Urban Art Association

Compassion of an astounding magnitude

Sorry to hear about your loss sin. Ignore the idiot above...he does not represent the average person here who, I am sure, would agree this is disgusting.

Honestly, I'm not sure if this is intended to be a joke or not, but how do you think most of the artists got their start? The world of "street art" with its fancy gallery shows and $35K canvases did no arise fully formed in that condition. No, it was people like this kid in Miami (or Bristol, or New York, or Madrid, or Paris....) who climbed fire escapes to paint on buildings and billboards; who ran from the cops; who hid in rail yards until the guards were gone. The prints that people fast-finger like mad so they can then flip for hundreds of pounds/dollars/euros more are not the point. They came later. What came first was this stuff. Yes it's a media concoction, but if you watch "Exit Through the Gift Shop," those guys are running from the cops for the same reason the kid in Miami was. And does it not occur to you that the cops might possibly have lied about what happened? The only person who can contradict their story is dead, how do we know they are telling the truth? I'm not saying they lied, I wasn't there. I'm just saying unless you were there, you don't know for sure they are telling the truth either.

Terribly sad story.
Taser used to avoid a physical incident? What does that mean? More than one cop against a teenage kid. Seems to me that the taser may have been used to avoid having to have any physical contact with the lad.
And just 17! What a waste of a life.

A terrible outcome and a complete waste of a life cut short so young

Interesting how it was "an unknown unit" that took him into custody.

It's a terrible story, why would you taser someone for paint??? A good friend of mine died 6 years ago in Barking by a train after being chased whilst out spraying.

These 2 things just don't make ANY sense to me.. Why would he run TOWARD cops after running away from them?!.. Also, tasing to avoid a physical incident!??.. 

This young man hadn't killed, injured or threatened anyone. He was being pursued because of graffiti crime. Doubtless the police, each and every one of them, weighed at least double (more likely triple) the weight of 17 year old Israel Hernandez-Llach so when Israel ran at them (not brandishing anything, not even a twig) why didn't they just grapple him to the floor - likely just one of them could have done it? No, they had to use a Taser simply because they have lost the ability to think and react to each and every situation according to circumstance. No one should die at 17 and certainly not as a result of expressing oneself through graffiti - even if it is illegal, very sad indeed. Based on what's been reported police tactics have brought about a needless death.

very, very sad. these para's stand out from the news story...

Tracy West, a parent who knew Hernandez-Llach well, said he was a “fantastic person and artist.” He was very thin, almost fragile, she said, hardly capable of posing a threat to police.

“He had been warned before by police that if they caught him again they would beat the s--- out of him,’’ West said. “He could not have done anything. All he thought about was art.’’

Read more here: www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/07/3548779_p2/graffiti-artist-dies-after-tasering.html#storylink=cpy

You are of course right, my friend, we don't know anywhere near all the facts. It's for that reason that I was careful to use the word "may".
I think the one thing that we can all agree on is that this is a tragic event.

sad sad story.

heres more info.

Update: Here's the full statement from Chief Raymond Martinez:

At 5:14 a.m. on August 6, 2013, Miami Beach Police Officers observed a subject vandalizing private property (graffiti) on 71st Street and Collins Avenue. As Officers approached, the subject fled the scene, ensuing a foot pursuit by Officers. During the foot pursuit, the subject encountered Officers face to face at 71st and Harding Avenue, and ignored Officers' commands to stop. In order to affect his arrest, an Officer deployed his conducted electrical weapon (TASER). The subject was placed into custody.
Once in custody, the subject displayed signs of medical duress. Miami Beach Fire Rescue responded to the scene and transported the subject to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The subject has been identified as Israel Hernandez.

At this time, the cause of death has not been determined by the Medical Examiner's Office. Autopsy and toxicology results are still pending as well.

This incident is an open and ongoing investigation.

The City of Miami Beach would like to extend their condolences to the family of Israel Hernandez.


The graffiti in question?

Update 2: Riptide has photos of the graffiti that got Hernandez killed. It's a single letter: "R." And it's painted on a dilapidated former McDonalds covered in graffiti and posters

From here.
blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2013/08/teenager_israel_hernandez_tase.php

PS as Coach says you can't ban someone for their opinions, but you certainly can regard them as a total cunt.

Very sad indeed. I will be interested to hear what the autopsy and toxicology reports show.
Sometimes the states can be a bit Wild West like. Tasers, guns, batons and OC Spray all drawn and used at the drop of a hat. The youngest person to be tasered was in America and she was 7 years old. Ultimately it was seen to be a justified use of force....I think that's another debate tho.

It's down to the officer to justify his actions and down to their governing body (not sure what the IPCC equivalent is over there is.... Internal affairs?), to decide whether it was lawful, justified and proportionate.

As for the graffiti/writing/letter on a disused shutter...... Was a young lad getting tasered necessary? God no!!! According to the story published, he wasn't tasered for that.
If, however, he displayed aggression or violence to the police, then there's the start of the officers justification for using that force. As other people have said, we don't know the full picture. Perhaps we never will.

Ultimately, someone has lost their life.

No matter what anyone says, and no matter what an individuals opinion is on the matter, I think we can all agree that it's a tragic set of circumstances.

The speculation over the who, what's, where's and whys should come out in the wash. No doubt a lengthy internal investigation where the result won't be published.

If anything I've written offends anyone or stirs up unrest, I apologise. I tend to play devils advocate in circumstances like this as I like to have a holistic picture before my pitch fork comes out.