Escondeeter wrote on May 29, 2008 9:37 AM:I suppose this story will attract the usual amount of hand-wringing about tasers, but in truth it's an example of a taser saving someone's life. In the old days, a suspect making a move like that would have stood an excellent chance of getting himself shot.

The Watcher wrote on May 29, 2008 9:37 AM:That's weird how nobody has any comments on this story. Maybe because the suspect is white. Had he been listed with a Latino name, everyone would be crying about putting the fence up & deporting him. Let's face reality: white people commit most of the crimes in this country, and that is a fact, check the jail records & police records. But everyone is fine with that, as long as he is not Latino, right?

Gringo wrote on May 29, 2008 9:55 AM:BEWARE Crime and burgerly is on the rise in Escondido with the cost of gasoline and food.

loc wrote on May 29, 2008 11:19 AM:That's how Esco rolls.He was gona G-ride that truck.Esco has the highest auto-theft.Wow!!(being sarcastic) epd you guys are starting to work now,but you can't stop the auto-theft in Esco or the crimes that occur.You can try to prevent it,but never stop it for good.

the guy wrote on May 29, 2008 11:42 AM:before jumping on racial conclusions try to figure out what race the guy is.dont assume hes white because his name is resembles a white males name.

To The Watcher wrote on May 29, 2008 2:59 PM:I'm glad you chimed in, because you brought up a great point. There's already enough crime in this country; we don't have the resources to import more. Build the fence! BTW, way to bring up the race card, I knew I could count on you.

Ehskondito wrote on May 29, 2008 3:29 PM:Crime is getting bad in escondido, we all know this, but this one didn't have bad intentions. This has nothing to do with race (white or mexican) let me assure you. FREE BUBBA. <33 (im not sure how much more edited i have to make this thing for it to get approved)

HeKantDogThat wrote on May 29, 2008 3:40 PM:This is outragous..i wanna know why the officer would taser a youth that had been compliant since the start of the ordeal? IM AM OUTRAGED!!!

ToHeKantDogThat wrote on May 29, 2008 5:33 PM:The reason he would taser a youth that had been compliant, is that he reached for something. With all the guns and violence, you would taser him too if you were that officer. So, get off your high horse.

Jax wrote on May 29, 2008 5:40 PM:To The Watcher: Check out the escondido police Ten Most Wanted on the EPD website. Now then, who is responsibl for most of the crime???

ToReason wrote on May 29, 2008 7:18 PM:I don't believe there are any high horses here(it's hard to be on a high horse in regaurds to opinions), just someone trying to be logic about a man who was being compliant. I don't think the taser was necessary, so you know Hell, i Kant Dog That.

Ed wrote on May 29, 2008 7:45 PM:It's actually too bad that tazers were ever invented. Society could have been rid of another criminal who will now have hundreds of thousands of dollars wasted on trying to rehabilitate him with little chance of success. Why do people feel sorry for criminals when they are killed committing crimes?

Jim wrote on May 29, 2008 8:21 PM:Oh let them try and spin the truth, it's well known who commits more crimes, even while being in a foriegn country.
As for this kid, throw the book at him.

To The Watcher wrote on May 29, 2008 8:29 PM:How come the NCT printed The Watcher's factless racial statement against White people ("white people commit most of the crimes in this country") but won't print the fact that illegal immigration, unlicensed / uninsured driving, fleeing the scene of an accident, and drug smuggling are all criminal behavior? Is it OK to make baseless racist statements against white people but taboo to state facts about illegal immigrants?

to mr. High horse Kant think wrote on May 29, 2008 9:22 PM:anD ed Think if it was your son who was reaching for his backpack and got shot by a 50,000 volt "warning" shot by an overzealous, undertrained, police officer in training. i would hope you two would harbor some empathy for the youth. i fell for the kid and if you two don't i think the both of you should'nt be able to breed.

ToEd wrote on May 29, 2008 9:58 PM:You must be out of your mind or maybe your just a gun-happy psycho. I'm sure you don't have a squeaky clean record, and maybe they should have shot you for being so ignorant. This is a good person, I know this first hand. And he wasnt reaching for a weapon, he just wanted to get his wallet that he left in the car. Naturally the police wouldn't mention something like this. Sleeping in a car does is not punishable by death.

Roberto wrote on May 30, 2008 1:10 AM:yep, lots of vigilante justice mentality out here...to the watcher I agree, it must shock the community that a white guy may be involved in crime.

please PLEASE wrote on May 30, 2008 5:52 AM:DON'T TAZE ME BRO

NoCounty Native wrote on May 30, 2008 6:31 AM:It does not matter about your race, creed, nationality,intelligence or whatever. Don't break the law. Laws are made to protect those who follow them.
Simple.

Ed does wrote on May 30, 2008 7:44 AM:have a squeaky clean record. Do not break the law, it is a simple concept. Do not expect to be pandered to once you break the law. I'd love to know what that idiot was reaching for while exiting the truck that DID NOT BELONG TO HIM. Obviously, I agree with Ed. That individual is lucky to be alive, if I was that cop (and I will be that guy soon) he would probably have been shot. I'm not taking any chances with my life to spare your (the bleeding hearts) feelings of compassion for the dregs of society. How can you feel sorry for these losers? Are there so many of you out there who forget the VICTIMS in a crime had nothing to say about the premeditated criminal acts being forced on them? SHOOT 'EM ALL and let the innocent, law abiding citizens enjoy a safe community that they contribute to.

esteban wrote on May 30, 2008 7:46 AM:To all those people who think the taser was too brutal and unnecessary....please sign up and become cops so you can use your warped tactics and get yourself hurt...maybe then you'll learn.

So sad wrote on May 30, 2008 8:26 AM:that gone are the days when you would just kick the crap out of whoever messes with your stuff. I bet he wouldn't do it again if he was given a permanent limp to walk around on the rest of his life, or better yet, taze his jewels so he can't reproduce and have little criminals.

to The Watcher wrote on May 30, 2008 8:27 AM:The suspect is black. Easy to find out by googling the San Diego Sheriff Who's in Jail website and type in his name. They list ethnicity, height, weight and amount of bail.

JimT wrote on May 30, 2008 9:15 AM:To "ToED", if you know "this guy" and the fact that he was just "sleeping" in the truck, and he is "good person" then why didn't you give him a place to sleep?
Again, you are a cop you give someone an order, it is dark out, and they reach for something you can't see, oh, and by the way it is your daughters ninth birthday the next day ..... WHAT DO YOU DO? This [guy] is lucky he didn't get smoked. It doesn't take alot to follow orders from a cop. I don't particularly like cops (I drive too fast) but, I certainly can see this one doing the level headed thing given the circumstances.
Like I said, "WHAT WOULD YOU DO"?

Amazed wrote on May 30, 2008 11:25 AM:It never fails, so many nimrods blogging. So, you expect the Police Officer to stand there and wait to see if this Person (in a vehicle that does not belong to him) is reaching for a gun or not. Seems you don't remember we have lost a couple of fine Officers in North County lately. You must be nuts to think you would act differently!

Bad Habit wrote on May 30, 2008 11:28 AM:Here we go again all of the arm chair quarter backs judging the police officer for using the tazer. It is easy to make decesions in the safety of your little computer room. This criminal was breaking into a vehicle. It would be safe to assume that he is not a law abiding citizen. It is then possible to beleive that he may be armed. I am surprised that the officer had a tazer in his hand because if the criminal had come up with a gun from the bed of the truck it could have turned out bad for the officer. If you are going to judge this officer then you need to sign up and serve as a police officer under the same stress and danger they are under then make a judgement based on your years of experience. The law is very simple and is written for your reading pleasure - do not do anything wrong and you will not encounter the law.

Criminal wrote on May 30, 2008 11:38 AM:OUTLAW tazers and all weapons!

U have to understand wrote on May 30, 2008 1:04 PM:that the North County Times is a very biased News Paper. This is Y you don't see certain comments in their blogs as you do in other papers.

Bill wrote on May 30, 2008 1:42 PM:Coddling to the criminals is why we have so many around now.
This is why I couldn't be a cop, this guy would have been pushing up daisies right now. Obey the rules the cop gives you, and you won't be tased or shot. But then we are talking about criminals who think the world owes them a living.
Good job EPD.

Concerned wrote on May 30, 2008 2:29 PM:NCT, conduct an investigation as to who is committing crimes in Escondido. The PD is required to pony up the info. It would be a great investigative report. Do you have the guts to do it?

bubbawubba wrote on May 31, 2008 10:26 PM:Free Bubba! <3