But there's no evidence except the word of the officers themselves to say that he did in fact draw a weapon. Given that their claim of having announced their entry is disputed, there's no reason to take their word as given on the more important matter. Since there are no shots fired from the deceased's weapon, it's not established that the officers fired in self-defense. It has every appearance of a murder, and that's what it should be considered to be until there is evidence to establish otherwise (which there is none.)
Furthermore, there is still a 2nd Amendment, even if it's totally ignored, and citizens have the right to bear arms. On top of that, the method of entry of the police - especially if they did not announce their entry as they claim, but even if they did - gave the victim every right to believe his home was being invaded by criminals. I know that's what I would think if my door got busted down at 6:15 AM. Wouldn't you grab your weapon in the same circumstances? Wouldn't any sensible person? How do you know the people busting your door down are really cops?
It would have been the most basic of precautions for the folks conducting the operation to record their actions. Even traffic cops do that, so it is fully warranted in such an extreme operation as this. Where's the tape? With no tape, there's no evidence to say these cops are anything but cold-blooded murderers who behave as if they are above the law.
The facts as they stand now are 1 citizen dead in his own home, and nothing but the word of those who shot him to testify that anything happened otherwise.
One dead criminal drug dealer, for whom I shed no tears.