I believe that the officers on the ground...presuming that the video is accurate and I believe at this point it is...were left with little choice.
Lavoy fled a stop by law enforcement.
He tried to avoid a road block set up be law enforcement.
In coming as close as he did to the one officer who stepped out to try and stop him, he risked that officer’s life.
When he got out of the vehicle, instead of getting down and lying prone with his hands out, to show no possibility of a threat, he acted erratically.
He appeared on two occasion to lower his hands and reach to his side.
I clearly believe this situation should never have developed...but it did, and the officers on the ground, given all of this, were left with little choice.
It is tragic...a good man is dead who should not be dead.
The major decisions putting those officers there need to be aggressively reviewed and in the light of day examined for criminal negligence.
But the officers there at the scene, at least in my opinion from this video...did not execute or murder this man.
[[When he got out of the vehicle, instead of getting down and lying prone with his hands out, to show no possibility of a threat, he acted erratically.]]
There may have been a very good reason for this- IF they had been firing at the vehicle, He was likely getting himself as far away fro mthe vehicle as possible to try to protect the occupants of the vehicle by drawing fire away from the truck
[[Lavoy fled a stop by law enforcement.]]
There may be a reason for that too- according to witness- the stopped vehicle was fired at several times-
[[In coming as close as he did to the one officer who stepped out to try and stop him, he risked that officer’s life.]]
Actually, the officer is the one who reacted recklessly- (perhaps because he thought the truck was going to hit the vehicles and push the vehicle into him)- it is clear fro mthe video that Finicum tried to avoid the vehicles, and was braking- I saw nothing intentional about his driving that might have indicated he tried to hit anything or anyone
[[He appeared on two occasion to lower his hands and reach to his side.]]
Again, why? TReaching for gun? Was shot with stun gun? Was shot with real guns?
Agree or disagree with it, they were violating the law by occupying the park service facility. Based on the people who were in the convoy I'd say the authorities acted at this time because they saw it as a chance to bag most of the leadership of the occupiers in one swoop. It's sad that it turned out the way it did, but I don't find it at all surprising that the feds decided to finally act to end it all.
It is tragic...a good man is dead who should not be dead.
There have been a lot of police shootings where that has happened in the past. And unfortunately there will be more in the future.
Without better video evidence, which I doubt we will get, I agree with your overall assessment here.