|
Another Side of the Story
Greig Gaspar |
Fugitive chose the actions
that forced HPD to kill him
In response to "Fatal HPD shooting angers fugitive's family" (Star-Bulletin, June 20) and "Drug use tripped up model inmate" (June 22), I was appalled and totally in disbelief that the Morse family can be angry that the Honolulu Police Department killed Gordon Morse considering that:
>> he had escaped from Laumaka Work Furlough -- or did that "good boy" just forget to return?Now, things could have turned out much differently. After climbing out of the window and seeing all of the police officers on Pua Lane and no way to escape, Gordon Morse could have raised his arms and surrendered to HPD. Very simple.
>> once confronted by HPD at the Mayor Wright Apartment, he broke through a bathroom window and climbed out onto a ledge? Or was he just getting some fresh air?
Then, it seems that Gordon Morse:
>> pointed a handgun at police officers on Pua Lane, then
>> fired at them; HPD just returned his fire and Gordon got into the policeman's bullet's pathway. He must not have been good at dodgeball.The Morse family wants to know why non-lethal shotguns with bean bags were not used. But they were used -- until Morse shot the officer carrying the non-lethal shotgun, hitting the officer in the shoulder and back of the head. What do you think Officer Ernie Barroga Jr. and his family feel and think about your "good boy"?
Questions that his family and Laumaka staff need to answer are: Why was Morse involved in drugs and other substances? Why, after doing so well, did their good boy walk away from Laumaka Work Furlough? Why did their good boy steal cars? Why did their good boy drag a police officer in a stolen car? Why did their good boy have a hand gun? What did their good boy think would happen if he aimed his gun and fired at police?
As far as I can see, these are not the actions of a good boy but the actions of a felon. What happened to Gordon Morse is a result of being a felon or common criminal, not a good boy. Good boys don't finish last!
Since March 4, 2003, it has been my personal belief that if anyone is stupid enough o point a gun at any law enforcement officer, I believe and hope that the law enforcement officer would fire back, emptying his or her clip into that stupid person's head, killing them deader than dead. Kill the criminals before they kill you ... or just kill them to avoid a long, drawn-out court case that will cost the state thousands of taxpayer dollars.
Malama pono, a hui ho.
Greig E. Gaspar is the brother of Honolulu Police Department Officer Glen Gaspar, who was shot and killed on March 4, 2003, by a suspect he was trying to take into custody.