Saying “unacceptable” means nothing. It is very acceptable, and even necessary, as far as policemen not being killed in the line of duty. It doesn’t matter if only 1 in 1000 people they meet wants to kill them. He wants to kill them. So being protected from him is more important than being apprehensive around the other 999.
So, the old man pulled a shotgun, not a cane, and shot the policeman dead. Is that acceptable, either?
Saying “unacceptable” means nothing.
Course it means something. If it’s acceptable then people shrug their solders, like you, and say hey, a stack of dead civilians is the price we pay to live in a country where people pay their car tax on time, never go 1 mph over the arbitrary speed limit, walk around the car making sure every light bulb works before they sit behind the wheel.
If it’s unacceptable then a cop that shoots an innocent civilian, not hurting anyone, just wanting to be left alone, AT LEAST gets fired.