First, I must redact my previous statement, the words ‘drop it’ were not uttered on second listen to the video.
It’s pretty likely that we’ve had at least similar training, even if we’ve had dissimilar experiences in the public safety/law enforcement arena, and I don’t know if you’ve got any HRE/HBT experience or training, but with the training that I’ve had with things like move-n-shoot, B&C, HRE, etc. I have a fair base of knowledge on the subject, though admittedly I’m no expert.
Here’s what I DO know:
-SRT/SWAT operators should be one level above the average street cop in his ability to assess a threat and choose a neutralization containment method, this guy was see spot shoot.
-I understand the nature of the B&C is dynamic and perhaps there was no intent, but this was in no way, shape, fashion or form, again, in my opinion, justified.
-Blair was clearly, from the video, standing deer-in-the-headlights still with the golf club cocked back. The time it takes for entry to get the door open until the shooters foot across the threshold is three to four seconds, in that time, plenty to determine the threat, Blair is shot.
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Specifically, which videos, articles on the background, or various cited discussion supports this conclusion? Specifically.
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-In that same three seconds Sgt. Burnett had discerned that: “He had some silver thing. … I thought it was a sword or something… It was silverish and thin”. Understandably, the officer thought there was a risk, yet admits that he did NOT believe that Blair was moving toward him. So maybe it was a long, thin sword or a golf club, in either case, Burnett has the advantage. Maybe he didn’t KNOW it was a golf club, maybe he THOUGHT it was a golf club. It’s almost to the point of splitting hairs.
-Burnett stated further “I didn’t think about saying words. I just thought about not getting hit, or slashed or whatever.” So he knew he was not dealing with a projectile weapon and yelled only “police” and “search warrant”. Someone on the tape is heard yelling “get on the gr” insinuating that indeed, at least in the opinion of an operator on Burnett’s team, this low risk threat should be taken into custody as opposed to shot. Never was Blair given the chance to surrender. Simply yelling ‘POLICE!’ and ‘SEARCH WARRANT!’ in practical terms does not always give us the results necessary.
-Further, a close analysis of the video shows the entry personnel with an entry/riot shield, which means that not only was lethal force probably unnecessary, there are ways to contain a suspect with both the shield and other less-lethal options. None of these were employed. Blair was illuminated (stunned) with high-powered weapon lights while being yelled at and then shot.
It depends on Utah law, but this reaches the criminally negligent manslaughter level in my opinion. The officer was at least negligent if not reckless in his execution of this entry, causing death that was otherwise avoidable. I believe it was criminal, or at the very least could be argued so. Of course, the DA declined to prosecute, but I do hope the Blair family sues the tits off every agency that was there.