Amazing that in the middle of Times Square, the precinct HQ had no non-lethal options apart from pepper spray. You’d think they’d have tasered him from multiple directions. Given NYC juries, they’re looking at a multi-million dollar payout to the guy’s kin. I have to wonder if it was another Bloomberg edict that these cops be “armed” with pepper spray instead of tasers as their non-lethal standoff equipment.
“... no non-lethal options apart from pepper spray”.
IMHO, it was a good shoot. If NYPD had waited or tried a non-lethal means and a citizen got hurt... people would be criticizing them for not protecting them. He was acting crazy, had a large knife and mobile... suicide by cop was his choice (not NYPD’s)
You obviously are woefully ignorant in the dynamics of armed encounters.
A Taser fire two darts, each with its own wire. The wires are only about 20 ft long. These two darts diverge from each other. The farther they travel before they hit the target makes it more likely that one will miss completely, failing to complete the circuit, and rendering the shot useless.
A Taser also only fires one shot at a time, once you’ve expended the cartridge, you have to pull the old one off the front of the Taser, grab another one, snap it into place, aim and fire again. A typical Taser shot is around 10 ft.
If you knew a little bit about reaction times, you would realize that if you missed at 20 ft, you DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME to either reload the Taser, or draw, aim, and fire your pistol before your opponent can close the distance and insert that 11 inch butcher knife in your gut. Google “Tueller Drill” and the 21 foot rule.
Another fact is that with todays medical care, bullet wounds are more survivable than knife wounds. Knives cut more veins and arteries, making it much more likely you’ll bleed out.