Memphis Police Do Home Invasion on Animal Hoarding Charges; Man Killed When He Reacted to Armed Raid by Allegedly Raising His Own Gun

Yet another terrible tale of militarized police tactics gone wrong as armed agents do a forced raid on a Memphis man and shoot and kill him -- on a search warrant for being a suspected animal hoarder (and, of course, for according to the police raising a gun when the mini army smashed into his home).

But it was all worthwhile, apparently:

"Inside the house we did find a lot of cats, dogs," said MPD Sgt. Karen Rudolph.

"I've been told there were raccoons, possums, chickens," she continued. 

Well, that could not go on another minute. And according the WMCT-TV report:

Police say the suspected animal hoarder told neighbors he'd go down fighting in order to protect his collection of pets. 

Yep, that's exactly the guy it makes total sense to execute a forced armed raid on, because he has, you think, more animals in his home than the law decides is proper.

Via Radley Balko, author of a forthcoming book on the dangers of over-militarized law enforcement.

Reason on this topic, including much from our former staffer Balko.