Kelley Carter
5:59 p.m.
14 November 2009
The South African Government has one of the highest crime rates in the world, with nearly 50 murders every day. This high crime rate has led the minister to instigate a shoot to kill policy for the police force. This policy led to a three year old boy was shot down by police in South Africa recently. However, the minister stands by his decision, saying that in a country with such a high crime rate the police need to be able to shoot at will in order to fight criminals, and innocent victims are bound to be caught in the cross fire. He was quoted encouraging the police force “Yes. Shoot the bastards. Hard-nut to crack, incorrigible criminals”. Many groups say that this shoot to kill policy has led to a jump in the loss of innocent lives. The police officer reported that he thought the three year old was carrying a gun. No gun or object that could be mistaken for a gun was found in the car in which the boy was killed.
I realize it is hard to control a population that is so violent and has such a history of hatred. Nonetheless I think it is horrible that a three year old can be shot, on site, in a car, because a police officer suspected a three year old of being able to aim with any accuracy. Forget the unlikelihood that a three year old in a car would have a reason to shoot at a officer if it did pick up a gun. This shoot to kill policy leaves the door wide open for police officers to shoot innocent victims and then claim that they saw a gun.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8357482.stm
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