When FBI Shoots Someone, It’s Always Justified…According to the FBI

Friday, June 21, 2013
Ibragim Todashev autopsy photo

Agents working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) can do no wrong in the eyes of their superiors when it comes to shooting someone.

 

FBI agents killed about 70 people, and wounded another 80 or so, between 1993 and 2011—and in every case, the bureau ruled the incidents justified, according to a review of bureau records by The New York Times.

 

The newspaper also found that in most of the shootings, the FBI was the only government body to review the incidents.

 

Out of 289 times that agents fired their weapon, only five were disciplined. But in those five cases, no one was hurt or killed, and the agent merely received a letter of censure.

 

“Critics say the fact that for at least two decades no agent has been disciplined for any instance of deliberately shooting someone raises questions about the credibility of the bureau’s internal investigations,” Charlie Savage and Michael S. Schmidt wrote for the Times.

 

Samuel Walker, a professor of criminal justice at the University of Nebraska Omaha who studies internal law enforcement investigations, called the bureau’s conclusions about cases of improper shootings “suspiciously low.”

 

The issue of FBI culpability was revived because of the May 22 fatal shooting in Orlando of Ibragim Todashev, who was a friend of Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Various versions of the confrontation between Todashev and the FBI have emerged, but there is still no official one, and, at the request of the FBI, the county medical examiner has refused to publically discuss Todashev’s cause of death.

 

“Our doctor knows exactly what happened, but he’s not able to release it just yet,” spokeswoman Sheri Blanton told the Boston Globe.

-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky

 

To Learn More:

The F.B.I. Deemed Agents Faultless in 150 Shootings (by Charlie Savage and Michael S. Schmidt, New York Times)

F.B.I. Shooting Incident Reviews, 1993-2011 (New York Times)

FBI Tight-Lipped on Todashev Killing (by Maria Sacchetti, Boston Globe)

Comments

Olga Vargas 9 years ago
My dream job is to be an FBI agent special agent, I realize that this a very difficult job to get into, although i have done the research needed to pass to be an FBI agent. I will be going into the army in about 5 months to fight for my country. I am also doing this so I have a bit of experience and have a higher advantage than other people. I will be staying in the army until I am honorably discharged and I will than have the army pay for some of my college schooling. Hopefully if I make it through the army I will than start police academy at the age of 21. I hope to rank up quickly and soon be background checked. It is recommended to have a high school diploma and a clean record, also you have to be fit and be fluent in 1 or more language. I would also have my my bachelors in political science. I would need to have a valid drivers license and be able to work where I am put. To be an FBI agent i have to also be a U.S. citizen. I have to be between the ages of 23-37, usually special agents are done between the age of 37. FBI agents also have to qualify for at least 2 or more programs such as; Law, Language, Special agent, and Diversified. I will do my hardest to be qualified with all of the 4 programs. If you pass the physical requirements, and have at least two or more priority skills, which I mention above. As long as I can pass all of this I will most likely be hired as an FBI special agent. I understand that there is a lot of talk about police at the moment but just remember, it starts with you to make the world a better place and with a law enforcers help I believe the world would be a safer place.

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