I don’t think the Monday-morning quarterbacking is helpful. This will be fully investigated by police, by the Coroner’s Court, and by others. If mistakes were made, they will be identified. If lessons can be learned. But experts will make their determination after examining all the facts.
Sometimes a perfect outcome is not possible. From what I can see so far reported here, I can’t see any reason to assume that something went wrong, that something was done wrong. But it’s not impossible - and if so, that will come out in time.
I’m not Monday morning quarterbacking, I am pointing out that the cops let two hostages get killed and at least a third wounded.
That equals failure.
It isn’t like this was one of those complicated, well manned, well planned terrorist operations inside of a grounded airliner on the runway, or something complicated, a cafe is not difficult at all to do whatever you want to do in regards to surveillance and taking out the gunman, or assaulting or whatever you want to do.
If the SAS was handling this and had found the conditions so overwhelming that they couldn’t save all of the hostages, then we would all be scratching our heads.