Thoughts on the Omar Edwards murder....
Is this how a black cop has to get upgrade to detective?
Last week, in my hometown of Harlem NY, there was yet another a senseless murder. This, probably the thousandth senseless murder of this year (not really, but you get my point ). We had to a bury yet another young black man, all though on different circumstances, senseless nonetheless.
For those of you who haven't heard Omar Edwards, a 25 year old, rookie officer was added to the roaster of slain black men in New York city. Edwards was murdered when merely trying to foil a robbery attempt on his vehicle. Officer Andrew Dunn came in contact with Edwards while the latter was pursuing this criminal. Likely assuming Edwards was in the act of a robbery himself (can you smell the irony?) fired 6 times and hit him 3 times, leaving Edwards' young family with no patriarch.
The obvious truth is, if Edwards hadn't been brandishing a weapon while in pursuit of this criminal in plain sight, he would have most likely avoided being shot. With in this same truth lies another less accepted truth. If Edwards had been a WHITE man waving around a weapon in the Harlem streets, his life most likely would have been spared. The fact is any black man seen with a gun has to be committing some sort of crime in a cops eyes. On second thought, really ask yourself, if YOU saw a plain clothes black man running down the avenue, pistol in hand would you really say "oh he must be a cop, its ok" I wouldn't, I'd take cover.
So Dunn's premature assumption is justified due to societies view on certain members of within its society, but this doesn't make it right. I am not saying Dunn is a racist, but the fact remains a young Black! Cop is dead because he was black, aside from the fact we have faulty system of law and order in this fine city.
Now one must delve in to the degree to which this injustice was performed. Why did Dunn fire 6 times? Why was there
no warning hurled at Edwards? According to an eye witnesses there was nothing said to warn him, thus there was no sufficient chance for Edwards to reveal he too was an officer. History tells us that even if Edwards had an opportunity to reach for his badge, that too would have been reason for Dunn to shoot Edwards down. Think back to the senseless (word of the day) murder of *Amadou Diallo an African immigrant shot 19 times!! (out of 41 shots fired!!) at the front door of his new york city apartment attempting to reach for his wallet for the purpose of proving his Identity.Police officers have to protect themselves from eminent danger, and must take extreme precaution. With precaution, one must posses clear, concise judgement. If someone is suspected of committing a crime and also suspected of having a weapon and they proceed to reach some where other than sky, you have to act fast or it could cost you your life.
These previously stated facts are understood, but the NYPD (along side other cities) are notorious for excessive behavior, dramatically blurring the lines of right from wrong.
Edwards was buried last Thursday an occasion graced by the attendance of many of his colleagues, colleagues once again reminded of the dangers of being an officer of the law.
Throughout the dense crowd was a look of sadness accompanied with the significant realization that it could easily be one of them in that casket. I bet none of the officers expected that yet another of their own another would be murdered, and again due to "friendly" fire.
After this incident I would hope a new procedure will be implemented to prevent such a tragedy. They've began working a new gun that can identify other police officer's service pistols in a certain radius, riiiiiight. Maybe they should focus on training their new recurits, just a thought. Along with new precedents and standards within the police force there must be change within our society. In order to change what's around us, we must first change ourselves. RIGHT?
- Rasean
