AZ: Cop stops fleeing felon without shooting him

[ELB]

Bear in mind as you watch this, the "fleeing" individual had earlier that day robbed a convenience store in his underwear, tried to set fire to a church, entered a home and stole a car, stole a .30-30 rifle and ammo from Walmart, pointed the rifle at officers, refused commands to put it down, and was walking down a residential street:

(Warning: not violence-free)

[video]https://youtube.com/watch?v=6zMaW435UPw[/video]

Story: http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/14/us/arizon ... r-suspect/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CoffeeNut]

I'm not sure this is a better alternative...

[The Wall]

Had to watch it several times. Awesome! Of course the media will spin this in the dirt bags favor. They'll say his back was turned so he wasn't a threat for example. Don't they know you have to wait until he kills or injures someone first? (sarcasm)

[mojo84]

Well, that's one way to stop a bad guy with a gun.

Wonder what page of the procedure manual that was on.

My comments are not intended to be critical of or endorse the actions. The speed at which the officer accelerated to did surprise me some.

[charliej47]

I have read where some people are claiming the it was excessive because at the time he was hit, his back was to the vehicle!

[The Wall]

The officer should say his foot slipped off of the brake and hit the accelerator.

[ELB]

I have read where some people are claiming the it was excessive because at the time he was hit, his back was to the vehicle!

His lawyer among them. (Also "excessive force.")

I have no problem with what the cop did.

[ELB]

The officer should say his foot slipped off of the brake and hit the accelerator.

The best snark I saw (but lost where it was): "The officer tried to draw his taser but instead grabbed his car keys."

[Abraham]

No mention of the dirt bag's medical status.

Intensive care with multiple broken bones and/or coma?

Or...?

[mojo84]

I think he got out in a couple days and was taken to the pokie.

[Abraham]

mojo84,

Wow!

I'm stunned, not as much as the dirt bag, but still...

He looked like a flying Wallenda and out in 2 days means he must not of been too badly banged up.

I also wonder if the cop who ran over him was chastised or given a commendation for an innovative arrest method?

[ELB]

mojo84,

Wow!

I'm stunned, not as much as the dirt bag, but still...

He looked like a flying Wallenda and out in 2 days means he must not of been too badly banged up.

I also wonder if the cop who ran over him was chastised or given a commendation for an innovative arrest method?

The Chief A-OK'd him in the public interview. And no charges against the officer. Win-win, I guess.

[Abraham]

ELB,

Thanks for the info.

Since I posted on this thread, I found that some LE departments suggest using their vehicle rather than going to guns if a BG is a lethal threat.

Tough on the vehicle though...

[The Annoyed Man]

Cop lives matter.

[AJSully421]

I had a conversation about this exact thing with an officer once. His opinion was that lethal force is lethal force. He said he had had a lengthy conversation with a captain about it.

He asked, "What am I supposed to do? Bring my patrol vehicle to a screeching halt, dump it in park, take off my seatbelt, turn my front wheels, open the door, get out, draw my weapon, notify 'Police, STOP!', then open fire on the perp who will almost certainly be lobbing accurate rifle rounds in my direction by that time?"

OR

Do I hit him with my patrol vehicle, and hope that he drops the weapon upon impact... and maybe hope that he survives to face prosecution.

One way, the perp might kill the officer and get away clean, the other the officer stands a much better chance of not being mortally injured.

If I were a cop knowing all of this (from the list in the top post), I would have done the same thing this officer did. That is also why I am not a cop.