15-year-old shot by police in school

[DiMaggio5CF]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...home-headlines

The facts as I understand them are . . .

- The kid brought a pellet gun, which he had painted black to look real, to school and told another student that he had a gun

- Chaos ensued, students fled, the police showed up and chased the student around the school

- The kid ran into a bathroom, and there was a standoff

- The kid pointed the gun at police, and one officer fired one shot which hit the kid

The family is now saying that . . .

- They (the family) asked to speak to the kid to try to end the standoff peacefully and were denie

- They (the family) told police that they did not own guns and that the kid was carrying a pellet gun

My opinion on this case is . . .

First of all, while they should have been allowed to speak to the child, if the child refused to talk or would not allow police close enough to give him the phone, that's not the fault of the police.

Secondly, while it's useful information, I wouldn't take the parents' word about the gun being a pellet gun. If it looks like a real gun and the reports were that it's a real gun, then you have to assume that it's a real gun. Parents might have said that just so police wouldn't shoot him. If you know there's a stand off, regardless of who's wrong, who would you rather have die, a police officer or your son? I don't fault the police at all for not believing this information.

The only way the police could be faulted in this, IMO, is if they unnecessarily engaged the student. If the kid barricades himself alone in a bathroom, let him stay there. If they approached him, that's wrong. But if he came out and pointed the gun at them, they did what they had to do.

[nhyankeefan]

The only way the police could be faulted in this, IMO, is if they unnecessarily engaged the student. If the kid barricades himself alone in a bathroom, let him stay there. If they approached him, that's wrong. But if he came out and pointed the gun at them, they did what they had to do.

I may be missing it, but where is the part about the police engaging him in the bathroom? I feel bad for the family here, but the police did what they had to do IMO.

[DiMaggio5CF]

I may be missing it, but where is the part about the police engaging him in the bathroom? I feel bad for the family here, but the police did what they had to do IMO.

That's the only thing that I have yet to get a straight answer on.

It's clear that he barricaded himself in the bathroom, and it's clear that he pointed the gun at the police. How the situation got from A to B is unknown.

What I'm saying is that IF the police went in after him, that would have been the wrong way to handle the situation. But IF he came out, then they did everything right.

I live in the town where this happened, so I've heard a bunch of reports, and that's the only part of the story that I can't figure out.

Here's another article on this: http://www.cfnews13.com/StoryHeadline.aspx?id=12584

[nhyankeefan]

That's the only thing that I have yet to get a straight answer on.

It's clear that he barricaded himself in the bathroom, and it's clear that he pointed the gun at the police. How the situation got from A to B is unknown.

What I'm saying is that IF the police went in after him, that would have been the wrong way to handle the situation. But IF he came out, then they did everything right.

I live in the town where this happened, so I've heard a bunch of reports, and that's the only part of the story that I can't figure out.

Here's another article on this: http://www.cfnews13.com/StoryHeadline.aspx?id=12584

If the police did go in, that was the wrong decision, it's best to wait those type of situations out. Even if they did, I would have a hard time blaming them, the kid did all he could to make them think he had a dangerous weapon and they acted accordingly.

[KLJ]

from everything i have seen, the police did the right thing by shooting him..

[Gringaloca]

So tragic...why did this boy bring a 'pellet gun' that he took the time to disguise (painted black) to school? To intimidate other students?
Or defend himself against yet another attack by the school 'bully'?


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...home-headlines

Friends also said Penley was suicidal, unhappy and bullied by several kids at school. He had run away from home several times.


Another tragic death by a young person who maybe just felt he had to defend himself @ school?..

[keithf1]

What a dumb kid. Once the cops become involved, you throw your gun out the door and say it's fake. What was he trying to prove?

[DiMaggio5CF]

So tragic...why did this boy bring a 'pellet gun' that he took the time to disguise (painted black) to school?

What a dumb kid. Once the cops become involved, you throw your gun out the door and say it's fake. What was he trying to prove?

It seems like either he wanted attention or it was suicide by cop.

Supposedly there was an altercation with a bully, but I haven't read anything about him using the gun to threaten the bully.

Supposedly he told another student to tell the teacher that he had a gun, which probably means that he just wanted attention.

He might have gotten the attention, then freaked out when the cops showed up, and he might not have even realized that if he pointed a fake gun at someone he'd get shot. But if you're old enough to paint a gun to look real and then bring it to school . . .

Or, once he was trapped in the bathroom, he threatened to kill myself and supposedly said that he'd "die one way or another" which sounds like it could have been suicide by cop.

[Sheff_Rod]

So tragic...why did this boy bring a 'pellet gun' that he took the time to disguise (painted black) to school? To intimidate other students?
Or defend himself against yet another attack by the school 'bully'?


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...home-headlines

Friends also said Penley was suicidal, unhappy and bullied by several kids at school. He had run away from home several times.


Another tragic death by a young person who maybe just felt he had to defend himself @ school?..

Maybe he wanted to impress his friends by showing it off. Kids do stupid sh*t, sad end though.

[Stupid Flanders]

He also took another kid hostage.

This could have worked out better but I don't blame the cops.

[yankeebot]

I am still not clear on the details of this story. They said he was cornered in a bathroom. Did he come out and pull the gun or did the police go into the bathroom?

[PalmerGA]

I am still not clear on the details of this story. They said he was cornered in a bathroom. Did he come out and pull the gun or did the police go into the bathroom?

Makes no difference. #1 - You don't bring any weapon to school (especially these days). #2 - If the cops are called in, you drop the weapon and hold your hands high in the air.

Dumb kid. Very unfortunate incident, but it was caused by a dumb kid. I feel every bit as bad for the cops as I do for the parents. Dumb kid....

[Casey37]

You simply do not bring a gun to school (which btw was painted black to make it look real) and aim it at a police officer when asked to put it down.

You do this and you're asking for trouble. Very unfortunate and dumb move by the kid. I really feel sorry for his parents.

[yankeebot]

I don't believe that kid had any intention of leaving school that day alive.

[RhodeyYankee2638]

After Columbine, I dont think any cops are taking any chances whatsoever when it comes to this sort of thing. Bringing a gun to school is one of the dumbest things to do, you put every single person in danger whether its fake or real

[Casey37]

After Columbine, I dont think any cops are taking any chances whatsoever when it comes to this sort of thing. Bringing a gun to school is one of the dumbest things to do, you put every single person in danger whether its fake or real

Police officers anywhere do not take any chances when a gun is pointed at them, regardless of whether it's a kid or an adult. That's just the way it is.

[RhodeyYankee2638]

Police officers anywhere do not take any chances when a gun is pointed at them, regardless of whether it's a kid or an adult. That's just the way it is.

Exactly, and if its aimed at them, they aren't going to shoot the person in the leg either

[SheffRocks11]

So tragic...why did this boy bring a 'pellet gun' that he took the time to disguise (painted black) to school? To intimidate other students?
Or defend himself against yet another attack by the school 'bully'?


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...home-headlines

Friends also said Penley was suicidal, unhappy and bullied by several kids at school. He had run away from home several times.


Another tragic death by a young person who maybe just felt he had to defend himself @ school?..

Sad World...

[Jersey Yankee]

When the family asked to speak to the son, was this before or after he'd been shot? Where did they call, and was this in all practicality, a place where they could easily contact the family?

If it was, then I'd say that the police might've offered to allow the boy to speak to his family. However, he'd have to drop his weapon. It seems to me that this might've been impracticable.

The kid should never have painted his pellet gun black. Once he did this, the family lost all claims. A black toy guy can look real.

If he's alive, he's very luck. One shot doesn't necessarily equate to death.

I don't believe that kid had any intention of leaving school that day alive.

Suicide by police, perhaps?

[Hitman23]

The police were in the right here, IMO. I know he's a kid, but if he thinks he's adult enough to be carrying a gun and threatening people with it, he deserves the adult consequences when he points it at a cop.

[RhodyYanksFan]

This is alot like the air marshall who shot the guy on the plane last month. If he does nothing and it turns out the guy did have a bomb, everyone would be talking about how the system doesn't work. Well when you're a cop and somebody, kid or adult, runs away and eventually points a gun at you, you have to shoot.

[Hitman23]

This is alot like the air marshall who shot the guy on the plane last month. If he does nothing and it turns out the guy did have a bomb, everyone would be talking about how the system doesn't work. Well when you're a cop and somebody, kid or adult, runs away and eventually points a gun at you, you have to shoot.

I understand the position of the family here, they are upset obviously and no one can blame them for lashing out. their son was shot. But what you are saying is accurate. people need to understand they have to be a little more responsible for their actions. The world we live in today unfortunately involves shootings in schools done by students, and people who fly plains into buildings. If you're gonna mess with that, even if your threats are empty, you have to understand authorities are going to do what they have to do.

[cb2u]

IMO it was suicide by cop...if he intended to do major harm to anyone else, he would've brought a "real" gun to school. He took pains to make the pellet gun look real and then pointed it straight at the police. Everybody knows what happens when you do that.

It's so sad, but apparently he left the police no other choice.

I feel so bad for him and his family.

[Casey37]

This kid had some serious issues, there had to be some red flags his parents neglected to see along the way.

Unfortunately, those red flags have become more visible now after this tragedy. I truly feel sorry for his parents.