Dash cam video shows the moments when Highway Patrol Trooper Sean Groubert shot Levar Jones during a traffic stop. Warning: This video may not be suitable for all viewers.
The reason for the stop?? Alleged seat belt violation.
The officer has been fired, arrested and charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and has posted $75,000 bond Wednesday night.
It's getting scary out there . . .
And thats why I usually have my LTCH and drivers license out already in my hand while holding the steering wheel, windows down, dome light on......mind you, thats all after I've determined it is a marked unit.
And that was the bad part . . . it wasn't a traffic stop . . . the officer rolled up on the guy @ a Circle K Gas Station . . .
Whenever I'm stopped, it's hands on the wheel until the LEO is at my window. I then tell him "my license is here", wait for OK, "my reg. and insurance are here", wait for OK, before reaching for anything. I don't want him to see me shuffling around in the car digging for stuff before he comes up to the window.
Strike_Zero wrote: The reason for the stop?? Alleged seat belt violation. The officer has been fired, arrested and charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and has posted $75,000 bond Wednesday night.
No consolation to the guy with the bullet wound ... but atleast there isn't a good ol' boy cover-up/frame-up job going on. They arrested and charged his ass without the typical bullE36 M3 "investigation is ongoing until ya'll forget it happened" line.
In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:
You are right . . . That's the "good" part of the story . . .
Holy crap that's idiotic. he shot -while- he was yelling to the guy to get out of the car.
Horrible shot for someone who has to train and qualify. What the heck was that 3-4 shots at point blank range?
That "officer" needs to be in jail for a while, he was a time bomb that went off on an unsuspecting citizen. I hope the guy who was shot recovers fully.... He kept saying he couldn't feel his legs. 
Both of them didn't make the best decisions. I can fully see why the cop shot. I can also see the driver following all of the directions being shouted at him.
Just think how that story would have played out if not for the video.
Cops have to make split second decisions. Make the wrong decision and you don't come home to your family.. Or.. Make the wrong decision and your career is over with potential jail time. You have 0.25 seconds to make the call...
I think the guy should have waited 1 more second before pulling the trigger.
Johnboyjjb wrote: Both of them didn't make the best decisions. I can fully see why the cop shot. I can also see the driver following all of the directions being shouted at him.
This. If I'm confronted with an irrational officer, every motion will be slow, deliberate and making damn sure my hands are clearly visible. That doesn't justify what the officer did, but I can understand in a high stress environment bad decisions can be made.
Kudos to the police dept for holding the officer to the same standards as a civilian.
yamaha wrote: And thats why I usually have my LTCH and drivers license out already in my hand while holding the steering wheel, windows down, dome light on......mind you, thats all after I've determined it is a marked unit.
I don't like to unbuckle my seatbelt until after the officer sees me wearing it. So I calmly say "I need to remove my wallet to get my license." And make no stupid moves...
the SC state police have had some recent "issues" Looks like they are getting them under control.
Bumper Cars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VjbAxCHgmU&index=3&list=PL498DIIa9Zpxurk5602_jX-s99MyW2kLK
And the famous " You better run Nword, I'm a fixing to kill you"
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/23727858/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/sc-troopers-ram-suspects-cars/#.VCRQamMoMSM
Do any of you know what happen to this cop this year, month, day, or hour before this happened? Maybe the last person that did that shot at him....Why did the car driver move without waiting for the officer to approach him? Furthermore I have never seen any articles thanking officers for making traffic stops that lead to reducing crime.
Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Bumper Cars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VjbAxCHgmU&index=3&list=PL498DIIa9Zpxurk5602_jX-s99MyW2kLK
And this is why the lowered suspension in 99 didn't last long.
trigun7469 wrote: Do any of you know what happen to this cop this year, month, day, or hour before this happened? Maybe the last person that did that shot at him....Why did the car driver move without waiting for the officer to approach him? Furthermore I have never seen any articles thanking officers for making traffic stops that lead to reducing crime.
If he was in such a state then somebody else didn't do their job - cops are supposed to get counseling so they don't go back on the job ready to go berserk on someone for fear that a traumatic situation could reoccur.
There are articles praising cops for making traffic stops to reduce crime all the time - they have headlines like "officer finds 20kg of cocaine in traffic stop" etc.
In reply to trigun7469:
The State Newspaper said: The patrol has upheld two previous complaints against Groubert, The State newspaper reported Thursday. Those offenses occurred in 2009 and 2013 and followed internal investigations by the agency. Two additional complaints were dismissed, though the agency was investigating a current one. Groubert left Public Safety in 2009, before an internal investigation was complete in the 2009 complaint, and therefore no disciplinary action occurred, agency spokeswoman Sherri Iacobelli said. Groubert returned to the patrol about three years later. He underwent a counseling session after the 2013 incident because the offense was considered a minor policy violation, she said. Groubert was dismissed after about seven years as a trooper. He joined the patrol in 2005, left in 2009 to work as a Richland County sheriff’s deputy and rejoined the patrol in 2012, Iacobelli said.
SCDPS Director Leroy Smith said: After my review of the facts surrounding this matter, I have determined that Mr. Groubert's actions rose to such an extent that his employment with us must be terminated. The facts of this case are disturbing to me, but I believe this case was an isolated incident in which Mr. Groubert reacted to a perceived threat where there was none. The department's Use of Force Policy makes clear that officers shall use "only the level of force necessary to accomplish lawful objectives" and that "the use of force must be discontinued when it becomes apparent to the officer that the force is no longer needed." That protocol was not followed in this case. Further, this incident occurred in broad daylight. Mr. Groubert had a clear and unobstructed view of Mr. Jones. While Mr. Groubert was within the law to stop Mr. Jones for a safety belt violation, the force administered in this case was unwarranted, inconsistent with how our troopers are trained, and clearly in violation of Department policies. These violations demonstrate behavior that deviates from SCDPS standards and cannot be tolerated.
Now depending on the officer, his mood, time of day, temperature of day, what he had for breakfast, etc, if you don't comply quick enough, things get ugly. If you move in a way they feel as if you are patronizing them with slow deliberate motions, things get ugly . . .
It's a mixed bag, unfortunately.
CGLockRacer wrote: Whenever I'm stopped, it's hands on the wheel until the LEO is at my window. I then tell him "my license is here", wait for OK, "my reg. and insurance are here", wait for OK, before reaching for anything. I don't want him to see me shuffling around in the car digging for stuff before he comes up to the window.
I don't know... I was stopped a couple of days ago (tried to run a yellow light - didn't make it). As soon as I stopped I got my info out of my wallet and glovebox. The officer (PA State Trooper) was courteous throughout the exchange and I did my best to be as well. Was let off with a warning. Then again, I'm a balding, middle aged white male driving a minivan...
I'm under the general impression PA State Troopers are fairly well trained. They carry themselves in such as way as to be intimidating and command respect without looking like they just stepped out of a SWAT truck. He was in an un-marked car, but that's common around here (their primary task is catching speeders on I-95).
In reply to Ian F:
Try that again as a young black man
In reply to Knurled:
I usually have my wallet on the console.
When I'm stopped, I throw my wallet on the dash and don't move my hands off the wheel.
N Sperlo wrote: When I'm stopped, I throw my wallet on the dash and don't move my hands off the wheel.
This, and my first words are that I am carrying legally
It seems as though many of you are commenting without having watched the video.
Knurled, he was already out of the car when the cop pulled up next to him.
Yeah, if you watch the video the cop asks him for ID. The guy reaches back in the car, near as I can tell to comply with the cop's request, then the shooting starts. That was just plain stupid on the cop's part. He could have hollered 'Hands where I can see them', perhaps. But no he starts shooting. After the shooting, while the guy is on the ground and asks why he shot him he says 'You jumped back into the car'. Uh, no he didn't. He leaned in the door.
I mean, look at the circumstances: middle of the day, according to one news story he'd already run the tag and there were no outstanding warrants, plenty of witnesses (notice the Grand Cherokee at the pump drives off while Jones is still on the ground, the guy next to the Grand Prix stand there watching the whole time, there are people visible inside the store), in short there was no reason to react like he did.
I'm a big supporter of cops, they have a helluva rough job and in many cases I will come down on their side due to the dangers involved; there is at least one unsolved murder of a Highway Patrol officer that happened not two miles from the store in question and I personally knew a state constable who was kidnapped, murdered and then buried in a shallow grave in a cornfield in Orangeburg County.
But I cannot, in good conscience, support this cop's actions.
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