Teen shot dead by police after entering station

[Kimonio]

A 17-year-old Texas girl was fatally gunned down by cops inside a police station after she reportedly asked to speak with an officer before brandishing a weapon.

Kristina Cognard entered the Longview police station and used an after-hours assistance phone to ask for help before she allegedly threatened responding officers around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the News Journal reported.

"The suspect brandished a weapon, made threatening movements toward the officers and was shot," the police department stated in a release last week.

A justice of the peace, who pronounced Cognard dead at a local hospital, told KLTV that the teen was shot four times.

The weapon which she allegedly used has been identified by local media as a knife. Longview police declined comment when reached by the Daily News Monday.

Cognard has been identified as a former Pine Tree High School student whose Facebook profile shows an interest in extra-terrestrials and Exopolitics — the study of human relations with off-planet cultures.

A man who identified himself as the teen's father on Facebook wrote that she had posted a YouTube video of Sia's "Breathe Me" as her final post.

"30 minutes after this, she was gone," he wrote with a link to the video. "It's playing non-stop in my head this morning, so I finally gave in and listened to it again..."

The song's emotional lyrics express needing help while feeling lost and unsafe.

The Texas Rangers, who are now handling the investigation according to the Longview police department, did not immediately return a call or email seeking comment.

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nationa ... -1.2092519

The uncensored surveillance footage: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=366_1422513411


Now, we probably have an idea of what's wrong with this. Aside from the fact that I hate the police and anyone with that much firepower. But I noticed during the footage, that for a large amount of time, three officers had suspended Kristiana to the ground, on her stomach.

Not one.

Not two.

Three.

That's three grown, 30yo men. That's three men against one teen girl.

...Can someone please explain to me why I'm stupid and the the death was justified for their irrational stupidity? Three men, all possibly are armed to the teeth with tasers, mace, handcuffs, and a pistol. They have a radio for backup. But not a single one of them knows how to operate handcuffs?

I'm sorry...but that is just pathetic...and that infuriates me. She didn't deserve this, at most she deserved to be incarcerated for resisting arrest, and then recieved medical treatment for her depression, suicidal thoughts, and I presume some form of schizophrenia? Not be shot six times by three officers, two of which turned their backs while one walked away and became the target for her "assault".

These three officers are back on duty, soon. The parent is suing the city/department for using excessive force, if I am right. He may lose the case, though.

God, I love Texas. Discuss it, guys.

[Harmless]

The ♥♥♥♥.

Why didn't they use handcuffs?

Just, wow. Now I seriously doubt that they have any training at all.

[Supershroom]

This is a terrible tragedy for everybody. I don't feel like giving the cops any guilty, it was a tragic mistake ... and you can do a lot with a knife, very fast. It's like a train conductor being unalert for a second and somebody crosses the rails and is catched deadly and the conductor could have stopped ... and the cops who did this will be hag-ridden from this forever ...

I don't entirely get the course of events - why the ♥♥♥♥ did Kristina do this at all?

[darthbrowser]

It may contribute to the discussion to note that, in all likelihood, the events that transpired were Kristina's goal in the first place.

That may broaden the themes involved somewhat, but it's important to understand.

[Kimonio]

^That was indeed her intention. What does not make any sense is why the police didn't handle it like they should have, even if she was attempting suicide.

[Harmless]

This is a terrible tragedy for everybody. I don't feel like giving the cops any guilty, it was a tragic mistake ... and you can do a lot with a knife, very fast. It's like a train conductor being unalert for a second and somebody crosses the rails and is catched deadly and the conductor could have stopped ... and the cops who did this will be hag-ridden from this forever ...

1. It was not a knife, it was multiple gunshots to the torso (possibly other fatal areas).

2. The police had multiple moments to react, though, and if anything they could've thought this out, stabilized her, even talked with her. And they didn't, they essentially said "♥♥♥♥ it" and shot her to get it over with. We have every right to call them out on this, much less hope that they get fired.

[Supershroom]

The weapon which she allegedly used has been identified by local media as a knife.

That was what I've meant. You don't know the person's intention, so you can overreact if you're unexperienced ... okay you can explain from cops to be competent enough to handle this.

[Harmless]

And that's the problem, police often have to deal with things and are trained to deal with things more dangerous than knives - guns. From pistols to fully automatic weapons, they are trained to handle the situation. Knives are still dangerous, but how could they panic and 'overreact' to something less dangerous than a gun? Especially since they're also trained to handle people in close quarters situations without guns?

But the biggest question is - how on earth could you overreact and shoot someone who was literally down on the ground and completely restrained from any action?? ESPECIALLY if you had time to think about it??