4 ms·
For one, threat level. A cop shooting the suspect has at least the argument of supposed self-defense from imminent harm. They sought him out from a safe place w
by eximius 10y ago
For one, threat level. A cop shooting the suspect has at least the argument of supposed self-defense from imminent harm. They sought him out from a safe place with the sole purpose of his destruction.
- JoeAltmaier 10y agoBut he was an active shooter with a deadly weapon, not surrendering. If it had been a police sniper instead of a robot, that would have been no different and perhaps more familiar and expected?
- daedalus_j 10y agoA police sniper would very likely not be authorized to kill a barricaded shooter who wasn't actively in the process of threatening a civilian or officer. "Imminent threat" is an important standard. If they had time to rig up an IED to the robot, and drive the sucker in there, use the camera to make sure he didn't have any hostages (they did that right?), and THEN detonate the bomb, it doesn't sound like the threat was all that imminent.
- cthalupa 10y agoHe had been shooting at the SWAT team after negotiations broke down. How is that not actively threatening an officer?
- mikeash 10y agoNo, we don't expect police snipers to shoot a suspect who's holed up and talking and has no hostages. At least I certainly wouldn't.
- JoeAltmaier 10y agoI wonder how 'holed up' he was. Many parking garages are open to the air. Imagine had he escaped?
- mikeash 10y agoCan't have been too viable given that he didn't run away from the deadly robot.
- LeifCarrotson 10y agoNo, he was not an active shooter. The FBI definition is "an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area". He was cornered in a parking garage, not active.