To Illustrate the Point...

This is taken from today's local headlines, and is an apt illustration of what I was speaking of.

August 26, 2007
SAN DIEGO – If only Alan Kosakoff had taken his psychiatric medication, maybe he wouldn't have led police on a high-speed chase that ended tragically early yesterday in his mother's Del Mar Heights driveway, his family said.
Two San Diego officers, in fear for their lives, shot him in the head and leg after he almost ran over them, police said. Kosakoff, 35, was described as a brilliant but somewhat awkward man who his father said suffers from schizoaffective disorder. He remained in critical condition late yesterday.

Schizoaffective disorder is similar to schizophrenia, according to a Web site that the University of California Los Angeles operates for families of schizophrenia patients. Symptoms can include hallucinations and delusions, and patients can sometimes have trouble distinguishing between reality and fantasy.

“We're still trying to figure out why gunshots were fired,” said Kosakoff's father, Harold Kosakoff, who is the assistant executive officer of the Chula Vista courthouse. “It's kind of baffling.”

Alan Kosakoff had not been taking his psychiatric medication, his father said.
A traffic officer tried to pull Kosakoff over at 12:20 a.m. for a traffic violation at Del Mar Heights and High Bluff roads, said San Diego police homicide Lt. Manny Guaderrama.
But police said Kosakoff sped off in his Toyota Corolla, reaching speeds of 114 mph up and down Interstate 5 and Interstate 805 before taking residential streets to Half Moon Bay Drive in Del Mar Heights, where his mother lives.

The 15-minute pursuit ended when he pulled into her garage and tried to close the door behind him.

Police caught the garage door in time, and an officer approached the car to arrest the driver.
As the officer opened the car door, Kosakoff put the car into reverse and tried to run over two other officers, Guaderrama said.

The officer beside the car was knocked into another car parked in the garage.

The two other officers both fired at Kosakoff. They performed CPR until paramedics arrived and Kosakoff was taken to a hospital.

Harold Kosakoff said his son was breathing on his own after undergoing surgery, but whether he will survive is unknown.

“We are very concerned about the condition he will be in if he does pull through,” he said.
Harold Kosakoff questioned the officers' tactics and wonders if the shooting could have been prevented.

“We as a family have our own theory, and we will see if our theory and the police report match up,” he said. “He was driving into the garage. Why not pull a police car up behind him to block him in?”

The officers involved in the shooting have been with the Police Department for 17 months and 22 months.

Alan Kosakoff lives in a condominium in Carmel Valley, but he spent much of his time and ate most of his meals at his mother's house.

“This couldn't be any more of a surprise, to have someone shot right in front of your house,” said a neighbor who declined to give his name.

He said his wife, who was awake at the time, was walking to the front door to check out the commotion when she heard several gunshots.

Kosakoff was often spotted smoking cigarettes in front of the home, and he sometimes played basketball with children in the street.

Neighbors used the same word to describe him: mellow.

Chris Howe, who graduated from Torrey Pines High School with Kosakoff, said he was a smart kid, but different.

“He was really good at numbers,” said Howe, who lives in La Quinta. “He got all A's. When we were in the sixth grade, he was in high school taking math classes.”

Kosakoff competed on the Torrey Pines varsity academic team. He skipped a grade in school and eventually graduated with an engineering degree from the University of California Berkeley.
But his father said the mental illness prevented him from holding a steady job in the industry.
“He should be on medications, but he wasn't taking them.”

Reader comments:

By Puff on 08/26/2007
Is there a problem with police tactics? Examine what kinds of people are employed as officers and management. You would be surprised at the IQ level. When you give power to ordinary people they will eventually abuse it however when you give power to idiots you create a highly lethal animal. Therefore when you come in contact with one of these animals fear for your life and pull out your magnum to protect yourself.

By BigBadWolf on 08/26/2007
The second he got on the freeway and went 114 MPH, he put himself and everyone else on the road in grave danger. This is a society of laws. If the police try to stop you, and you run, expect the worst to happen to you. Shame on the people that think the police should let these people get away. A society without laws and consequences is not a society I wish to be in. Yes, it is too bad this guy was mentally ill, but that ain't my problem. A car going 114 MPH next to me is. The laws on punishing people that run are too relaxed. I support tougher laws on pursuit suspects.

By de_novo on 08/26/2007
Puff....wow. I promise you, you couldn't do the job as you sit on your high horse and examine what they did with the luxury of TIME. You have no idea what you're talking about. In split second situations, IQ makes no difference...and I promise even if it did...every officer on that department is smarter than YOU. Society shouldn't be at the mercy of people who CHOOSE not to take their medication. This guy could have done ANYTHING. He could have killed the officers and other people. And then it's not HIS fault because he's sick?! Remember, he CHOOSES not to take his medication. Dead people and horrific events are no less dead nor horrific simply because a guy is schitzo. These people are TIMEBOMBS and the citizens are LUCKY the officer ran into him first before he ran into YOU. I have no sympathy.

By de_novo on 08/26/2007
BigBadWolf....ditto.

By Puff on 08/26/2007
Well, the idiots come forth, and with the narrow-mindedness expected of an idiot. It is quite apparent that the idiot officers were not threatened by the driver. Their idiot tactics led them to deliberately put themselves in a situation that they can construe to be life threatening so they can justify shooting. They did not have to stand behind the car. And as for driving 114 mph, well what is the difference between that speed being dangerous to others on the road and the typical commuter who drives 20 to 40 over the limit in everyday driving? They are all running from or to something!

By teacherman on 08/26/2007
The choices mentally ill people make are not rational. That is the basics of mental illness. While I agree that he needed to be stopped and arrested, the officers made poor decisions that led to this shooting. Apologists make the "split second decision" argument, but officers are supposed to be trained and drilled "over and over" on dealing with just these types of situations. High-speed pursuit and the aftermath is a big topic for them. They could have blocked him in and waited for back up. They were angry and let that cloud their decision-making. A review of policy and procedure is in order if they followed what exists now. The city will be sued and will settle with the family costing the taxpayers. If that money came out of the Police budget directly, they would certainly change their tactics.

By 1234567_49 on 08/26/2007
Puff - Are YOU mentally ill too? If i"m a cop attempting to arrest someone who JUST MINUTES BEFORE led me on a 114mph chase, and they put their car in reverse and try to RUN ME OVER...I'M GONNA SHOOT. It's called common sense and self-preservation. Police officers take an oath to protect the public from people like this guy...that's what they did. Do you think they ENJOYED shooting a man and then having to do CPR on him until paramedics arrived? Get real. You obviously have no common sense. By the way...this isn't coming from a cop...or a right-winder...or any of the usual suspects. It's coming from a left-leaning person who has taken part in protests AGAINST police brutality, and who usually is extremely skeptical about ANY police shooting. THIS one was justified. 100%. But I'm sure he (if he lives) or his parents will try to sue the city like greedy bastards. Maybe if he was eating most of his meals at his mom's house she should have made sure he took his meds too! Of course, that would mean people would have to actually take responsibility for their actions!! God forbid.

By 1234567_49 on 08/26/2007
teacherman - When dealing with a person who just led you on a 114mph chase, the last thing a cop would want it to give that person access to getting into a house where they could have weapons stored. Then you get a barricaded gunman situation and put the entire neighborhood's lives at risk.

By O'side on 08/26/2007
"Symptoms can include hallucinations and delusions, and patients can sometimes have trouble distinguishing between reality and fantasy." And he's allowed to drive because???????????? The family knew he wasn't taking his meds, what had they done about this? Sure didn't take his car keys away.