the severity of the crime committed?

[Bagotricks]

A dine and dash is a minor issue. Having worked in the food industry and have phoned the police many, many times for "dine and dashes" - only to be told to file a complaint - the cops don't even show up for them.

Yes, but driving a car towards a police officer is a major issue. THAT is the key aspect of the story.

Yes that is a key aspect of the story - why did the cop risk his life ( and subsequently other people lives by opening fire ) and step infront of a moving car over a non-violent minor property crime?

The only time anyone was in danger was when the police decided to intervene aggressively to a non aggressive crime.

For all we know they had a terrible meal and refused to pay. Been there done that.

[fvkasm2x]

A dine and dash is a minor issue. Having worked in the food industry and have phoned the police many, many times for "dine and dashes" - only to be told to file a complaint - the cops don't even show up for them.

Yes, but driving a car towards a police officer is a major issue. THAT is the key aspect of the story.

Yes that is a key aspect of the story - why did the cop risk his life ( and subsequently other people lives by opening fire ) and step infront of a moving car over a non-violent minor property crime?

The only time anyone was in danger was when the police decided to intervene aggressively to a non aggressive crime.

For all we know they had a terrible meal and refused to pay. Been there done that.

For the same reason I did so? To stop a crime in progress. All people have that flight or flight response that nature has given us. When people see a crime (hopefuly all cops) they react immediately. His immediate reaction would have been to try and stop them (prevent them from getting in the car, prevent them from getting away).

When you see a car coming at you, there are two responses: fight or flight. This guy chose to fight. Smart? Perhaps not. Justified? Yes.

As for just moving and getting a plate number to track them down later, what if the car was stolen? Getting a license plate wouldn't really matter much would it? It's also not his job let people get away or to move when someone tries to run him over. It's the criminals responsibility to stop.

[Loed]

A dine and dash is a minor issue. Having worked in the food industry and have phoned the police many, many times for "dine and dashes" - only to be told to file a complaint - the cops don't even show up for them.

Yes, but driving a car towards a police officer is a major issue. THAT is the key aspect of the story.

Yes that is a key aspect of the story - why did the cop risk his life ( and subsequently other people lives by opening fire ) and step infront of a moving car over a non-violent minor property crime?

The only time anyone was in danger was when the police decided to intervene aggressively to a non aggressive crime.

For all we know they had a terrible meal and refused to pay. Been there done that.

For the same reason I did so? To stop a crime in progress. All people have that flight or flight response that nature has given us. When people see a crime (hopefuly all cops) they react immediately. His immediate reaction would have been to try and stop them (prevent them from getting in the car, prevent them from getting away).

When you see a car coming at you, there are two responses: fight or flight. This guy chose to fight. Smart? Perhaps not. Justified? Yes.

As for just moving and getting a plate number to track them down later, what if the car was stolen? Getting a license plate wouldn't really matter much would it? It's also not his job let people get away or to move when someone tries to run him over. It's the criminals responsibility to stop.

All that is well and good, but I mean.. come on man, it's a criminal were talking about here. Should they have stopped? Yes, of course.

In the case of getting a license plate number; Would you prefer the police just have "Blue toyota with holes in window" or "blue toyota with holes in window, license plate# 123456, corolla 97, not reported stolen." If it was reported stolen then they have a touch more information available to them, and if it was not then they have an abundance of viable information.

[Bagotricks]

It's the criminals responsibility to stop.

...or be fired upon, no matter the circumstances?

Cops are taught risk assessment. That whole "the cop was just reacting" line is completely invalid. Cops are trained to quickly *bleep* danger and the situation - that is part of their job. The fact the cop stepped out infront of a moving car and *created* a life threatening situation for him, and the dine and dashers is the issue here.

Please show me a cop at Depot that trains rookie cops to put their lives on the line over minor crimes. When my friend went to Depot he was told its better to come home alive than it is to be a hero, and I cant see cops deviating from that sentiment over a flipping dine and dash!

Lets not forget the Toronto cop who is now dead because he tried to stop a stolen snowplow with the same maneuver - stepping out infront of a fleeing vehicle. Sorry but "special police badge power" dosent mean your body will win in a fight with a moving vehicle. In that situation I think a naked crazy man driving a snowplow might be a risk to the public - but geez - it reminds me of pedestrians just stepping out infront of traffic and "daring" people to hit them. The law wont protect your body there buddy.