Police killings must stop

Editor, Asheville Global Report,

The tragic death of 17 year old Charles Biello, recently shot by police in Cherokee, North Carolina is certainly no isolated case. In the last few weeks, police have been guilty of killing a few citizens.

Alberto Sepulveda lost his young life when a SWAT team in Modesto, CA raided his family’s home. The SWAT team was in the Sepulveda home on a “no knock” warrant. Terrified, the 11 year old boy was trying to put his little pajama top on when an officer fired his shotgun into the boy’s back. EXCUSE ME!

A few months ago an Atlanta woman’s apartment was broken into while she was home. She escaped out her bedroom window and called police. During the investigation, a white powder was found on her night stand. As a result, a SWAT team entered her home one night recently on a “no knock” warrant. She had bought a gun, it was in the bed beside her, she is now dead.

Charles Biello’s death was not just a tragic “accident”, it was a direct result of how our officers are being trained. Guilty before crime is committed..and sentenced to death. There were five officers in that home and one of them “felt threatened” because the boy picked up a table knife? I understand that the Atlanta woman was “threatening” because she slept with a gun, but Alberto Sepulveda? Was it his blatant display of fear that caused the officer to go off?

I have the book “Stolen Lives” which documents 2,000 deaths caused by officers of the law in the last 10 years. One little boy’s basketball hit an officer’s car. He lost his life because, upon retrieving his ball, he jumped on the officer’s car. The officer drew his revolver and killed the boy.

It looks to me like we need less Barney types and more Andy types. Remember how Barney was always so terrified that his gun would go off at the drop of a hat?

Make a fuss about this now, or it may be too late.

Kimberly Sherrill
Chimney Rock