Fatal police shooting: What if machete-wielder had threatened a ‘dairy owner’?
Recently, on Saturday, March 31, a machete-wielding man was shot dead by the police in the north of Auckland when he was reported to have threatened the police officer.
The tragic incident obviously generated a lot of concerns and questions that need to be addressed.
Media reports suggest that multiple enquiries are already underway.
It is being reported that three investigations have been launched into the shooting: a criminal investigation, one into the policies and procedures surrounding the incident, and an Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation.
Indeed, there is a lot at stake in this incident that needs to be fixed to prevent any similar outcome in the future.
Clearly, concerned authorities are placing significant importance, and rightly so, on the circumstances involving the supposed machete-attack and the following shootout.
Investigators would be pressed upon massively to uncover every aspect of this incident to generate some learning-outcomes for the future.
However, one important question that no investigation is seeking to uncover or explore is what if the same machete-wielder would have targeted a poor dairy owner – a situation that dairy owners face, alarmingly very often these days.
Disappointingly such a crime is treated as a trivial offence and more importantly it fails to stir up wider sentiments to a similar level as compared to the recent machete-wielding incident involving the police.
To many observers, raising such a question in itself might appear outrageous, appearing to be inappropriate to compare the dangers that our policemen face day in and day out at their workplace with anything else.
To them, it’s humbly submitted, there is no intention to disrespect the threats that our hardworking policemen face every day at their workplace.
However, it is to enlighten everyone that many dairy owners, small business owners, and their families and employees live in perpetual fear of being hit by a bandana-clad machete-wielder almost at the will of those who perpetrate such crime.
Currently, it seems that the attention of authorities, lawmakers, government and the wider public view are divided, or at best less-appreciative of the plight of dairy owners and small business owners, who face repetitive violent attacks and assaults at their workplace.
The Indian Weekender spoke with a few shop owners who had recently experienced machete attacks at their workplace and continue to live in perpetual fear since then.
Dilbagh Singh, owner of Gadsby Superette in Mangere, who was attacked by a machete-wielder in September 2017 said, “We invest so much of our time and energy here in our shops, and it feels we do not have the right to defend ourselves.
“If I try to chase those who assault us and help themselves away with our hard earned money, or even hit them trying to defend myself, I will be charged for assault instead.
“It seems that police have the power; we don’t!
Similar sentiments of disillusionment were shared by other small business owners who felt there is relatively less-appreciation for their lives when experiencing unprovoked assaults at the workplace.
Nanu Patel of Opakehe Superette, who was assaulted and robbed in November 2017, told The Indian Weekender, “I really don't know what to say.
“We are not allowed to hit them to defend ourselves. Police have guns; they can defend themselves, such as in the case of last week’s shooting.
“When I was robbed and assaulted last year, both my wife and I had bruised our faces and were hospitalised.
“And one of the two robbers was given a not guilty verdict by the court.
“Now he wears an electronic bracelet on his leg but is free.”
While the current narrative on incarceration is changing these days in New Zealand, for reasons right or wrong, but there also is a need to be some urgent action on removing threats of attack and assaults on dairy owners and small business owners.
Recently, on Saturday, March 31, a machete-wielding man was shot dead by the police in the north of Auckland when he was reported to have threatened the police officer.
The tragic incident obviously generated a lot of concerns and questions that need to be addressed.
Media reports suggest that...
Recently, on Saturday, March 31, a machete-wielding man was shot dead by the police in the north of Auckland when he was reported to have threatened the police officer.
The tragic incident obviously generated a lot of concerns and questions that need to be addressed.
Media reports suggest that multiple enquiries are already underway.
It is being reported that three investigations have been launched into the shooting: a criminal investigation, one into the policies and procedures surrounding the incident, and an Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation.
Indeed, there is a lot at stake in this incident that needs to be fixed to prevent any similar outcome in the future.
Clearly, concerned authorities are placing significant importance, and rightly so, on the circumstances involving the supposed machete-attack and the following shootout.
Investigators would be pressed upon massively to uncover every aspect of this incident to generate some learning-outcomes for the future.
However, one important question that no investigation is seeking to uncover or explore is what if the same machete-wielder would have targeted a poor dairy owner – a situation that dairy owners face, alarmingly very often these days.
Disappointingly such a crime is treated as a trivial offence and more importantly it fails to stir up wider sentiments to a similar level as compared to the recent machete-wielding incident involving the police.
To many observers, raising such a question in itself might appear outrageous, appearing to be inappropriate to compare the dangers that our policemen face day in and day out at their workplace with anything else.
To them, it’s humbly submitted, there is no intention to disrespect the threats that our hardworking policemen face every day at their workplace.
However, it is to enlighten everyone that many dairy owners, small business owners, and their families and employees live in perpetual fear of being hit by a bandana-clad machete-wielder almost at the will of those who perpetrate such crime.
Currently, it seems that the attention of authorities, lawmakers, government and the wider public view are divided, or at best less-appreciative of the plight of dairy owners and small business owners, who face repetitive violent attacks and assaults at their workplace.
The Indian Weekender spoke with a few shop owners who had recently experienced machete attacks at their workplace and continue to live in perpetual fear since then.
Dilbagh Singh, owner of Gadsby Superette in Mangere, who was attacked by a machete-wielder in September 2017 said, “We invest so much of our time and energy here in our shops, and it feels we do not have the right to defend ourselves.
“If I try to chase those who assault us and help themselves away with our hard earned money, or even hit them trying to defend myself, I will be charged for assault instead.
“It seems that police have the power; we don’t!
Similar sentiments of disillusionment were shared by other small business owners who felt there is relatively less-appreciation for their lives when experiencing unprovoked assaults at the workplace.
Nanu Patel of Opakehe Superette, who was assaulted and robbed in November 2017, told The Indian Weekender, “I really don't know what to say.
“We are not allowed to hit them to defend ourselves. Police have guns; they can defend themselves, such as in the case of last week’s shooting.
“When I was robbed and assaulted last year, both my wife and I had bruised our faces and were hospitalised.
“And one of the two robbers was given a not guilty verdict by the court.
“Now he wears an electronic bracelet on his leg but is free.”
While the current narrative on incarceration is changing these days in New Zealand, for reasons right or wrong, but there also is a need to be some urgent action on removing threats of attack and assaults on dairy owners and small business owners.
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