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Justifiable LAPD Shooting Caught On Tape

A vehicle pursuit ended in the justifiable shooting death of an unarmed man in Van Nuys, CA by LAPD officers. Watch the dead mans actions just before he’s gunned down and you will see why the cops reasonably felt they were in fear of their lives. Perhaps the man now identified as Joseph Scott Spidell, 45, was intentionally committing, “suicide by cop”. Officers later discovered Spidell had been holding a socket used to remove spark plugs.

Now imagine the same scenario with a lone officer and no video. Video courtesy of KNBC-TV
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Comments

Anonymous said…
Great job by the police. Thank God for the video or otherwise a huge lawsuit would be pending. We know this type of s**t happens, it would be nice if the general public knew it as well.
December 27, 2006 8:41 PM
Arizona native said…
I know cops have only tenths of seconds to decide what to do. I know that the tape clearly shows aggression. I know it seems clear cut, but the man in the video is not what it seems..... I really do know this...he's was my brother.... He was extremely tormented and depressed. No know can know the pain he tried so hard to hide from. While I watch it, I clearly know he was trying to die...and he is finally at peace
December 29, 2006 3:55 PM
Anonymous said…
the fact that the person had a gun or not doesn't matter. I hope the officer involved has been contacted by the brother from arizona in an effort to ease any suffering that he is going through. Once a person has no reguard fo his own life there is no one anywhere that is safe. this is a country at war! an if you connot see that acts like this are ment to demorilize the very people that protect you and your brother from harm. this person was 45 years old not some kid playing games.you dont make it to 45 years old in LA without the protection of the police,anyone remember the riots ?
January 16, 2007 8:54 AM
Anonymous said…
I am the mother of Joseph Scott Spidell, and I miss him terribly. I had to view the video footage in order to come to terms with the fact that the policeman had no choice but to shoot. I wish to God Scott had given him the other choice by raising his hands, but he didn't. It's been almost a year. I'm sitting here with tears rolling down my cheeks, not only for my son who is missed terribly by his family and many friends, but for the man who had to shoot him. I wish the police had put me in touch with him, but they did not. I think they become desensitized somehow. My older son said he saw the policeman who shot Scott put his head in his hands when it was discovered that he was not armed. I truly wish he would contact me so I could tell him how I feel. Scott was tortured about using drugs. Tried so hard to stop, but couldn't make it. I know in my heart that is why he chose to commit "suicide by cop", but that doesn't make it any easier on any of us. He had a wonderful mind, and an unbelievably great personality. How many men do you know that were best man at three weddings? He WAS the "Best Man". I only wish he could have realized it. And I wish people could understand that he was much, much more than the man they saw in the video. He was so loved and so loving. I pray there is a heaven and he is at peace at last.
November 12, 2007 2:48 PM
Paul Huebl Crimefile News said…
This is a complex and dangerous world we live in. There are criminals, and troubled people that do unexplained and terrible things to others, their own families and themselves.

Police and citizens that come into contact with violent people who are over the edge of sanity must use their own gift of fear to protect themselves from the unthinkable.

For every tragedy such as this one there is a mother, wife, sister and fried that knew the value of that troubled loved one.

Taking the life of someone under these kinds of circumstances is a horrible, and life-changing event. But for the grace of God it could have been me on either end of this story.
November 12, 2007 3:05 PM
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