stroo wrote:One of the other reports said LEOs surrounded him, then shot him when he threatened them with "sticks". While I don't mind that they killed him, don't they have less than lethal tools they could have used on him if all he had were "sticks" - Taser, batons, something like that. Especially given that they had him surrounded. There have to be facts missing here.
I wouldn't want to go after him with a baton and I don't think all officers have less than lethal options like tasers or bean bag shotguns.
The article does not state whether they tried less lethal/non lethal devices. Having used bean bags and pepper ball launchers against subjects like this I can say they are not always effective. With a taser or pepper spray you are going to have to get close to the person which might not be safe against an armed escapee that has already sliced a cop. You are not going to go baton vs. a stick. A good K9 might have been effective. One that is proven and can take a suspect down w/o issue. We don't know if they had one on scene. You would not sacrifice a dog for an escaped felon.
The grand jury will hear all the facts and decide if justified.
stroo wrote:One of the other reports said LEOs surrounded him, then shot him when he threatened them with "sticks". While I don't mind that they killed him, don't they have less than lethal tools they could have used on him if all he had were "sticks" - Taser, batons, something like that. Especially given that they had him surrounded. There have to be facts missing here.
I wouldn't want to go after him with a baton and I don't think all officers have less than lethal options like tasers or bean bag shotguns.
The article does not state whether they tried less lethal/non lethal devices. Having used bean bags and pepper ball launchers against subjects like this I can say they are not always effective. With a taser or pepper spray you are going to have to get close to the person which might not be safe against an armed escapee that has already sliced a cop. You are not going to go baton vs. a stick. A good K9 might have been effective. One that is proven and can take a suspect down w/o issue. We don't know if they had one on scene. You would not sacrifice a dog for an escaped felon.
The grand jury will hear all the facts and decide if justified.
If they would've had a dog on scene he might have just given up while the dog was still on lead. There is something about the sight of a fearless dog eager for a fight that really changes a person's attitude real quick!
I am not and have never been a LEO. My avatar is in honor of my friend, Dallas Police Sargent Michael Smith, who was murdered along with four other officers in Dallas on 7.7.2016. NRA Patriot-Endowment Lifetime Member---------------------------------------------Si vis pacem, para bellum.................................................Patriot Guard Rider
stroo wrote:One of the other reports said LEOs surrounded him, then shot him when he threatened them with "sticks". While I don't mind that they killed him, don't they have less than lethal tools they could have used on him if all he had were "sticks" - Taser, batons, something like that. Especially given that they had him surrounded. There have to be facts missing here.
I wouldn't want to go after him with a baton and I don't think all officers have less than lethal options like tasers or bean bag shotguns.
The article does not state whether they tried less lethal/non lethal devices. Having used bean bags and pepper ball launchers against subjects like this I can say they are not always effective. With a taser or pepper spray you are going to have to get close to the person which might not be safe against an armed escapee that has already sliced a cop. You are not going to go baton vs. a stick. A good K9 might have been effective. One that is proven and can take a suspect down w/o issue. We don't know if they had one on scene. You would not sacrifice a dog for an escaped felon.
The grand jury will hear all the facts and decide if justified.
If they would've had a dog on scene he might have just given up while the dog was still on lead. There is something about the sight of a fearless dog eager for a fight that really changes a person's mind attitude real quick!
I agree there. I worked 2 different dogs during my career. They are great negotiators.
A stick can be a deadly weapon. I have no problem with firing away under those circumstances. He has already demonstrating he is capable of converting a stick into a stabbing weapon.
stroo wrote:You mean none of the officers on the hunt had tasers?!?!?! That does not seem likely.
I know this guy was a bad dude. But all he had were sticks. Unless something is missing from the story, which I wouldn't discount.
They found him because he had burglarized a nearby home and stolen some men's clothing (he escaped wearing just shorts and a t-shirt, and the nights have been in the 30s here). For all they new, he might have stolen a gun too. He had managed, while shackled and manacled, to stab a cop with a shank he made while in the back seat of the car he was being transported in. When he was caught, he no longer had the shackles and manacles on him. He either stole the keys from the cop he shanked, or he had found tools to take them off with. He was a resourceful and violent criminal. He didn't simply escape; he overpowered and badly injured a cop in order to effect his escape.
He got shot dead while exhibiting further aggressive behavior. Sniff! Too bad.
I'm sure he was a fine young man who just fell on bad times, got mixed up in the wrong crowd, was in the wrong place at the wrong time...
The article does not state whether they tried less lethal/non lethal devices. Having used bean bags and pepper ball launchers against subjects like this I can say they are not always effective. With a taser or pepper spray you are going to have to get close to the person which might not be safe against an armed escapee that has already sliced a cop. You are not going to go baton vs. a stick. A good K9 might have been effective. One that is proven and can take a suspect down w/o issue. We don't know if they had one on scene. You would not sacrifice a dog for an escaped felon.
That does not seem likely.