Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) took to Twitter Wednesday, posting a video of former secret service agent Dan Bongino, who had weighed in on “Fox & Friends” over Rayshard Brook’s death.
Co-host Anisley Earhardt, in the video, noted that Brook took one of the police officer’s taser gun and shot the taser at one the officers– while he was being chased and was trying to run away.
Dan Bongino said that “running away is candidly irrelevant on this”, referring to Rayshard Brook.
“Running away when you’re not a threat, don’t have a weapon, there’s no evidence you have a weapon is one thing. Running away when you violently attack the police officers, stole one of his weapons, and discharged the weapon at the police officer is an entirely different scenario,” Bongino clarified.
The former secret service agent went on to say: “There’s a lot of confusion out there and it really candidly bothers me when people talk about this and don’t understand basic use of force rules. The use of force rules do not dictate anywhere that there has to be a deadly threat to someone else. There has to be a serious threat of physical injury or death for you to use deadly force.”
“A police officer who was witnessing someone attacking someone with a batter firing a taser in their face, doesn’t have to say, ‘Well, I have to use it equal amount of force’, meaning I have to get my bat, or I have to hit him with my taser. That’s not the way use of force works. I know it’s uncomfortable for people to hear,” Bongino said. Continued Below
“But what would I do, candidly? Not much different,” Bongino told Fox & Friends. “And I know that’s painful and I know a lot of people say, ‘Oh, my gosh. Maybe you could’ve shot him in the legs’. That’s not how police officers are trained. They are trained to stop a scenario with their firearm. They are not trained to kill, that is a myth. They are trained to stop.”
He noted when a police officer fires their weapon, they fire it “center mass”, because “you have the most likelihood of engaging with the target in center mass and not someone else in the parking lot”.
Upon hearing Bongino’s remarks, Rep. Swalwell suggested the former secret service agent has a “barbaric mindset”. Video Below
“Then @dbongino would be charged with felony murder. This barbaric mindset is why we urgently need @HouseJudiciary’s #JusticeInPolicing Act. #BlackLivesMatter”, Swalwell tweeted.
Bongino fired back at the California congressman writing: “You’re a coward too. You wouldn’t even look at me when I testified in your committee. You lowered your head in shame when I met eyes with you. You’re a disgrace to the Congress.”
Bongino testified last Wednesday, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Policing Practices and Law Enforcement Accountability”.
Fox's Dan Bongino says that if he were in the cop's position, he also would have shot Rayshard Brooks. pic.twitter.com/ARK4nX7ylb
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) June 15, 2020
Continued Below
Rep. Eric Swalwell’s tweet and Dan Bongino’s response:
You’re a coward too. You wouldn’t even look at me when I testified in your committee. You lowered your head in shame when I met eyes with you. You’re a disgrace to the Congress.
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) June 17, 2020
Bongino added:
Disgraced alleged congressman, who is infamous for “talking” out of the lower half of his body, and who has never served a day on the streets as a police officer, accuses anyone of defending the officer’s actions, “barbaric.” 👇🏻 https://t.co/OEoiLmP5Yq
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) June 17, 2020
When I testified in front of this coward’s committee, I briefly stared at him. He lowered his head in shame & immediately looked away. He has no dignity & not an ounce of courage. He sits on the sidelines & throws bombs to incite hatred, praying he gets a few donations. 👇🏻👇🏻 https://t.co/OEoiLmP5Yq
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) June 17, 2020
