Another innocent victim from a botched drug raid

Lavonia pastor Jonathan Ayers is only the latest casualty of the ongoing drug wars – and, of course, police trigger-happiness. Last Tuesday, pastor Ayers was at a convenience store, merely using the ATM, and was leaving when a black unmarked SUV suddenly pulled in, and out jumped a bunch of plainclothes officers, pointing guns they were all-too-happy to use at the slightest provocation, and supposedly identifying themselves as cops.

Right, because when a group of armed men suddenly jump out of a still-moving black SUV, pointing their guns at anyone in sight, having them yell "POLICE!" is a sure-fire way to calm everyone down, isn't it?

What the hell do you think pastor Ayers did? What any regular person not accustomed to such commotion would've done: he took fright and tried to flee, accidentally striking an officer with his car in the process.

Now, if you've just noticed how I mentioned he'd accidentally struck an officer with his vehicle, then of course you realize that counts as a grave assault, even attempted murder (that is, it does in the minds of these cops). So, of course, they were perfectly justified in opening fire into his vehicle as he tried to escape, thus critically injuring him.

View the actual surveillance footage of the scene here.

He crashed his car only a block later and then died at the hospital from the gunshot wounds. He leaves behind his wife, who is four months pregnant with their first child.

As it later turned out, he wasn't even the focus of the sting operation, but a mere passer-by. The actual target was a woman he'd supposedly dropped off moments before the shooting, who's now been charged with possession and distribution of cocaine.

Not only is this such an unfair and tragic death, but the case also holds all the usual hallmarks that identify it as the legacy of incompetent and dishonest cops. First (and most) of all – why the fuck did they shoot into a fleeing vehicle? Forgive me, but I was under the impression that cops didn't shoot to kill unless the perpetrator actually posed a credible threat. Somehow, I don't see how trying to drive off in fright can be translated as "trying to kill the officers". Even if he did strike a cop with his car, that was obviously just an accident, as seen from the video footage above. There was no ill intent on Ayers' part. He was just frightened and tried to get out of there alive. Obviously, the cops decided not to grant him that final wish.

(And let's not even mention the unbelievable stupidity and recklessness of a bunch of idiot cops opening fire at a friggin GAS STATION. Yeah, that sounds like such a freakin' good idea, doesn't it?)

Then, take a look at this excerpt:

Carpenter also told AccessNorthGa.com that the family was first informed Ayers died in a traffic accident, and then that he had been shot. Hours later, they learned he died in an officer-involved shooting.

Their dishonesty is not refreshing. They can't even tell the truth to the loved ones of the victims they massacre ... lying assholes.

Pastor Ayers is no more than one of countless "acceptable losses" in the endless wars against drugs in America (and elsewhere). These innocent deaths are no more than state-sanctioned murders, and it'll be a cold day in Hell before these cops get any sort of punishment – at the moment, the cops involved with shooting the fleeing pastor Ayers are on administrative leave with pay.

Might as well be on temporary vacation. Yeah, just punishment for striking down an innocent man and father-to-be, that is. (Isn't it funny how actual justice, and cops' vision of justice, rarely seem to really match ...?)

(via The Agitator)

Technorati tags: police · drug wars · drugs · police incompetence · drug raid · lavonia, georgia