A prosecutor has declined to file criminal charges against a Missouri police officer who shot and killed a woman and her infant child last year.

A prosecutor has declined to file criminal charges against a Missouri police officer who shot and killed a woman and her infant child last year.

Independence police officers had responded to a reported assault in November at an apartment building. They were figuring out how to arrest the woman, who was nonverbal and communicating with nods and gestures, when she abruptly grabbed a butcher knife from a bedside table and moved toward the officers while holding the child, Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson’s office said Friday.

One officer backed away, but the other was against a closet and couldn’t escape, Johnson’s office said. He fired four shots as the woman moved toward him with the knife, the office said. The shots struck and killed the woman and her child, identified by KCUR news as 34-year-old Maria Pike and her 3-month-old daughter, Destinii.

Johnson’s office said the officer’s use of deadly force “falls within the protection of the law.”

Her office also noted there wasn’t enough evidence to conclusively prove the officer intentionally shot the infant.

  • HellsBelle@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
    102·
    1 day ago

    Tbh I have a hard time believing any cop allows themselves to be backed into a closet. Never mind the fact he felt he had to shoot 4 times AND killed a baby.

    If they were that close together one shot should have done the job, not 4.

    • Cosmic Cleric@lemmy.worldEnglish
      52·
      1 day ago

      when she abruptly grabbed a butcher knife from a bedside table and moved toward the officers

      To be fair, she didn’t have any weapon in her hand, so the officer may have not had a higher risk estimate of her, so he/she allowed themself to get into a cornered position, while trying to figure out what she’s about.

      It sounds like he/she was startled, and then when cornered, acted aggressively, out of instinct.

      This comment is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

      • HellsBelle@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
        73·
        1 day ago

        Sounds fair.

        So if the cops then again identified themselves without screaming bloody murder, she may have dropped the knife.

        I still lay the blame for all of it at cops’ feet where it belongs. They carry guns and ‘legally’ murder far too many people, then far too often lie about it, for me to give them the benefit of doubt.

        • Cosmic Cleric@lemmy.worldEnglish
          36·
          24 hours ago

          So if the cops then again identified themselves without screaming bloody murder, she may have dropped the knife.

          She knew who they were already.

          I still lay the blame for all of it at cops’ feet where it belongs. They carry guns and ‘legally’ murder far too many people, then far too often lie about it, for me to give them the benefit of doubt.

          Im speaking towards this specific one event, and not all police situations in general.

          Hate for hate’s sake is not beneficial to society (either side).

          This comment is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0