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Many questions linger after man is fatally shot by police officers

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Posted on February 8, 2010 at 6:04 PM

Updated Monday, Feb 8 at 6:17 PM

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Louisville, Ky. (WHAS11) - What happened??
 

That's what Louisville civic leaders want to know from the metro police department.
 

Four LMPD officers shot and killed a man in Iroquois Homes, who they say was wielding a hammer.
 

When should officers use deadly force and how do officers handle those with mental illness?
 

Some questions are being raised by those with the Justice Resource Center - a civil rights watchdog group.
 

Monday Police Chief White says he wants to clear some things up.

“It seems like somebody would have known that this gentleman was mentally ill and wasn't stable,” says a reverend with the Justice Resource Center.

It all happened when police were responding to a call about a disturbance.
 

They say Miles came out wielding a hammer.
 

Those who knew Miles say he had a history of mental illness.
 

Chief White talked to WHAS11 News.
 

He says he can't say right now if the shooting was justified because it’s still under investigation.
 

“It appears the officers attempted to subdue him with reasonable force,” says White.

Chief White says all of his officers go through 40 hours of training in dealing with those with mental challenges, including the four officers who had not been on the force longer than three years.

Those with the Justice Resource Center say a shooting like this does nothing to build a relationship with the community.
 

Chief White says the officers tried to taze Miles and tried to use tear gas but say nothing calmed him.
 

He said the first officer on the scene fired shots, then the three officers that fired shots later, fired seven rounds.
Miles was struck 4 times.
 

There will be a vigil Monday night for Miles at the scene of the shooting in Iroquois Homes.
 
 

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cyclones said on February 8, 2010 at 7:03 PM

OK, so basicaly people are saying that because this guy had a mental illness, the officers should have just let him club them with a hammer?? That is ridiculous! They tried other means, it didn't work. I'm sure they didn't want this to happen, no one ever does..but I can't say I blame them for what they did. The news can try to slant this story to make the officers look bad by interviewing people saying "we told them he was menatlly handicap" well I didn't hear about any of them going over and taking the hammer away from him, because they were all hiding in there houses affraid of getting struck and killed. But yet we expect our police officers to risk there lives to fix the problem then second guess them and complain that they should have just "shot him in the leg" like one person suggested. Are you people serious?

springer94lj said on February 8, 2010 at 7:12 PM

well his illness is cured now

purecountry said on February 8, 2010 at 7:16 PM

They should send the swat team down there and shoot everyone complaining about it. If they didn't want him shot, they should have taken the hammer away from him. Where was his family? Hiding out.

pirareround said on February 8, 2010 at 11:26 PM

I fully support the police on this one. Where were all of these concerned neighbors when the first woman was attacked and had to call the police? The public demanded non-lethal responses and the officers used them. They were ineffective, I guess that's why they carry a gun too. If you don't like the way that the officers handled it, go to the LMPD, turn in YOUR application and see what your response would be to a stranger coming after you with a hammer. Try to talk him down after being shot the first time doesn't resolve it. Good luck with that. The officers are human beings. They want to go home at the end of their shift. Now they are to be social workers too? As much as you detest them, how well would you sleep if they were not around?

oldclown38 said on February 9, 2010 at 12:12 AM

It seems that the police has complete immunity from killing anyone.remember the man in hand cuffs a few years back?now a guy with a hammer,come on really 4 cops armed,tazers,batons could have called for back up.and yet chose to take this mans life.and some of the comments people are making like kill everyone out there.that is racist at its worst. most of the residents out there are black,what an awful thing to say.some body should remove comments that are offensive like that.I feel terrible for this mans family and the entire community.If you are reading this chief White this is why no one talks to police,and no one trusts them either.SHAME ON THE LMPD.

pirareround said on February 9, 2010 at 10:32 AM

Of the five postings only one mentioning race. That one being the accusatory one. Try "Before you accuse me take a look at yourself" or perhaps "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." Play your cards somewhere else.