Sad Incident

[Hannibal]

Police Kill North Carolina College Student Accused of Stealing PlayStation 3 Consoles

Monday , December 04, 2006

WILMINGTON, N.C. — A teenager accused of robbing a student of two new Playstation 3s on the day the popular game consoles were introduced was killed by police who had been sent to arrest him.

Peyton Strickland, 18, was killed Friday at a house he shared with three roommates, New Hanover County Sheriff Sid Causey said.

"If this boy would've come to the door, opened the door, we probably wouldn't be talking," the sheriff said Sunday.

Roommate Mike Rhoton said Strickland was unarmed, but may have been holding a video game controller when he went to the door as it was bashed in by officers.

Causey said Monday he couldn't yet discuss the circumstances of the shooting, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported on its Web site.

"I am anxious to tell what happened," Causey said after he was sworn in for a new term as sheriff. "In a few days, we'll be able to. For now, it just wouldn't be right."

Asked if the deputies felt their lives were threatened, Causey said, "Anytime you have a high-risk entry like this, you feel that your life is at risk." He declined to say what made the arrest high risk.

Arrest warrants alleged that Strickland, a student at Cape Fear Community College, and a University of North Carolina at Wilmington student stole two PlayStation units from another UNC Wilmington student that day.

The sheriff said the robbery victim had waited three days in line to buy two Playstation 3 units for $641 each at a Wal-Mart. He was unloading the units at his campus apartment when one man beat him to the ground while another took the PlayStations, Causey said.

The sheriff said Strickland was shot by members of a a special police unit who went to help university officers serve warrants.

Strickland's dog, a German shepherd, also was shot to death.

The State Bureau of Investigation is examining the case and three deputies on the team were placed on paid leave, Causey said.

The second man named in the warrants was arrested at another address and was released on bail on Saturday, authorities said.

The nationwide introduction of the Sony game system on Nov. 17 was marked by rowdy crowds and store stampedes. One buyer waiting in line at a Connecticut store was shot by armed robbers.

Sounds like this kid made some fatal mistakes. This serves as yet another example that crime doesn't pay; all of these lives affected over some stupid games.

Thoughts and prayers going out to the officers involved and the kid's family.

[gozling]

over a video game?
really?

geesh...

that is awful

[OFK]

over a video game?
really?

geesh...

that is awful

We had them lining up from another county in our area. The release was a Friday and they were comiing 100 miles to our area on Wednesday. It was like sold out tickets to a concert or something. Crazy! And 500 bucks? Come on.

[Ducky]

Poor dog.

[Piggybank Cop]

Poor dog.

+1

[Star Man]

Poor dog.

+2, probably trying to protect the owner who was not co-operating with police. Holding the game controller when the police are trying to arrest you? sounds like he may have been trying to make them think he was armed...

[CT209]

Just curious- what do the game controllers look like?

[TheOldRhino]

over a video game?
really?

geesh...

that is awful

I don't give a rat's ass what it's over. The dumb POS shouldn't be stealing what doesn't belong to him. He won't steal anything else again, that's for sure.

I do not abide thieves.

Just curious- what do the game controllers look like?

Like the PS2 controllers. But they work much differently. They don't vibrate anymore and they are motion-sensitive. So if you are playing a driving game, for example, you just tilt the controller in the direction you want to go.

[Coloradocop]

Poor dog.

+3

And, I feel sorry for the officers. Sounds like an unfortunate situation they were put in. Stupid kid robbed someone, so no sympathy his way in my mind.