Navy Seal Chases Down the Killers of his dog.

[Disney Doll]

You might want to have a conversation with every police officer, police chief,and every lawyer in risk management. You'll find out that none of them stand with you.

There is nothing about this case that justifies the chase.

Actually, as the daughter of a police officer, most of them would agree with this on principal.

 

[TCPluto]

If they hadn't been out killing dogs, there would have been no reason to chase them. If he hadn't chased them, and caught them, they would have killed more dogs. I suspect dog killing isn't their only crime either, it's just the crime du jour.

Seriously, I think blood is about to shoot out of my eyes by this ridiculous argument. It's just an excuse to bash a hero of a war you do not like. Deny it all you want, I can see right through it.

I actually know someone who was an innocent bystander and killed by criminals in a high speed chase. She was only 18. Nobody, and I mean nobody, blamed the police for her death. They blamed the bloody CRIMINALS who committed a crime then ran from the cops at a high speed. They were the problem, not the police who were trying to stop them from doing more harm. Just like the dog killers were the problem, not the brave man who stopped them.

Marcus Lutrell is a hero. He helped catch four very dangerous, murderous criminals. I wish there were more out there like him.

I don't think that's healthy....

Latrell is a war hero. He got lucky here, but I'm certainly glad the suspects are in custody.

I wouldn't want Latrell charged, but that doesn't mean what he did wasn't terribly foolish, becasue it was.

Since no one witnessed the shooting, let's let the trial figure it out. Even if Latrell had witnessed the shooting, he wouldn't have been justified in killing them. He would have to show that he was in eminent danger and feared for his own life or the life of another (but not a dog, sorry). From what he described, he was not.

 

[Disney Doll]

The answer is most everyone of these defenders would be screaming for their lives (those in the chase), at least their freedom.

If a police officer had done this in an unmarked car, he'd likely lose his job. If a police officer was in this chase and a tragedy had result from the chase, many these same posters would be screaming for the officers to be criminally charged. If a police officer had been in a fully marked police car with lights and sirens and a tragedy occurred, certain posters would carrying on just the same.

Let's not forget, there were two vehicles travelling at this high rate of speed. The one chasing, and the one being chased. If it wasn't for the chase car, the bad guys wouldn't be fleeing at such dangerous speeds.

The ends do not justify the means in this case. Luckily, no one was injured. And this is in no way meant to diminsh the Hero that Marcus Latrell is. It was a horrible decision that worked out in the end.

IMHO, any time a criminal involves a police officer in a high speed chase, if an innocent person gets injured, it is the criminal's fault, not the police officer's.

 

[TCPluto]

IMHO, any time a criminal involves a police officer in a high speed chase, if an innocent person gets injured, it is the criminal's fault, not the police officer's.

I'm with you, but the courts are not. We need to be realistic here.

 

[TiggerCat]

What Latrell was willing to do has absolutely nothing to do with this.

It's the prosecutor's decisoon, the elected prosecutor. Not charging Latrell is a no brianer politically.

He is a hero, no doubt. But a hero who made a horrible decision in the instant case. Police officers have to consider the possible results of their actions. Chasing these guys in an unmarked car would not have happened, nor should it have happened.

It's called risk management.

Fortunately, you are the minority opinion on this thread. What facts are you using to make the bold statement that Mr. Luttrell made a horrible decision? Seems to me that he took courageous and rational action to apprehend a bunch of thugs. His actions were calm, collected and at no time did he endanger anyones lives. In fact, I would be willing to bet that he would most likely have ended the chase if he thought for a moment that his actions posed a risk to the general population. The facts easily support this. He is a well trained individual who has experience in making very quick decisions in life and death situations. He is taught to keep his emotions at bay and react based on instinct. The 911 call clearly demonstrates that he was in command of his senses and that he was operating in a deliberate and methodical manner. Had he not been thinking rationally, he would have shot the lot of them before they made a run for it.

Horrible decision, give me a break!

TC.

 

[TCPluto]

Fortunately, you are the minority opinion on this thread. What facts are you using to make the bold statement that Mr. Luttrell made a horrible decision? Seems to me that he took courageous and rational action to apprehend a bunch of thugs. His actions were calm, collected and at no time did he endanger anyones lives. In fact, I would be willing to bet that he would most likely have ended the chase if he thought for a moment that his actions posed a risk to the general population. The facts easily support this. He is a well trained individual who has experience in making very quick decisions in life and death situations. He is taught to keep his emotions at bay and react based on instinct. The 911 call clearly demonstrates that he was in command of his senses and that he was operating in a deliberate and methodical manner. Had he not been thinking rationally, he would have shot the lot of them before they made a run for it.

Horrible decision, give me a break!

TC.

His actions were absolutely irrational.

You don't go on a high speed chase in an unmarked car (not designed for police pursuits nor trained for driving in those conditions), pursuing what you believe to be armed gunman who killed a dog. That's called vigilanteism.

The risk of tragedy was too great in this instance. Luckily, it all worked out. But not rational, no.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I wonder how most posters would feel if he were not a "war hero", but some poor Joe Schmoe that this happened to? How would you feel if someone shot my dog and I had a high speed chase to catch them? Oh, that's right, I'm not highly trained at high speed chases. And where do we draw the line -- is it okay to chase someone who shoots a dog, but not okay to chase someone who steals a car? Is it a life vs. property thing? I know of many, many instances where police have chased car thiefs and car jackers, only to be in an accident and the public screams for their blood.

 

[Cool-Beans]

I wonder how most posters would feel if he were not a "war hero", but some poor Joe Schmoe that this happened to? How would you feel if someone shot my dog and I had a high speed chase to catch them? Oh, that's right, I'm not highly trained at high speed chases. And where do we draw the line -- is it okay to chase someone who shoots a dog, but not okay to chase someone who steals a car? Is it a life vs. property thing? I know of many, many instances where police have chased car thiefs and car jackers, only to be in an accident and the public screams for their blood.

I'd feel the same no matter who it was.

The point is that we can't let criminals run around shooting at things and not chase them.

The reasons we shouldn't have criminals running around shooting at things should be obvious, I'd think.

I'd chase them down for a car, too. Me, it would be a minor inconvenience. But some people would have their life torn apart because of that.

This attitude of, "Well, we have to let the criminals do what they do because going after them might be dangerous" is ridiculous and leads to more criminal behavior.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I'd feel the same no matter who it was.

The point is that we can't let criminals run around shooting at things and not chase them.

The reasons we shouldn't have criminals running around shooting at things should be obvious, I'd think.

I'd chase them down for a car, too. Me, it would be a minor inconvenience. But some people would have their life torn apart because of that.

This attitude of, "Well, we have to let the criminals do what they do because going after them might be dangerous" is ridiculous and leads to more criminal behavior.

I agree with what you've said in this post -- really I do. I just don't know I'd feel the same way if one of my family members was hurt in the process, KWIM? I'm just glad the bad guys are getting what they deserve and no innocent people were hurt in the process. And I am sorry that poor man lost his companion and best friend.

 

[yeartolate]

i agree with what you've said in this post -- really i do. I just don't know i'd feel the same way if one of my family members was hurt in the process, kwim? I'm just glad the bad guys are getting what they deserve and no innocent people were hurt in the process. And i am sorry that poor man lost his companion and best friend.

mte.

 

[Cool-Beans]

mte.

What would you think if he hadn't chased them and the next time they went to shoot a dog, they shot a kid instead?

 

[TiggerCat]

His actions were absolutely irrational.

You don't go on a high speed chase in an unmarked car (not designed for police pursuits nor trained for driving in those conditions), pursuing what you believe to be armed gunman who killed a dog. That's called vigilanteism.

The risk of tragedy was too great in this instance. Luckily, it all worked out. But not rational, no.

Yeah, I know. Those poor misunderstood kids. They were only up to some clean wholesome fun when some crazy, irrational wild man put everyone at risk by racing his car at high speeds. He should be the one standing in front of the judge. Fortunately, you were not in a position to make the decision as to who would be charged that night!

 

[ireland_nicole]

there are unstable individuals, armed and firing a loaded weapon, and we're questioning whether having a trained individual chase them is a good idea I'm pretty sure that I'd be more worried about the guys discharging their firearms around my neighborhood than the man giving chase. Somebody has to catch these types of thugs so that they can be brought to justice.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Here's another what if:

What if Mr Lutrell, once he thought better of shooting the thugs, put his gun down and let them drive away, in effect letting them get away with this. He then, in his utter despair, turns the gun on himself. He's just had enough. (This is what entered my mind when I first heard the story.)

Thankfully, that didn't happen. Instead, he took control of the situation in the best way he knew how, and in doing so, took control back over his life.

My heart goes out to him. This story is really a triumph of the human spirit - HIS. He is obviously a really amazing man. I'm thankful nobody was hurt in the chase but I'm glad he scored one for the good guys, and I hope he can somehow find the strength to go on here.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

I doubt this. Did they also teach him to talk on the phone at the same time?

Without the lights and sirens that police officers are required to use, how can you possibly justify this? If you think it through rationally, you can't.

Which part are you doubting? The training is a fact.

I've thought through this rationally and yes, I sleep well at night knowing exactly what Marcus did thank you. I wish we had more men like him in the world actually. Maybe the next time someone thinks about killing a dog they think twice now.

Guess what folks nothing bad happened because Marcus chased the car. No imaginary kids were killed, no goats were run over, no houses plowed into. Geez get over it.

This is what kills me about people lately. Why are we not focused on why these idiot teenagers were out killing dogs for the past month in the middle of the night instead of attacking the person who finally stopped it?

 

[EMom]

All I can say is when did you get your police training. We have police to this sort of thing. If anyone other then this "well known" solider did this they would have been in jail too.

The reason I pay taxes is for the police to get the crazyies. He could have called in the plate number and went home.

I don't think Joe Horn and his Pasadena neighbors would agree with you on this finer point of the law, at least in Texas. We seem to give a generous interpretation to "benefit of the doubt" when it comes to criminals being shot, etc. A man's home (or a woman's!) is his castle and you do not mess with our pets or livestock. I won't even go into what happens to those who harm trucks. In all seriousness, there is no way on God's green earth this guy would ever be indicted in Texas, either for a chase that ended with capture or for shooting them where they stood. I figure he stopped them before their next bullet hit either another animal, or worse yet, a human being. Because there's no way that night's dog killing was their last foray into shooting live targets.

 

[Alyssa88]

I don't see his actions as that irrational, for his state of mind at the moment. I mean, that dog represented his SEAL team members killed in an attack. He sees her dead body and along with some of the other issues he mentioned (little sleep, etc) and it sets him off. He reverts to what he knows. It could have been much worse.

While I certainly feel his actions were not the best choice, I think it may have been for him at that moment. I coulnd't imagine dealing with that much trauma, and then have it shoved back into your face. It is very common for veterans to suffer from a variety of mental health issues, and I don't doubt that's the case here. I don't feel he is culpable or needs to suffer more, I wish him luck during his long process of recovery.

 

[chisnpeke]

What would you think if he hadn't chased them and the next time they went to shoot a dog, they shot a kid instead?

I asked this question earlier in the thread. I don't think I ever got a response.

 

[chisnpeke]

OK, fair enough. But I wish you would answer the question. If the guy in this 110 mph chase across three counties hit your husband and killed him, how would you like it handled?

I'd want the dog killing thugs tried for his murder. He wouldn't have been chasing them if they hadn't of killed his dog.

But my family wouldn't be out that late unless it was a true emergency.

I am so sick and tired of criminals getting away with everything. Once you rape someone, you are put away for good. Once you drive drunk and kill someone you should be put away for good. Too many second chances are given to criminals in our world when their victims don't get a second chance.

I'm a huge animal lover and if someone shot my dog I certainly wouldn't have just jotted down the license plate number and called the police. I would have gone after them. If the police did their job correctly they should have been at the scene and taken over for Marcus. I don't understand what took so long?

 

[Topper]

I'd feel the same no matter who it was.

The point is that we can't let criminals run around shooting at things and not chase them.

The point is, is that he could have reported the license plate number AND shot out the tires. There was no need for a prolonged chase.