I also back the cops on this. They were called because he had doused himself with gasolene.
This is a very dangerous situation for them. They had the prior hx of his past no doubt, armed robbery, prison.
Granted this man had a brain disorder and was suicidal. however, mental patients in crisis can be very strong and unpredictable. If someone is coming at me with scissors, and doesn’t stop, I would shoot. And if I shoot, I would shoot to kill..not try to shoot him in the leg, miss and have him keep coming. Cops don’t have the luxory we do sitting at a computer thinking of other options.
what were they supposed to do? Leave him there to “talk’ with the neighbors.
It sounds like the neighbor was successfully talking to him.
It wasn’t until *after* the neighbor was ordered to leave that things went sour.
It sounds to me like (gasp) private citizens who genuinely love and care for their neighbors have a better grasp of taking care of their neighbors and community than do government employees.
Fancy that.
I think anybody would, given that situation. The problem I have with this thing is that didn't have to happen. This guy's neighbor had calmed down his dog, then him, got the bulk of the threat removed (with the help of the Firemen) and cleaned up. What's the first thing the Police did? Kicked out the neighbor. Escalated the tensions. I'm sure they have a policy that demanded it, like liability concerns.