It depends on the suspects attitude, actions, and what was reported. If it has been reported he had a gun, then it’s different. If he turns, calmly raises his hands and says “Can I show you my id?” and then is shot- that’s wrong. If the suspect whirls around fast, reaching for what look like a weapon, instead of appearing to cooperate, that’s different too.
They were fired and the city made a large settlement. So, yes they were held responsible for not reacting perfectly.
But there was no *criminal *action on their part.
Sure, If they are in your business or home and you “feared for you life” - you can shoot.
Nope.
I don’t consider myself very sympathetic to the police, but I agree with DrDeth on this one. If the police are trying to detain a suspect and s/he reaches into his/her back pocket and whips out some small black item and points it at the police, they only have a fraction of a second to decide whether the item is a gun or a wallet or cellphone and whether to fire on the suspect or not. It’s a VERY difficult situation.
And also increasing the likelihood that they could arrest him before he escaped and endangered someone else. As well as the likelihood that if shooting him was necessary, they would hit him. And decreasing their ability to tell a toy Airsoft gun that had been modified to look real from a real gun.
I don’t see how being a hundred yards away makes it more probable that an arrest can be made peacefully than being much closer.
Not in my opinion.
Regards,
Shodan
So I can only fear for my life in my business or my home? Nowhere else?
Depends on the laws and the circumstances. ymmv, ianal. I mean if a guy does pull a gun on you in a ally, certainly.
Note that the Police, when on the job, are in their “business”.
Yep. Now if he does it slowly and calmly and says: “Hey I am taking out my phone” then that is different.
What if he’s reaching into his wristband and I think it could be a gun?
Is that the same standard that is applied to police? Or can they shoot anyone, anywhere if they fear for their life?
I thought police were always technically “on duty”? So everywhere they are at any time, they are in their “business”?
If a postal worker does his job poorly, some people might have to wait a day or two longer than they should to get their mail. If a police officer does his job poorly, someone might have to bury their kid. Absolutely there should be greater consequence for that.
No. He told the officer he had a gun, then the officer asked for his ID, then he reached for his ID as requested, then the officer panicked and shot him.
All of which would have been irrelevant if they had properly maintained their distance. If he runs, then you get back in the car and follow him at a safe distance: He can’t outrun the car. The whole point of being able to shoot him is to prevent him from shooting them, which would already be accomplished by keeping a distance. And determining whether the object he held is a real gun is only necessary if he’s within dangerous range. They screwed up, and because of that, a kid died. When people die because of other people screwing up, there are usually criminal charges for the person who screwed up.
It depends.
The street is their business. They are supposed to be there, protecting you.
On what?
Note that there are (per FBI) 1,248,185 violent crimes per year. There are less than 500 officer shootings.
You are 2500 times more likely to be a victim of a violent crime than a police shooting.
Facts & circumstances, police regulations, state & local laws, court ruling, common law, etc etc.
I was walking down a dark alley in Houston, Texas, saw a guy stealing a TV worth $5000. I yelled “Freeze!” and then he dropped the TV and put his hand in his waistband. I immediately feared for my life and shot him.
That’s rather tragic. Sorry.