Arkansas Blog

Although I'm sorry this ended in a death, I hope this sends a clear message to car burglars and other burglars: Little Rock citizens are fed up. And when we are fed up we put pressure on the police. And you lose. And if you break in our houses and we're home--you'll probably lose there too.

Third time the officer has been involved in a police shooting, according to KATV's website. And just for the fun of it, have a gander at all the nasty comments left by hateful, small-minded people cheering on the LRPD and saying, in a nutshell, that the driver of the car deserved to die (as did the other two).

I mean... I know you shouldn't try to back over another human being, but come on- all three suspects deserve death over stolen laptop computers?

Success!

It wasn't the stolen computer that got them shot, it was the failure to yield and then trying to run over an officer. In Arkansas and many other states trying to run over a police officer is considered assault with a deadly weapon and they are justified to use deadly force. If it was just a stolen computer then why did they run?

No one should be excited about a shooting death. But there are consequences to breaking into a car, and there are bigger consequences with trying to kill a police officer. How will I sleep tonight? Like a baby.

Ah yes, the "shot while trying to escape" scenario.

JenJens-I'm so sorry, but they got what they deserved.

I had this happen to my wife's Suburban two days before the lease was up. Broken window and paint damage and all of the contents of the car ended up in my neighbors new Saturn Sky.

Being a salesman, it was really a pain to leave work and take the car to get a window replaced and then paint work done. And remember, this was well under my deductible so I had to pay for repairs and I had lost wages.

Do I feel sorry for this guy-not in the least.

all three suspects deserve death over stolen laptop computers?-Posted by: JenJens
********
JenJens:
Based on your wacky line of thinking, the better question would be, "Why did the three suspects risk death by stealing a laptop computer?"

My poignant thought for the day - We waited in line over an hour this evening to visit with the family of a close friend whose funeral is tomorrow. A tribute to a life spent investing in others.

In contrast, the visitation line for the main character in today's drama, Mr. Stucker, will probably be . . . somewhat shorter.

The difference - one gave to others - one took from others.

What a difference.

Goodbye, my friend.

"Ah yes, the "shot while trying to escape" scenario."

The problem is that they tried to escape OVER police officers. It's hard being a thug...

Since I am always complaining about trigger-happy police, I would like to commend the officers involved in the hostage situation in Choctaw, Arkansas. This has been going on since right after midnight, the hostage-taker is armed with a knife, but police are showing remarkable restraint and patience in dealing with the man. Here's hoping this will pay off, and they will be able to free the woman and child and take the man into custody without anyone being physically harmed.

I live in the area where the shooting took place and I am just happy that the police are finally doing something. If a criminal had to die...too bad.

The apartments on Reservoir Rd. are a source of lots of crime in our neighborhood (certainly not all the crime as the article proves). There are item thefts (leave your garage open for a few minutes while you are inside your house or in the back yard and there is a good chance that something will be taken), house breakin's (5 on my small street this year) and car breakin's/theft in my neighborhood on a constant basis.

Since the start of this year we (the street that I live on -- it is a pretty short street) have had 5 house breakin's, 8 attempted breakin's, at least 5 lawnmowers stolen (along with tons of other stuff that was taken from open garages) and at least 5 cars broken into or vandalized.
I have had to run 2 people out of my backyard and 1 out of my garage in the past year.

We constantly have people walking or driving slowly through our neighborhood checking out the houses. Anyone abutting one of the creeks in our area will have a constant stream of people peering over the fence to check out the back of the house or just plain hopping the fence to check out what is in your yard. I have followed at least a dozen of these people/vehicles and they all go back to the apartments on Reservoir Rd.

When we moved into our house in 2004 the neighborhood was pretty safe and there was almost no theft/crime in the area. Since the Fall of 2005 (um..Katrina anyone?) the crime rate has skyrocketed. We are considering moving further west just to get away from the crime.

I'm glad the LRPD actually did something. I just wish they would do more...a lot more. The only thing we get from the police in our neighborhood is the routine file a report with the police and your insurance, but other than that there is nothing we can do.

I have so many things I would like to say, and I guess the hardest part is knowing how to start this blog entry.
For starters, those of you that feel it necessary to post to these blogs, has it ever occured to you that the people you make comments about have family too?
As for DonKeyote, how could you possibly know how Lance's funeral will go? What do you know about Lance as a person?
Well let me assure you Mister Don Keyote, people will stand in line to bid farewell to Lance. I will be one of them.
For all your wise comments, let me tell you some things about Lance. He had sparkling blue eyes, he loved animals, he smiled all the time, he had a tender touch. He had a dog named Chopper, he played basketball. He loved his Grandma. Like every other little boy, his pocket was always filled with worms and frogs.
I remember tiny nasty hands covering my cheeks, smiling blue eyes, as he said, "Mom, I love you, but I have worm poop on my hands." I remember the cactus garden he made for me and the trip to the emergency room to remove the spines, and a shot for the allergy. I remember his tenderness, his caring attitude toward other children. I remember when he "dry cleaned" his levis. Filling my new dryer with Tide and some dirty jeans. I remember him sticking his hands inside the tube of an industrial roll of wax paper, proclaiming to his brothers and sisters that he was "going to join the circus, one day." The roll had to be sawed off. I remember jumping off the bench and running the length of the basketball court, yelling "wrong way, wrong way!", as Lance scored a point in basketball for the other team.
I remember the way Lance looked and the clothes he wore the day his Dad beat him up.
I can remember the way it felt to have my whole world tumble down around me, I couldn't protect Lance anymore. He knew a "secret" about his Dad. A secret that ultimately got him beat. One that saved the rest of our family.
Lance put his life, his family, everything he knew and loved on the line for his little sister. He saved her by opening his mouth and being brave enough to say what was happening when the rest of the children in the household were too scared.
So with this said, I would say to you DonKeyote, before you spout your all knowing mouth off, perhaps it is good to know the subject about which you so freely comment.
So yes, I will stand in line to pay respects to Lance. Don't for a minute think I wont be thinking about what he gave of his life.
He will be with us for the last time on this earth in a small town where he was happy. As his family, we must live with this, and we can only survive by remembering the good times.
Please consider your careless words, step away from that keyboard that is easy to hide behind when your being so opinionated. Step back into "real life", hug your own children. Waste not your time criticizing, and give a thought to those of us that are left behind.
Perhaps, then in my heart, I could consider you a "model citizen".
In loving memory of a blue eyed smiling child that had the courage and strength that most men lack.
I love you Lance Eric Stucker, you will ALWAYS be such a BIG part of my heart.
Momma Michelle

It's great to hear a would be cop killer had nice blue eyes.

Wow. What a great and moving post. My thoughts and prayers are with you Michelle.

Thank you ICatFowler, at a time like this the family needs all of your prayers. As I said being put in this situation, we can only live by remembering the good times.
Is not your attitude every bit as ruthless as the actions of Lance, JRM?
I do not for one minute condone what Lance did, and I fully understand that our law enforcement officials put their lives on the line daily. My post was not to make small of his actions, but rather to make people understand that the web is indeed world wide, this is a tragedy that directly inflicts us as humans, as his family.
He wasn't just another headline. He was somebody. To me as you read above, a blue eyed, courageous, smiling child.
I have just as much right to defend a person that I love as you do to spout off your hatefulness.
Even your ugliness won't sully those memories.
As for the family of that policeman that shot Lance, we pray for you as well. Thank God your loved one came home that day. Had he not that pain would have been just as great as losing Lance.

Thanks, BrokenMother, for sharing your feelings during what must be a time of overwhelming grief, both for the loss of your beloved son and the tragic circumstances under which he died. Every time I read of something like this, my first thought goes to the families of all involved, and it was true in your case. I don't send up a lot of prayers these days, but you can be sure I will do so for you and for the police officer and his family. For you and for them, I will ask for peace and healing.

Interesting to know it was the third time one of the officers was involved in a shooting. Trigger happy?

Lance was my cousin, and though I do not condone his actions, I am grieving his death and wondering if shooting him was the best means to stopping him. Shoot out a tire, not a person. And if he was traveling in reverse, why'd they shoot him in the chest?

This was a man guilty of burglarizing a car. He was not armed. As for him trying to run over police in REVERSE, I'd rather officers jumped out of the way, shot out his tires and tasered him.

On Monday, my family will gather to say goodbye to Lance forever. We'll watch as his casket is placed in the ground and dirt is thrown on top. He was only 30 years old. There was still time for him to become the man he was meant to be. But now, he will never get that chance.

Lance, we miss you. We love you. And I'm sorry if our family has somehow failed you. May you find eternal rest and be at peace forever. I promise never to forget you.

I feel sorry for those of you who think this young man deserved to die. especially for this. If he did then we all do for " We have all sinned and fall short of the grace of God." Lance was my nephew and I love him. He had problems, like all people do when whe make the wrong choices. But he did not deserve to die. Take care of your children. Help them make the right choices in life. Stand beside them when they make mistakes. And help them find a to make things right when possible. Above all let them know that they are loved, not olny by you but by the God that created them. People we love sometimes say and do things that hurt us, but it doesn't stop us from loving them. Because if it did we never really loved them to begin with. Lance and my Son Adam were only 18 days apart. They were more like brothers than cousins. I was often asked if they were twins. I have a whole library of wonderful memories. Your fullness of hate cannot soil them. " Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." I am so happy that you are such a perfect person, and that you and everyone in your family has never done anything wrong or bad. And that none of you deserve to die. I invite you to come and visit earth some time. Lance was a good hearted boy who made wrong choices. But he is loved. By everyone who truly knew him and especially by the God who created him. May God forgive you for your thoughtless words, and bless you with his Grace. Forgiveness and Love will always over come Hurt and Hate for all those who posess a soft heart. No matter what color the skin. If your human, the blood is red.

As for the shooting that occured..... there remains quite a few problems with this. First and foremost that you completely HEARTLESS people could believe that someone deserved to die for a burglary. All I can say for that is I hope that each and every one of you are compeletly sinless, blameless, and guiltless. Judge not lest ye be judged. No, I do not condone Lance's actions, however I do not feel as if the punishment fit the crime. I lived with Lance for a short time when I was a teenager. We fought and argued like all siblings do, but he was never cruel. He was never quick to pass judgement on anyone else, he was never filled with hate. There was a very sweet and tender spot in Lance that not many were privy to. Who knows? Maybe the severe beatings he suffered as a small child at the hands of his father turned the tenderness to callousness, maybe the injuries scabbed over and made scars. Not the scars a Doctor can remove or a cream can minimize but the kind that are deep inside and never truly heal. Sometimes, not often, children are able to turn their adversities into strengths, turn their broken hearts into wells of love and compassion for others, but mostly.... they turn cynical, bitter, and scarred. I am guessing that most of you have never had to walk that kind of road. SO to all of you who have dared to comment with your ignorant ravings about Lance receiving what he deserved, I pray that when your life is over and you stand before God to reap what you have sown that God is more merciful than you were.