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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/34311432
this post was submitted on 07 Aug 2025
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United States | News & Politics
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While I'm usually the first to say "Fuck the Police", this one looks like just a sad situation all around, but was probably ultimately justified.
Code enforcement guy came to the house to ask about the lawn, and resident pointed gun at code enforcement guy and told him he couldn't leave. Code dude calls the police because he has a gun pointed at him and can't flee. Police show up in armored vehicle because someone is threatening to shoot a government employee, get shot at, and return fire.
Did the guy deserve to die because he was having a mental health breakdown? No. But sometimes it isn't about what is deserved. Guy was threatening someone with a gun, wouldn't let them leave, then started shooting at people. Police can't let that continue.
Yeah "mental health crisis" is doing a whole lot of work here and basically sounds like cop-speak checking boxes to justify killing a guy. But personally, it might just be my prejudice, but this guy comes off as a suburb brained chud. A guy took a picture of his house which activated his constitutional sheriff castle doctrine so he had to kidnap him at gunpoint.
And the rest of this thread are lower level libertarian brains acting like he got shot for his lawn. So the cycle continues.
I blame the city. They should have just mailed the long grass notice.
How does the city know the grass is too long without sending someone? They can't just believe every jerk that hates their neighbor.
How is Falling Down guy not the problem here?
You can inspect it without stopping the car. The problem is the confrontation the city sent the inspector into.
Confrontation? The guy took a picture presumably from the street. You are subject to being perceived from the outside.
City mails a fine. Guy gets mad and doesn't pay it. Nanny State mails you demanding money for grass, government overreach, etc.
City goes to the man's door and says "we got a complaint, mow the grass so I don't have to fine you." Man is treated like an adult who is given the opportunity for grace. Man mows the lawn and goes on living his life.
Would you prefer drive-by citations for everything without having an opportunity to correct issues?
I'd prefer they mind their own fucking business about how someone keeps their property. Long grass isn't hurting anyone
When you sign the agreement that you allow the neighborhood to care about the length of your grass, you agree to make it their business. Don't live places that care about grass length if you don't want people to care about your grass.
If you've got the money to be buying guns to threaten people with, you've got the money to afford a uHaul.
It's the US, where the fuck would he even get a house without a HOA involved?
Plenty of places? New builds are likely to have HOAs but pre-2000s builds don't necessarily have them. Moreso if it's not in a subdivision or suburban hellscape.
That's a false comparison. Mailing a note that says "we got a complaint, mow the grass so I don't have to fine you" gives the same opportunity for grace and treats people like adults while also removing the face to face confrontation.
If I have to mail you something to tell you to mow your lawn out of fear you might pull a gun on me, I'm not treating you like an adult.
People should be able to talk to each other.
Yea there is really no need to bother residents directly with outdoor code enforcement. My city just mails you a picture of the offending area, and tells you to fix it - or they will instead and send you the bill.
I work in a development/code enforcement department. We generally mail a notice, then we knock on the door if things don't improve for a courtesy check before issuing a citation.
We don't want to send someone to court because they didn't mow their lawn.
And if there's a reason they cant mow their lawn or it tuelrns out the house is unoccupied, we want to know about it so we can plan to have a crew take care of it for fire safety.