[freedox]

"The alternative is to seriously delay a thorough search of the area. Not such a tough call in my book."

So you think the police actively solicited the assistance of unarmed citizens to help them in their search for an armed gunman? Why do you think those "Wanted" posters at the post office always warn people NOT to attempt an apprehension, but to contact the police?

[GovernmentShrinker]

They hardly had the opportunity to "actively solicit" them, when hordes of them were already searching when police arrived. And the "don't try to apprehend" warnings on wanted posters are aimed at total strangers who might try to apprehend someone who might or might not be the right person -- as much to protect the authorities from liability (to the innocent apprehendee and/or the well-meaning citizen who got shot). People searching their own neighborhood, in the immediate aftermath of a kidnapping -- i.e. mainly looking for the victim, not trying to apprehend the perp -- is a very different situation.