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Videos are available at the URL. Sam Dotson, chief of the police of the St. Louis metropolitan police, responded to a question as to why police did not use Tasers or shoot Powell to wound rather than to kill. He said that they might not have been able to because of his sweater. In the video, though, the sweatshirt appears to be open. Unanswered was why the police did not shoot him in the legs rather than kill.
1 posted on 08/21/2014 8:25:04 AM PDT by Laissez-faire capitalist
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist; All

Link works.


2 posted on 08/21/2014 8:25:34 AM PDT by Laissez-faire capitalist
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

Egad, police do not shoot to wound, they never have that is a Hollywood created line of BS. They shoot center mass (or try too).


3 posted on 08/21/2014 8:26:40 AM PDT by Resolute Conservative
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist; All

One talking head on CNN (a former police officer) said that police usually either don’t shoot or they shoot for the body in these situations.

More either/or thinking?

Nothing in between?


5 posted on 08/21/2014 8:28:05 AM PDT by Laissez-faire capitalist
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

“Unanswered was why the police did not shoot him in the legs rather than kill.”

Nobody aims for the legs... you’ve been around here long enough to know that.


6 posted on 08/21/2014 8:28:44 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist
Unanswered was why the police did not shoot him in the legs rather than kill.

Ignorance is dispelled by knowledge.

7 posted on 08/21/2014 8:29:39 AM PDT by NorthMountain
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

.

- only a barack would pull a knife on police carrying handguns . . .

- Gee AG JUST-US- It was much quieter in Ferguson MO last night -

- no “JUST-US” no bullets -


9 posted on 08/21/2014 8:30:40 AM PDT by devolve (- next : a very special guest appearance by Rosemary Lehmberg -)
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

Kajieme?

I bet that name would work good in a knock knock joke.


10 posted on 08/21/2014 8:30:55 AM PDT by MNDude
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

What about bean bag rounds fired from a shotgun? Could that have been an option here?


12 posted on 08/21/2014 8:32:06 AM PDT by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ta2-7QJM78


13 posted on 08/21/2014 8:32:47 AM PDT by MNDude
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

.

- If you are unarmed or overpowered - do you cry or cover your face? Or knee “Little Mikey” in the balls - and then quickly knee him in his nose (head/face will automatically drop as you also grab Mikey’s shirt up high at his shoulders and pull downward)

- CAUTION - nose may move backwards into the . . .

- It worked pretty well at Fort Benning


22 posted on 08/21/2014 8:41:39 AM PDT by devolve (- next : a very special guest appearance by Rosemary Lehmberg -)
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

Suicide by cop.


24 posted on 08/21/2014 8:43:36 AM PDT by cld51860 (Volo pro veritas)
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist
This is why you don't shoot for the legs.
25 posted on 08/21/2014 8:46:03 AM PDT by muddytadpole
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

Look at the video. The crazy man who wanted to die fell right at the feet of the police officer on passenger side ofnthe patrol vehicle.

If the taser had failed then the officer gets stabbed.

The job requirements of a police officer DO NOT INCLUDE THE REQUIREMENT THAT HE BE STABBED!

You don’t know a damn thing you are talking about.

Just because some crazy guy wants to die and forces the police’s hand and makes them shoot him does not mean the police failed or did something wrong.

The unzipped jacket makes it MORE likely the taser will fail....because if the dart hits the open jacket it will not make contact with the skin.

Tasers are not magic potions.....


26 posted on 08/21/2014 8:46:38 AM PDT by TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig (This town needs an enema)
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

This was a murder. You know that from the last two shots.


33 posted on 08/21/2014 8:54:20 AM PDT by Captain Jack Aubrey (There's not a moment to lose.)
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To: All
Unanswered was why the police did not shoot him in the legs rather than kill.

Because it is a dumb-a$$ed qurestion...NEXT!

35 posted on 08/21/2014 8:57:32 AM PDT by Turbo Pig (...to close with and destroy the enemy...)
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

The cop had backup within 20 feet. There was no need for him to pull his gun and fire so immediately.


46 posted on 08/21/2014 9:18:16 AM PDT by Carry_Okie (Democrats: the Party of slavery to the immensely wealthy for over 200 years.)
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

Early in the video, perp has one hand positioned like he’s holding something in earnest but trying to hide it, presumably the knife.

At the moment of shooting, he has both hands out - we can’t see, but can reasonably presume he’s displaying the knife at that point. He is well within the “Teuller Drill” 21-foot range, the point where he can KILL that cop before the cop can react enough to stop him. There was nothing in the way, he was moving toward the gun-drawn cop with apparent intent (or at least absolutely not dissuaded by two cops pointing guns at him, a sign of intent/aggression).

This is absolutely a textbook case of when to shoot someone with a knife. I’ve had the training, was subjected to a very realistic simulation of a case VERY close to that, and having failed (akin to doing what you’re arguing for) to do the right thing in that situation still bothers me even though it was just a simulation some 17 years ago.

Consider: if the perp WAS intending to kill the cop with that knife, and considering exactly what he was doing the moment he was shot (walking rapidly toward the cop, no obstacles ahead, knife in hand ready for use) how long would it have taken him to reach the cop and cut? 1-2 seconds max.


60 posted on 08/21/2014 9:39:21 AM PDT by ctdonath2 ("If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun" - Obama, setting RoE with his opposition)
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

Problem with the Tazer, it doesn’t always work and they tell you during training that it works better on thin or muscular people than on fat people. Depending on which cartridge you have in the Tazer, it may or may not penetrate clothing or get caught up in their clothing, rendering it useless. Regardless of those facts, if you use a Tazer and it doesn’t work, which has happened to me several times, you may pay with your life. We were trained that if someone was coming at you with a knife you don’t use the Tazer, you use your firearm. Always one up over the assailant.

I went to an NRA firearms school to become a pistol/shotgun instructor. They always taught us the ‘21 foot’ rule, the reported minimum safe distance to keep from somebody armed with a knife.

They had someone stand 21 feet away from you and on the command, the individual, representing someone with a knife, charged the officer who was supposed to draw their handgun and fire two shots. Less than half the class could get to their gun and fire 2 shots before the man with the knife was on top of them. Very few were able to get their gun out, fire and manuever out of the way.

Now factor in a man with a knife who may have mental problems, be loaded up on drugs or both, along with the stress, coming at you at a sprint. Even if you hit them with rounds from your gun they may keep coming.

Sorry, I’m not going to chance it. I’m going to use my firearm and I am going to do my best to place my shots at center mass, hoping to hit something vital and knock them down. I don’t necessarily want them to die but I sure as hell don’t want to take the chance of dying either.

Anybody crazy enough to attack a cop, with or without a knife, is likely crazy enough to kill you.


68 posted on 08/21/2014 9:46:05 AM PDT by Cap'n Crunch
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

Deliberate leg-shooting is not on the table here - that’s a Hollywood fantasy. But tasering definitely should have been used, as well as situational maneuvering to different sides of the perp by each cop and a whole lot more talk-down. These two cops simply used the fact of the threatening situation itself as the sole excuse to fire - and keep on shooting. What is the goal, to kill, of to neutralize the threat? Time was on the cops side. A single shot, then wait, could have been enough. Center of mass doesn’t mean fire soon and empty the magazine. Cops are not badged executioners, and they have volunteered to go looking for trouble. Finding what they are paid to look for and trained to deal with is not a license to kill. Otherwise screw the police altogether - let’s just bring in the military and have them blow away everyone for twitching. After all, people can be dangerous, better safe than sorry, right?


90 posted on 08/21/2014 10:46:13 AM PDT by Talisker (One who commands, must obey.)
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To: Laissez-faire capitalist

Another case of “Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes.”


98 posted on 08/21/2014 12:07:32 PM PDT by dfwgator
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