You know, I really didn't want to read this thread. But somebody has to say this. I value this site because of the closeness of the community to GT. But I see an awful lot of disrespect that goes way beyond the pale going on here. Try to remember that a Computer Engineering student died, two GTPD were injured and a third killed a student. Those are communities I count among my family. Perhaps you don't, but casual disrespect towards them is not acceptable to me. I have three points here.
1. Scout wanted to be referred to as they. Do so. Take your opinions on the matter, and cram them somewhere that they don't show up. It is a very simple matter of basic decency and courtesy. I am not, it may shock you to learn, actually named IEEEWreck, but you don't think twice about addressing me as such. Were you to, say, refer to a divorced woman by her married name after being asked not to because you don't believe in divorce, you would rightly be considered a churl, and in polite company would invite any gentleman to effectively correct you. This is not different.
Allow me to be direct and to the point. One of the professors who made a huge difference to my skills as an engineer identified as a woman but did not begin her career that way. Pointedly referring to Scout as he in order to show spite towards their clear request not to also shows pointed disrespect to that professor, to Georgia Tech, and to me. It will not make us friends. I promise you I am not the only person in your personal and professional life like that. Basic decency is a better course.
2. The GTPD deserves our respect. An officer killed a student. That man is going to have to deal with some horrible aftermath that he absolutely does not deserve. Glossing over that officer's terrible reality with street corner lawyering disrespects his trauma and more to the point his mission and sacrifice to the GTPD. They cultivate trust and relationships with their community, and through patience and bravery manage to deal with all kinds of drunk idiots, giant ego administrators, and mutt fans. They are a shining example of what policing can be. They are entirely different from police in places like Ferguson, New Orleans, or New York. Comparing them directly is an obscenity. Defending them the same way is just a slightly roundabout obscenity. They do enough for us that we ought respect them and what they do to limit ourselves to expressing sympathy for the injured officers, and for what the third officer is going through.
3. Scout killed themself. That's a huge trauma to a large part of our GT community. Didn't your mother teach you not to speak ill of the dead? Whatever politics you feel invited to inject into this debate, why doesn't sympathy for the wounds of your community overwhelm whatever political feelings you have? GT athletes got this right- say your prayers are with the friends, family, and community. Anything beyond that, have the decency to keep it to yourself.