The Jazmir Tucker case is indeed tragic. This jacket pocket contained a zippered pistol. There was no reason to shoot an apparently unarmed person.
However, in my opinion there is also another side to the story. Why was a 15-year-old running through the streets of Akron at 11 p.m. in a recognized unsafe neighborhood? And why did he own, let alone carry, a loaded weapon? It can’t be legal for a child that age to go armed on the street.
You have to wonder what kind of parents that child had, who allowed their son to go out and do whatever he wanted at that time of night. People who grow up with such a lack of social structure are forced to raise their children the way they were raised, with little or no restrictions on dangerous behavior.
In addition to the police officers, there are more people present that evening who are responsible for this unfortunate event.
Laurel Gress, Wadsworth
More thoughts on the fatal shooting
What bothers me most about the Thanksgiving night shooting of 15-year-old Jazmir Tucker is that people like Councilman Eric Garrett say Jazmir wasn’t brandishing a weapon. This tells me that at least Garrett was present on Miller South Thanksgiving evening.
No one other than police on the scene knows if Jazmir Tucker brandished the gun found in the zippered pocket of Mr. Tucker’s jacket. It wouldn’t have taken more than 15-20 seconds for Mr. Tucker to put the gun in his jacket pocket (I timed it).
I will say that Mr. Garrett and others were wrong when they mentioned the name of the police officer who shot Mr. Tucker. This endangered the life of the police officer and his family.
The only thing Garrett and others are right about is that Ohio is a right-to-carry state, but the truth they didn’t say is that Ohio, along with the 49 states that make up the United States, no 15 year old kid to carry a gun. So, Mr. Garrett and others, do some research before you speak and find out the facts before you open your mouth.
Regarding police, I would say: put an end to officers buying their own guns – not assault weapons.
This is not a black and white issue. The question is, how does a 15 year old get away with carrying a gun?
On April 1 this year, a 15-year-old was walking near Newton Street and police asked to see his hands. The 15-year-old didn’t, so the officer shot him. After he was shot, he says the gun is fake.
As I said in an email to Councilman Phil Lombardo, I have always been taught to listen to police officers. As I reflected on my adult life before and after I quit drinking 28 years ago, I listened and followed what the police said. To the Akron Police Department, thank you for protecting me and my loved ones.
Keith J. Elrod, Kenmore
A remarkable difference
It is important to note that the CEO allegedly murdered by Luigi Mangione was not a healthcare executive. Brian Thompson previously served as CEO of a health insurance company.
This is not pedantic nonsense. Thompson’s annual compensation, more than $10 million, came from providing as little health care as possible. And aside from the fact that health insurance can generate profits, it is unlike anything that can be called an industry. It’s basically a collection of criminal enterprises that involve debt and suffering and nothing else. If the factors that influence a person’s actual health can be reflected in an accounting ledger, health insurance is just red ink.
In America, for-profit health insurance is the opposite of health care. And it’s time for every American to realize this.
Mark Ira Kaufman, Zilvermeer
Don’t skip background checks
Donald Trump and the Republican-led Senate say they may skip FBI background checks for his Cabinet nominees. This would be very dangerous and could leave lawmakers and the public in the dark about issues that could jeopardize government officials’ ability to do their jobs or even their loyalty to America. The Senate should not allow nominees to be confirmed without scrutiny, including background checks by the FBI. This isn’t about partisanship; it is about ensuring that our leaders are trustworthy and fit for office.
The need for rigorous Senate consideration of nominees is critical. Without this, the president and his appointees would be free to run roughshod over the government and the lives of Americans. Across party lines, the Senate must make it clear that it will not consider nominations without an FBI background check. This process has been around for years. Why change now?
In the past, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation process had a reputation for being brutal. But the disagreements over the nominations never extended to the background check. Without this candidate, no candidate would have gone to a committee hearing or vote. President-elect Trump’s nominees should not be treated differently.
Jeff Reeder, Akron
Mobilizing the army
Our next president plans to mobilize the US military for mass deportations. Not only will that be an abuse of authority, it will also undermine public perception of the military. Our military will no longer be an apolitical force acting in our collective defense, but an extension of Donald Trump forcibly ripping families and friends out of a community. This is all known.
It’s horrible. But it’s probably just the beginning. By deploying the military on American soil for domestic purposes, he will be able to normalize the use of the military against American citizens. What’s next on the slippery slope? Use the military to put down lawful protests against the government? What about those dissenting Democrats?
During the campaign, he was clear that this was his goal – and he said it repeatedly. This is what he promised. And whether voters listened or not, this is now our strongman reality in the developing world.
We who love America’s promise of freedom and justice for ALL may not be able to stop him, but we will fight him every step of the way on his misguided path.
Russ Smith, Strongsville
This article originally appeared in Akron Beacon Journal: More questions about the Jazmir Tucker case | Letters
