# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/61 "2015-09-01T03:28:49Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > 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. I wonder if it would be thought of as tacky if the gas station owner named the pump. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/62 "2015-09-01T03:34:06Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > Article in today’s LA Times: > > [Police worry about their own safety after killings: 'It's a different world'](http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-blue-lives-matter-20150831-story.html) Yeah, all that’s needed is for cops around here to be even more jumpy. (Note to self: drive very carefully, do not “roll stop”, make turn signals, do not speed). ---
**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, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/63 "2015-09-01T03:39:55Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > All Lives Matter? Do you want to include the shooter’s in that? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/64 "2015-09-01T03:53:29Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > 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. Sandra got a street named after her, why not the cop? Hanging yourself with a garbage can liner isn’t particularly heroic, either. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/65 "2015-09-01T04:01:36Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > 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. On the news tonight, we were told of the shooter’s criminal record–and ongoing mental problems. Sorry, I don’t think he was trying to start your race war. Someone wondered how he got a gun–but that question will not get much attention, this being Texas. A black officer has already proposed naming a street after the victim. And his funeral will be held at the Second Baptist megachurch, open to the public. Pastor Ed Young is one of the more politically far right Southern Baptists–let’s hope he behaves. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2015, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/66 "2015-09-01T04:35:16Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > On the news tonight, we were told of the shooter’s criminal record–and ongoing mental problems. Sorry, I don’t think he was trying to start your race war. Someone wondered how he got a gun–but that question will not get much attention, this being Texas. Your point being, what? We should not have cared about the race of either the victim or the shooter from the start? That was what **Bob** was saying. When **Bob** posted what he posted, we didn’t no anything about the motive. And we still don’t know that, even with what you learned from the news tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/67 "2015-09-01T05:23:49Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Your point being, what? We should not have cared about the race of either the victim or the shooter from the start? That was what **Bob** was saying. When **Bob** posted what he posted, we didn’t no anything about the motive. And we still don’t know that, even with what you learned from the news tonight. I’m not answering Bob, I’m answering you. Race might well have affected the shooter but it really seems he isn’t part of an organized group, as you suggested. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2015, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/68 "2015-09-01T13:34:37Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > 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. > [@Morgenstern](#): > > **Bob** , it’s _Texas_, there’s a needle in the not too distant future of the shooter. Millions of blacks in the country, one shoots a cop in the back of the head at a gas pump. Not exactly a trend. I think the death penalty is in its last years. I would not be surprised to see the Supremes strike it down for the lack of truly painless ways to do 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:** [September 1, 2015, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/69 "2015-09-01T13:48:13Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > I’m not answering Bob, I’m answering you. Race might well have affected the shooter but it really seems he isn’t part of an organized group, as you suggested. I didn’t suggest it was. I suggested ONE POSSIBLE REASON we might want to consider the race of the people involved in these type of shootings. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/70 "2015-09-01T14:06:54Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Millions of blacks in the country, one shoots a cop in the back of the head at a gas pump. Not exactly a trend. Don’t be dense, Bob. You’re smarter than that. And just how is one to determine if its a trend or not without considering the races of the people involved? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/71 "2015-09-01T14:13:02Z")
When the killing was first reported, I too wondered if it was a retribution killing for the recent spate of white officer / black victim violence but like **Bridget** after hearing more on the local news last night about Shannon Miles long history of violence against both officers and other members of the public and his battle with mental illness it’s now anybody’s guess what the motive was until he makes a statement on the matter. Obviously though anyone that will expend 15 bullets, all that Glock could hold in the mag and chamber, into the back of another innocent human is carrying a great deal of rage around. The gas station where this happened is midway between my home and work. In fact since it happened on a H.S. football night friends called saying to stay away from the area, that it was locked down. It’s effect on much of the community has been palpable. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/72 "2015-09-01T14:16:35Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Don’t be dense, Bob. You’re smarter than that. And just how is one to determine if its a trend or not without considering the races of the people involved? I think when you are mentally ill enough to pull a stunt like this (just like the TV shooting) race becomes an unlikely factor. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/73 "2015-09-01T14:21:04Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I think when you are mentally ill enough to pull a stunt like this (just like the TV shooting) race becomes an unlikely factor. This is horribly disingenuous. No, it’s not a trend. That doesn’t mean we can’t draw certain conclusions from this killing, especially considering the prior rhetoric the shooter apparently posted. It’s a tragedy when our public servants abuse their positions to murder people. It’s also a tragedy when people murder our public servants because of their positions. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/74 "2015-09-01T14:30:06Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Don’t be dense, Bob. You’re smarter than that. And just how is one to determine if its a trend or not without considering the races of the people involved? I think his point is that the sample is defectively small in this case. Now, if we had 12 shootings, then examining race, among other things, would be relevant perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/75 "2015-09-01T14:33:17Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > This is horribly disingenuous. No, it’s not a trend. That doesn’t mean we can’t draw certain conclusions from this killing, especially considering the prior rhetoric the shooter apparently posted. I take this part back. The killer hasn’t posted any rhetoric; the county sherriff just made some unsupported assertions. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/76 "2015-09-01T14:38:27Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > I think his point is that the sample is defectively small in this case. Now, if we had 12 shootings, then examining race, among other things, would be relevant perhaps. That Dylann Roof shooting - that was a one-off, right? Do you think it was relevant to examine race then? ---
**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:** [September 1, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/77 "2015-09-01T14:40:41Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > I think his point is that the sample is defectively small in this case. Now, if we had 12 shootings, then examining race, among other things, would be relevant perhaps. I think that’s fair. This guy may have had a beef against the cops and acted accordingly. Maybe race played a role in how he felt. That will come out. Let’s try this angle. Suppose he had a beef with his cable company and murdered the first cable installer he came across. We wouldn’t see the same outrage and gnashing of teeth, though to his family his life would have been just as important as the cop’s life was to his. I’m just saying let’s keep the uniform worship out of these incidents. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/78 "2015-09-01T14:48:18Z")
> **[Bill O’Reilly Announces He Will Put #BlackLivesMatter ‘Out Of Business’](https://crooksandliars.com/2015/08/bill-o-reilly-announces-he-will-put)** > > Bill O’Reilly’s hatred for #BlackLivesMatter has finally gotten the better of him. Bill O is on the case. > [@](#): > > O’REILLY: I think they’re a hate group and I’m going to tell you right now, I’m gonna put them out of business and any media person who supports them? I’m gonna put them on this program and put their picture right on the air. And of course you got Ms. Hasselbach and Sen Cruz. I won’t link to them, I don’t like starting my morning by puking my guts out, gonna assume you don’t either. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/79 "2015-09-01T14:49:59Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > That Dylann Roof shooting - that was a one-off, right? Do you think it was relevant to examine race then? What you’re too slow to see here is that a _single_ example cannot evidence a trend. Until there are multiple examples, we have no dots to connect. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292/80 "2015-09-01T16:03:57Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > What you’re too slow to see here is that a _single_ example cannot evidence a trend. Until there are multiple examples, we have no dots to connect. Ah so with Dylann Roof shooting, race was not relevant and should not be examined. Cuz just one dot. Nothing to connect. Gotcha. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tx-deputy-shot-and-killed-while-pumping-gas/729292.md?page=5)