SteveR Loc: Michigan

I have seen an episode of Cop Cam, or something similar, where two police were chasing a suspect. Without looking, the suspect fired back at the officers, hit and k**led one of them. Never underestimate the threat. Better to go home to answer questions than not to go home.

cwp3420

SteveR Loc: Michigan

If the guy was unarmed he should have raised his hands and given up....or raised his hands while he ran!!!

Wyantry Loc: SW Colorado

The original Comment that kick-started this discussion was, I believe, about shooting back at someone. Then went to comments about stopping a perpetrator as quickly as possible. That is BEST accomplished by severing control between body and brain—certainly not an EASY thing to do. Even more difficult: on foot. After chasing. Or in the dark. It was never postulated this is the EASIEST thing to do! As a matter of record, even highly trained and well positioned snipers do not always take a shot that is such a small target area.
And certainly VERY hard if only armed with a pistol—no matter what sort of cartridge is used. (Even a .454 Casul or a .50 out of a Desert Eagle ‘center mass’ will not immediately stop an individual in all cases).

Although all the physical requirements for a medulla-shot are perhaps BEST made by a trained sniper with a ‘long gun’. Current rifle technologies allow patrol officers may be able to perform adequately. Training of duty officers is adequate to allow well-placed shots. Not all pursuits take place while officers are armed ONLY with handguns.

Shots to “center [of] mass” are generally promoted as these have the greatest probability of incapacitation. Heart, arteries, lungs and spinal column are major targets in the central upper body. The primary ‘advantage’ of center mass shots include the facts they are: 1. Areas where major damage may occur, and, 2. This is the the largest target area available with any decent probability of incapacitation.

The PROBLEM with ‘center mass’ shots is that they are NOT immediately incapacitating. Persons have been shot yet managed to keep functioning (attacking or running) for minutes or many meters.

The medulla—at the base of the brainstem—is ‘accessible’ from the rear (as described), but also from either side (just below the earlobe), or through the mouth toward the back of the throat.

To reiterate: If IMMEDIATE incapacitation is required (or desired), bodily control by a subject must be eliminated. Even brain-case shots do not always stop individuals from acting—yet severing nerves between the brain and body will.

thom w Loc: San Jose, CA

Protecting himself is part of a cops job. Retribution is not. A cop can shoot someone to save himself, or someone else. Getting even because he believes he was shot at a few minutes earlier is not in that spirit. If a cop tries to pull me over and I try to run, when he catches me I will probably get stomped half to death, and he would probably get totally off. I'd be stupid to run, but he should go to jail for stomping me. It isn't his job to punish or get even. It's supposed to be up to a judge or a jury to determine my punishment.

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

Are you suggesting that the Police were executing the suspect?

thom w Loc: San Jose, CA

No, but I wouldn't rule it out. There is talk now about the gun having been found in the back seat, not the front. Also the idea of him having opened the door and shot at them is a bit suspect. Try driving 60 miles an hour and then open the door, while still going 60 miles an hour, then shoot at pursuing police, while still driving the car. I don't know if that is impossible, but if it isn't, it must be very close. I doubt they got together and decided to k**l a black man, but once they interfaced with him, some bad instincts may have taken over. He sure wasn't treated like the white guy who mowed down people on the fourth.

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

I thought the same as you at first but I have spent a bit of time reading and watching the stories, even saw a slow-mo from one of the body cams. I gave up on the driving while black angle as soon as I saw that Walker was wearing a Ski mask, no way for them to know the race. The slow motion video shows Walker turn and quickly bring his right forward at about waist level, as the Chief said each officer would be basically using tunnel vision on the armed suspect, when they saw threat they they all unloaded.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

I wouldn't give the guy a second chance to shoot at me. It takes little time to get off a shot. I may have mentioned this. I saw a situation where a suspect fired backwards, not looking, at a policeman pursuing him and k**led him. Sorry, I would have assumed that they guy was still armed. Now, the question becomes, what commands did the police give him before shooting.

gorgehiker Loc: Lexington, Ky

Thirteen officers were on the scene. Eight fired shots and five did not. I wonder why five officers did not shoot. Not making any assumptions, just wondering...

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Gorge, if you shoot at a cop you are asking for an immediate death sentence... You can't blame this on the cops.

DennyT Loc: Central Missouri woods

So what does that have to do with this situation.?

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Jesus Denny, Gorge is wondering why 5 of 13 officers did not fire their weapons, I don't know how you would read that question but to me it suggests that maybe there was a reason not to fire their guns, Maybe because the other 8 had already handled it, what do you think?

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Yup! The cops are the bad guys all the time, right Thom? If you shoot a gun at a cop you are going to get shot back at and possibly k**led and it will be a righteous act on the cop's behalf.

Wyantry Loc: SW Colorado

Wondering why officers would not or did not shoot?
Maybe the non-firing officers did not have good firing zones, sight-lines or other officers were in the way.
Maybe the non-firers did not think it was appropriate, under the conditions, to fire.

If you really want to know, there is a simple solution: GO ASK THEM.

Or wait for the investigation to provide details.