Jesse Kidder; rookie wouldn’t shoot
Jesse Kidder, a Purple Heart-awarded Marine veteran who had been on the job as a police officer only a year, was confronted by an idiot in Richmond, Ohio. Kidder was wearing a body camera that family and friends bought for him after the Ferguson problems last year. You can see from the video that he remained cool and didn’t shoot the double murder suspect, Michael Wilcox, after a nine mile high speed chase, because he didn’t see a gun;
ABC Breaking US News | US News Videos
Kidder could be seen repeatedly backing up as Wilcox approached him. The officer said he watched Wilcox’s hands, making sure he wasn’t reaching for a weapon. At one point, Kidder fell backward, but the suspect relented as other officers arrived, laying down and extending his arms as police took him into custody.
Following the encounter, Kidder tried to downplay his actions.
“I’m not a hero. I know officers everyday want to go out and protect their communities and save lives,” he said.
I have to say that he has more control than me. Good job, officer.
Category: Police
Officers often get awards for shooting violent dangerous suspects and often they should. Rarely do the ones who face a situation and use deadly force as it was intended; a last resort, get recognized. Events like this happen everyday across America and seldom are publicized because there is no hysteria to be manufactured by the media. Damn fine work officer!
I must admit I think the headline is somewhat misleading. It’s not that he wouldn’t shoot, it’s he chose not to because he saw no threat.
“It’s not that he wouldn’t shoot, it’s he chose not to because he saw no threat.” Great observation, 3E9.
When this story first came to light I must admit that I rushed to judgment against the cop….as I watched the video I kept yelling, “for crying out loud shoot that SOB.” Plus many other expletives.
But after awhile one comes to the realization that in a situation like the one described in this story and video…..no one got hurt, the bad guy got locked up and to second guess the cop on the scene would be wrong. He’s got balls and now he has a new experience to add to his resume……furthermore he’s a damn good cop!!
Had it been me? I firmly believe that deadly physical force would have been utilized without hesitation and based on the facts as we know them I or anyone else would not have been wrong.
It seems clear that recent, much-publicized events affected the judgement of the officer when deciding whether to drop this A-hole.
Finally, I wonder if the body cam played a role in the officer’s decision not to shoot (in my view, it’s very likely), which opens another potentially huge problem for street cops and the use of (any) force in the future.
I’m glad I’m retired.
Concur with all you wrote.
Still, bodycams seem the best solution to what seems to be a concerted effort to discredit LEOs – who’s job is already difficult.
And as you note, bodycams will likely introduce another level of anxiety in an already stressed out police force. I can’t think of any other solution to protect the officer from prosecution/lawsuit, though. Alas …
Irregardless, well done Officer Kidder!
He kept thinking, he kept calm, he did good. I hope his department knows the tremendous caliber of officer they have in him.
I respectfully disagree with the prior comments. After reviewing his body camera tape, this officer is lucky to be alive. If the reported facts were accurate, Officer Kidder was dispatched on a multiple murders suspect, considered armed and possibly suicidal. He abandoned the protection of his vehicle to back pedal from the rushing suspect, for a considerable distance, then tumbled to the ground. That he is alive is a testament to luck rather than training.
Hate to sound like a Monday-morning QB, but he should’ve emptied his mag into that cocksucker.
When I first saw the video, I couldn’t help but think how much of what happened to the officers involved in the shooting of Michael Brown or the takedown of Eric “I Can’t Breather” Garner went through Officer Kidder’s head.
I think the constant replay of these two incidents are now implanted in officer’s heads and are going to make police officers hesitate for much longer than they should, thanks to the racial divide caused by the President, the Attorney General and the American media.
It could have turned out in a far different manner than it did for Officer Kidder as it did in other cases when the officer hesitated:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=62d_1315328962
I don’t think the cops can win anymore. If they call it wrong, and don’t shoot, the perp will kill them. If they call it wrong and do shoot, the media will bury them.
I think I’d rather study horticulture.
I was involved in a similar situation many years ago, although the suspect didn’t rush me. You have a million things going through your mind and yes, what’s going to happen to me if I pull the trigger is one of them. Sometimes cops wait to long to shoot, sometimes they shoot too quick. Most do it correctly and shoot at the right time. Anytime an officer is able to get out of a situation alive and not have to pull the trigger is a win for that officer. I’ve known a few including a lifelong friend who pulled the trigger and were justified and vindicated by the legal system and it still ruined their careers because they weren’t the same after their incidents. Both left law enforcement shortly after. This officer is alive so for me it’s a win.
Same here, 3E9. The guy had a knife, and was standing on his side of the sidewalk, I was in the street, his wife was in the back seat of my cruiser, bleeding. I had made up my mind that the first step onto the sidewalk would be his last step.
Everything slowed down and got crystal clear. I swear I could hear him gulp as he thought over his options. Then another officer arrived and he looked at both of us and dropped the knife.
And, I know an officer who had to shoot someone, totally justified, and it ruined him.
So, he had an opportunity to free our society of a criminal and POS, but choose not do so.
Gun shy is the new standard.
And people get purple hearts for all kind of shit these days. Indirect, ricochets, PTSD, etc.
Was he an infantryman? There are 7 pogs for each marine infantryman, just saying.
Disagree about gun shy. I’m all for deadly force, but just because you can doesn’t mean you have to drop the hammer. I’ll reserve comment on his service and awards until I have reason to believe they are questionable.
So, its not enough that you have to Monday morning quarterback the guy, you also feel the need to question his purple heart?
He was with 1/4 there shitbird.
Here’s what the pros think:
http://www.policeone.com/Officer-Safety/articles/8530323-A-cop-s-shoot-no-shoot-When-is-a-good-decision-a-deadly-hesitation/
Personally, having been a beat cop, I think that the deputy dodged a bullet. He may not have had to use lethal force, but he needed to get control of the situation by going to OC spray or an impact weapon. The suspect had all the control here. Bad mojo.
When I was in the academy, one of our class officers used this exact scenario to train us until we were sick of it. Why? Cause it happens pretty often. To cut to the chase, backing up is not the right answer. It’s a sure sign of insecurity about what to do. Falling down was a definite fail. I know. I did it myself in training.
I am very, very glad that the deputy went home that night, but he needs to look closely at his actions and recalibrate.
I watched the WHOLE video and with that guy running at me with his hands in his pockets, I probably would have shot. He may have been looking for “suicide by cop,” but that was on him and I was going home that night.
The Marine permitted the suspect to live, well knowing he could have exercised deadly force and now the can testify in the murder trial.
God Bless this brave and humble sole and may the Marine’s humility fill the room on sentencing day!
No disrespect to my brother in arms, he should have done all of us a favor and pulled the trigger. JMHO