# TX Deputy shot and killed while pumping gas **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 29, 2015, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292 "2015-08-29T15:48:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Alkash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Alkash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alkash)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/41 "2015-08-31T03:40:32Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [Other way round.](http://abc13.com/news/suspect-charged-in-shooting-death-of-harris-co-deputy/961336/) Victim is white, suspect is black. Thank you for clarifying. Is there, at least, any evidence, that the police officer might have self-identified as black, while the suspect might have self-identified as white? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/42 "2015-08-31T03:46:27Z")
> [@Alkash](#): > > Thank you for clarifying. Is there, at least, any evidence, that the police officer might have self-identified as black, while the suspect might have self-identified as white? Did you look at their photos? If they did, no one would have taken it seriously. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/43 "2015-08-31T04:00:54Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Did you look at their photos? If they did, no one would have taken it seriously. One would thing so, but we have at least one poster on this MB who claims that anyone who declares himself \ is that race. I won’t name him, but his initials are **Dr. Deth**. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/44 "2015-08-31T11:53:54Z")
To get it out of the way, it’s a tragedy and I feel bad for the guy’s family. I don’t have any evidence that he was other than a decent guy. The shooter shot him in a cowardly manner, behind the back in the John Wilkes Booth tradition. He’ll get convicted and hopefully spend the rest of his life in prison. That being said, there’s a shitload of recreational grief about this. Turning the gas pump into a shrine with flowers and flag balloons is silly. I hope the station owner tells people that they can’t place flowers without buying gas, to compensate him for the loss of the revenue from a pump. It’s tragic that you have a nutjob shooting someone in the back of the head. The occupation or race of the victim doesn’t matter to me. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/45 "2015-08-31T14:39:27Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Indeed. Well, I was curious and if this is the best or only example, then I’ll have to provisionally consider _It’s the new “Wait until shot” policy that many dopers have demanded the police adopt_ to be at least hyperbolic, possibly mistaken, potentially a blatant and foolish lie. I was sort of hoping you’d respond to **elucidator**. He was clear enough in his sentiment even you shouldn’t have missed it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/46 "2015-08-31T14:45:00Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > To get it out of the way, it’s a tragedy and I feel bad for the guy’s family. I don’t have any evidence that he was other than a decent guy. The shooter shot him in a cowardly manner, behind the back in the John Wilkes Booth tradition. He’ll get convicted and hopefully spend the rest of his life in prison. As a convicted cop killer, it’ll likely be a very short life. > [@](#): > > That being said, there’s a shitload of recreational grief about this. Turning the gas pump into a shrine with flowers and flag balloons is silly. I hope the station owner tells people that they can’t place flowers without buying gas, to compensate him for the loss of the revenue from a pump. Come on. The guy is probably doing a booming business. If he demanded people buy something in order to put flowers down, he’d be condemned as an asshole trying to capitalize on the tragedy. > [@](#): > > It’s tragic that you have a nut job shooting someone in the back of the head. The occupation or race of the victim doesn’t matter to me. Well, you’re not in the business of keeping law and order. If you were, the occupation and race of the two would be an important piece of information going forward. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/47 "2015-08-31T14:53:32Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > How about posting something more than just a link next time? Who are you anyway to tell me what I should post? If you really want more details look it up yourself! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/48 "2015-08-31T14:53:49Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > I was sort of hoping you’d respond to **elucidator**. He was clear enough in his sentiment even you shouldn’t have missed it. It’s virtually impossible to tell when **elucidator** is being serious, although his response to **BE** looked serious enough. But… His total posting in this thread previous was to agree with **elucidator** , simply asking for a cite. Hard to imagine that post being cause for s serious retort on **elucidator’s** part. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/49 "2015-08-31T14:54:17Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > To get it out of the way, it’s a tragedy and I feel bad for the guy’s family. I don’t have any evidence that he was other than a decent guy. The shooter shot him in a cowardly manner, behind the back in the John Wilkes Booth tradition. He’ll get convicted and hopefully spend the rest of his life in prison. > > That being said, there’s a shitload of recreational grief about this. Turning the gas pump into a shrine with flowers and flag balloons is silly. I hope the station owner tells people that they can’t place flowers without buying gas, to compensate him for the loss of the revenue from a pump. Every location with a death gets turned into a shrine around here, whether it’s a traffic accident or a shooting or maybe even natural causes for all I know. Teddy bears, balloons, flowers, crosses etc. etc. I have no idea why this happens but it’s not just for this case. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/50 "2015-08-31T15:02:32Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Well, you’re not in the business of keeping law and order. If you were, the occupation and race of the two would be an important piece of information going forward. Why so? Let’s say you’re a cop. How is the death of another cop going to affect how you do your job? Why would it be different if the victim was the same race as you or not? One nut commits a crime. Other nuts will commit other crimes. I don’t see what useful information can be gleaned from this one incident. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/51 "2015-08-31T15:05:25Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > To get it out of the way, it’s a tragedy and I feel bad for the guy’s family. I don’t have any evidence that he was other than a decent guy. The shooter shot him in a cowardly manner, behind the back in the John Wilkes Booth tradition. He’ll get convicted and hopefully spend the rest of his life in prison. > > … **Bob** , it’s _Texas_, there’s a needle in the not too distant future of the shooter. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/52 "2015-08-31T15:07:47Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Let’s say you’re a cop. How is the death of another cop going to affect how you do your job? Right, because you’re immortal. :dubious::smack: ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/53 "2015-08-31T15:23:59Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Why so? Let’s say you’re a cop. How is the death of another cop going to affect how you do your job? Why would it be different if the victim was the same race as you or not? One nut commits a crime. Other nuts will commit other crimes. I don’t see what useful information can be gleaned from this one incident. Article in today’s LA Times: > **[Police worry about their own safety after killings: 'It's a different world'](https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-blue-lives-matter-20150831-story.html)** > > During his 21 years in law enforcement, Cpl. > [@](#): > > “These days, if I don’t know you, I’m going to be extra guarded around you,” Perine said. “It is a different world.” and > [@](#): > > Meanwhile, police in Houston are being more watchful than ever. The Harris County Sheriff’s Department, where Goforth was employed, has ordered its deputies to work in pairs. > > Curry’s department can’t afford that luxury. “We don’t have the manpower,” Curry said. “But we’re saying any time you go to get gas, double up. We don’t want a copycat.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/54 "2015-08-31T15:24:27Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Why so? Let’s say you’re a cop. How is the death of another cop going to affect how you do your job? Why would it be different if the victim was the same race as you or not? One nut commits a crime. Other nuts will commit other crimes. I don’t see what useful information can be gleaned from this one incident. How do you know the guy is a solo nut-job? Maybe he’s part of a group of disgruntled citizens. I know this plays against your favored narrative of blacks being the victims of racist cops, but your sudden conversion to color-blindness is not very convincing. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/55 "2015-08-31T15:28:41Z")
> [@purplehearingaid](#): > > Who are you anyway to tell me what I should post? If you really want more details look it up yourself! Please be so kind as to read post #14, you moron. Folks are trying to be helpful and explain the rules and culture of this MB. Plus, common courtesy. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/56 "2015-08-31T23:34:45Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Why so? Let’s say you’re a cop. How is the death of another cop going to affect how you do your job? Why would it be different if the victim was the same race as you or not? One nut commits a crime. Other nuts will commit other crimes. I don’t see what useful information can be gleaned from this one incident. You fucking disingenuous prick. NOW you’re oblivious to racial context? Fuck your bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/57 "2015-08-31T23:40:44Z")
> [@purplehearingaid](#): > > Who are you anyway to tell me what I should post? If you really want more details look it up yourself! If you really want people to think you’re an idiot whose posts should be ignored, keep on going the way you’re going. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/58 "2015-08-31T23:49:49Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > You fucking disingenuous prick. NOW you’re oblivious to racial context? > > Fuck your bullshit. What a witty and ingenious post! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/59 "2015-09-01T00:47:42Z")
**Holy Shit!** Fucking gas for $2.29 a gallon? :eek: Just last week I was in Bum-Fuck California and paying $3.49! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/60 "2015-09-01T02:51:17Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > I wonder if they’ll name a street after him. I’m sure they don’t do that for every cop/deputy killed in the line of duty, and this was not a particularly heroic death. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292.md?page=4)