Cop kills thief

Recently, a LAPD officer shot and killed a black kid who was stealing a car. Instead of being angry that the kid was involved in a crime at the time he was killed, the local black community are more upset that the cop used lethal force against a criminal:

"The residents are very disturbed over this tragic and needless shooting," said John Mack, president of the Los Angeles Urban League. "We have a pattern here where some police officers don't value the lives of young African American males. There's a frustration here that's building up and makes it difficult to build a partnership with police."

Dozens of area residents gathered in protest Monday around the corner of West 83rd Street and South Western Avenue where Devin was shot. At a makeshift memorial site, placards and notes were left criticizing officers for heavy-handed police work. "LAPD, thank you for giving us another reason for disliking your service," read one.

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) urged the community to "demand justice and become even more creative in ways to shame the establishment for tolerating this kind of abuse in our city."

Nearby resident Paula Hodge, 48, said. "I'm standing here for this baby because this didn't need to happen. They put these guys [police] out here who they know don't like us." Even if Devin "was doing wrong, that didn't give them the right to kill him in that way," she said.

Of course, the smart thing to do would be to ask why so many young black males are involved in crime but then that would mean African-Americans would have to take responsibility for their own actions. It is much easier to blame the police for taking action against lawbreakers.