Deaf people across the world have expressed their sorrow and dismay at the news that an American Deaf man who was unarmed was shot dead by police, allegedly as he tried to communicate with them in sign language.
ITV news reports:
Police allegedly shot dead a deaf man outside his front door as he tried to communicate with them in sign language.
Officers in North Carolina had attempted to pull over 29-year-old Daniel Harris last Thursday for speeding, according to NBC.
But instead of slowing down, Mr Harris continued on his way home.
One witness reported Mr Harris was then shot and killed “almost immediately” after exiting his vehicle”.
The witness said it appeared the victim had attempted to communicate with an officer via sign language when he was fired on outside of his home.
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Cathy
August 23, 2016
I read this news with disbelief this morning!
Some hearies have commented that they don’t understand why deaf people drive! But I retorted that many of us have driven for donkey’s year without the slightest mishap, including myself!
It is rude and arrogant of hearies to state that deaf people shouldn’t be allowed to drive! It is a misconception that you need your ears to drive with, you don’t!!
It is well known that deaf people are better drivers than hearies! So hearies should put that in their pipe n smoke it!!!
This Deaf man should still be alive! It is time for America to finally ban the gun, for good!!!
It is not deafness that poses problems it is the gun lobby!!!
RIP xx
sybil
August 23, 2016
The problem here seems to be that the driver didn’t notice the police car. One wonders just how the officer tried to pull him over: did he used lights as well as sirens? Did he attempt to pull alongside the car, instead of just driving behind him?
The article states Mr. Harris continued on his way home. Did the officer make sure Mr. Harris saw him before discharging his weapon?
So many vehicles are soundproofed from the ‘noise of the road’ and so many use noise-cancelling headphones, and the incidence of hearing loss is increasing- officers need to be more aware of the person they are attempting to stop/subdue. Does that person even realize they are there? (I have, on more than one occasion, been in my own little world when driving: making lists, what do I need to do while I’m out? Then I realize other cars have pulled over because there is a fire truck barreling down the road!)
The police carry weapons for a good reason, they just really need to be better trained in using them. Actually, I suppose the training needs to focus more on when NOT to use them. Decision making in a fraught situation, things of that nature. Shoot first and ask questions later is not an acceptable ideology.
(Please don’t bring a gun control debate into this. It has no place in this story. It’s a distraction from the real issue, which is how the Deaf are seen/ not seen and treated by the hearing world.)
Nathan
August 23, 2016
never understood why US police shoot to kill for something like a minor traffic issue. Why , in the event they have to shoot, do the US cops not shoot to neutralise i.e shoot in the foot or knee?
Tim
August 24, 2016
It’s stories like this that make me very worried about the roll out of tasers in this country. Police seem to shout commands at people and if they “ignore” these commands, tasers are fired or German Shepherds are unleashed.