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Washington Man Cries For Help as He's Beaten to Death By Police
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:03 am
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:03 am
Video inside
holy frick...
holy frick...
quote:
On May 11, police were called to the parking lot of a University Place, WA apartment complex to talk to a man who was having a delusional episode. Ron Hillstrom, 44, was beaten to death as he screamed for help after neighbors reported that he was walking in a circle requesting assistance.
When police arrived, though, he received anything but that. “I see four officers walking up on him and they’re like, ‘It’s the police,’ and he’s like ‘You’re not the police’, and he goes to run in the circle and as soon as he comes back the police use four tasers at one time,” said neighbor Ashley Patterson said.
A second witness told KOMO News that she heard Hillstrom yell, “They’re out to get me! They’re trying to set me up!”
“One cop had his knee right on his neck, holding him down,” a third witness said. “The other one was down by his feet and two were on each side of him.”
“And then they started beating him. And they just weren’t done until he was dead,” explained yet another witness. “Bam, bam, bam,” she said as she mimicked police actions. “It was horrible. It was absolutely horrific.”
After the four officers tazed the man at once, witnesses say that one of the defenders of the peace used a flashlight to continue to beat the man several times. According to those who witnessed the vicious beating, Hillstrom had a screwdriver in his hand, but did not in anyway use it to threaten the officers.
Hillstrom was taken into custody and died just more than an hour later.
“I knew last night they were gonna kill that man,” Patterson said. “You beat this man to death last night for no reason and we caught you. Period.”
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office says that Hillstrom resisted and has a long history with law enforcement. Detective Ed Troyer, despite overwhelming witness testimony–more than a dozen people– and multiple videos that both indicate the officers went overboard, tells a different story. “What the video doesn’t show is everything that led up to that point, to where they had to physically get on him and strike him to try to put him into custody.”
Witnesses, however, say that contrary to the Sheriff’s Office’s claim Hillstrom did not charge the police. “He was just doing what he was doing before the police came,” said one witness. Patterson, crying, feels that there is no justification for what the officers did–period. “I don’t care if you are like that. You don’t get beat to death like that, the way they just did this man,” she said.
The medical examiner says that there were no apparent blows to Hillstrom’s head, but the examination is incomplete so the exact cause of death is undetermined.
Ron Hillstrom’s Facebook account is still active, where friends and family have left kind notes and publicly expressed their sadness at the loss a man who was obviously well-loved. You may leave condolences here, if you feel so inclined.
This post was edited on 5/22/14 at 8:33 am
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:08 am to cas4t
quote:
Washington Man Cries For Help as He's Beaten to Death By Police
People will be defending the murderers in 3..2..1..
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:10 am to MagicCityBlazer
quote:
People will be defending the murderers in 3..2..1..
:nb4rebelgator:
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:10 am to cas4t
I'm not going to watch that video, but as a pretty consistent officer defender I will say fry the bastards based on the thread title.
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:13 am to CheeseburgerEddie
Long story short, guy was being unruly, fighting back, FOUR of them pin him down while one repeatedly beats him hard as hell with a baton until he dies.
He is crying for help the entire time.
He is crying for help the entire time.
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:17 am to cas4t
quote:
guy was being unruly, fighting back
Not defending the cops, but why do people do this? It never ends well for them.
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:20 am to kywildcatfanone
I completely agree. He was likely a criminal. But the man was pinned down by 4 cops and they had no reason to beat him with the baton.
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:20 am to kywildcatfanone
quote:
Not defending the cops, but why do people do this? It never ends well for them.
Article says he was having a delusional episode. Doesn't say if it was caused by mental illness or drugs though.
Those cops should have to listen to his cries for help every day for the rest of their lives.
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:23 am to The Spleen
quote:
Those cops should have to listen to his cries for help every day for the rest of their lives.
It'll remind them of the payed time off this episode got them.
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:31 am to cas4t
Could they not tase the dude?
I'm not a cop defender per se, but 99% of my interactions with law enforcement are positive (I don't speed, drink often, and have never done drugs, so my experience in that end is limited). I'm not blind enough to not see that there are bad cops as well.
Every cop I know would have used a taser in this incident.
I'm not a cop defender per se, but 99% of my interactions with law enforcement are positive (I don't speed, drink often, and have never done drugs, so my experience in that end is limited). I'm not blind enough to not see that there are bad cops as well.
Every cop I know would have used a taser in this incident.
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:32 am to 3nOut
They used 4 tasers....at the same time.
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:33 am to 3nOut
I edited the OP with the article
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:41 am to cas4t
quote:
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office says that Hillstrom resisted and has a long history with law enforcement. Detective Ed Troyer, despite overwhelming witness testimony–more than a dozen people– and multiple videos that both indicate the officers went overboard, tells a different story. “What the video doesn’t show is everything that led up to that point, to where they had to physically get on him and strike him to try to put him into custody.”
What the frick difference would that bottom quote make? Is he saying there are instances where beating a man to death is justifiable?
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:44 am to cas4t
quote:
Oh they did tase him.
ok. did not watch the video. if they incapacitated him and then continued to beat them then fry their balls.
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:45 am to OBReb6
it just seems like excessive force to subdue one person. Really? Four tasers and a four man beat down? You clowns can't get someone under control without killing them? Is that what I'm supposed to take from all this?
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:48 am to BoulderReb
I'm surprised the 4 tasers at once didn't give him a heart attack
Posted on 5/22/14 at 8:51 am to OBReb6
Cops need to learn to chill the frick out. The job by definition will out you in tense situations. Your training should be such as to not flip out and beat a man to death after you him secured on the ground.
I just see too many stories of cops acting far too aggressive for the situation they are in. Gives good cops a bad name and illustrates the dangers of our ever increasingly militarized police force.
I just see too many stories of cops acting far too aggressive for the situation they are in. Gives good cops a bad name and illustrates the dangers of our ever increasingly militarized police force.
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