Oops: Cops Mistake MP3 Player for Handgun

Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:48AM EST

See Comments (105)

Police in Stratfordshire, UK, arrested mechanic Darren Nixon this week... for the crime of listening to his MP3 player in public. No, it's not a crime to listen to music in Britain. The fuzz mistook his music player for a gun.

I guess I can sort-of vaguely see how a black, palm-sized MP3 player with wires snaking out of it could be construed as a handgun, but I fail to understand how the police could let the situation escalate to the point where Nixon was thrown in jail, interviewed, fingerprinted, mugshotted, and forced to give a DNA sample

According to the Daily Mail, the trouble began when a nosy citizen said they saw a man remove a handgun from his jacket, "grip it with both hands and aim it towards something."A curiosity from the tale: Because he was listening to music, Dixon couldn't hear the cops approaching behind him. When a search found no weapon on his person, the cops later went to search the area where he'd been apprehended. When they found nothing, Dixon was released. It's all something to keep in mind when you're out in public and wearing headphones.

Nixon has since received an apology from the cops, but is still concerned that the arrest (especially considering his totally clean record) will leave a "stain on his character."

What's the takeaway here? Aside from the obvious lessons about police overzealousness, now we know why it makes sense not to get the black MP3 player.

LINK: Man arrested at gunpoint after police mistake his MP3 player for a gun 

Comments on Oops: Cops Mistake MP3 Player for Handgun

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  • 86 Posted by dr_dredd01 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    Expertmover: Actually, in the U.S., they do take DNA. Many states now have laws that say DNA can be collected even if someone was only arrested (never mind booked, indicted, convicted, etc.) Supposedly someone can petition the court to have DNA removed from databases if he/she doesn't ultimately get convicted, but there's no way to verify that. Last I checked, at least 38 states had the law on the books or were considering it.

  • 87 Posted by muddytoyota4x4 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    Wow...I'm just amazed at how many people just don't get it. NOW "racisim" too?! I tell you what. Here's a "scenario" for you; YOU are the Cop. A citizen comes up to you and tells you a man (I) have a gun, and he/she stated that I was waiving it around and pointing it at "things". I am a 5'11, 250lb. white male, with a grey coat on and I'm walking down the street "mumbling and making strange noises" (ie: singing to myself). You see me walking down the street...NOW REMEMBER...I have a gun (because someone you see on your regular "beat" everyday told you I did). You ask me to stop. I don't and keep moving along, you get closer, you TELL me to stop, I don't...I have my hands in my jacket pockets...I keep going, down an alley way now...You are still behind me. Now what do you do...Someone told you I have a gun and I'm pointing it at people and things and I'm not listening to your "requests". (let's stop here and put in one "dum" cop- as one responder wrote and it's "d-u-m-b" by the way) Have you ever seen a 25 cal. semi automatic pistol before? Very, very small, very thin and if the numbers haven't changed the cal. of round (ammo) that KILLS most people these days. Have you pulled out your "State qualified duty weapon" yet? No? Oh...that's right, you want to get a little closer to me to make sure I'm "packin'"...yeah, that's right...just a little closer. Oh, yeah... you don't have a TASER but one of the other "cops" on your squad does, and he's on the way...Or is he? Did you call for back up yet? Oh, that's right this guy is just some poor sap, that was pointed out by some "nutty" person as having a small hand gun. You ready...Here we go! I suddenly stop and whirl around I have a look of surprise on my face (or is it an expression of rage?) I'm yanking my right hand out of my pocket, followed by by left. In my right hand, SOMETHING catches your eye (assuming that I,the suspect, IS right handed)You have less than one second to decide what you are going to do. Oh, and one more thing...TODAY is your childs' birthday... There you go...Have fun with that, and mull it over in your minds all day.

  • 88 Posted by ah00_3 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    It is a shame that people get killed for having items (a wallet, cell phone, mp3 player, etc ) that are mistaken for a gun. The size and shape of some if not most of the objects, should be a indicator of what it "isn't" and what it could be. If another person isn't in danger and/or the police officer's life isn't in danger, then deadly force should not be used. If an "innocent" person is imprisoned or killed due to police mistakes and assumptions, then the mistakes and "assumptions" are unacceptable. Police do have guns, and once the trigger is pulled its a done deal. Some citizens are guilty of enjoying life and technology. Others are guilty of being a criminal. Police officers and citizens need to be trained on how to properly deal with these situations, when they arise. Policies need to be in place that protect the officers as well as the citizen, unless the citizen is negligent.

  • 89 Posted by richardsmith_57 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:40PM EDT Report Abuse

    Fascism is starting in England, heck it is already there. It wont take much longer to ooze across the Atlantic and take hold in the U.S. Canada is already on their way.

  • 90 Posted by cereed27 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:21PM EDT Report Abuse

    If it had happened in the US, people would have celebrated the fact that he had a gun and was waving it in public. The growing crowd would have been sorely disappointed by the fact that it was only an mp3 player and that there would be no mass killing + suicide. Arrested for having a gun? Only in England. What draconian methods those beasts use!

  • 91 Posted by young_bond_007 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:58PM EDT Report Abuse

    i dont know how cops could mistake a black MP3 for a gun. arent they trainded to know what a gun looks like.

  • 92 Posted by muddytoyota4x4 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    Yeah, people love to hate us, but if we "All" took a week off, at the same time,closed our doors and pulled our blinds, turned up the T.V. or stereo and didn't CARE for one week...the "common" good citizens of our country wouldn't be very happy...Infact I dare say...They wouldn't even be there at all. USA, with no law enforcement...just close your eyes, you can almost hear the screams now.

  • 93 Posted by jxesialuvskisses06 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    Rogueist, that's ridiculous!!! He would only be arrested in the U.S. if he was considered a danger to himself or others, such as crossing a busy intersection, and almost causing a wreck. No one would be shot for listening to an MP3 player while walking!

  • 94 Posted by vixenrosered on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    this is another fine example of why people should keep their noses out of everybody else's.what should happen is that they double check to see if concerned citizen has a habit of doing this on a daily basis, and if so tell her not so politely that they need to get a life.its a shame how the police did react to the incident thou because now it shames the men and women on the force that really do have a brain, and know what to do with it. as for arresting the guy, i just think they had to keep face so they don't look like total screw ups,which cant be helped if they already are. concerned citizen should make a public and written apology along with the resting officers on the case that is the only right thing to do.maybe if the uk still had the 2nd amendment we wouldn't be dealing with this issue right now

  • 95 Posted by palnote on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    When will we see a simple, effective and long over-due system for removal and recovery from these types of errors. We all are only Human (law enforcement and public) and deserve a removal of inaccurate arrests records/mistakes without lengthy/costly court procedures. It seems that man's inhumanity to man extends throughout everything we do. Perhaps if we try respecting each other more, the world would be a better place.

  • 96 Posted by lnh21 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    Sue the nosy citizen and the police...nuff said.

  • 97 Posted by mr_brightside1987 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    Talk about "Hot Fuzz" haha! But how in the heck can you confuse an MP3 player for a handgun? I don't think I've ever seen a handgun with headphone wires coming out of it. And if I were the arresting officers, I'd be ashamed! I know they were just doing their job trying to protect innocent people on the streets, but they could've done a better job. I think they reacted too fast and very poorly. I know laws in the UK are different than ours, but Nixon had no idea what was happening, you think they could've told him before taking hom to jail. What if I said someone had a gun because I thought I saw one and they really didn't, I'd probably be the one going to jail.

  • 98 Posted by mechbear2000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    The article is a inconsistent. It first states that he was arrested, thrown in jail and DNA collected. But the account from the news papers states he was released after the cops searched the area. So much for journalistic integrity.

  • 99 Posted by cuzin_jo_jo82 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:32PM EDT Report Abuse

    Maybe the writer of this story should decide if this guys last name is Nixon or Dixon. On the point of the cops being overzealous, it is sad that they have to approach everyone with caution like this because they very well could be carrying a weapon.

  • 100 Posted by fdabbott on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    Just goes to show you how bad a police state when have become. The cops have got totally nuts and people are csared of their own shadows. I would have sued the police and the good citizen for everything they own.

  • 101 Posted by jethro58 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    WOW! THE BRITISH POLICE ARE JUST AS PARANOID AS THE COPS OVER HERE. THEIR JUST SALAVATING AT MAKING AN ARREST,OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT THEIR NARROW LITTLE MINDS THINK THAT WILL GET THEM A FEATHER IN THEIR HAT.

  • 102 Posted by papalarge53 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    extreme_apple,jmulrooney,and agustin2489 must of been on mars when the nyc police shot a man 41 times for a black wallet with his id that he was trying to give them.And bridoyal,you'll be takeing your own advice sooner than you think.I agree with the mailman 100%.

  • 103 Posted by dragoonmaster1781 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    I still dont know how they could mix up a MP3 player with a handgun, ones big and fires bullets and one does nutting but play music.

  • 104 Posted by shawn_lutch on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    I don't know how in the world some nosy halfwit ("concerned citizen") could mistake a black MP3 player for a handgun?! And another thing, why would the cops throw him in jail just because they had reason to suspect foul play? That's completely retarded.

  • 105 Posted by shawn_lutch on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    The "concerned citizen" is a complete FRUIT. Let's leave it at that.

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