From the Greenville News:
Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis released a statement Tuesday saying (Zachary) Hammond died from a gunshot wound to the upper torso, but the statement didn’t indicate if the bullet came from the front or back. He referred questions to SLED, the Seneca Police and the 10th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Tori Dianna Morton, 23, of Pickens, was in the car with Hammond but wasn’t hurt. She was arrested for possession of marijuana.
Covington said the officer approached the car with his gun drawn, as is common practice in making narcotics arrests.
An undercover officer had arranged a drug buy to lure Morton into the parking lot of Hardee’s restaurant on U.S. 123, according to an incident report.
The report says the officer executed a search warrant and found a bag of marijuana in the car. It makes no mention of the shooting. Covington said the officer will file a statement later.
Dammit.
I have not been to Paranoia Academy, but how often do people run over cops rather than just try to escape? And even if it occurs a great deal, in the time to draw your weapon and fire *point blank* at the person behind the wheel, can’t you just… get out of the way?
What was the worst-case scenario here? An adult would have purchased a drug that is legal in several U.S. states, a drug that cannot be used to mow down 9 people in a church. Yet, resources are wasted on an undercover “sting” of someone buying marijuana. And now a 19-year-old is dead. DEAD. Why? What the the hell is wrong with a state where this kid could have legally bought an assault rifle, even if he had a history of mental problems, but he’s shot dead because he *drove* someone to buy pot.
If Zachary Hammond lived in Washington or Colorado, he’d be alive. South Carolina, you need to explain to the rest of the civilized world how your residents are safer because of the laws that led to this young man’s death.
Dammit.
serhasacomplaint 
Badly done, South Carolina…
From the Greenville News:
Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis released a statement Tuesday saying (Zachary) Hammond died from a gunshot wound to the upper torso, but the statement didn’t indicate if the bullet came from the front or back. He referred questions to SLED, the Seneca Police and the 10th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Tori Dianna Morton, 23, of Pickens, was in the car with Hammond but wasn’t hurt. She was arrested for possession of marijuana.
Covington said the officer approached the car with his gun drawn, as is common practice in making narcotics arrests.
An undercover officer had arranged a drug buy to lure Morton into the parking lot of Hardee’s restaurant on U.S. 123, according to an incident report.
The report says the officer executed a search warrant and found a bag of marijuana in the car. It makes no mention of the shooting. Covington said the officer will file a statement later.
Dammit.
I have not been to Paranoia Academy, but how often do people run over cops rather than just try to escape? And even if it occurs a great deal, in the time to draw your weapon and fire *point blank* at the person behind the wheel, can’t you just… get out of the way?
What was the worst-case scenario here? An adult would have purchased a drug that is legal in several U.S. states, a drug that cannot be used to mow down 9 people in a church. Yet, resources are wasted on an undercover “sting” of someone buying marijuana. And now a 19-year-old is dead. DEAD. Why? What the the hell is wrong with a state where this kid could have legally bought an assault rifle, even if he had a history of mental problems, but he’s shot dead because he *drove* someone to buy pot.
If Zachary Hammond lived in Washington or Colorado, he’d be alive. South Carolina, you need to explain to the rest of the civilized world how your residents are safer because of the laws that led to this young man’s death.
Dammit.
Posted by Stephen Robinson on August 1, 2015 in Social Commentary
Tags: Marijuana, Seneca, South Carolina, Zachary Hammond