Wonder why Slager didn’t aim for Scott’s buttocks or legs. Perhaps more difficult target and didn’t want random bullets hitting innocent people in case he missed?
because
(1) my understanding is that the police receive classical gun training, which is to place priority on totally incapacitating the victim once the decision has been made that the situation calls for the cop’s gun to be used. cops do not fire guns to wound; cops fire guns to totally incapacitate the victim. most cops are lousy shots. in addition, there is the heat of the conflict and distractions to consider. shooting to wound risks missing the suspect and hitting someone else, expending precious rounds of ammunition which could otherwise be used to save lives (including the cop’s). hence, the cop shoots to incapacitate, which translates loosely to “shoot to kill.” shooting to kill involves (typically, in the ideal situation) two shot to the torso, and one shot to the head.
(2) a dead suspect is less likely to mount a successful expensive injury lawsuit against the shooting cop, and be able to testify against the shooting cop at a hearing or trial if the question of of “bad shoot” arises.