Metal object in fatal police shooting was a welding torch

[jwkelly]

NEW YORK — Witnesses who called New York City police to report that a man was menacing people with a gun before police killed him were terrified but also uncertain whether the object the man had really was a gun, 911 transcripts released Friday show.

One caller Wednesday said, "He's pointing a silver thing in a lady's face."

When the dispatcher asked if it was a gun, the caller said, "I don't know if it's a gun, ma'am. It seems like a gun. It's silver."

Police said the metal object Saheed Vassell was pointing at people was actually the head of a welding torch.

Officers responding to the 911 calls fired 10 shots at the 34-year-old Vassell, killing him.

The shooting sparked two nights of protests by people who said police should have known Vassell suffered from mental illness.

The police department has released surveillance videos and 911 transcripts to back up the department's position that the officers who responded to the 911 calls had reason to believe Vassell posed a deadly threat.

The video clips show Vassell thrusting an object that looks like a gun into the faces of several people, including a woman holding the hand of a child.

In one of the three 911 calls released Friday, the caller says, "He looks like he is crazy, but he's pointing something at people that looks like a gun and he's like popping it like he's pulling the trigger."

Another caller says, "Oh my God!" and screams.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said his office will investigate Vassell's death.

[sbenkoski]

Pretty sad these days, COPs just shooting people, what happened to trying to talk the person down ? So you're out on the ledge thinking about jumping and the COPs show up and make your mind up for you!  JUST - Shoot the person coz they might have a gun in their pocket ! HOW about some rock salt in a homemade load in a shot gun and knock some sense into them first ??

[jwkelly]

Cops are not in the wrong,they protect and serve,this mental defective was threatening ppl with a weapon and needed to be stopped. I applaud the police for protecting us and themselves and getting rid of 1 more problem.

[thoughtparticles]

It would help if people could actually identify weapons rather than what "LOOKS like" or they "THINK" is a weapon. People are so stupid it's painful. 

As for the police shooting said man... Can't NYC cops tell the difference between a "metal object" and a gun? 

[jwkelly]

You threaten ppl with a weapon and police shoot you and you deserve it !!! Police have a stressful job to not only protect and serve us but protect themselves. I applaud the police for killing this mental defective criminal and making  life just a lil bit safer for us. You don't get that then shame on  you. There are enough defectives and lowlives/uncurables in the system,time to kill rather than incarcerate has come in my opinion.

[sbenkoski]

You threaten ppl with a weapon and police shoot you and you deserve it !!! Police have a stressful job to not only protect and serve us but protect themselves. I applaud the police for killing this mental defective criminal and making  life just a lil bit safer for us. You don't get that then shame on  you. There are enough defectives and lowlives/uncurables in the system,time to kill rather than incarcerate has come in my opinion.

I see your point... maybe people need to understand it's no longer a game.  If people were put to death for abusing kids and other heinous crimes without exception maybe it would happen less!

[LenoraMinogue]

This is incredibly tragic. It's sad that we live in a time when this all too common of a thing with the police. There are some good police officers out there and things can happen in the moment too, but honestly, this sort of thing just still happens too much still.

[countrygirl12]

NEW YORK — Witnesses who called New York City police to report that a man was menacing people with a gun before police killed him were terrified but also uncertain whether the object the man had really was a gun, 911 transcripts released Friday show.

One caller Wednesday said, "He's pointing a silver thing in a lady's face."

When the dispatcher asked if it was a gun, the caller said, "I don't know if it's a gun, ma'am. It seems like a gun. It's silver."

Police said the metal object Saheed Vassell was pointing at people was actually the head of a welding torch.

Officers responding to the 911 calls fired 10 shots at the 34-year-old Vassell, killing him.

The shooting sparked two nights of protests by people who said police should have known Vassell suffered from mental illness.

The police department has released surveillance videos and 911 transcripts to back up the department's position that the officers who responded to the 911 calls had reason to believe Vassell posed a deadly threat.

The video clips show Vassell thrusting an object that looks like a gun into the faces of several people, including a woman holding the hand of a child.

In one of the three 911 calls released Friday, the caller says, "He looks like he is crazy, but he's pointing something at people that looks like a gun and he's like popping it like he's pulling the trigger."

Another caller says, "Oh my God!" and screams.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said his office will investigate Vassell's death.

The idiot deserved to get shot.  You do not point objects that could be mistaken for a gun at random strangers and especially not at cops.  When he was told to put the object down he took a stance like he was going to shoot them and they done what they had to do.  If people would quit being so stupid they would quit being shot by the police.

[BATISTAGIRL663]

I saw this on the news --this is a very terrible sad thing I don't understand why people try to test the police