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Why Don't Police Shoot to Wound?
FindLaw Blotter ^ | August 19, 2014 8:06 AM | Brett Snider, Esq.

Posted on 08/20/2014 12:21:07 PM PDT by WhiskeyX

Police are often harshly criticized for their lethal use of firearms, giving many reason to wonder: Why don't police shoot to wound? That was CNN's Wolf Blitzer's question to legal scholar Jeffrey Toobin when discussing the shooting death of Ferguson, Missouri, teenager Michael Brown. "Why can't they shoot a warning shot?... Why can't they shoot to injure?" Blitzer queried.

To answer Blitzer's (and your) questions, here's a general overview of why police don't shoot to wound:

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.findlaw.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: banglist; blitzer; brown; shooting
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To: WhiskeyX

To counter the asserted issue in this case, consider: in fact of action, Wilson DID. Brown was shot FOUR times in the ARM, before moving on to head shots - there’s your “shoot to wound”, it didn’t work as proponents expect, and Brown didn’t stop his assault until shot TWICE in the head. Wilson may or may not have intended it that way, but that’s what actually happened.


61 posted on 08/20/2014 12:57:25 PM PDT by ctdonath2 ("If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun" - Obama, setting RoE with his opposition)
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To: WhiskeyX

Because when your life is on the line and you only have a couple seconds to stop the threat, you shoot at the part of the target you are most likely to hit (from the belt to the shoulders).


62 posted on 08/20/2014 12:58:03 PM PDT by XRdsRev (New Jersey - Crossroads of the American Revolution)
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To: WhiskeyX

“Why can’t they shoot a warning shot?”

The gun was fired at least once before directed at Brown. He heard the warning.


63 posted on 08/20/2014 12:58:33 PM PDT by ctdonath2 ("If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun" - Obama, setting RoE with his opposition)
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To: WhiskeyX

That question was answered a long time ago. Wounding leaves the perp capable of attacking the cop.


64 posted on 08/20/2014 12:59:07 PM PDT by I want the USA back (Media: completely irresponsible. Complicit in the destruction of this country.)
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To: WhiskeyX

Only in the movies.


65 posted on 08/20/2014 12:59:09 PM PDT by Jack Hammer
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To: Born to Conserve

Those two “supposed to”s overlap - a lot. Do one, you’re likely to get the other.


66 posted on 08/20/2014 12:59:37 PM PDT by ctdonath2 ("If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun" - Obama, setting RoE with his opposition)
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To: dainbramaged

From the autopsy sketch, seems Wilson did aim center of mass. He also mispositioned his finger (fine motor skills are nonexistent in combat), placing the tip thereof on trigger such that it pushed the muzzle a bit left, as the horizontal grouping was quite tight but off-center, hitting the arm 4 times and drifting right as perp approached causing scale of error to decrease.


67 posted on 08/20/2014 1:03:02 PM PDT by ctdonath2 ("If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun" - Obama, setting RoE with his opposition)
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To: C210N

Cause may be debatable, but actual impact points are exactly where the “wound” proponents want them - proving their theory unviable.


68 posted on 08/20/2014 1:04:34 PM PDT by ctdonath2 ("If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun" - Obama, setting RoE with his opposition)
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To: WhiskeyX
Why can't they shoot a warning shot?... Why can't they shoot to injure?" Blitzer queried

Fair question.

First, warning shots have to go somewhere. So they have to be very deliberate, or someone else could get killed. They also waste a round. But there are at least theoretical times when a warning shot might be helpful. That said, it would never apply when you are being actively attacked.

Shooting to injure is not easy, nor is it de facto nonlethal. Putting a round through someone's thigh might kill them, or it might not even slow them down. Anywhere in the torso or head could be lethal, and hitting the arms of a moving person would be a very iffy proposition. Also, every miss is a round that can go down range to strike an innocent.

If the police show up to deal with the crazy uncle running around with a yard rake, I hope they pull out tazers and bean bags, and if those aren't available, that they do not shoot to kill. There is no pressing justification for it.

69 posted on 08/20/2014 1:04:37 PM PDT by SampleMan (Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
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To: Bitsy

Problem is if you keep shooting after the threat has ceased. Self-defense becomes murder at that point. Don’t go there.


70 posted on 08/20/2014 1:05:32 PM PDT by ctdonath2 ("If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun" - Obama, setting RoE with his opposition)
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To: WhiskeyX

That would create another “unfriendly witness” in the court proceedings.


71 posted on 08/20/2014 1:06:32 PM PDT by skimbell
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To: WhiskeyX

1. You might miss and not stop whoever’s attacking you. In which case, you’re probably in a heap of trouble, short-term.

2. You might miss and hit someone else. In which case, you’re definitely in a big heap of trouble, longer-term.


72 posted on 08/20/2014 1:10:16 PM PDT by RichInOC (Play stupid games. Win stupid prizes.)
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To: WhiskeyX

A real life situation is not a movie where the bad guy is shot in the arm to stop him (or her, but not seen that instant) ... the media and the Left always throw up their hands in horror asking why the perp couldn’t have been shot in the arm/leg/knee/where ever than kill them.


73 posted on 08/20/2014 1:10:35 PM PDT by SkyDancer (I Was Told Nobody Is Perfect But Yet, Here I Am)
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To: B4Ranch

Wounding is not Gun Control, it’s a waste of ammo and time.


74 posted on 08/20/2014 1:11:15 PM PDT by mabarker1 (FYI)
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To: Bitsy

Agreed on all points.


75 posted on 08/20/2014 1:12:31 PM PDT by mabarker1 (FYI)
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To: WhiskeyX

Don’t point a gun at someone unless you intend to shoot him. Don’t shoot someone unless you intend to kill him.

Two fairly basic rules for using guns.


76 posted on 08/20/2014 1:13:50 PM PDT by Bubba_Leroy (The Obamanation Continues)
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To: Interesting Times

I can’t bear to read anything by someone using “Esq.” regardless of content.

My second comment was a general statement. Didn’t make that clear.


77 posted on 08/20/2014 1:17:20 PM PDT by Fledermaus (Conservatives are all that's left to defend the Constitution. Dems hate it, and Repubs don't care.)
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To: C210N

+1.


78 posted on 08/20/2014 1:19:14 PM PDT by Carriage Hill ( Some days you're the windshield, and some days you're the bug.)
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To: WhiskeyX

Because you do not draw your gun and aim it at a person UNLESS YOU INTEND TO KILL THAT PERSON, BECAUSE THAT IS THE PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF A GUN!

Stupid ass libs.


79 posted on 08/20/2014 1:21:21 PM PDT by chris37 (heartless)
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To: WhiskeyX

Someone is watching way tooo many Cop shows and movies


80 posted on 08/20/2014 1:25:29 PM PDT by molson209 (Blank)
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