It was reported in Austin, Texas that Geoffrey Freeman, a 10 year veteran police officer and former member of the Austin Police Department, was not only “suspended indefinitely” (code for fired) but also bring brought up on murder charges for using deadly force on an unarmed nude teenage that wildly charged a police officer with crazed intentions to do harm. David Joseph, the teenager of 17 years of age, like Officer Freeman, just so happen to be black as well. Police Chief Art Acevedo outlined a disciplinary action that said,

“Officer Geoffrey Freeman violated department policy in the shooting of David Joseph — that he should not have confronted the teenager alone, that his decision to draw his weapon wasn’t warranted and that there were other ways he could have stopped Joseph after the teen began charging at the officer.”

Also falling down on Officer Freeman’s head is Mr. Jim Harrington – Director of Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP) was also quoted on the situation,

“It’s almost incomprehensible that a young naked man would be considered dangerous such that a police officer would kill him….There have been way too many police killings over the years simply because police do not know how to deescalate situations and end up resorting to violence. This has to stop.”

Which the TCRP have set in motion to undergo a “full, fair and open” investigation into the shooting. Meanwhile, FOX News reported,

Freeman’s lawyers with the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas say they will appeal. The general counsel for the group has said Freeman feared for his life when he fired his gun at Joseph.

This group intends on doing all that they can to restore Officer Freeman’s good name and put him back to work. There are many that are taking precious time to call to question Officer Freeman’s judgment in using deadly force against a nude charging aggressor. Let us take time to put aside the high emotional responses, the issue on racism of police against young black men, and just look at the facts.

Besides a handful of other officers, Freeman was called to an indecent exposure situation and doing his job he went to investigate.

Officer Freeman, reported to weigh 240 lb. / the charging teenager 140 lb and unarmed

Officer Freeman, a Police Officer sworn to protect and serve the common good and uphold the nation’s Constitutional rights stated that he feared for his life.

Officer Freeman, a well-trained officer of 10 years made the choice to defend his life and drew his firearm to protect himself and used deadly force to do so.

Now he is being smeared as a murder?

Let’s be honest about the training of a police officer. Yes, he/she undergoes strenuous training in multiple scenarios that may occur. Most of these situations are to be handled with the utmost skill in not only lawfully solving the issue at hand but also doing all that is in their power to preserve life. This is not always the case however. Seeing that there are some issues where aggressors will not abide by lawful commands whether out of fear, rage, or otherwise. These individuals are usually categorized as “suicide by cop”. This is where they not only place their lives in danger but also everyone around them including the officer that is someones mother, father, daughter, son, brother, or sister. Could he have used non-deadly force in time and how is it that someone half his weight could have instilled fear into an armed officer? These questions, though valid, miss the point completely. Who in their right mind would not only strip from their clothes completely then charge a police officer with a drawn firearm?! But leaving that question aside, let’s address the first two-part question previously:

Could he have used non-deadly force in time? Seeing that the officer had drawn his firearm, one could easily deduce that the weapon drawn was meant to fill the aggressor with caution and not with the intention of slaying. This obvious warning apparently went unheeded and the teenager charged the officer without regard for himself nor Officer Freeman. It was at this time the officer had little time to act as the aggressor closed in on him therefore Officer Freeman acted accordingly.

How is it that someone half his weight could have instilled fear into an armed officer? How many of us go to work each day and have a thought cross our minds that we may actually die during normal work hours? Every single moment an officer steps out into the public with his/her uniform, gear, and badge their lives are at stake. Swearing to uphold the law, to protect and serve, each officer holds a massive responsibility in acting with justice in just about everything they do. Even a routine speeding ticket can turn into a deadly encounter without a single warning. Need I remind every one of the of the Miami Police Officers shoot-to-kill incident because a doped up wild man was eating another mans face?! So why should an armed police officer fear a wild and naked charging aggressor? Probably the same reasons why those Miami Police officers feared a wild and high as a kite, face-eating charging aggressor.

But let’s look at the other end of the spectrum where the tables turned and a young black male shot a police officer. And what do you think the response was?

Consider this video



All the while, the frenzy that grows because of incidents like Officer Freeman’s choice to protect himself against a wild and nude aggressor is the highly volatile “Black Lives Matter” group. How about considering, “ALL LIVES MATTER” instead of further perpetuating racist ideology that enrage and wrongly motivate mobs into groups of anarchists. We live in the unfortunate age of false compassion where lawfully abiding citizens are regarded as entitled and corrupt with “plenty” while the crazed, selfish, and violent ignorant take up the spoils of the innocent. The sickness of today’s generation envision a country of liberalism where the criminal may find retribution against the law-abiding and the destitute of morality prevail over the upright.

However, in the end there is still a dead young man and no one obviously wanted this to happen. Suicide by cop is never a good or humorous thing but actually tragic in every sense of the word. Anyone that would side with Officer Freeman concerning David Joesph’s demise has to understand that even Officer Freeman did not want this to happen. No police officer wants to do what Officer Freeman did but when situations get out of hand and the aggressors rage against lawful commands and fair warning…the result will always be disastrous. This is why it is right to feel genuine compassion for the family of David Joesph but this sympathy must not cloud the facts. As my thoughts and prayers go to that family I must admit to charge an armed officer of the law simply will not end well no matter how you look at it.

By Cruce Signati