This shoot was wrong. There is no way to justify what this cop did.
I generally agree when it ces to bad shots, but I don’t this time. Anyone who has seen people on PCP can attest to the incredible danger they present. Growing up in California in the eighties, I can know of many incidents where perps continued their berserk rampages after taking enough punishment to stop a horse.
The perp’s behavior and brandishing a weapon warranted the shot in my book. I see no reason for all the hand-wringing. He was a dangerous perp with a deadly weapon. What else do you require to shoot?
why not 3 foot batons?
I believe the shooting was entirely according to police doctrine. Remember those cop shows where the leading character cops adroitly disarm a dangerous but confused suspect ? Uh uh. Not doctrine.
A lot of this is because of biological dangers, such as biting, or who knows what kind of contamination. Today’s cops are taught to avoid all physical contact. It comes down to obey or be killed, and this is what they are taught.
In this case, if there was one cop who opened fire ahead of the others, it is because, IMO, he was the one who OBEYED doctrine, in contrast to the others who hesitated based on humanitarian sympathies, that he wasn’t REALLY a threat and he wasn’t charging at me.
Doctrine says that he WAS a threat and he WAS NOT complying, so deadly force was the immediate indication.
Maybe I’m all wrong on this, but I don’t see how.