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**orangello** · 12-21-2009, 01:03 PM

OK, i've played in the snow & had a few snowball fights, but probably not as many as some of the more northern members. Can anybody explain why this guy would reasonably need to pull a gun to protest a snowball hitting his SUV? I've been hit by a snowball before, but i don't honestly remember one hitting my car; is it that devestating?

Officer Draws Gun at Snowball Fight

VIDEO: Officer Draws Gun at Snowball Fight
Officer involved is on "non-contact" status
Updated: Monday, 21 Dec 2009, 8:25 AM EST
Published : Sunday, 20 Dec 2009, 7:10 PM EST

Roz Plater
FOX 5 News
BY ROZ PLATER/myfoxdc

WASHINGTON - A veteran D.C. police officer is under investigation. Witnesses say he pulled his gun out after someone hit his vehicle with snowballs.

It happened at the intersection of 14th and U Streets on Saturday afternoon.

A group of twenty-somethings was pelting each other with snowballs.

An amateur photographer captured still pictures of what happened. Several videos are also posted on YouTube. The officer can be seen holding a gun.

Witnesses tell FOX 5 someone called 9-1-1 after they saw the driver pull out a gun. It was only after a uniformed officer arrived that they discovered the driver was an off-duty police officer.

At one point on the videos the man identifies himself as Detective Baylor. When someone in the crowd asked if he pulled a gun during the snow fight he replied he did because he was hit with snowballs.

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty told FOX 5 the officer involved is on "non-contact" status while internal affairs investigates.

The snowball fight was organized on Twitter, and the incident was widely discussed on the social networking site.

From my limited snowball experience, this guy seems like an overly angry douchebag who probably doesn't need a carry permit or a job that requires one. There is a response from the DC police under that article in the link; hopefully their investigation will conclude with this officer being put in a filing clerk position that doesn't involve interacting with the public or carrying a firearm other than a more maturity level-appropriate Red Ryder BB rifle painted safety orange. That is unless someone can explain why a LEO would need to respond to a snowball fight with a drawn firearm.

**robocop10mm** · 12-21-2009, 01:36 PM

Pathetic. Too many officers have no clue about the resistance/force continuum or the +1 theory.

**Yunus** · 12-21-2009, 01:52 PM

Snowballs can be iceballs and could be used as weapons with the same power as a baseball. But that is NOT the case here and the officer knew it. He was not being attacked, his vehicle was being hit with snow balls and the snow we had was very light meaning they pretty much fall apart in the air. Hitting his car is wrong but his reaction is ridiculous as you can see from the video he lost his temper and was out of control.

Quote:

Pathetic. Too many officers have no clue about the resistance/force continuum or the +1 theory.

He was using the +5 theory

Southeast of Disorder · 12-21-2009, 04:25 PM

What are your thoughts about this story?

D.C. Police Investigate After Videos Show Officer Waving Gun During Snowball Fight - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

Frankly, in a snowball fight of that magintude, the detective can't know for sure if someone is going to throw something other than a snowball at him. Secondly, we don't know what the factors are that led up to the detective drawing his pistol.

I personally believe our law enforcement officers are under too much scrutiny. If he had pulled out his baton, would the media have had the same reaction? Probably not.

**orangello** · 12-21-2009, 04:27 PM

In my opinion, had he simply returned fire with a snowball, he would've probably gotten a round of applause or laughter & lost no respect. This is just disappointing.

**orangello** · 12-21-2009, 04:32 PM

http://www.firearmstalk.com/forums/f12/limited-snowball-experience-can-anybody-justify-officers-armed-reaction-21352/
I disagree. Somewhere in the crowd of happy snow tossers, a brick tosser may have been waiting to ambush him? If his SUV got hit with a brick, i could understand his reaction better.

Rather than his gun or baton, why didn't he just pull out a badge & yell for them to move further from the roadway; that would seem very reasonable.

(This was a response from the other thread. Responding to a post that indicated there may have been someone in the group with something other than a snowball.)

dunerunner · 12-21-2009, 04:34 PM

Orangello!! Ding, Ding, Ding!!! We have a Winner!!!

Dzscubie · 12-21-2009, 04:44 PM

Actually I think he should have just driven on. He was off duty and in a snow storm; hell let the kids have fun as long as they were not blocking the road or intersection. What was the harm? That cop needs anger management counseling IMO.

Southeast of Disorder · 12-21-2009, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dzscubie

Actually I think he should have just driven on. He was off duty and in a snow storm; hell let the kids have fun as long as they were not blocking the road or intersection. What was the harm? That cop needs anger management counseling IMO.

Have you watched the video? This "snowball fight" was an anti-war protest, and no kids were there.

Bigguns911 · 12-21-2009, 04:57 PM

Not only gun out but finger on trigger and pushing/verbally assaultive to people in crowd. He is so lucky that the crowd did not got off on him and the responding officers and get someone hurt.

Looking at the video the people were in the roadway during the snow ball fight but all looked like they were having fun. I did not see anyone punching of assaulting anyone. I think this detective is stressed out and in need of a long vacation.

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