Another day, another suicide by cop. Not much to say about this one except a suicidal criminal got his wish. In case you aren’t paying attention, you will see a suicidal man die in this article. The last BCT offended someone because a suicidal man died in a similar situation. So don’t watch it if you don’t want to see it. As for me, I’m posting it regardless of the circumstances because a thug gets killed and I don’t see how that’s ever a bad thing. If that makes me a bad person, so be it. I’ve been called worse.
CARBON COUNTY, Utah — Officials have released footage of the body camera worn by a Wellington City Police reserve officer when he shot and killed a man last month.
Bobby Ray Duckworth, 26, was in a mental health crisis, his fiancé Sydney Fernandez said, and went out into a field with a knife wanting to be killed by police on Sep. 10.
The incident happened in Wellington near 900 East and Railroad Avenue.
The raw, unedited video shows the unidentified reserve officer get out of his car to speak with Duckworth. A set of railroad tracks and dense brush stand between the officer and the field where Duckworth stood. The officer tells Duckworth to put the knife down multiple times and tells him he wants to help. Duckworth begins walking toward the officer, who backs up. At one point, the officer points his gun at Duckworth and tells him to drop the knife or he would shoot him. Duckworth continues to advance, and at about 20 feet of distance between the two, the officer fires multiple shots that hit and killed the 26-year-old.
Carbon County Detective Wally Hendricks then walks viewers through the footage and recreates the scene.
According to a press release from the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, a multi-agency investigation was conducted into the incident beginning the same day.
As per usual in all police shootings, Duckworth’s fiancé called him “an amazing person.” Yes, so amazing that “The Wellington man was released from prison in February after being convicted of drug and assault charges. Hours before his death, he pleaded not guilty to another misdemeanor assault.” It’s amazing that it took him a few months to rack up another criminal charge. I’d have expected it to happen sooner.
“Bobby spiraled after the court hearing, Sydney said. She tried wrestling a knife away from him. When he overpowered her, she had a family member call 911.”
“He needed someone that was strong enough to help, not kill him,” Fernandez said.
Duckworth killed himself. It’s what he wanted. The officer tried to talk him out of it. He was given several commands to drop his weapon and Bobby did not comply. He was charging the officer when he was shot. Was the Officer Safley supposed to wait until Duckworth got within stabbing range to perhaps inflict fatal wounds on him? Of course not. I’m glad this LEO went home unharmed.
This officer didn’t want to kill this guy. I think his repeated requests for Duckworth to show his hands after he was obviously already dead speaks to that. Yes, part of it was training but I believe that a lot of it was the officer hoping beyond hope that the suspect was still alive.
In the end, the Carbon County Attorney’s Office found that, “Officer Safley’s use of deadly force, leading to Mr. Duckworth’s death, was reasonable and justified as the officer “reasonably believe[d] that the use of deadly force [was] necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to the officer or another person.” He acted promptly and lawfully.”
Agreed.
