WELL KNOWN ACTIVIST VICTIMIZED AND MALIGNED BY LRPD AFTER HE CALLS 911 TO REPORT GUNFIRE OUTSIDE HIS RESIDENCE

LRPD OFFICERS HAVE DIFFICULTY TELLING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CELLPHONE AND A GUN

Records that were once again not easily obtained from the Little Rock Police Department (see our previous post) clearly show overworked, fatigued officers making a near fatal mistake that could have resulted in tragedy. 

For the second time in less than a month, LRPD officers mistook a cellphone for a gun. Fortunately, this time no one was shot.

Rather than repeat what transpired, watch this video and you will have a clear picture of what happened.

This second video contains recordings from other officers that responded. 

The officers try and justify their actions. Some had an obsessive fascination with the shirt Rev. Johnson was wearing while some others question his right to stand in his own residence and look out the window to see what all the yelling is about. One states that the 911 calls were fabricated to set up the police.

Perhaps all the mandatory overtime is taking a toll on the morale and performance of Little Rock police officers.

The police report filed by officer Eddie Scott Seaton reveals several faulty assumptions/statements.

LRPD OFFICER EDDIE SCOTT SEATON

The first faulty assumption/statement is that no one wanted to be contacted about the call. That is easily refuted in the 911 calls.  The 911 dispatcher did not ask Rev. Johnson if he wanted to speak to officers as she did to the second 911 caller, nor did she remain on the line long enough for Rev. Johnson to state a whether or not he had a desire to speak with officers.

The second faulty assumption/statement is that LRPD officers asked Rev. Johnson if it was okay to search his apartment, the recordings clearly reveal that officers told him that they needed to search his apartment and they never asked permission nor did Rev. Johnson give an affirmative reply. You must remember that the officers told Rev. Johnson to come out of his apartment with his hands on his head. They had weapons ready and did not wait for his permission even after he stated he was the only one in the apartments and officers stated he was the one observed in the window.

The third faulty assumption/statement is that the gunfire was not gang related. LRPD had no idea who fired a weapon or why or if they were affiliated with a gang - what LRPD calls a "rival party". Officers responding reported that they had an earlier call that same day for shots fired and had received a similar call in the last two weeks.

And in regard to the damage to the exterior door and door frame - the apartment manger advises that she has never been contacted by anyone from LRPD about the damages. She told use that she had her maintenance man make some repairs to the door frame so that the door could be locked for the security of the occupants.

LRPD Sgt. Chris Phillips submitted a memorandum to Lt. C.P. Thomas.
 

Lt. C.P. Thomas just happens to be the father of Officer Hannah Thomas, one of the officers that responded and is the officer that claimed Rev. Johnson's 911 call and that of the other 911 caller about shots fired was a "set up" - see second video posted.

The memorandum mentions "minor damage" to the door frame. That is an understatement. The strike plate was ripped off and the wood fascia was split in two.

 

And that list provided to Rev. Johnson had more names on it that the list provided to us by LRPD in response to a FOI request.

LIST OF OFFICERS PROVIDED TO REV. JOHNSON

The names of Sgt. L Elizandro and Officer K. Snow were on the list given to Rev. Johnson but were not on the list provided to us. No explanation has yet been received for the discrepancy. 

The citizens of Little Rock deserve an explication from Chief Buckner as to why his officers appear to have such a great problem distinguishing the difference between a cellphone and a handgun.

We believe that it was divine guidance that prompted Rev. Johnson to step away from the window when he did.  We fear that had he remained in the window in plain sight of the worked-up officers, they might had fired their weapons at him had he moved his arm and what they believed was a gun.

Changes are needed in city leadership.


************
We are pleased to announce the endorsement of our efforts by LRPD Chief Kenton Tremar Buckner.

Maybe now he will remove the blocks his agency has place on the publisher of this blog to access his agencies social media pages.