In condemning cops, Obama forgot to include a third young unarmed man killed by them

In condemning cops, Obama forgot to include a third young unarmed man killed by them

It was pretty careless of the president to exclude a third police shooting victim from his Facebook post yesterday in which he urged Americans to “recognize the anger, frustration, and grief that so many … are feeling.”

Come to think of it, Dylan Noble’s name was not mentioned by the crowds, either, when they assembled last night for a “peaceful protest” in Dallas. So why did Obama and Black Lives Matter fail to mention an unarmed 19-year-old man who was shot to death by Fresno police on June 25?

One possible reason is his skin color. Noble was white.

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According to KABC, police were responding to a call about a man who had been seen walking with a rifle when a truck sped by. The officers gave pursuit, but the driver (whom they would later identify as Noble) refused to pull over.

Ultimately, he stopped in a gas station parking lot and exited the truck.

[P]olice said he refused to show his hands, and made a “conscious effort to conceal one hand behind his back, then in his waistband, … and walked away from officers,” according to a press release from Fresno police.

Officials said Noble then said he “hated his life,” turned around and walked toward officers. That’s when police said Noble was shot.

Authorities said Noble was shot a total of four times. In the video [that follows, recorded by a disinterested party], two of the shots can be heard and seen. Noble appears to already be on the ground near or underneath his truck. There was a 14 second gap in between the two shots in the video.

It was later determined that Noble was unarmed.

Clearly, this was a troubled young man who committed suicide by police bullet. Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer is quoted as saying that the suspect “mimicked the movements of someone armed with a gun.”

When he gets within about 12 feet of the officers, he makes the statement ‘I hate my effing life’ and then he quickly starts to pull his hand out when the officer fires two rounds and shoots him.

Dyer is further quoted as noting that the FBI and U.S. Attorney General’s office have been notified and agreed to take on the case. That is good news for Noble’s parents, who sought federal intervention and are entertaining filing a lawsuit against the Fresno Police Department.

The only unanswered question is why the administration has not issued a statement or asked the Justice Department to launch an investigation into whether Dylan Noble’s civil rights were violated. Then again, he simply doesn’t fit the (ahem!) profile.

Howard Portnoy

Howard Portnoy

Howard Portnoy has written for The Blaze, HotAir, NewsBusters, Weasel Zippers, Conservative Firing Line, RedCounty, and New York’s Daily News. He has one published novel, Hot Rain, (G. P. Putnam’s Sons), and has been a guest on Radio Vice Online with Jim Vicevich, The Alana Burke Show, Smart Life with Dr. Gina, and The George Espenlaub Show.

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