It was necessary in this situation. An innocent life was at stake. The detentions were not excessive, nor politically motivated.
What is that famous quote about a populace that gives up freedom for security and therefore, in the end, will have neither? The mass detentions, use of weapons to remove adults and children from cars are not only excessive, but unconstitutional and should be severely sanctioned. This is the type of police behavior that breaks any bond between the citizenry and police, but can easily lead to violence on both sides that has nothing to do with the original crime.