The Fargo Police Are Imbeciles
BY Herschel Smith
9 years, 3 months ago
CBS:
Two North Dakota State University students got a scare when armed police officers mistook their telescope for a rifle.
WDAY-TV reports that Levi Joraanstad and Colin Waldera were setting up the telescope behind their Fargo apartment Monday night when they were blinded by a bright light and told to stop moving.
They couldn’t see who was shining the light and presumed it was a prank by other students.
An officer on patrol had spotted the two and thought the telescope was a rifle. He also thought Joraanstad’s dark sweater with white lettering on the back looked like a tactical vest. He called for backup and the officers confronted the students.
According to WDAY, Joraanstad said at first the pair didn’t take the situation seriously, certain it was just some friends fooling around.
“… we were kind of wondering, what the heck’s going on? This is pretty dumb that these guys are doing this. And then they (police) started shouting to quit moving or we could be shot. And so at that moment we kind of look at each other and we’re thinking we better take this seriously.”
Police say the two were never in any danger and that it was a situation of “better safe than sorry.”
Gosh, I hate it when that happens to me. I remember the last time I pointed a weapon at someone holding a stick – after all, I mistook it for a rifle so better safe than sorry. In my case, I’m glad the cops understood and let me go about my business, even though I had brandished a weapon. Better safe than sorry, you know.
On August 31, 2015 at 4:25 pm, Breathial said:
“(police) started shouting to quit moving or we could be shot… Police say the two were never in any danger.”
Since these two statements are diametric opposites, when were the po-po lying? At the beginning (when they had guns drawn because they were stupid, ignorant fools) or later when it was clear they are stupid, ignorant fools? And they wonder why people despise them… smh.
On August 31, 2015 at 9:23 pm, Carl Stevenson said:
The kids are lucky they weren’t summarially executed. That’s becoming par for the course when officers encounter threats, even imaginary ones. After all, better safe than sorry, right? Especially since there are virtually never any consequences.
On August 31, 2015 at 9:27 pm, guest said:
Especially imaginary ones. The po-po don’t really like confronting REAL threats–that’s dangerous. Safer to write parking tickets and knock college kids’ heads in for not tugging the forelock.
On September 1, 2015 at 2:26 am, hutch1200 said:
“Police say the two were never in any danger”. =BS
ANYTIME I see the wrong end of a firearm, even at the range where somebody is finishing up for the day & the weapon is cleared, or in a store w/the bolt out etc…….. I feel in danger.
This, along w/”no-knock raids”, is what is wrong w/modern policing tactics. Failure to PROPERLY ID themselves FIRST, before barking orders is just that, a FAILURE on the officers part.
This clown should be on a desk if he’s that worried about going home after his shift. PERIOD!
That this azz-hat could not close enough to gather correct intel, while waiting for backup, tells me he was thus wetting himself. Who sets up that big of a weapon in a college town sized back-yard?
It sure is getting harder to be pro-LEO when this stuff keeps happening.