Minnesota
Related: About this forumTirgger happy police officers?
No, never been a police officer, never been in a scene of a crime. But sometimes it appears as if police officers (and DNR officers) are too happy to shoot to kill. Several years ago there was a case of a mentally disturbed woman on the car pool lane on the 394. The other day, two individuals who actually left their car and started running. In this case, why not tasering? Or, at least, aim at the legs?
Again, I have no idea what police officers are faced when they decide to shoot, but I have to wonder whether aiming at the chest or the head is the only alternative.
progree
(10,924 posts)[font color = blue]>>Several years ago there was a case of a mentally disturbed woman on the car pool lane on the 394.<<[/font]
If you mean the Golden Valley police officer Robert Zarrett shooting Katherine Gordon in September 2011,
http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/newsarchive/index.php/2012/05/10/grand-jury-clears-golden-valley-police-officer-in-fatal-shooting/
There were press reports at the time of at least one witness, if I recall correctly, to her pointing a handgun.
Can't say I would have reacted any differently.
I don't remember anything about being in the car pool lane, so it might be a different story than the one you have in mind.
question everything
(47,544 posts)As I say - I have no idea how I would react, I just wonder whether there was a way to incapacitate her, instead of killing her on the spot.
It's not as if she was a sharpshooter, as the police have.
progree
(10,924 posts)And she doesn't have to be a "sharpshooter" to kill someone.
[font color = red]On edit:[/font]
glinda
(14,807 posts)progree
(10,924 posts)Last edited Thu Feb 13, 2014, 04:47 PM - Edit history (1)
and at least one witness.
On Edit 245p -
[font color = blue] >> "they had guns" <<[/font]
There was only one police officer involved, not "they"
dflprincess
(28,086 posts)progree
(10,924 posts)The I-394 one back in September 2011, Katherine Gordon, was pointing a gun at the police officer. That's the only other case discussed in this thread so far.
dflprincess
(28,086 posts)Besides the main topic is "trigger happy cops" and last Friday's shooting seems to fit that.
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)They aim for body mass.
I too would like to know more about the 212 shooting. Apparently, the male suspect had a knife and would not drop it. The cops shot him and the female picked up the knife and would not drop it and she was shot. This probably took fewer than 5 seconds.
I wish I had more details.
I do know that if a suspect is within 21 feet of a cop and has a knife, the perp can stab the cop before he can respond by shooting them with a gun.