Recklessly shooting at people in a crowded movie theater is what cops are taught? That's a frightening thought. But I suspect that you are correct in that today's police think they're justified in endangering innocent bystanders, just to protect their own sorry butts from anything they *perceive* to be a “threat”. Reeves is in fact using that defense, saying after he shot the Oulsons; that he “ feared for his life.” Apparently, this coward didn't fear for anyone else’s life in the theater, including Mrs. Oulson, who was also shot... Pretty sad state of affairs, when everyone around a cop who “fears for his life” is just collateral damage.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/01/23/article-2544568-1AE792EA00000578-531_634x374.jpg
The fact that the bullet first hit Mrs Oulson indicates that at the time of the shooting Mrs Oulson was standing in the gap between Oulson and Reeves thus making the "feared for his life" claim pathetically hollow -- unless he is claiming that he was afraid that Mrs Oulson was going to attack him.
The truth is that he shot him in retribution for tossing popcorn at him as he was heard to say:
"that'll teach you to throw popcorn in my face".
That's not fear for your life. That's shooting someone for what they did rather than what you fear that they might do -- and that makes it criminal.
They do and that is what they are taught. Tossing something in someones face is usually a diversionary tactic to gain an upper hand in a confrontation.
Actually I'm not defending this guy. I started our pointing out facts that had been purposefully omitted. Any situation is whole, with all the facts, or it is wrong and a distortion of truth.
Most situations are also segmented as this one was. There was a verbal exchange initiated by the shooter but with both men participating. Then it exploded into a physical situation with the grabbing of the popcorn out of the shooters hands, throwing it in the shooters face, and then the man firing a shot. This physical part all happened in 3 to 4 seconds.
The last part of the incident was after the shot. The shooter trying to keep his wife from talking which was not only a good idea and follows what he has been instructed to do throughout his career. Do not say anything to anyone until you have a attorney is exactly what every cop is taught when they are involved in a shooting.
I really can't put too much into what he said about teaching the guy not to throw popcorn. I've never seen a cop who didn't have a smart remark about any and every situation even if they were not involved in it themselves. He was stupid to say it but that is just what cops do.
I have said before that the shooters position was thin. That statement is that he was and is on thin ice, very thin ice. There is no doubt in my mind that he reacted to some of this in the manner that he had been trained to do.
I find fault with him in putting himself and others in a life threatening situation in the first place. Although it is not illegal to talk to someone and even make rude crude and insulting remarks to them it is not something that should be done when carrying a concealed weapon.
I believe that this was a cynical arrogant old bastard who did not believe that anyone would challenge him physically. When it instantly got out of hand he reacted. His reactions were not appropriate to the threat but he didn't figure that out until after it was all over.
I think he will rightfully get murder 2. Depending on the DA he may be able to plea it down to manslaughter.