Apprehending “Unarmed” Suspects

Earlier this week, Walter Wallace, Jr. was shot and killed in Philadelphia as he charged police officers with a drawn knife pointed at them. When he failed to obey their command to stop, the officers shot him. Immediately and predictably, a great hue and cry was raised about the “systemic racism” of the police and their war on black men. One irresponsible person, posing as a journalist, asked former Vice President, Joe Biden for his reaction to the killing by police of another “unarmed” black man. Mr. Biden immediately offered his sympathy but did not correct the questioner about the contention that Wallace was “unarmed.”

The Ratcatcher has spent a considerable amount of time pondering the quandary confronting police officers when they are confronted with other “unarmed” black men charging with knives, aiming guns, clubs, etc. The Philadelphia City leaders in an inspired decision doubtless designed to promote the vision of the City of Brotherly Love, took away the police officers’ stun guns/Tasers, leaving with them with the choice of shooting the assailant as they have been taught, or turning their backs and running away.

It is unknown whether the officers involved in the Wallace shooting considered Mr. Biden’s advice to shoot the assailant in the leg as he charged them. We also do not know whether they considered his other piece of advice [given to his wife] to use one of their riot shotguns and shot it into the air. Mr. Biden, of course, did not tell either his wife or us what to do about the falling shot when gravity took over. Details.

Ratcatcher has a modest proposal for all police departments to consider when their officers at confronted with a charging knife wielder. The ancient Romans entertained themselves with fights to the death between gladiators. One of the most deadly gladiator armaments was the net and trident. The gladiator had only to throw his net over his opponent, entangling him in the net and then use his trident to dispatch the other gladiator. Police officers would not need to kill the assailant, simply entangle him with the net and trident and then disarm him. Simple, right!! No shooting. Ratcatcher expressly disavows any responsibility for something going terribly wrong in the use of the net and trident in the event that the crafty, knife-wielding assailant also has a pistol secreted in his belt with which to shoot the office while the cop tried to use the net. But at least no innocent, “unarmed” suspect will be shot.

What do you think?

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