Police State?

Is San Diego becoming a police state? The question sounds absurd on the face of it, but something really stinks and answers are not forthcoming. Here are the facts that we know.

Three weeks ago an off-duty police officer shot and wounded a woman and her son. The woman was not armed and the officer was not in uniform and not on duty. Apparently the officer cut the woman off in traffic and they argued. They pulled into a parking lot where the arguement continued, but neither party exited their cars. The child, an eight-year-old, was clearly visible in the front seat of the car. The officer pulled out his pistol and fired five times, hitting the child once and the woman twice. The woman was tested for drugs and alcohol but has not been charged with any offense. The officer was not tested, has not been charged, and is on paid administrative leave, "pending investigation" of the incident.

Those are all of the facts that we know and the police department of Oceanside is not answering any questions or releasing any information.

After three weeks.

Our District Attorney, Bonnie Dumanis, is saying in today's paper that we need to be patient while she conducts an investigation. She says that these things take time.

No.

A citizen and her son were shot by a police officer in a road rage incident. We are entitled to answers, not bullshit platitudes. I am out there driving on the streets of San Diego and I am entitled to know that I do not have to be afraid that I will be confronted by some crazed off-duty armed police officer.

In the meantime I am avoiding Oceanside like it was a war zone.