Very disappointed in our sheriff - no other tools in the SWAT arsenal was tried before fatally shooting a kid? I heard Garrison refer to him as a man but he was a BOY. Tear gas? Diversionary tactics? Even Dekalb - whose SWAT team gets a lot more work - tries many other tricks before shooting into the house.

I totally agree with Judy, I can't believe they didn't have a few more options before shooting him. This kid rode the bus to school with my daughter........

They knew they were dealing with a child. What if he just broke the glass? Will we ever hear if a single round was even fired? My prayers go out to his family.

not a good job at all. what a shame.

Completely agree with Ron here, why were other non lethal options not used?

All of you are pathetic. This isn't the fault of the sheriff, this is poor parenting. Kids nowadays are treated like they do no wrong and never get disciplined. If swat got called, then this situation was serious. America needs to stand up and realize that parenting is a joke in this generation. Spare the rod, spoil the child.

If you are just looking for someone to blame for this tragedy, then look at the parents, not the sheriff who did his job. I guarantee he isn't sitting st home smiling about what he had to do because of terrible parenting

some cops ares just that - total, brainless wonders * IDIOTS*

This is ridiculous... Are you kidding me?! This is a sorry way to end a hostage situation. We are in towns lake, not the inner city. The kid was probably terrified! I doubt he would shoot a single shot anyways... What would that accomplish. We pay all this money for all these police toys... What about some good training? My prayers go out to this family who is probably going through the most difficult time right now. If this was my son, I would be pissed! Garrison... Shame on you, your entire SWAT team and especially the insufficiently trained rookie with an itchy trigger finger. This could have been solved with a less lethal tactic for sure.

Next time any of you call 911, I hope no one responds. I guarantee you would feel differently if you were held hostage and had a shot fired at you. Then you would be wondering where the police are. You are probably all the same people who are supporting making military cuts and protest the military defending this country that all of you take for granted. Learn how to raise your kids and the police won't have to ever use their "expensive toys" anymore. Absolutely pathetic

This"kid" was threatening officers an holding a .357 Magnum Revolver. Tragic situation all around. Prayers for the family and the officers involved should be given. We shouldn't blame either.

I don't think tear gas would work if house is douse with alcohol. I don't care if we live in Towne Lake or not...this can happen anywhere to anyone. All the more reasons to ban guns. Let's not forget what happened at Woodstock HS a few years ago - guns were involved - and thankfully no deaths. Let's not judge until we get the full investigative results.

This is a very sad situation that happened in our community, and I do appreciate everyone's input. But please keep the cussing and name calling to a minimum.

I agree with Will. None of you were out there and obviously you are all ignorant and dont know what law enforcement officers actually do. Hostage negotiators cant sit there with weapons and try to negotiate with him. What sense does that make?? And what if he did start shooting and that bullet travels to the home across the street and kills someone? Guess that wouldve been the Sheriffs's fault too. And yes, this area does not have a high crime rate... your can thank your sheriffs office for that!! Yea sounds like the kid was real terrified... wielding a weapon, threatening his mom, threatening to burn his house down. Wow he was petrified! It doesnt matter where you live at theres bad people everywhere. Ignorance... and by the way its CALEA not CELEA. Get your facts straight before you judge people.

I don't think we should be blaming the parents and turning this into something political at such a horrible time in these people's lives. And while I disagree this happened due to poor parenting, I accept we are all entitled to our opinion. However, it really shouldn't be expressed in such an open forum where it could be so hurtful. I think we should seriously question any parenting that teaches someone it's okay to casually expresses such views without regard to whom they might be hurting. These people are in pain. Even if you have a child, one can not even imagine the pain.

Lynne, I could not agree with you more. Kc, I'm pretty sure banning guns has nothing to do with this. People are just always looking to blame others. And unfortunately, the people who protect this country from the rest of the world and from people in this very country are the ones everyone seems to look at to blame whenever things go wrong, but then they are the first ones you call for help too whenever you are in need. Selfish, ignorant people. That is what is wrong with this country. Learn self-accountability and how to realize that there are definitely changes that need to be made in this country, but it is change that needs to come about from a parenting aspect. Teach your kids right from wrong and your kids won't have the balls to take a gun, hold you hostage, and shoot out the front door at cops.

You people... I blame the sheriff office. I love guns, I love our military, and I love America. This was shoddy training, hands down. It's not very hard to execute a non lethal takedown with a rifle... This kid was at a low. Neighbor, you probably didn't like the kid anyway... Typical towne lake people; apathetic and quick to blame others until It's your own.

It really doesn't matter what the cause of the sitaution was, poor parenting or something else. Shooting to kill should have been the absolute last option. This Mother called 911 for help, now she has to live with the fact that the "help" she asked for left her child dead. It is ignorant to blame it on poor parenting when you have no idea what the real issue was. Shame on you for judging!!! You know what they say about those glass houses.

And It's not that hard to make a story justifiable to the public when you have the whole police force there to forge details on a report.

Oh my god, give me a break. What is the last resort situation here? Pulled a gun on someone - check. Took a hostage - check. Shot at police officers - check. Um, ya I guess you're right, they should definitely waited until he landed a bullet in someone's chest instead. Good call

Please educate yourselves on bipolar disorder. You cannot parent that. It is a DISORDER. You can medicate the child but it doesn't always work. Try having a child with a disorder and then go and blame the parent. Yes, I agree some serious changes need to be made in the parenting world, but when it comes to disorders that is extremely difficult to solve.

Police are the ones who shot the adolescent, while the mom was being held hostage. How on earth is it the moms fault? I have worked with special needs and it is not something you can always control. Sometimes they snap and it's very scary.

lmao, so now its a conspiracy Greg? I'm pretty sure there were a bunch of neighbors there to witness what happened as well

As far as the whole "he either shot the door or hit the door with the gun" goes. Give me a break. We are talking about a .357 Magnum revolver. You know if he shot or hit the glass. There's no mistaking that

I don't know the facts, but if someone(16yo or 60yo) who was already out of control came toward me with a gun (whether he broke the glass or shot it), I'd shoot him too. There's not really anything to negotiate at that point. It's tragic for him and his family, and it would be regardless of his age and regardless of where he lived. I'm praying for all involved. Really sad...

You can be the best parent in the world and have a child make a mistake, some big some small. Unless you've had experience with someone who suffers from a mental illness you will never how hard they struggle. Please don't blame the parenting. None of us know what has been done to help him and/or what they have been through. This mother witnessed her son being killed. No one deserves that.

This whole situation is heartbreaking. Praying for the family.

Garrison lost the election last night.

What about Arnold Schwazenegger!?

Krista, you make a good point. We don't know the facts. None of us do except perhaps the neighbor. But even he doesn't know if Andrew meant to shoot at anyone or if he was just breaking the glass in a rage. I'd venture to say most of us don't know what we'd do in this situation. I'd like to think that officers shoot only when they are certain. However, the quote from Baker above seems to allude to the fact that they were not certain if he shot his gun or used it to break the glass. I think that is what is bothering a lot of people right now. The apparent uncertainty. I think it's unfair to place blame on anyone at this point. BTW, love cops too. My dad was a cop for 10 years before he went to law school and he taught me to have an unquestioning respect for the law. I think if he were alive today, he would say that he would rather take a bullet than shoot a kid, but, he'd do it if he thought one of his own was about to get shot. Let the system do it's job of being judge and jury.

It is a tragedy that this child is dead. Obviously there were some issues but to shoot and kill him? Why not use some type of concussion device or smoke device? I feel this is very poor police work. Hopefully there will be a GBI investigation that concurs with the actions of the department. Mr. Garrison, I think you have just handed over your job to Mr. Waters.

You will be missed Andy Messina. You were a great friend and really nice too
You always had a smile on your face in class..its sad you wont be in class anymore :( R.I.P Goodbyee Andy :(

You all can be uncertain of what you would do, but I will tell you this and I don't care if any of you think I am a jerk or being harsh. If I was a neighbor there and had a kid wielding a gun and shooting through doors, you can bet your bottom dollar that I would shoot the kid myself before one of those bullets strays and possibly kills an actual innocent person. I'll shoot a crazy disrespectful little punk 16 year old before I let him shoot someone who is actually innocent watching what is happening or trying to help calm the psycho down. You all make me sick defending this 16 year old. 16 years old isn't a kid anymore. You are close to adulthood at that point. 2 more years and you are out on your own.

It is easy to sit back and judge from the safety of your sofa! You are safe because there are many police and military taking bullets for you!!! This blaming of law enforcement is the very thing that causes them to hestitate in many instances! Want to know why many times our law enforcement and military are killed??? because they hesitate when faced with decisions! They are afraid to be accused or charged with murder. The next time your family member is being held against their will, do you want law enforcement to hesitate???? and possibly cause your loved one to be killed??? If you have such a poor opinion of law enforcement, then you should NEVER call 911! Maybe you should handle your own issues, instead of relying on the police to save you! This is pathetic!!

When Sherriff Garrison - who has done more for the county than any of you will ever know - calls in the swat team, it is for a reason.

All of these comments against our sherrif - so quick to forget how quickly his team hunted down the tormented monster who brutally raped and killed the beautiful, sweet baby in Canton. Having served on the Grand Jury for Cherokee County - a privilage, honor and burden I hope you all get to experience - I got to see our sherriff's heart for the mentally ill that fill our jails.

This was not shoddy training - it was expertise, led by our sherriff. Shoddy trainging would have resulted in a dead mother, wounded or dead officers, wounded or dead neighbors, and a house fire that would have put an entire neighborhood in danger.

This is a tragedy. Mental illness is a demon. As on who suffers with bipolar disorder, I pray none of you ever have to deal with it personally, or with a loved one. But I promise you know someone who suffers - even if they haven't told you.

For a mom to feel so unsafe that she has to call 911. That this sweet child felt so hopeless that he would orchestrate (or be spiraled into) such a devastating situation. My heart is broken. For the poor mother. For the rest of the family. For friends, especially the young people at Etowah High School. AND for Sherriff Garrison, and the officer who was forced to fire the shot. I am grieved for our entire community.

Please pray - for everyone. Please.

What happened today was truly a tragedy. I am appalled by some of the hateful comments left here. The fact is, we don't know all the facts or what was going on at the time. SWAT team members are very highly trained individuals and the sniper had to make a split second decision in order to protect the lives of others. Whether it was a gun shot or broken glass, we don't know because WE WEREN'T THERE!

It is a shame that the young man suffered from mental illness that he chose to deal with them in this way. I lost my own brother to mental illness when he chose to turn his gun on himself. Blaming poor parenting on this is irresponsible, because many don't know how to deal with a child with a mental illness.

PLEASE stop wasting energy on spewing hateful comments and use it instead to pray for the family, the neighbors, the community, and yes even the officers involved. This was a very tragic event that I hope we never see happen again.

Krista H. - DITTO! The Sheriff's Dept did their job. After exhausting other measures, putting themselves in harm's way, they succeeded in protecting the innocent. It is unfortunate that any of it had to happen. But let's not forget who's the criminal perpetrator here. And yes, that's EXACTLY what it is! Use of graduated force was properly executed. Necessary, unfortunate and sad outcome.

Nobody's comments and arguments are changing the fact that a teenage boy is dead. I am sure the sniper that ended his life has a heavy heart today. I pray for the family to heal from the loss of their teenage boy. Mental illness is a heavy burden to bear, yet the mind can get just as ill as the body. My family suffered a loss recently due to mental illness and suicide and left my daughter without a father. Maybe the boy was on a medication that was making him very aggressive. If it is known he was bi polar then I am sure he was treated for it. I've seen first hand and experienced first hand what a wrong medication can do to an imbalanced brain as it is. Stop looking to place blame either with the SWAT team or the Parents and focus your energies and time on helping the situation. I will send my prayers up for this family and boy.

Instead of all this back and forth, we should "All" be praying for all those involved in this tragedy. God Bless to u all.

Will, you don't know me, therefore you have no right to judge me. I was raised in the military, I believe in my constitutional right to bear arms, I have a son that's an A B Honor role student that I discipline we he needs it, I am very involved in my local community, and I have a strong faith in God. If I am whats wrong with this country, then so be it.

I love my country. If being kind, compassionate and slow to rush to judgement is what is wrong with this country, then so be it.

Will, do you have children?

Prayers to the family, police and sheriff's department. If there is to be a blame, it should be the disease. If you have never seen it first hand, you don't know, it does not matter what age, it is terrible. I had a friend of 14 years, (she was in her 40's), when I met her, i di not know she was bipolar. But thru her trials of life stress, it appeared, she tried medications, therapy, to no avail. She took her own life, and left 2 teenage children. This mental illness is aweful. Blame it, not parenting, nor the law.

Will, it is not compassion to say "he got what he deserved." And, BTW, in regard to your earlier post, I don't think you are a jerk or being harsh at all. I just think you are the product of poor parenting.

If you have to put people down Will your argument becomes invalid. I place blame where it should go, to the people who killed the 16 year old boy Garrison is in charge, if it were any other person I would place the blame the same way. When you have a job such as being the sheriff it is your responsibility to protect your community, not kill them.

To say a 16 year old got what he deserves is truly sickening. What a sad state of mind you have. You must not have children, and if you do I feel sorry for them.

This is what happens when you put kids on mind altering psychotropic SSRI pharmaceutical drugs. However, this child's violent death will not be attributed to this type of drugs because they are "LEGAL". Another good question to ask is, "How many insurgents did the sniper shoot in Iraq/Afghanistan?" He got himself a kill and got to sleep in his own bed.

I've not flipped sides at all. I don't think it's the sheriffs fault OR the parents. The SWAT team used the tools and resources provided to them during their training and/or experience in these types of situations and applied them to a real life situation. I supposed we can always have more SWAT stand offs and therefore give our SWAT team more experience to pull from. Will, would you like to volunteer?

Placing blame on Parents or the Police is not going to change the facts.

Fact 1) Teenage boy held Mother hostage and made threats to burn down house and was ARMED with a REAL gun.
Fact 2) SWAT team fired fatal shot when they felt they were in danger.
Fact 3) Teenage boy is dead

(This post has been edited to correct any grammar or spelling mistakes as I don't want to provide Will with another hobby)

there is probably only one person who really knows the whole story....the man who chose to spend his life protecting ours....the man who regretfully HAD to pull the trigger....lots of words people, not a lot of facts....to that man...take the time you need brother and we hope you have the resolve to return....God Bless!

Considering none of these people were actually there to witness how this all played out you are sure quick to judge. Garrision has proven his strong leadership for many years and I'm sure the last thing he wanted was for the boy to die but we don't know the circumstances other than what we read in the media....and we all know that ALL true! Give me a break!

I question,if the young man had mental problems in the long term? Then why was a gun around he could get to. Consider also,he couldn't a gun,what is in every kitchen?
Knives. I believe that young man would use what he could to harm anyone,he deemed a threat.
palepadre

It dosent mattet whether its in townlake or downtown atlanta the officers were doing their job. No one knows what was going through that kids head but for his mom to be so scared she had to call 911 that shows that he was dangerous and unsafe. If he didnt pull a gun on his mom who knows who he might of pulled one on, he could of pulled a gun on someone at school. Dont blame the officers for protecting others and stopping something that could of turned out worse.

Will, regarding parenting, I will agree and disagree with you. It is imperative that parents be parents - involved disciplinarians who take their job of parent very seriously. Where I respectfully disagree is in your comment " I won't ever have this kind of sitaution because I'm raising my kids the way my wonderful parents raised me." No matter the upbringing of a child, the potential of a child to rebel, lose their way, or become involved in things they shouldn't is always there. Always. There comes a point in a teen's life where they test their limits. Some do it simply by refusing to do their homework while others take it much further. Upbringing doesn't necessarily have anything to do with it. When a child "realizes" they have their own brain and begins to make their own decisions, it can go either way - or back and forth. Please be prepared to be tried by your children as they get older. It is a part of growing up. Unfortunately, the situation with this child was not a small rebellion, and ended very tragically. However, it is not ours to judge him, his family, the police situation or anything at all involved in this incident. We simply do not have the authority, the knowledge or the right to do so. As a community, it is our DUTY to SUPPORT one another, not use words or actions to tear each other down. As for me, I pray for this family in their grief and for the community in their judgements.

Christina, that is a valid thought. I'm wondering though who would you blame if you were the mother who asked for help, and your help was your child being killed? In no way is that an argumentative question, I really want to know. I think it is refreshing that you can voice an opinion without attack others, unlike some people.

The whole point is the money that is being spent on ridiculous things such as brand new police cars, and useless certifications needs to be spent on training. You should have to train far more often than they do. And yes, I do know how often they have to train because I come from a family of hard working police officers. As a SWAT team, you should gain experience in these tragic situations by practicing often in case of an emergency like this.

The issue is people thinking these things wont happen here because it's a small town, and that is not the case. Be prepared because that is your job as a police officer.

Too much fighting here, a child is dead.Prayers for the family.

Just remember that none of you know what he was going through. He was my best friend, and I happen to know what was going on his life to cause him to do this. None of YOU GUYS know, so please dont judge and say things unless you know what was going on in his life. I know him - he would never have actually carried through and harmed anyone. This whole situation is so stupid. I am SURE there were other, NONLETHAL ways of dealing with this situation.

Boy, am I glad I moved out of Georgia. Folks, many of you prove with abundance why the South lost the war. Wake up to REALITY!

We are a violent society because WE CHOOSE to be a violent society. Guns are weapons of mass destruction. They possess no real utilitarian benefit but to kill and maim. Feel anger? Grab a gun. Got fired? Grab a gun. Didn't get an 'A' in biology class? Grab a gun. Girlfriend dumped you? Grab a gun.

This is the society we OWN.

I am STUNNED there are people here criticizing law enforcement. The appropriate force was used against a gun-wielding CRIMINAL. That's what he was. The fact he was 16 is inconsequential. I can only imagine what many of you would be writing had he fired a few shots and struck a toddler in the noodle and killed them. You'd blame the sniper for not doing his job!!!!

Bipolar disorder is a legitimate disease. If this young man was a sufferer, I am left to question why there were firearms in his home.

I don't blame anyone!!! The police did the job they were sworn to do. The boy was a threat that needed to be neutralized.

Moral of the story? Live by the sword, die by the sword.

Blame? Are you people kidding me? It's Sheriff Garrisons JOB to protect our community. And protect he did. It's a blessing that no one else was injured. Had it been a 30 year old holding his 60 year old mother hostage, all of your opinions would change. Fact of the matter is, when it comes to waving a gun around irresponsibility and making threats to shoot and burn down a house, you're putting innocent lives in danger and the lives of the officers who are trying to do their JOB, it doesn't matter how old you are! I'm certain a 16 year old is aware of the power of guns and fire. I'm glad some of you are not part of our sheriffs office or in charge of protecting the community in any way. My heart goes out to this family and to the officer who was forced to fire his weapon. But you ignorant people have got to see the bigger picture here. Weapons in the hands of a person with evil intentions are DANGEROUS, last time I checked, regardless of age. I'm grateful that our sheriffs office has trained their officers well. If you want to continue to blame them, we can let someone make threats at you with a .357 magnum and see what decision you would make.

Its really sad when a community lashes out at each other over something like this. It really dosent matter whose fault, if it should or should not have happend. It did and a CHILD is gone. This impacts that family FOREVER, this impacts other KIDS in the highschool. I am praying for the family and friends of this child.

Will, Did your "Father of the Year" teach you to call people idiots, morons, and all of the other offensive language you use?

Father forgive us for we know not what we do.

How are you going to blame the parents? The father just got laid off and the mother was just diagnosed with cancer

Geesh Will K. Do you know this family? Pass judgment much??? You have NO idea what was going on in this kid's head. Not everything that happens is a parent's fault. I know people who raised their children right and the child still chose drugs or whatever. It's not ALWAYS a parent's fault! IF you even have any children I pray to God one of them doesn't snap and try to shoot your a**. If so I guess it will be YOUR fault and you deserve it. God help you with your issues.

No i knew this guy, he was a very close friend and he would never have done something like this without having a reason to. They should have tried and stopped him or found out what was really going on

what if he had actually gone through with it and the police didne neutralize him? then the sheriffs office wouldve received even more criticism. They had no way of knowing if he would or wouldnt have gone through with it

All of you people keep saying "oh no, I knew him and he wouldn't do this. He was an active pacifist". Well maybe you should take a step back and see if you really knew the kid at all

I love how all the pots call the kettle black here..“don't put people down”, “don't call names”..but in the next paragraph they do just that! There is no blame to be placed here, police, elected officals, parents, nieghbors, this was a tragic event for ALL.Its unfair to judge or place blame. The fact remains a troubled young man whom did not receive the help he needed is now dead & the officers whom were there to serve & protect the public did their duty as we would all expect them to. It's unfortunate that Andrew is dead, it is a sad tragic end to a young life but that was his path as sad as it is. There is a reason for every action, reaction, loss, gain & relationship we all have or have had, while it may not always be pleasant there is always a reason for it & something to learn from it. So you should all be ashamed of yourselves for pointing fingers & making judgements at people & events you don't really know about except for what you've read or heard & attacking each other. Your passions are overriding the bigger picture & getting the best of you! And its an injustice to yourselves & those ACTUALLY involved,so until you've been in any of those involved shoes to know what they are all thinking & feeling there should be no judgement or blaming going on. Loving thoughts & prayers should be sent to all involved to heal & get thru this sad & tragic event. There are lessons to be learned here..different for all but lessons none the less..R.I.P..ANDREW MESSINA.

Law enforcement is not respected they are hated and always wrong...you all should try making split second decisions that are life or death! Oh wait you wont. You have others do it for you.. They are public safety.. They are the sheepdogs that watch over the sheep.they take all the hatred and nonsense everyday, you have no idea..You can raise children the best you can and still have them do bad things or have those that do things based off addictions or sickness. This happens. It sucks, but it does. FACT.. Doesn't matter where it is or who it is.. This will happen again and maybe even in a nicer area, get your heads out of the sand already..

You know all the energy you are using bickering back and forth about our sheriff and his staff and what they should or should not have done could be used much more productively. Try praying for this family because they truly need that right now!! Sheriff Garrison did his job and I know he really needs prayers today as well!!

Here is a video interview with Sheriff Roger Garrison from this morning as he recounts the events that took place last night in Eagle Watch. http://patch.com/A-sTRT

Pacifists don't make a habit of picking up guns and pointing it at their mothers.

For all who knew this boy, condolences.

The truth remains: the boy -- and the boy alone -- is responsible for his demise.

Actions have consequences, and in this case they were deadly.

This "debate" has now reached the point of pointlessness.

I think this is a terrible situation for every one involved. The police officer will always remember that he killed a child and thought he had no other choice.
The Mother will always grieve the loss of her child no matter what he did ,she gave birth to him, loved him and I'm sure had some happy times with him .
The sad part for her will be the last act on the part of her child that she will always remember, and she will always question herself if she did the right thing.
My prayers go out to everyone involved.
We can never say what our children will or will not do we just pray that they become upstanding citizens.
You can be friends with your children but the first job is to be a parent to teach them the lessons they need to know to live in society.

I do not know this family or the situation that lead up to this

P.S....To those of you on here today that were friends of Andrew, who had known & loved him...my heart goes out to you & I'am sad for your loss. It seems as though some people have had some negative words to say about him & that is truly sad & hurtful to those who did know & love him...& I'm sorry that you have to see that kind of evil & hate but just know its not real only love is real...unfortunatly some have different perspectives on life & fear & hate things & people they know nothing about...its a defense mechinism to avoid feeling anything that is real & taking responsibility for there own thoughts & actions! Andrew deserves to be mourned & thought of with only love & goodness!

Gino. They did try to find out what was wrong and they did stop him unfortunately it was the last resort. That is always the last resort. In a house that has been doused with flammables, what would a flashbang do? Even a tear gas canister burns. People are so quick to immediately blame the police and their "Shoddy" training. Have any of you delved into what type of SWAT training or hostage negotiation training they've received? Have any of you been through the training? Anyone? If you have, then I suggest you go and offer your services to the Cherokee County Sheriffs Dept. You all had best check the facts before casting your stones in no apparent direction.

I guarantee the sniper is not at work high-fiving his buddies and cracking open a beer.

And don't be so quick to jump on the PTSD bandwagon like everyone else (Thanks Dr.Phil). I have PTSD. So what? In a situation like this, no one wins. No one. This is an extremely sad and regrettable situation which will be tattooed on the minds of all involved for the rest of their lives.

If this family knew their son was mentally ill. Would you keep a gun (.357 ) in the house ??? I know there other kinds of weaponry can be used.... But guns are powerful. I grew up with guns - my father was a world class huntsman. I don't think he would've kept guns at home if he knew his kids had mental illness. Too late to bring Andrew back-- but not too late for others to take note.

Sheriff Garrison and his deputies handled that situation very well. This situation was tragic, but handled professionally. That young man could have inflicted great damage or even killed deputies, firefighters (if he set the house on fire), and neighbors. They could have sat there and talked him out, but when you make life threating movement like that young man did the officers reacted and reacted correctly.

I am thankful for Sheriff Garrison and his department for protecting our community.

Go and listen to what Sheriff Garrison said in his press conference. listen to where they called in people to help him, how they got his mom out of the house safely. Listen to how they were trying to get in to save him after he was getting the dog out of the house and pouring alcohol on the curtains. This was not a shoot first and ask questions later kinda deal.. and for the person who said why was only one shot taken well if its a sniper who is using a scope on a rifle only one shot is needed..

But the point is that they didn't keep a gun in the house. Andrew was very anti-guns and I had seen it proven on many occasions. I DO know my best friend. He was the closest thing I had to a brother, and we were extraordinarily close..
He was depressed and had PTSD, his mother is dying of CANCER for God's sake, and many other equally horrible things have happened to him this year and last year. He has been through so much in the past year. I'm not excusing his actions I'm simply saying the reasons behind them is not something all of you know.
Guns HORRIFIED him, he ABHORED them.
And all I'm saying is they could have (for example) shot him in the arm holding the gun.
There were other non-fatal places that he could have been shot that would have immobilized him and kept him from doing damage but not kill him.

I'm not saying he's innocent in this whole thing, I am simply saying do not pass judgement upon someone when you don't know that person or the story behind them. The same applies to his parents.

They're having a hard enough time with all of this without everyone passing judgement on their parenting. Let them grieve, let US grieve. This is one of the only 2 articles on the Internet about this. Please just let it be if you are going to say rude, hurtful, or accusatory things. You don't HAVE to comment, you CHOOSE to. Please consider that before you post a comment.

We know as much about what happened last night as you guys do, all we know is what's in these articles, which is why we are all here.

If guns horrified him then why did he have one in his hand that his mother said she saw him loading and told 911. Plus police are not trained to shoot people in the arms . you shoot to contain the threat.

Shooting someone in the arm can cause them gun to fire said gun. I haven't said anything rude or inflammatory. I'm merely stating that people here immediately pointed their fingers at the police and blamed them right of the bat without knowing all the facts first.

So containing the threat means killing them? No. I firmly believe there are other ways. Police should try to preserve life. And I'm not saying he didn't have one, I'm just saying that this is COMPLETELY against everything he stands for. And now I am going to go and grieve and not deal with you people. I just wanted the comments to maybe lighten up a bit since a whole bunch of high schoolers are coming and reading this to find out about why their friend was killed.

Mark Prentice
I live across the street from Andrew's family. He was a good kid with problems all adolescents experience. He also came from a good home with good parents. All this talk about the parenting is cruel and way off base. Also, Andrew wasn't firing his gun prior to his death as implied in some ot the comments - there was one shot only, the fatal shot from the sniper.
Something is not right about the way this situation was handled - period.

Listen to Sheriff Garrision he said the gun was put thru a window in the door and pointed tword cops , the sniper then took him down , threat taken away

good job cherokee county he deserved it

he shouldve been shot after pointing the gun at police imagine if u were the cop u wouldve done the same

the situation was handle perfect he pointed the gun at the police the people who save us they go home to families too the r people too respect what the do they put their lives on the line

Whether you believe the police made the right decision to take that shot or not, the police response here was a failure. The only successful resolution to a situation like this is when the perpetrator is led away in hand cuffs and, in my opinion, that goes 10 fold when the perpetrator is a 16 year old kid.

The smart move is to wait and contemplate the situation before commenting, so on that part I was in the wrong. I was and still am pretty upset about the whole situation. I do feel like it was handled poorly, and people are entitled to their opinions and do not have to agree.
I feel really bad for the family and friends of this poor teenager.
It also makes me sad that adults are bullying teenagers on this forum. You really should be ashamed for attacking the friends and family involved who are only trying to explain the situation.

how can we tell who is a teen and who is a adult on this forum Kelly .. I dont see ages listed by your name

Well common sense would tell you a best friend to a 16 year old is probably a fellow teenager. They all said they were close friends which to me would say they are around his age.

Just let me begin by congratulating the sheriffs office and the swat team for an outstanding job. I love to see the Police accomplish the most important goal, going home after the shift ends! 
Unfortunate for the family and friends, unfortunate they didn't spring out of their lemming lives and help the kid before it got this far. Usually when the swat team is called all other means were exhausted and there is a concern for individual safety but you lemmings would not know about that. You live day in and day out expecting things be done for you. All a sudden you all think you have more police training than the police. Well know this, kid or not that young male had a loaded high powered handgun and he made his own choice in the end. The police didn't make it for him. 
What's sad is this, you people are very quick to judge. And who are you to do this? You watch the news and hear the rumors and you judge.  You are a sad pathetic waste of good oxygen that I could be breathing. Keep your lame comments to yourself and continue to live safely in your padded wall life or subject yourself to looking like the uneducated idiot you are. 
To the deputy who had to pull the trigger, God Bless you and thank you for your dedicated service. 

Here is the 911 call from Andrew Messina's mother. Please be advised that this is not edited before you listen to it: http://patch.com/A-sVq9

All this bickering over whose fault this is , is adolescent and ridiculous. As a student and classmate of Andrew at etowah high school I have never seen a student body more affected by one person. & not ONE of us are concerned on whose fault it is. Just pray for kid and his family and friends . Love each other, because in a time like this we only need each other to avoid another person feeling as low as Andrew did. Blessing to him and his family

Bob and RIP ANDREW, I have to take your comments down because of the language. Feel free to repost your thoughts without the f-bombs and other profanity.

After listening to the 911 calls. I don't understand the 'hostage' situation. Additonally, the Mother seemed worried about the neighbors not what one whom felt her life was in danger would be concerned about... I hope a real investigation happens into what went wrong here...

You should take off everyone's comments that don't say respectful things about the family. I'm sorry about the language but someone has died and people saying he "got what he deserved" and that "I salute the person who shot him" that is messed up and outrageous. It is disrespectful to Andrew and the people who know and loved him. People commenting didnt know him so they can keep their shallow comments to themselves.

So happy I moved away from Cherokee County (more specifically, Eagle Watch) to an area with more stable, educated, and all around better peers. As sad as this story is I cannot believe that the deputies that serve and protect YOU fall under such ridicule. Is it a shame a kid had to lose his life? Of course it is! It’s like every story out there though… “We were so shocked…”, “we just didn’t think he was capable of this…”, “he was just misunderstood”. Nope. When you take out a .357, take hostages, and advance on armed men (with families of their own) you ask for a certain end to the situation. What would everyone be saying if instead of the kid being shot and killed, one of the deputies lost their life; probably leaving a wife and kids abandoned? I think that you should all be thanking your deputies daily for risking their lives fending off situations like this on a daily basis. Such a sad, sad situation all around…

My heart weeps for Andrew's mother. This whole situation will make me think twice before calling the sheriffs dept. to my home for "help".

must be the age of noone can do no wrong besides cops , they tried to get help for this kid , if their idea of help was just to shoot him dont you think that would have happened in 5 mins instead of hours

I wonder why usual protocol was not followed. The neighbors were not removed from the area and the area was never secured. Did they have the power turned off to try to run him out? Why were the negotiators so close? You could have a sniper watching each corner of the house to make sure he didn't leave then wait. Time is your friend in a case like this, stay back and wait. What a sad day!

If you listen to the 911 call that was clearly not a hostage situation. She had every option to leave, she even said she was not afraid of him shooting her. So that is a major issue and needs to be investigated.
Not to mention the article even says he EITHER shot the window out OR broke the glass with the gun, so there was
no confirmation that he ever pointed a gun. So why on earth was he shot?
It was an hour of negotiations and the best idea was to shoot to kill after all that time to come up with better options.
I feel so sorry for that family and that boy.

Something is very wrong with this situation.

It was better to happen at the kids home then at the school where he could have killed some of yalls kids if y'all have any at EHS. The kid was sick in the head. He just needed help. And I love how everyone is blameing the SWAT team member for killing the kid he was only doing what he is trained to do. Just put you self in his shoes. Just doing his job, I'm pretty sure it wasnt the out come he wanted but he did what he had to do. Snipers and cops are trained to shoot and kill not shoot and send you to the hospital. I thank the cops for what they did and thank god this didn't shoot up the school and kill 5,10,15, or 20 kids, like the kid could have.

have you ever dealt with a person thay has mental health issues - just curious?????

Yes I have.

Kelly, why are you so focused on it being a swat situation? When a call comes out of this nature an ambulance is sent as standard protocol in the event something happens. In this case yes the ambulance was already on scene. The swat team doesn't sit around waiting on calls to come out they are out doing other things and most of them are on call and respond from their house or wherever they are. Swat standoff is a term use by the media, so to answer your question you posted several times NO it was not a swat standoff. And to answer your other question it is being investigated by the GBI. Pay attention to the facts not what you think you know or hear.

Speaking from first hand experience of a teen's death and the news media and people jumping to the wrong conclusions about something they have no knowledge of, I plead with each person leaving a comment that you only leave comments of sympathy and support for the family left behind. Many of these comments are very negative and will do nothing to assist this family heal from the tragic loss of their child. Please, Please, Please discontinue with your anger and pray for healing. Please put the survivors healing first and post only healing sentiments. Your posts will be read by the family who is grieving. Please show respect for their loss. If you can, please delete your negative posts.

I completely agree Camille.

Age does make a huge difference. When you are under 21 you do not think about consequences. Your brain does not stop developing until you are 21. If he did have bipolar disorder that makes it even more difficult for him to think logically, especially if he stopped his medication. Even if he was not bipolar, that "sniper" had time to make a better plan before taking a life.

Jay, the SWAT has a lot to do with it. Why were they even there? Why were there so many guns? That was not a hostage situation at all. Listen to the video. She was not even that concerned with her son, but about how many cars would come and with sirens because she didn't want to be embarrassed. She was asked to leave and she didn't and could have.

He did not have to kill that kid. Plain and simple. This was a huge misjudgment on that mans part. It's completely unfortunate and he will have to live with that forever. The whole situation was handled poorly.

I do not know what happened to make this boy act this way, but I'm sad that his life was taken. Why there isn't a way to shoot with a sedative, instead of killing a 16-yr old? We can do this to animals, so why not humans who are a threat? Maybe this boy was crying for help through this act of violence. Now we will never know. I understand a gun-wielding person is dangerous, no matter the age, but killing, how is that the answer? May God have mercy on Andrew's soul, for He is the true judge and jury over this situation. We need to pray for the family, friends, and all who are grieving. Be kind in your comments. What if this was your son. brother or friend?

I knew Andrew for 9 years, he was one of my sons very best friends: It is sad to hear all these people pass judgement without knowing what really happened. We were abreast of everything as it happened Tuesday night.

When you read what was reported, it sounds justified. But lets look at things that are completely being skewed so the POLICE don't look bad:

1. they keep saying his mother was held hostage. WRONG > listen to the 911 tape, she never ever said that and she walked out the door. >>Why are they saying hostage???

2. they said he threatened to shoot his mother... WRONG > in the 911 tape she was asked "Do you think he will shoot you?" her response, "I think he might hurt himself" >> when she called she was perfectly OK staying in the house. Listen to her voice, she was very calm. (In fact I knew her and I think that was the calmest I have ever heard her). >>> there is no way you can convience me she felt threatened. >>> WHY DID THEY MAKE THIS UP?

......................CONTINUED:

3. This isn't reported, but witnesses told us his father had him calmed down before the police got there, but the police would not let him talk to him. they needed to do all the "negotiating". WItneses said there were at least 40 police cars there, swat team, machine guns. To me the family should have been more involved with negotiating with him.

4. David is saying he is bi-polar... Is David a doctor that has evaluated him. In the 911 recording, his mother said he has ADHA. For me I am going to go with that, not a speculation.

5. The police are saying he fired the gun or broke the window with the gun... Really you can not tell the difference. I have a picture of the front door. the window that was broken is not a gun shot hole like the bullet that killed him through a different pain in the window... Come on Sheriff, you guys can't figure the difference of a bullet braking a window and a gun braking a window. Also you can not hear a shot being fired? Come on really??? It sure sounds better if you shot a kid, if you make it sounds like he fired the gun? BTW... witnesses did not hear the gun being fired before the very load sniper shot.

............Continued

6. The police are saying he put alcohol on the curtains. Did you hear what kind of alcohol? I assumed rubbing alcohol. NO NO NO!!! it was liqueur his parents had in the house. hmmmm , hardly flamible unless it was 151 rum or Moonshine... So lets say the word "alcohol so people think it was bad. The police need to be more responsible than this.

So after they are making up these points, we are also supposed to believe that Andrew (the boy) pointed the gun out the window at the police. I am not sure I can believe this either.

The police handled this wrong. Then they are making things up so they sound justified to shoot a kid. Yes the boy was also wrong, but to what degree??? To the "DEath Degree", I don't think so. Also if the boy was actually deserved to be shot, why would the POLICE distort the facts as they clearly have here?

Listen to the "STORY" being told and I agree the police should be doing their job to protect us, but why make up such a story?

I have to agree with camille, whom i believe is the same camille he and i are friends with. Andrew was a PACIFIST! do you know what that means morons? It means that he doesn't believe in hurting others, ask EVERYBODY he knows. All this crap about holding his mother hostage is a lie, she was outside. He had a gun because he wanted to kill himself, something that he'd constantly talked about doing, get your facts straight

Janeshia,

Your very right, Andrew may have been as much a Pacifist a kid I know... He was against Violence and very outspoken about it. There is no way he was trying to hurt anyone. Also that is what we should be talking about, all the lies that supposedly justify shooting him.

Killed in my own home, a tragedy and a shame.
Some of you knew me, others just now know my name.
I was only crying out for help, but the world couldn't see.
How a wrongful death, might be the end of me.
So as I lay here in peace, I've come to realize,
half of what we learn, is usually just a pack of lies.
I am no longer here, you are now my only voice,
Anger, empathy or sorrow, well, that is really your choice.
So the next time you see me, I may not look the same,
........shot in my own home, a tragedy and a shame.

Rest in peace Andy.

I completely agree with you Mike! That is what I have been saying on other posts. It makes no sense, and Cherokee is just trying to cover their ass. Some big changes need to be made!

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be <3

Even if you blame poor parenting a child still knows right from wrong. they can learn this from watching enough tv, or playing video games. good guys vs. bad guys. Your 16 years old and start waving a 357 hand gun around then you become a bad guy. If don't listen to the police when they tell you to stop your get to play the hand you delt out. Frankly the way I was raised my mom and or dad would have come across the room before slapped me silly before I would have even gotten the gun raised. But then again I have never thought a second about physically harming the wonderful people that raised me

There seems to be a lot of people saying that the cops were wrong and that he didn't "deserve" to die. Of course he didn't DESERVE it but that doesn't mean that the cops are the bad guys here. The sniper was protecting the men (or women) who serve to protect us all. These deputies have families to go home to also. Some of them have children Andrew's age who could have lost a parent. Many of you knew Andrew and say he would have done no harm to anyone. You may be correct. He may have had no intention of hurting anyone. However, cops are not mind readers and they didn't know Andrew. How do you expect them to know that Andrew wasn't serious about what he was doing or the threats he was making. If someone threatens my life or points a gun at my family member, I hope the cops don't take to long in questioning if that person is serious. Some question why the negotiators were trying to get close to him. They were trying to help him. He was threatening to hurt himself and set the house on fire. They were trying to stop him. They were not trying to provoke him or look for a reason to shoot. Imagine if he had set the house on fire, how do you suppose the fire dept. would have been able to get close enough to the house knowing there was an unstable teen with a gun? The house would have burned with Andrew inside. This was tragic for all.

For those of you who have questions about the procedures and protocol the SWAT team follows, including the snipers, we spoke to the captain of the Cherokee County SWAT team for more answers. Check here to see what he had to say: http://patch.com/A-sXgT

He never threatened his mother, there was never a hostage situation. His dad was on the phone with him the whole time and his dad told the cops to back off. If the Sheriffs dept is blameless, why are they lying about the hostage part of the story.

I am slightly bothered that the mother was so concerned about how embarassing the police being there was....Her son was threatning to kill himself...

Lindsey,

If you are interviewing the Sheriff's department why don't you ask the pertinent questions?
1. Why did you make a statement this was a hostage situation?
2. why did you make a statement the mother was rescued by the police?
3. why did you make a statement Andrew pointed the gun at his mother?
4. why did you treat this as a hostage situation?
5. why did you make a statement the child shot the widow out or possibly broke the window when you know no shot was fired before the deadly bullet, and that you can tell the difference of a shot through a window and the breaking with an object.
6. why didn't you let the parents be more involved with the negotiations?
7. why did you make a statement that he poured alcohol on the curtains in what seems to be an attempt to make it sound like high flammables when it was actually booze that would most likely do more to retard a fire than to accelerate it?
8. why were the "negotiators so close to the door?

These would be a few good questions to start with. If they can get through these, then ask them why they fataly shot him.

It would be responsible to ask about this?

Thanks

The real issue here is the fact that Roger Garrison's team was unqualified and unprepared to deal with an armed teenager with a serious mental issues. They, not the boy were in charge of any outcome unless it ended in suicide. They had the home surrounded with SWAT and likely had a K9 unit at the scene. The public was not in harms way. Why the rush to press the issue? Was there any attempt to locate someone from another metro police department with more experience? Time was on their side. I know that this standoff may have ended badly regardless of all the best actions. Garrison needs to quit spinning the story and address how he can prepare his department for the next mental health situation.

I believe as a community we need to stop trying to lay blame to an individual, whether it is a person or entity. After listening to the 911 call it is obvious that the poor mother was in fear when her son pointed the gun at her. I believe it is unfair to judge without all of the facts but it is a right of all citizens of this county to question actions taken by any government entity. If we do not question the things that happen and challenge the outcome we cannot grow as a community. That being said it is highly inappropriate and immoral to place blame without the complete story. That sniper did his job, however distasteful it ended up being. That mother did her job when she could not handle the situation at home. And we are all doing our job as citizens to evaluate whether this is a community we choose to raise our children in. I do not believe police tried to provoke that young man into a confrontation; they likely did what had worked so often in the past. Please consider how your actions/comments affect the rest of our community, a family that is grieving and a police department that is saddened. I cannot imagine how tragic it is for the people who knew and associated with the family but please consider their feelings above your own outrage at the outcome.

Surely you must realize the Sheriff is aware there are video recordings of the incident that could become public knowledge and he would not lie to cover up anything. This is the same man who was forthright about the missteps with the little girl so heinously murdered in Canton. Please be considerate of the torment everyone involved is going through. And if you have video please provide it to the GBI as opposed to bragging about it. That video could make a difference the next time we all have to deal with any situation like this. It is very sad that this has happened in our community please don’t let it tear us apart. Please pray for everyone involved to find peace.

No doubt this was an utter tragedy and a horribly sad loss of life. HOWEVER..when and if you choose to brandish a deadly weapon, and wave it around when your house is surrounded by armed police screaming to put the weapon down, then 16 year old or 60 year old, you must be prepared to be shot if you resist or move aggressively. The police officers on the front porch most likely have their own families and children who want to see them come home alive. If you are going to smash out a window pane while the police are standing there, it is difficult for the shooter to discern in that split second if there was a shot fired or the sound of breaking glass was from the butt of the gun. SWAT is trained to protect their fellow officers. If that was your husband standing feet away from an emotionally disturbed teen with a .357 magnum would you hope the officer assigned to protect him would hold off in the face of aggression because the teen just might be a nice kid? How would the death of that officer have been treated if instead he was the one shot? Though tragic that this young man was so emotionally distraught that he chose this course of action, we must hesitate in being so quick to blame the officers. Don't forget either if this boy was to start shooting, bullets can easily travel right through the wall or windows of a neighboring house.

The only thing that wreaks of high cover up is that the kid may or may not have fired the gun. If you fired a 357 in your house in Towne Lake and it was not the 4th of July you would have the Garrison Possee banging on your door probably in minutes hell when they built these homes the sound of nail guns wouldn't afford you a mid day nap. A 357 magnum??? That's a hand cannon. Back when I was in law enforcement seeing that it was a child in a family situation in a home some brave cop might have just charged the gun calling bluff...but today's protocol does not allow this Maverick behavior. "charge a gun and run from a knife." The medication tops the list of the behavior. Calling the cops....never a good option, someone is going to jail or getting shot these days. Police are not necessarily to blame they are following the protocol.....protocol needs to be changed more than likely. The police are far to militarized why do they need tanks? That said guns were made for hunting and protecting your family not for killing innocent people and loved ones. I'd pray for the family of the child and the sniper who regardless must live with this tragedy. This is a catch 22, hopefully the GBI performs a thorough and impartial investigation.

I would like to clarify the truth about some of the comments made in this forum. We live on the same cul de sac as the Messinas. We have known them since they moved in to the neighborhood, my wife is very close with Andrew’s mother, and my sons grew up with Andrew. Over the years he has been at our house many times. Andrew attended the youth group at our church with my son. Andrew would house sit our pets while we were out of town. We knew him well. I was present at my house and watched the stand off from my window with my wife and son present in the house. I cannot describe the feeling as we heard the sound of the gunshot as we knew this did not end well. First I would like to say that the deputies from the Sheriff’s department were all very professional, they are obviously well trained and well managed. We have lived in Eagle Watch for 20 years and think Sheriff Garrison has done a tremendous job with the department and has reached out to the community. I think I speak for a great many people who appreciate the department and their willingness to risk their well being for our safety.

But some “neighbors” have said some disparaging things about this young man and this situation. One “neighbor” in particular has made comments about Andrew’s mental health, specifics about the scene and the events that unfolded that are not based in reality. This individual was not even in his own house when it happened, nor was he close with the family. In fact, I am surprised he is making these comments. His dog mauled Andrew’s dog in an earlier incident and the Messinas had complained to animal control so he apparently still has an axe to grind. I think the message is “those people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”. The Andrew I knew never should any violent behavior, nor over the years did we ever see any family argument spill outside the house, and I can never recall any police ever visiting the house. Andrew was always very polite to me and talked to me in a mature way beyond his years. He was obviously bright, but some people may have felt he was a bit precocious. I only recently learned of the bullying that occurred in his school, and some of the comments from his classmates about his girlfriend and his mother who is suffering from cancer would appall everyone. As a parent who is raising three boys we all know they have struggles from time to time. For Andrew these issues spiraled out of control, and he made a tragic mistake and paid the ultimate price for it.

But with regards to his mental health, I never considered his personality pathologic. It’s just a tragic occurrence and I cannot even imagine the grief of losing your only child. I think the best thing right now is to let the authorities do their job and review the case. They have done a very professional job so far, and if the family has some concerns about the official review then they can raise further questions at that time. It is really a time we should be healing, but some of these comments are just emotional and not based in fact. For example, Andrew’s mother was never a hostage, she was able to call 911 and leave without assistance. Any comments otherwise are simply to inflame emotions. Please pray for the Messinas, Andrews friends and those officers who had a difficult job who are all grieving over this terrible loss.

This has been a heart-wrenching tragedy in our community. Like so many of you, I am full of sorrow as well as a whole lot of questions.

Tonight, I'm wondering this: Rubber bullets are sometimes used by SWAT teams to end stand-offs. Was that considered on May 1?

Depression, emotional, and behavioral issues are so stigmatized in our society. We are simply not prepared to address them effectively. They scare the hell out of us. And teens die every day as a result.

I posted additional thoughts on my blog. Read "Innocence Lost" if interested:

http://deelocklin.blogspot.com/2012/05/innocence-lost.html

Lets see. Parents raise a kid who in the end, holds his mother hostage, and points a gun at negotiators. The swat team acted appropriately. The only blame here goes to the parents who did such a wonderful job of raising him.

I profusely apologize for my misinformed remarks. Emotions ran high and I believed what I was told by authorities and neighbors. I have learned a huge lesson about keeping my emotional rants to myself until I know the facts. Andrew never held his mother hostage. He was apparently not even bipolar. I was told he was a drug dealer too, which I did NOT believe. I am SO sorry for running my mouth, and inadvertently hurting people who are already in umimaginable pain.

David, I would like to say I am sorry to hear about all the tragedy you are currently experiencing.

I hope you don't have any uninformed people spreading things about your loved ones.

The things that you said people were giving extra credence because where you live and that they thought you witnessed what had happened. When you were spreading things that were not true (weather you believed it yourself or not) many people believed them and then commented and then more people commented. The Messina's do not deserve this.

I hope everyone can learn from this.

Believe me. I have learned huge lessons from all this. I just spent an hour or so in the Messina's home. We both aplogozed profusely. We are now on better terms with the Messinas than when we first moved in. Now if the rest of the neighbors can give the same grace, we'll all start fresh. God's mercies are new every morning. People are sadly often a different story.

David, I am sure that was difficult to go knock on their door. I would also think that once you did, the Messina's made it pretty easy from there.

They really are very good people.

This is a terrible tragedy and my teen daughters had met the young man when they attended middle school together. They remember him as a very nice young fellow. I cannot fathom what his poor loved ones are going through. Authorities use tranquilizer guns and non-lethal tools to subdue animals and other living beings when they are out of control or a threat/danger to people. WHY are we such a gun-happy nation??? Why did the authorities provoke the young man by coming so close to him (right next to the door), instead of doing something to subdue him? Why shoot him in the abdomen instead of in a leg or a non-lethal area? When people are chemically-imbalanced they often cannot think rationally. Does this warrant killing them? Especially a troubled child? The news reports say no one else was in the home. The mother was safely outside. The kid could have been tranquilized by a sniper and no lives would have been lost, and he could have been treated for his chemical imbalance and had a future. Write to your local, State and National authorities and suggest that we replace lethal weapons with tranquilizing tools.

First, why did negotiators leave cover placing themselves in or almost in the line of fire. When you are dealing with bullets you don't have to be directly in a gun sight to be in the line of fire. Second, the department has a semi armored vehicle (Bearcat) that could have rolled up to the front door and knocked it down. Third, alcohol on curtains and tear gas does not have to mean an explosion. If you know what you are doing lob the gas through the back and it does it's intended job. Fourth, the mother was out of the house and not in harms way. Does a troubled teen busting a glass with a gun and not pointing/firing constitute deadly force? Fifth, if it is true that negotiators told the teen to get off the phone with his father as this was hendering their efforts this is very disturbing. Now, for any knee jerks no I was not there. But the sniper who has used his weapon on a previous occasion was. I hope he made the right decision. There are many questions yet to be asked and answered. For those who get so emotional about this, that is the process.

Andy was not bi-polar. Andy's parents were and are still devoted attentive parents.
Andy's mother was not held hostage, she left the home on her own free will. One day the Messinas will be able to tell their story and speak of their son.

http://www.policeone.com/Officer-Safety/articles/5432704-Idaho-police-share-use-of-force-video/

If anyone is interested, this video shows the reality of deadly force situations.

It is possible that the young man holding his own mother hostage might be somewhat resposible for his own demise. All this could have easily been avoided if he had simply: A. Not taken his mother hostage or B. stood down when the police arrived. Sure, the police could have used alternative methods, and probably should have. But the didn't go seeking Andrew out, his actions created the situation. To put this on the head on the Police officer that was trying to protect his fellow officers from what he believed to be a dangerous situation is clearly not taking into account the chain of events that put him there in the first place.

exactly. At least there are still some people who know how to use common sense when analyzing a situation.