Letters to the Editor

from The Oregonian

Police reacted properly
I am appalled at the condemnation of the Washington County sheriff's deputies who shot Lukus Glenn (Letters, Sept. 19). Based on The Oregonian's reporting, I can fault these two officers only for not shooting sooner and thereby letting Glenn get closer to the house (resulting in the trajectory of the bullets penetrating the house).

Ideas suggested such as "shoot at the legs" and "(b)ring out the Tasers" indicate a warehouse of ignorance by the writers.

The effective killing range of a knife is about 21 feet. The legs are extremely hard to hit if the target is moving, especially with the adrenaline factor going, and a hit in the legs is less likely to stop the target.

Rules of engagement are always to shoot for the torso. If a situation such as this ever occurs at my house, the conduct exhibited by these two officers is exactly what I would want.

LYNDON GRAHAM, Hillsboro

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Reading all the criticism in Tuesday's issue about the shooting of the young man from Tigard reminds me that law enforcement is probably the only career that a person can enter in which, even after hundreds of hours of training, the public knows more about how to do your job than you do.

LARRY A. WARD, Gresham

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A great kid under the influence of a drug --alcohol --acting out his frustrations. But wait, he's only 18! Why was he drunk to begin with? Where were the parents? Where's the accountability from the place he got his booze?

Lukus Glenn made a choice to be drunk. The police reacted in an appropriate manner considering the threat they faced and the resources they had available.

MARK KOBERSTEIN, Boring

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Regarding Steve Duin's column, "The last turn in the life of Lukus Glenn" (Sept. 19), have you ever spent an evening with Damon Coates or his wife and children?

I am an "ex-hippie" from the 1960s, a mother of four children ranging from 18 to 25 years, an educator with extensive experience with youth, and I do not own a gun. My heart goes out to those involved in the latest tragedy.

However, after having met Coates and his family, I would ask you: "After the crippling injuries of Damon Coates, what police officer could be expected to answer a domestic violence call involving a troubled teen?"

JEANNE KENDRICK KING, Southwest Portland