[ScottinSacto]

"That's the same type of argument that says only black people can criticize Barack Obama because only they really know what it's like to be a black person in America. In other words, it's not a valid argument at all."

I didn't saying you can't criticize, but maybe the opinions of some of the less informed here could be based in the realm of reality. I've seen "cold blooded" mentioned several times here and it is actually the exact opposite in this incident. And the other comment is how can you mistake a Taser for a gun, and until you have carried and used both in your job, maybe you should STFU. Because if you had, your opinion would be based on fact and experience, not watching TV. That's all I was saying.

[starlifter]

I think the cop is responsible for his actions. Gun or taser, he is paid to know the difference and when to use which.

In the end, he shot the kid. I've no idea if it was cold blooded or not - only the cop knows. But he killed a restrained suspect who was prone.

[conimbricenses]

It's perfectly fair to say people should have informed opinions. I'm just saying that when you start going down the route of saying only other cops really know what it's like to be a cop in that kind of situation, it smacks of hubris and a particularly noxious kind too as it has little basis in empirical evidence or reality.

Humility is a two way street, and the cop who grossly overstates the "dangers" of his job or claims greater firearms skill and expertise than he actually has is just as guilty of making a bad argument as the guy who has no clue what cops do when he criticizes them.