According to multiple media reports, a police officer shot and killed a Randallstown teenager who was armed with a loaded gun shortly before 6:00PM Monday evening. Police say the officer saw the 15-year-old boy and two other teens acting suspiciously in the 4100 block of Labyrinth Road (near the Kosher bakery & Shabsi’s Book-Store). As the officer questioned the group, police say the boy pulled a loaded, 44 Magnum handgun from his waistband. Police spokesman Donny Moses says the officer fired at least one shot, hitting the teen in the torso.
The teen, identified as 15-year-old Ralph Simmont, died four hours later at Sinai Hospital.
The officer has been placed on administrative leave.
(Sources: YW18)
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17 Responses
Now everyone knows why crime is so rampant and out of control in Baltimore. If a police officer is put on administrative leave after using his gun to protect himself in the line of duty, then we all know why.
administrative leave !
This reminds me of a story told of the one who asked HaRav Moshe Bick zt”l if he should bentch gomel having been held up at gun point. The great posek answered, and if not, when should you, only if you’ve been shot? Self defence is now only after you’ve been shot NOT defending yourself?
Why was the cop put on leave? Is he supposed to wait for the teenager to shoot before taking action?
Good. They are real chayos out there in Baltimore. If the cops treated them like this more often, they might behave better.
Administrative leave is standard procedure for a police involved shooting regardless of the circumstances. Its not a punishment, it gives time for internal investigation, reports to be filed, and the officer to receive some counseling to make sure he is ready to hit the streets again. Shooting and killing someone, and nearly losing your life in the process is not something you emotionally just walk away from, even if it’s completely self defense.
Wow… thank god they killed him, but this is bad even for Baltimore. We usually don’t have gun-related violence in the Jewish area, just ‘normal’ beatings.
The officer has been placed on administrative leave.
How many innocent people have to be killed before a cop can take action?
I live on labyrinth Rd. in Baltimore.I was wondering why I saw 3 or 4 helicopters hovering over the area yesterday…We need to get a Mayor here like Giuliani..unfortunately it looks like we are going to have a female Dinkins soon 🙁
Baltimore has the NWCP & Shomrim, which are both great. But, one thing they really still need is to unite the frum community into a voting bloc. There needs to be something set up like the Vaad in LKWD. It would be very helpful.
lkwdfellow,
Wouldn’t the non-frum and non-Jewish then become resentful of the fact that the Frum community has control of the politicians?
Moe – it’s time for Baltimore to break out of your line of thinking. Maybe you are right, the non-frum and non-Jewish might become resentful, but, in the long run – you will gain more than you’ll lose.
I know of quite a few situations where the lack of any sort of political power harmed the Frum community.
I was mugged earlier on the same day at 4:15 p.m. in the afternoon not three blocks away from Labrynth rd by two pint-sized 15 year olds.Thank G-d they did not brandish a weapon and were both my size.
I was left with only some scrapes on my knee, a torn jacket, and a loss of some change via the assaulter’s pickpocketing partner . They both took off running leaving my wallet intact and untouched on my person, my keys and other belongings strewn on the ground.
The judo I trained in while a youth came back to me instinctively,and was something, I am sure, they did not expect from someone they imagined was an easy mark– a short middle aged, plainclothes Lubavitcher chasid.
The policeman who came to my home afterward lamented that I didn’t waste the both of them, but did not take the time to write a report or insist, upon my procrastination, that I come down to the station to speak with the detective. All a days work in the big city.
Let’s hope that our state delegate, Sandy Rosenberg relents of his intention to remove the death penalty from Baltimore, or it could get much worse, Halila.
Ad Masai! We want Moshiach now, and an end to this bitter Galus.
Mendel Saull
Wouldn’t be surprised if the officer is put on trial and the parents of the poor boy receiving handsome compensation (from public coffers)for the sad killing of their darling son who wouldn’t hurt a fly and was just playing with the gun they gave him as a birthday present
Please Mr. Kosherconsumer make the police write the reports. No report=less protection form the police. We don’t all take Judo lessons.
Little old lady
lkwdfellow,
I don’t understand. Isn’t it harmful to us to be hated by the non-frum and non-Jewish? That’s just the practical issue. More religiously speaking, don’t we want those outside the frum community to respect a community run according to Torah? The ideal is that those around us should say, “Ashrei Mi Shegidlo LaTorah”, not “Those Jews get whatever they want because they own the politicians.”
YW editor,
That is one really neat .gif at the top of the article!
Moe, I don’t think you understand what my point is. I agree it’s not the most l’chatchila to have non-frum and non-Jewish angry with us. But, think about it – does that justify letting us be trampled in many ways.
Also, in LKWD, we have a Vaad, backed by the Rabbanim & Roshei Yeshivos. I’ll rely on their Daas Torah – which is the real truth.