Jesus Christ this is insane.

[Barrister]

No sane person commits multiple felonies in order to avoid arrest for a misdemeanor.

Sadly, many, many sane people will commit multiple serious offences in order to avoid arrest for a minor offence.

Doesn't make it any less tragic.

Best wishes and prayers for Cameron Berkut.

[Berkut]

My thoughts are with you, your sister, and your nephew, Berk.

This is literally insane.  No sane person commits multiple felonies in order to avoid arrest for a misdemeanor.

My sister said they weren't even going to arrest him. Wal-mart wanted them to, but they don't generally go through the hassle of an arrest for shoplifting.

The suspect was agitated, said he had to get to work. Cameron was assuring him that he would get to work, they just have to let them do their job, and he would be on their way. When he moved over to pat him down he pulled out the gun and started shooting out of nowhere.

[Berkut]

This, right here, is why cops freak out when they cannot see your hands, and why seemingly innocent interactions can end in tragedy.

[The Minsky Moment]

What a nightmare - our hopes are with you and your family.

[Razgovory]

I'm sorry Berkut.

[Barrister]

My thoughts are with you, your sister, and your nephew, Berk.

This is literally insane.  No sane person commits multiple felonies in order to avoid arrest for a misdemeanor.

My sister said they weren't even going to arrest him. Wal-mart wanted them to, but they don't generally go through the hassle of an arrest for shoplifting.

The suspect was agitated, said he had to get to work. Cameron was assuring him that he would get to work, they just have to let them do their job, and he would be on their way. When he moved over to pat him down he pulled out the gun and started shooting out of nowhere.

Well there you have the very limited but non-insane thinking going on.  He didn't want to get busted for the firearm for whatever reason (from no concealed carry permit to being prohibited from possessing).

Sorry - don't mean to go on a tangent.  Just the "well he must have been insane" actually lets a piece of shit like this off the hook - he knew what he was doing and figured he'd rather potentially murder a couple of cops so he wouldn't be late for work.

I've just seen too many shoplifting files turned into a fucking armed robbery or worse just because the LPO tries to do their job, when the last thing my office cares about is shoplifting files.

Glad to hear Cameron is doing well so far Berkut.  And yes - that's exactly why cops get touchy.

[Berkut]

Yeah, well some more info has come to light. Suspect was a previously convicted felon (attempted murder, served 10+years). Gang member. Almost certainly the case that the gun was illegal, and likely would have sent him back to prison.

Camron said when talking to my sister that their intention was literally to just write a citation and let him go. Of course, had they found the gun and his background, that almost certainly would not have been the case.

His right tibia and fibia are both shattered. Going to need a titanium rod replacement for both of them.

His left hip was struck and fragmented, but the docs hope with time that will heal without much intervention. He has a 3 inch exit wound in the back of his calf, and the calf muscle has been ripped apart by the bullet - going to need a graft and repair for that (in addition to the rod).

Nerve damage in his right leg - he cannot move or feel his toes. But that doesn't mean much at this point with the amount of swelling that is common with the hip wound.

No idea long term recovery at this point, but the orthos say that the titanium rod replacement is nearly routine now, and their expectation is that he should have a full recovery from that part of his injuries....in time.

[Habbaku]

  Jesus dude. All the best to Camron, Berk.

[grumbler]

I lost the ability to feel the toes on my right foot for about 4 months after a hip injury, so those can heal over (a lot of) time.

I'd also note that it isn't sane to risk a high likelihood of death, and an almost certain life sentence for aggravated attempted murder, to avoid even a five-year bangup for illegal possession of a firearm.  Saying that a person is insane doesn't absolve him or her of any responsibilities for their actions. Criminal insanity is a different standard than insane behavior (i.e. criminal insanity has a legal definition, while insanity does not).

And Berkut, you are right that it is this kind of insanity that makes even good cops trigger-happy.  It's too easy for wackos to get their hands on guns.

[Monoriu]

This incident?  It is reported by CNN.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/03/us/walmart-shooting-virginia/index.html

[Berkut]

This incident?  It is reported by CNN.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/03/us/walmart-shooting-virginia/index.html

Yep.

[viper37]

https://www.loudountimes.com/news/2-security-guards-sheriffs-deputy-injured-in-shooting-at-sterling-shopping-center/article_996aca8c-4d47-11eb-8048-2fc2bf03aca9.html

The sheriff's deputy who was shot is my nephew. Hit 4 times in the legs and hips. Life is not in danger, but his tibia was shattered and his hip bone hit as well. Going to be a very, very long recovery.

He clocked in at 4:30 today, and at 4:40pm him and his partner responded to a local Wal-Mart, where store security guards had apprehended someone shoplifting. When they arrived to take the suspect into custody, he pulled out a gun and shot Cameron 4 times in the legs and hip, shot the two security guards (both not critically) and then was shot by Cameron's partner twice, and fled the scene. He was apprehended a couple hours later after a car chase.

I am in shock. He's a great kid. No organs or major arteries hit, but he nearly bled out. Is out of surgery now, but there is going to be more surgeries to keep getting bone and bullet fragments out and somehow repair his tibia.

If anyone is the praying type, my sister would appreciate it, as would I.

that's awful.  All my thoughts with you and your family

[jimmy olsen]

My prayers are with you and your family Berkut.

[OttoVonBismarck]

He's in my prayers Berk, while incredibly lucky to be alive anytime you're shot (let alone multiple times), rehabbing from extensive bone and muscular wounds to the leg like this is no fucking joke. I hope he comes through it all okay.

I'd also note that it isn't sane to risk a high likelihood of death, and an almost certain life sentence for aggravated attempted murder, to avoid even a five-year bangup for illegal possession of a firearm.  Saying that a person is insane doesn't absolve him or her of any responsibilities for their actions. Criminal insanity is a different standard than insane behavior (i.e. criminal insanity has a legal definition, while insanity does not).

From what I've heard from a lot of the LEOs I deal with regularly is there's a certain class of offender who has done prison time before, and for any number of reasons has made a calculated decision that they would prefer their life comes to an end rather than go back to prison again. Those people when confronted with imminent arrest will basically be ready to shoot out with cops, assuming there is a very high chance they themselves are killed in the attempt. It's kind of a quibble if you want to call it sane or not, but they have an internal logic for it and a deliberateness of action. Not everyone actually is able to tolerate prison very well at all, there's lots of suicides in prisons. He could also have beefs in the prison system or even a falling out with the gang he was in and prison would put him in an inescapable situation with that too.

[Caliga]

Argh, I'm sorry Berk.