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Friday, May 2, 2008

One Week Ago Today in Bellingham…

posted by on May 2 at 10:10 AM

080426_bellingham_shooting1.jpg

24-year-old David Duncan Clark died after a four-hour standoff with police.

As KOMO reports, officers were called to Clark’s home after getting calls that he and three other people were “acting disorderly and throwing objects out the windows.” When police arrived, Clark reportedly flashed a weapon from the front porch then retreated into the house, instigating a four-hour, SWAT-team-enhanced standoff. “At some point, Clark charged at police with the gun,” reports KOMO. “After attempting to disarm the man by shooting at him with immobilizing beanbags, two officers discharged their firearms at him. Clark then retreated into the house…Officers broke the door down at around 9:30 p.m. and found the man dead inside.” Later reports identify Duncan’s weapon as a pellet gun, and confirm Duncan died of a rifle shot to the back.

Which brings us to this I, Anonymous submission:

Dear Bellingham:

When a tragic event takes place, we must remember that those involved are real people. They are more than the sum of their parts. I urge Bellingham to remember who Dave was, and to try to not judge him by his actions. Dave was not a deranged immoral drug addict, he was mentally ill. He was sick and needed help. He struggled to maintain his hold on reality and we (friends and family) gave as much support as we could.

David Duncan Clark was a loving, caring, dedicated musician and philanthropist. He was a Western graduate, a member of our community, a friend. He had a contagious laugh, was an superb story teller and had an unshakable determination to become a professional musician. He had plans to change the face of the music industry, plans to help every musician who has a dream in their heart to share it with the world. He was going to be one of those dads who always comes home for dinner, helps around the house and never misses a game or recital.

My anger extends to both parties of this event. What Dave did was out of character, dangerous, selfish, and stupid. Yet he should have been given the chance to be held responsible for his actions. A mentally ill person does not need to be gunned down, they need help.

I am appalled by the behavior of the Bellingham Police Department. How did one man warrant the need for an armored vehicle and a swat team?! The media has created this image that the BPD did society a favor by taking down an obviously disturb man. When they truly robbed the world from unknown potential greatness.

Where is the justice? At the very least take away the badges from the officers who took away all they could from Dave, his life. We have seen the abuse of police power, and the abuse of police force too often. Who is responsible for ordering shots to be fired? Someone must be held accountable for Dave’s death. The Bellingham police used unnecessary force. It is horrific the way in which the police responded. Where were the tazers, the mace? What happened to police procedure? Where was the negotiator? Why was there no effort to contact someone who could talk Dave down? Why wasn’t a dog used? Why were they so quick to use lethal force after only one non-lethal attempt? Doesn’t a SWAT team own riot gear and bullet proof vest? Did a 150 lb man truly seem so menacing that he needed to be killed rather than persuaded? What kind of police dept does not teach non lethal disarment? Is a torso that hard to miss? Why was he shot and then left inside to bleed to death?

Yes Dave endangered the community but he did not deserve the degree of force used. It was excessive and it cost his friends, family and the world a unnecessary loss of a wonderful man. I hope that our community will respond to this event with compassion and a desire for justice.

Sincerely,

A friend in mourning

For what’s it’s worth, cops reportedly tried to subdue Duncan with bean-bag shots and a Taser before fatally shooting him in the back.

Condolences to everyone.

Photo from the Bellingham Herald.

RSS icon Comments

1

A pretty simple rule of thumb to avoid being shot by the police is to not point a gun or anything that might be mistaken as a gun at them.

Posted by john cocktosin | May 2, 2008 10:14 AM
2

Based on his actions, it seems that he wanted to be killed. Waving a pellet gun around is not what people do to get people to understand that they need help, it's what they do to get shot. I'm actually surprised that the cops had as much restraint as they did.

Posted by El Seven | May 2, 2008 10:15 AM
3
When a tragic event takes place, we must remember that those involved are real people. They are more than the sum of their parts.
For what's it's worth, cops reportedly tried to subdue Duncan with bean-bag shots and a Taser before fatally shooting him in the back.

Yes, after he charged them, the cops, who are actual people involved, not someone close to the "victim" who thinks that someone with mental instability and with what appears to be a real gun. It's a nice letter, but "appalled"? Please. This entire situation was level--there is no reason to be "appalled" by the behavior of the BPD. This whole letter exists to pin down some judgment on the police, not remember a Dave.

Posted by Mr. Poe | May 2, 2008 10:22 AM
4

Wow, a good chunk somehow got removed there. Must have deleted a highlight. Oh well.

Posted by Mr. Poe | May 2, 2008 10:23 AM
5

Suicide by cop, pure and simple. Dangerous kook.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty | May 2, 2008 10:24 AM
6

"He was sick and needed help. He struggled to maintain his hold on reality and we (friends and family) gave as much support as we could."

So wait. You knew he needed help, but all you did was offer him "support"? Why didn't you get him the help that he needed?

Posted by Dave | May 2, 2008 10:28 AM
7

I really hate to post this comment because it is likely that the person who wrote this letter will read it and be further upset, however it really appears that the BPD is not in the wrong in this instance. Anytime there is a person acting irrational with a weapon, it is reasonable to call in the SWAT team. While unfortunate that the person was killed, it is unreasonable to expect the police to not shoot a person charging at them with what looks like a gun. I mourn the loss of life but the police actions seem justified.

Posted by ummmm | May 2, 2008 10:37 AM
8

If you charge at police with a gun, they will shoot you, regardless of your mental health status. Are the police supposed to let any individual wave around firearms at will just because they're mentally unstable? No.

Posted by Hernandez | May 2, 2008 10:42 AM
9

One more taze or beanbag could have brought him down. I don't know the details, but I really doubt the SWAT team in a standoff was in the position of being killed by a single man in a house with a gun. I'd really like to know how he was shot in the back if he was an imminent threat to the officers' lives.

I hope none of the above commenters ever know or are one of the 25% of people who have a temporary mental health crisis in your lifetime. I doubt you would consider it justification for death then.

Posted by poppy | May 2, 2008 10:42 AM
10

@7

Exactly. He was given a chance to be held responsible for his actions. He was given plenty. Are the cops supposed to do a background check before trying to subdue someone with a gun? Yeah that's not ridiculous. So say that they did, and knew the person has a history of mental illness, is that when they're supposed to put the guns in the car and "talk" to the person with a history of mental illness who has a gun?

Posted by Mr. Poe | May 2, 2008 10:43 AM
11

@9 maybe because he was threatening one officer when another took the shot. They weren't necessarily just standing all perfectly lined up.

Sorry but when it comes down the life an officer or the life a person threatening the officer with a gun, I'm going to come down on the side of the officer.

Posted by Giffy | May 2, 2008 10:51 AM
12

Yeah really. Sending in the SWAT team is legit.

That said, the author has a lot of legit questions in paragraph 4. Namely, how did he end up getting shot in the back? Why no tazer?

Posted by w7ngman | May 2, 2008 10:52 AM
13

@9, I do understand that I would think differently if a relative or loved one was killed in this fashion. But it's important to look at these things as an unbiased third party or emotion would cloud judgment. Especially if it ever came down to a legal matter to determine if things happened in a criminal way.

Posted by El Seven | May 2, 2008 10:56 AM
14

Was he black? Whenever I read about cops shooting someone in the back after an "armed" standoff, I assume the SPD has shot yet another black guy for which no-one will lose their job.

Posted by Tiktok | May 2, 2008 11:04 AM
15

@14 - This incident took place in Bellingham.

Posted by Hernandez | May 2, 2008 11:09 AM
16

#11: I agree. But this was a SWAT team in a standoff situation. If their lives were endangered, why were they put in that position to begin with? They knew there was a man with a gun inside the house. There could be a perfect explanation, but right now it doesn't make sense to me.

PS I have a horrible habit of looking up people's myspaces in this situation. He was in a club called "Western Men Against Violence" and last logged in the day of his death.

http://www.myspace.com/desaltama

Posted by poppy | May 2, 2008 11:12 AM
17

@16, I'm unclear what you mean. He was holed up in the house with the swat team outside presumably attempting to to talk him out. He then charged the officers with a weapon. They attempted to use nonlethal force, that failed, so he was shot by one of them before he hurt or killed someone. Seems reasonable to me.

Posted by Giffy | May 2, 2008 11:16 AM
18

The officers obviously weren't sitting there unprotected while this guy had a gun. SWAT teams often bust into houses to take down people with guns in standoff situations with no hostages. The point of a SWAT team is to protect officers from guns.

Posted by poppy | May 2, 2008 11:28 AM
19

Where's gurldoggie to spout venom at the murderous cops? I was looking forward to reading one of those "cops are ALWAYS bad" rants.

Posted by Matt from Denver | May 2, 2008 11:46 AM
20

Mental illness or not, people should know that if you wave a gun around at the police, you will die.

Posted by Greg | May 2, 2008 1:22 PM
21

"Someone must be held accountable for Dave’s death."

I couldn't agree more. Let's start with David.

Looks like 20 took my comment just before I put it down. You charge the cops waving a gun, you get shot. Done, end of story. I don't care if you're black, white or arab. Don't care if you're sane (Can't imagine how a sane person would charge the swat team like that) or nuts. If you're really lucky they'll try non-lethal things first, like this time. Either way, you wave a gun at a cop, you die.

Posted by Colin | May 2, 2008 1:59 PM
22

So here's the thing, I live less than 3 blocks from this house, literally just down the street, and I didn't know any of this happened until the next day when my mom (of all people) called me and told me.

Last time I knew of Bellingham police tasering someone, it lasted for 2 hours and I watched it from my window (not where I live now). The b'ham police probably did use excessive force, but in my interactions with them (few and far between) they have been mostly people who are trying to enforce the law and protect the community.

Posted by Jordan | May 2, 2008 6:02 PM
23

I've played music with Dave. I didn't know him very well. Only played with him a few times, but he was damn good and I really enjoyed it. I consider my music skills to be pretty basic, but to Dave, he heard beats and just wanted to jam. I really appreciated that.

I'm not a big fan of death, so it bothers me that Dave died. But Dave was a kooky cat, and it appears to be the consensus around here that he was on something other than booze.

Dave wasn't just tased once. It was multiple times and he kept getting up. That's a bad sign.

I'm sorry it happened, but I know that the cops did their best. I don't envy anyone in this situation. I can't imagine taking another person's life.

Posted by Sam | May 2, 2008 10:43 PM
24

hey jack ass...

if you (the stranger) had any real reporting skills you would have known that they tased him twice AFTER they shot him. A simple phone call to the BPD or prosecuting attorney office would have given you access to that information. Dont just regeratate information from the Bellingham Herald get off your ass and do your own work!

and to all you other assholes. Dave did NOT DO DRUGS. And the "3 that left the house" repeatedly told police that Dave does not own a real gun, hes just drunk, crazy and upset.

Posted by katy | May 3, 2008 9:54 AM
25

hey jack ass...

if you (the stranger) had any real reporting skills you would have known that they tased him twice AFTER they shot him. A simple phone call to the BPD or prosecuting attorney office would have given you access to that information. Dont just regeratate information from the Bellingham Herald get off your ass and do your own work!

and to all you other assholes. Dave did NOT DO DRUGS. And the "3 that left the house" repeatedly told police that Dave does not own a real gun, hes just drunk, crazy and upset.

Posted by katy | May 3, 2008 9:54 AM
26

hey jack ass...

if you (the stranger) had any real reporting skills you would have known that they tased him twice AFTER they shot him. A simple phone call to the BPD or prosecuting attorney office would have given you access to that information. Dont just regeratate information from the Bellingham Herald get off your ass and do your own work!

and to all you other assholes. Dave did NOT DO DRUGS. And the "3 that left the house" repeatedly told police that Dave does not own a real gun, hes just drunk, crazy and upset.

and to everyone>>>why the hell do you feel he deserved to be shoot? he allegedly charged the police but was shot in his BACK. WTF?

Posted by katy | May 3, 2008 9:56 AM
27

hey jack ass...

if you (the stranger) had any real reporting skills you would have known that they tased him twice AFTER they shot him. A simple phone call to the BPD or prosecuting attorney office would have given you access to that information. Dont just regeratate information from the Bellingham Herald get off your ass and do your own work!

and to all you other assholes. Dave did NOT DO DRUGS. And the "3 that left the house" repeatedly told police that Dave does not own a real gun, hes just drunk, crazy and upset.

and to everyone>>>why the hell do you feel he deserved to be shoot? he allegedly charged the police but was shot in his BACK. WTF?

Posted by katy | May 3, 2008 9:56 AM
28

He was my best friend,and I believe this was nobodys fault. Not even the police. I was given a copy of the autopsy report and I believe they did what they could to take control. Dave was very ill, and very scared. We all tried to get him help, but non of us could have ever thought it could ever come to this. However, he was genuinely terified that the police were coming to take him away every night and day due to an untreated psychotic delusion, only to have them appear at your door. I guess it just pushed him over the edge. All we can do is speculate...all of us. Its wrong for anyone to say otherwise because no one will ever know but dave. All I know is that he was a good man. He really was. He took care of me and was always there since we were kids. I don't know who wrote this but you're probably a friend of mine and I miss him too, but getting angry and demanding badges won't bring him back. Just remember the good things and ignore the press and ones who dont know the whole truth...

Posted by dave west | May 3, 2008 7:20 PM
29

If the police had the time and resources, to call in swat and enter a FOUR hr standoff, don't they have the time to do a simple background check? It seems that most police have the mentality that its them or us, and it sure as hell is not going to be them. Someday police wont have the right to kill you...I hope.

Posted by Dr. Poo | May 8, 2008 11:23 AM

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