Alleged PS3 Thief Shot
Were you one of the many who were sitting around wondering how to get your hands on a PS3? You didn’t have a pre-order, and didn’t feel like waiting in line, and ebay was just out of the question. Why not try mugging one of the suckers who stood in line for the system and take his? This is why not:
Last Friday night, December 1st, University of North Carolina at Wilmington campus police requested the assistance of the New Hanover County Sheriff’s office in serving a search warrant. 6 deputies accompanied the UNC-W PD to search the residence of Peyton Strickland for 2 stolen PS3 consoles, materials related to their sale on eBay and other items related to an assault that took place a little after midnight on November 17th. Officers knocked at the door of the residence, and then knocked the door down. Peyton Strickland was standing in the hallway leading up to the door holding what witnesses claim was a PS3 controller. Three Sheriff’s deputies opened fire on Strickland, and after what Mike Rhoton, Strickland’s roommate, described as a “barrage of gunfire” Strickland lay dead in the hall after being shot in the head. The deputies also shot and killed Strickland’s German Shepherd.
Back up to the night of November the 17th. UNCW student Justin Raines had waited in line at his local Wal-Mart and was taking his prize, two PS3 consoles home to his apartment. He didn’t notice the Gold Pontiac that had followed him home to his apartment from the store. As Raines got out of his car, two white man got out of the Pontiac and struck Raines in the head with a blunt object. When he got up, his PS3s were gone and all he had to show for his time in line were some bumps and bruises.
UNCW PD identified the two assailants as Ryan Mills and Peyton Strickland using the surveillance video at the Wal-Mart. A search warrant was issued for Strickland’s residence. The UNCW PD asked for the assistance of the local Sheriff’s office because during their research they had come across pictures on the internet of Ryan Mills posing with a variety of firearms. Strickland also had a felony assault on his record from September. The deputies that accompanied the UNCW PD were members of the county’s SWAT team. After the shooting, police executed the search warrant, which did not include any firearms. The District Attorney has not stated whether Strickland had a weapon, or whether officers thought he did. The 3 deputies involved in the shooting are currently on paid leave.
Under North Carolina Statute 15A-401, the use of deadly force in an arrest is permissible on 3 conditions.
a. To defend himself or a third person from what he reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of deadly physical force;
b. To effect an arrest or to prevent the escape from custody of a person who he reasonably believes is attempting to escape by means of a deadly weapon, or who by his conduct or any other means indicates that he presents an imminent threat of death or serious physical injury to others unless apprehended without delay; or
c. To prevent the escape of a person from custody imposed upon him as a result of conviction for a felony.
Its possible that Strickland was armed when he went to answer the door Friday night. Its also possible that Strickland was holding a PS3 controller in his hand and the deputies simply mistook it for a weapon and opened fire. This is just one of many cases of violence that tarnished the PS3’s launch.
Well, greed cost him his life, kinda harsh but it could’ve been prevented by him not being such a greedy little b*tch.
karma comes quick.
He wasn’t being greedy, you have no idea what you are talking about. There was no reason for the action that the police took and it is ridiculous that everyone is emphasizing the fact that it was a PS3. It doesnt matter what was stolen, what matters is that an 18 year old kid is dead because unnecessary force was taken for no apparent reason. It isnt Karma, and it isnt greed, it wasnt the best decision, but neither is paying $640 for a game system.
Get over yourselves, quickly.
This is compounded by the fact that the officers that shot him were part of the SWAT team and had training to avoid instances like this. There is no excuse for their actions.
It all boils down too 1 simple thing… They would not have been at his house if he wasnt a criminal , he was a thief.
So because he made a mistake and stole something, he deserved to die?
He wasn’t being greedy? Sorry, just in my crazy mind beating the crap out of someone and stealing their stuff for your own personal gain is greedy. But hey, what do I know. Maybe theft is ok on whatever planet you live on. But here on Earth it is a crime and a sin.
I wouldn’t jump to conclusions just yet guys. The “witnesses” are probably that guys friends meaning they are going to testify on his side. Nobody at this point really knows if he had a gun or not. For all we know he could have come out pointing a gun at them. Could have been a PS3 controller…Who knows!
That’s exactly what I said. In the training I have received for law enforcement, we are taught that eyewitnesses are never actually eyewitnesses, and not to trust their version of the story without facts to back it up.
I submitted this
Didn’t I submit this awhile ago?
While obviously stealing anything is a stupid move, this shooting seems entirely unjustified.
Granted, it hasn’t been “officially’ said that he didn’t have a gun, but come on, this was 6 days ago now, it doesn’t really take all that long to walk over to the body and see if he was holding a gun or a controller. The lack of a official report that says ‘Yup he had a gun’, seems to be a pretty good indication that the kid did NOT posses a weapon.
I see no rational why they wouldn’t release that he had a gun right away if he really did. Otherwise this will just needless tarnish the reputation of the police. But I’d be mighty surprised if it turns out this kid did anything more than just be incredibly stupid.
And anyone who seems to suggest that it’s his fault he got KILLED because he stole something, has no morals. Dying is in no way equivalent to stealing a console.
Thanks Jason, I agree that dying cannot be justified in a situation like this, and I’m sure there’s some cops out there that feel they misjudged and overreacted. Nobody can feel good about what happened, I’m sure the kid that bought the consoles is even regretting his decision to buy the consoles. Unfortunately, thats all they can do, is regret the events and move on.
I hope that people who feel the kids death was justified, seriously contemplate their stance on life and hope that they never need mercy because of a bad decision.
“pictures on the internet of Ryan Mills posing with a variety of firearms.”
Dumb kids posting pictures of themselves with guns on myspace. Stealing, assaulting, and showing off your fireguns on the internet? Smart move junior… He had it coming.
If by “He” you mean Ryan Mills, who was not shot to death by the police. The police had no reason to suspect that Strickland would be armed other than the fact that his associate, Mills, was a known firearm enthusiast.
I don’t believe any of the responses above were saying that Strickland _deserved_ to die as a result of stealing a PS3. That would just be silly.
What they’re saying is that his death certainly would have been avoided if he had not stolen the PS3. If he hadn’t mugged someone and stole their stuff, then there wouldn’t have been any reason for police to investigate him and come to his door. His actions started a chain of events that led to his being in a position for something horrible to happen.
The same kind of logic can apply if you hang around drug dealers and criminals. You may not deal drugs, and you may not steal. But if you put yourself in situations where you are more likely to be the victim of violence, then you bear some responsibility for the results.
The guy was a punk, and theft is wrong. Did he deserve to die for stealing the PS3? Of course not. Come on. Should the cops have shot him? It probably depends on whether or not he had a gun. But while I feel some sympathy for the guy for reaping a consequence that was not comensurate with the seriousness of his crime, I agree with the general feeling that he is responsible for making a bad decision that put him in a position for him to get his dumb ass killed.
The bad decision that started a chain of events doesn’t justify consequent bad decisions from other people. We put ourselves in danger’s way by waking up and living our lives. Some decisions such as those we deem illegal increase the chances of danger happening. To say he got his dumb ass killed, doesnt justify the dumb ass decision the cops took on a situation they’re “experts” in.
If I decided to do a base jump, most people would say “thats a dumb ass decision,” if a truck hit me while im on that bridge and killed me, you idiots would say it was my dumb ass decision to be on that bridge, and my own dumb ass that got myself killed, cause that kind of behavior would likely eventually get me killed.
But we’re still talking about two seperate incidents brought together. And one idiots actions doesnt justify another idiots action, the only relation is the fact that they happened in the same time and place. Fuck a thief and fuck a cop, and fuck all the idiots that want to justify the two seperate decisions.
I don’t think your metaphor really works. I don’t think that being on a bridge is inherently a bad decisions. It’s the truck driver’s responsibility not to hit you in that case. In other words, I wouldn’t call you a dumb ass in that case.
And I do hope you don’t think that what I said was trying to excuse the police officers for their role. My focus was on the thief, not on the officers. I simply don’t know the facts about the situation the police officers were in. It could be that they were criminally trigger-happy, or it could be that they made a good decision (i.e., the guy was pointing a gun at them). I have no idea, and I wouldn’t try to justify their decision without more information, and I didn’t try to justify their decision.
the kid shouldn’t have stolen anything, and the cops were primed for action. The search warrant turned up no firearms, and those officers had a hard on to go take down a “thug”. A wannabe thug, who was really just an idiot.
wow First he stole a console that isnt even worth the 600 dollars then he was shot
Fucking hippies.
If he didn’t steal it he wouldn’t have got shot.
Yes it was excessive force from the police but it still comes back to him actually starting off the chain of events.
Why can people never be held accountable for their actions any more.
It’s never he made a decision to committ a crime but he was a misguided kid who made a mistake.
Bollocks, a mistake is saying 2+2=3, not mugging someone and stealing their property.
you truly are an idiot, “if he didn’t steal it he wouldnt have gotten shot. Yes it was excessive force from the police…”.
you can do something all day long, but as long as its not pulling the trigger of a gun thats aimed at someone, you wont be shooting anyone in the head.
who said the kid made a mistake? i think everyone agrees he made a bad decision. and so did the police officers. you’re trying to put out a fire that doesnt exist.
Bollocks!
Here’s a link to the case as its turning out, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,235919,00.html
You truly are a fucking bleeding hearted hippie.
Fuck off and bury your head.
And anyway, there wouldn’t be the issue with the shooting if it wasn’t for America’s stupid fucking laws concerning firearms.
hows this for hippie?
you’re a fucking idiot and you dont even live here, so dont fucking analyze something you’re clueless of, you piece of shit, and i’d bury my head, if your moms wasnt burying hers on my cock, thank you bitch
Well I think it’s my right and every other persons right to analyse America for the simple fact America seems to think it is her right to interfere in any other countries business, that coupled with the fact that you are ruled by a war mongering christian soldier (religion has no part in politics) that doesn’t have a fucking clue about the rest of the world that you seem so keen on sticking your fucking oar into.
Fact: America’s situation with gun crime is due to the fucked up laws you have on firearms along with the fucking huge amounts of idiots you have living in your country.
Fact: the person that began the cycle of events is responsible for the outcome whatever that may be.
Fact: My mother only sucks on cocks that she can find, with you being an American then chances are she couldn’t find yours as it will be buried within your huge fat burger eating belly.
Fact: The only bitch here is you, now get off your fucking high horse and take a long walk of a short pier and if we are very lucky your fat American ass can’t swim.
Fact: If you don’t want your culture analysed you shouldn’t try and export it worldwide.
Fact: you are an ignorant idiot
Don’t say what is ignorant about any of my comments.
Perhaps you are ignorant to the definition of ignorance. Which would be ironic seeing that American’s (in general) are ignorant to the rest of the world outside America.
Its a real shame. I’m sure this guy was going to go on and do GREAT things with his life. I could see it now, he could be stealing cars and jewelry…kinda brings a tear to my eye, you know? such a wonderful, promising youth….
ahhh, Pete, you’re right we should just get rid of the misled youth by incompetent cops. you’re more simple than a toothpick
He wasn’t stealing you damn morons. He hit someone in the head with a blunt object! That sounds a lot like an attempted murder to me. I know someone who died that way! So i agree with the karma that took place
Good man, chalk one up for the voice of reason.
yeah, the guy had access to guns, yet he decided that the best way to kill someone was to go ass backwards about it. you and the glovner are both idiots. karma did play a hand, it always does, but you’re just stupid people, when you get some hair on your nuts, maybe karma will give you guys some wisdom.
Oh so because in situations like this we feel that you are responsible for the outcome if you started the series of events you come back with grow some hair on your nuts.
Well done that around 16 years ago so your argument pretty much falls at the first hurdle.
Anyway, I’m off to rob a bank because I should only get a slap on the wrists anyway.