On the 8th of January just before I walked to work a man was shot and killed by police a block away from my apartment. I live in the avenues of Salt Lake City Utah and was surprised to see police cars piling up and caution tape being applied in what has always been a very peaceful neighborhood.
I learned later that the deceased man's name was James Barker, and he was a resident of the avenues. He was traveling through the neighborhood offering his services to shovel snow at the time or in the future. As there is little snow in the area, a neighbor at one of the doors he approached called the police reporting the suspicious behavior. The caller also mentioned that he believed the Barker had been looking in people's cars in the neighborhood a few days previous.
A cop approached Barker alone, and after a few minutes of arguing Barker attacked the officer with the snow shovel in his hand. The two fell to the ground where the officer managed to reach for his gun and shoot Barker - ending his life. The officer also sustained several injuries.
This event was a tragedy - and after reviewing all of the facts that are currently available, including a clip of the altercation, I believe it was avoidable.
Let's take a look at the conditions leading to the tragedy and then review over the altercation itself.
Conditions Leading to the Altercation
Barker had lived in the avenues for at least 10 years. He lived on I street just up the street from where he was killed. Neighbors remember him as being very kind.
According to his girlfriend, Barker previously had an accident that damaged damaged his auditory memory - which according to my wife meant that he probably had trouble processing speech and understanding social situations. Apparently, he took a drug called Abilify, which according to wikipedia is for treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but I am unsure if the drug was connected to his accident or for a separate condition.
Barker had only a minor criminal history. He had been arrested once when he was in the employee section of a store and would not leave. Officers arrived after a call from the store owners and arrested him - but I have been unable to find additional details about the arrest. His disorder, whatever it was, likely played a critical role in his behavior at the store.
According to the girlfriend, Barker had just finished shoveling their driveway of snow when he had the idea to offer his services to the neighbors. There was not a lot of snow in the area, but apparently he also thought to offer his future services during the next snowfall. Although there was little snow, I believe Barker's behavior is not unusual considering the mental disorder he likely had
Meanwhile, the police officer apparently was given bad information. The man who called the police apparently did not recognize Barker although they lived near each other. Seeing a stranger offering to shovel nearly non-existent snow is understandably suspicious, and could easily warrant a call to the police. The caller of course also mentioned that Baker (or at least someone who looked like him) bad been looking in cars earlier, although I have not been able to find any information on neighbors that can confirm this observation.
So when approaching Barker the officer was operating under the assumption that this was a man canvasing the neighborhood for future crimes. Why else would he be checking in cars and offering to shovel non-existent snow (I have walked through the neighborhood and there is still snow in some people's driveways and sidewalks, but it is minimal)? Apparently the possibility of a mental disorder, or even personality quirks, did not factor into the equation.
Barker's background and the officer's bad information and assumptions then led to a tragic encounter.
Assessing What Happened
Take a look at the video captured by the officer's body camera. It cuts off when the attacks occurs and before the shot because apparently the camera was damaged.
So what happened here? First of all I should mention that under these circumstances it is not justifiable to attack another human being with a shovel. Furthermore, once attacked it was justifiable for the officer to defend himself with lethal force.
Now that we have that out of the way, let's ask the big question, what was the officer thinking!? He obviously approached this man with the intent of arresting him, aggravating him, and/or expelling him from the area. He had no intention of listening to anything Baker said - he had already made his judgment that the man was guilty and needed to leave. Every comment and every question he asks Barker is with the intent to stupefy and aggravate Barker - not to actually ascertain his purpose in being there.
Now put yourself in Barker's shoes. You are off doing what you think is something good and a cop comes up and begins to harass you. You explain that you have just been talking to your neighbors about your business, and he contradicts you, insinuating that the very people you have been talking to are the ones that called him over, and that you can't do your business without a license. You are physically and verbally trapped in a corner. You are reminded of the last time you were arrested for shopping at a store.
At this point, a normal person would be able to restrain his or her violence, if not their anger or frustration; but apparently Baker had trouble processing social situations and/or he had schizophrenia/bipolar disorder. Once he was agitated to a certain point he likely saw his only escape as fighting through the officer. And of course that's when he was killed.
Again I want to emphasize that the officer had the right to defend himself once attacked. But I question his assumption of guilt, and his methods of verbal harassment to assess that guilt. If the cop had acted differently then I strongly believe Baker would still be alive.
Connecting to Broader Issues
My wife and I have been harassed by cops in the same manner before. We were innocent of the crime they accused us of (chucking rocks at cars - what adult does that!?), but that did not stop them from verbally attacking us for over an hour. My wife was taken from the car, placed in front of spotlights on a dark and cold night, and grilled over and over. Meanwhile, I got to sit in the car but with the 'mean' cop who repeatedly told me I was lying about my story. He yelled and intimidated in an attempt to get me to confess to their ridiculous claims.
In our circumstance, I did not act violently because I had the (quite possibly erroneous) confidence that I was innocent and therefore would be exonerated; and I also did not have a mental disorder. But what if I, like Barker, had been harassed by police in the past; and what if I, probably like Barker, could not understand that the officers were harassing me to cause me to confess, and that I would not actually be harmed? Our story may have ended with arrest or even death, like Barker.
And going beyond the Barker narrative - what if my wife and I actually fit the stereotype of who the officers thought committed the crime of which we were accused. What if we were black, or younger and dressed like "punks" - how would our exchange had ended? Perhaps like Eric Garner (chokehold death) or Darrien Hunt (Utah sword-carrying death)?
Police brutality, assumptions of guilt, and methods, as well as how the police deal with mental disorders and race, are worthy topics to debate on. These are not a partisan issues to be discarded by one political party as a non-issue. People of all backgrounds and throughout the whole political spectrum should contribute.
What are your thoughts? And please, although this is a stressful topic, please keep your comments thoughtful, and respectful.
