Watch the video carefully. It looks to me like he had or got his hands on a weapon. If so, good shoot. Not that such will matter to the race baiters.
From what I’ve read, the police were called because of a report of a man with a gun...they get there and find Sterling...who refuses to comply with police orders...they tased him twice with no success...then tackled him and were trying to cuff him when they saw the gun (he’s a convicted felon)...and shot him, thinking he was going for the gun.
Its a terrible situation, and the cops won’t be getting any medals for sure.
But I’d wager he wasn’t complying because he didn’t want them to find the gun...and resisting the police, with a concealed illegal gun in your pocket, is asking for disaster.
If the cops had a perp on the ground and had to pull a weapon while both were right on top of him the gun-puller was being pretty dumb. That is a recipe for disaster. Too easy for the perp to move and knock the gun barrel around causing the shooter to lose target and hit himself or his partner or an innocent bystander.
If the perp was pulling a weapon he should be shot but you don't do it stupid. Pulling your weapon when you are in arms length of the perp is bad barrel discipline. The reason you have two officers is for one to "cover" the other while he has to do dangerous encounters like cuffing a perp. If the guy was too much to handle for one guy then call in backup.
Also in this day and age cops who turn their backs on a crowd of onlookers are asking for an early grave.