Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The First 48 Film Crew and The Shooting of a 7 Year Old in Detroit

Detroit Police shoot and kill a 7 year old girl with The First 48 cameras rolling.

The same reality television show that Chief Monroe has permitted to tag along with CMPD homicide detectives is now involved in the tragic death of an innocent bystander.

According to the Associated Press, the camera crew had been following homicide cops, who were joined by an "elite Special Response Team" that raided the duplex. The combined police units were looking for the suspect in the shooting death of a 17-year-old high school student outside a party store not far from the 7 year old's home. At some point during the raid by one account before police entered the building and in other reports while police were entering the building an officer discharged his weapon, the bullet striking the child. Police did arrest the target of the raid, a 34-year-old man, inside the duplex.

In the past CMPD has turned down requests from shows like COPS and America's Most Wanted to do live filming during ride alongs. The thinking being police officers might play it up for the cameras.

Now the question is why did police try to execute a murder warrant with the film crew in tow? Was there any lack of planning or training that contributed to a accidental discharge of one officer's weapon. Was a raid necessary would a take down outside the home or a felony traffic stop been the better choice and did the A&E crew encourage the raid to build ratings?

The full story is here.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Come on Cedar, are you serious??? The TV crew pressured the Detroit PD to raid the house??? Come on... There definitely some error here, bur to think they should have waited till he ran on foot or in a vehicle or that the TV crew pushed for a raid is just ridiculous. A little more investigating may have shown that 2 weeks earlier the headlines were "Detroit Policeman Killed, 4 Officers Wounded in Shootout". Maybe that would be why they were more on edge??? But then I'd be making assumptions like you are. Just when I start to agree with you, you go a throw a few curve balls!!!

Anonymous said...

I think Cedar is just asking the question. We all known entering a building presents a lot of what if-s, and its not like the city of Detroit is rolling in money, so I doubt the training is state of the art.

Just my 2 cents.

ThaQueenCity said...

This is actually one of my favorite programs! And if I thought Monroe had done this for the right reasons we it "may" have been OK.

BUT if you do any kind of research you will see that the majority of cities that WERE the top cities on this program, Memphis, Cincinnati, quit being filmed because of this same possibility.

The last thing Chrlotte needs is anymore bad publicity....but with all the murders this past weekend I am aure they are being kept busy!

Let's everyone remember in spite of RuttMutt we have some very fine officers out there and I for one appreciate them ALL :-)

JAT said...

Deploying a flash bang without certitude of who was in the building in absolutely unacceptable procedure. The LEO who did it should be fired and brought up on reckless endangerment charges, those who taught who to do this -- assuming someone did -- should likewise be fired for cause.

Now if they DID KNOW a 7-yo was in the building and flash banged anyway -- same deal, reckless and fire the lot of them. You are essentially declaring the building a free-fire zone with the flash bang -- it serves no other purpose. A disoriented woman running into an officer, resulting in the discharge of a weapon is a totally foreseeable event -- and hence avoidable -- hence the recklessness.

Is Cedar right -- were they being reckless, playing Jack Bauer, for the TV cameras? Only the officers know.

Anonymous said...

Stupid. With what The First 48 filmed, the truth may be caught on tape as to what went on. I do not think they were pressured because of the show. That is a great show, it shows what detectives have to go through and also... people want to know when there are sex offenders around and their past and what they are capable of so we are aware and can be more safe... I see nothing wrong with a show like this that is actually REAL, it just shows how sick and twisted people are and I think it's a great way to get people to be more safe. I can honestly say the show made me finally get rid of my boyfriend who was abusive at times and was constantly using drugs. It shows me what could happen if I were to stay with him and he doesn't get the help he needs.
And a 17 year old murdered right near her house??? It sounds like she was in a bad neighborhood to begin with? It is still a sad situation but I do not think the TV show being there had anything to do with what happened. Things can go terribly wrong, helloooooo, look at the work they are doing?!?