That's what the girls claimed, yes. If that proves to be true, I'll agree that the agents over-reacted as well to the situation. But, it's still a situation that escalated because the girls were admittedly on-edge over what they saw earlier.

Well, the girl agent needed help. Females are like that.

I'm no law enforcement agent, but it does seem to me like the preferred approach would be:

1. Approach the girls, say hi.
2. Show your badge and say, "It looks like you've got some beer."
3. Look at water, say "Never mind. Have a nice day."

I'm not sure that hood-jumping and gun-drawing were necessary unless she got belligerent at the three steps above and got in her car or started it after Step 3.

I don't understand how it is appropriate to draw your weapon on someone at all in this context. Unless they were explicitly trying to run you over.

I see no evidence that they attempted to speak with her calmly.

The story goes:

badge flash - guns pulled - scared girls - borderline assault - unjust arrest

According to the articles, she did graze a couple of the agents with her SUV when she fled. I don't know if the gun was pulled before, during or after that happened (if at all).

Not quite:

ABC spokeswoman Kathleen Shaw said in the agency statement released Friday afternoon that agents were working the area that night, concentrating on underage possession enforcement. Shaw said a female agent saw "what appeared to be an underage person in possession of what appeared to be a case of beer."

"The agent identified herself as a police officer and was displaying her badge," the statement said.

"Other agents did not join the incident until the subject refused to cooperate," ABC said. "Rather than comply with the officers' requests, the subject drove off, striking two officers."

Seems to me the cheapest way, and maybe most effective way to keep underage kids from drinking would be to park one marked patrol car with one police officer in the parking lot.

those abc agents are heroes

/donger

Oh look. More hyperbole.

the only way these officers could have been more wreckless with the lives of law abiding americans is if the officer on the hood of the car, gun drawn, lost balance and shot the driver.

over a six pack. alleged at that.

But I know the line of thought -- comply or die. This has nothing to do with breaking the law, obviously.

that stupid girl shouldn't have made a purchase at a store that sells alcohol if she didn't want to be arrested. It's her fault for being there. No police or government official in the history of the USA has ever done anything wrong, they are all heroes.

/donger

The ABC agents should have contacted the NSA first and asked to listen to the last few phone calls the girls made. They probably would have heard them discussing going out for water with their friends, and the whole incident could have been avoided.

Man, the whole kook brigade is invading. I hope teedubya is next.

LMAO

see, this is why folks shit on you. because you've already stunk the room up.