Just finished my conceal carry classroom training here in IL. The instructor ran us through an exercise using the weapon involved in this case, basically asking us when we would shoot, I.e., when we would recognize sufficient threat we reasonably had to respond with lethal force. And we all responded at about the same time, when his right side was turned toward us and the threat was a fraction of a second from becoming too late to respond to. The weapon was indistinguishable from the real thing, at least as far as I could tell. The instructor also told us the youth was carrying a pistol in his waistband, and was not responding to commands to put the weapon down. For all intents and purposes, he looked a lot like the next mass killer. So yes it is tragic, but I understand how a well trained officer could respond as this one did.
Within 6 to 10 seconds the deputy pulled his weapon, opened his door, got behind it, fired 8 shots hitting his target with 7.
Where in there was there time to tell him anything much less make sure he heard him and give him time to respond before taking his life.
Was not responding to commands to put down his weapon???
The entire engagement, from the time the deputies stopped the car to when the one shot the boy, took ten seconds.
Most people, especially harebrained teenage boys, take a few seconds to comprehend what is going on around them, let alone respond in a timely and appropriate manner. So using this idea of “shoot them as they turn around,” almost ANYONE, especially an INNOCENT person who does not have mayhem on his mind, is likely to be shot by LEOs.
Does this seem morally right to you?
Your comment confirms what I’ve been thinking for a while: we need a national conversation on the rules of engagement for LEOs. The ones we have right now are not working well too much of the time.