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Keith B wrote:Surprisingly Kohl's suffers heavy losses from shoplifters. Their merchandise is not marked down last years fashions.

I stand corrected.

Kohl's moved into the area where I lived about 20 years ago. IIRC they bought a regional chain that had gone bankrupt and rebranded the stores. It seemed like what I described, and I didn't bother going there after that.

- Jim

I'm really surprised that shoplifters would bother with Kohl's. Kohl's basically sells marked-down last-year's fashions.

Shoplifters tend to go for things like overpriced name-brand sunglasses, electronics, and leather jackets. Many of them work in groups that are literally organized crime - and pretty successful. They do things like taking merchandise and passing it off to their "coworkers" with the skill of James Randi.

Maybe stupid first-time shoplifters go to Kohl's, and that's why they get caught.

- Jim

I think it was a lucky crap-shoot that only the "right" bad guys got shot.

I ain't running into a police situation with a shotgun when there is already a marked cruiser on the scene. Ask any cop you know if they think that is a good idea.

I'm completely in favor of non-LEO citizens protecting themselves and others when they comprehend the situation, but a chaotic crime scene is not really the place to have multiple non-LEOs running around.

- Jim

The "in fear of his life" line is straight from the handbook.

I'm not arguing with that. Police officers, even the chief, are employees. They have to follow polices or land on the pavement fast enough to leave skid marks.

As for the Fort Worth incident, call me a ninny, but I don't think it's a great idea for non-LEOs (who by definition cannot recognize each other or coordinate their actions) to intervene in a police stop. The burglary was already thwarted. The use of deadly force was tenuous at best.

The guy who shot the burglars will be lucky to avoid a lawsuit. It probably would not be successful, but good lawyers aren't cheap.

Even real cops in plain clothes have gotten shot and killed by uniformed police intervening in crime situations. Pulling something shiny from your waistline, even if it is a badge, is a dangerous thing to do.

- Jim

Yeah, shooting when you don't know what's going on or who the actors are is always such a good idea. Pulling out a weapon during a police stop is an even better idea.



Maybe they should make the ride-alongs sit in back where the doors don't open from the inside.

- Jim

This doesn't pass the sniff test:

Police say they received a call at 4 p.m. from the Kohl's loss and prevention department saying they had detained a shoplifter. When [the officer who shot] arrived and began leading the suspect to his squad car, a struggle began.

According to [the] Keller Police Chief..., the suspect threatened [the officer] and lunged for the ten-year veteran officer's gun. [The officer] drew his weapon and shot the suspect multiple times. The suspect was unarmed.
(This information copyright WFAA, quoted for fair use)

OK. Store security catches a guy shoplifting - which is generally petty theft (especially at Kohl's). They call the cops. The cops arrest the suspect.

Why was he not cuffed at that point?

People have escaped custody, assaulted officers, and drawn concealed weapons while being stuffed.

On the other side of the transaction, why would a thief, who at worst is going to spend a couple of months in county jail, essentially commit suicide by cop?

You can say he was nuts or on drugs, and maybe he was both.

- Jim