8 ms·

In other countries the police is even obligated to fire a "warning shot" (in the air) before shooting to disable (and only later can shoot to kill).

pzxc 12y ago
1. Firing a shot in the air is reckless -- the bullet/round comes down with the same speed and momentum as when it was first fired, and it's gotta land somewhere -- and I'd be surprised if that was the standard operating procedure of any law enforcement agency in the world (however my surprise doesn't mean it isn't true). Perhaps you meant they fire a warning shot in the ground, but there is a big difference and that you missed the distinction suggests to me you may not have accurate information about what law enforcement agencies are or are not required to do. 2. As for the GP, you should neither shoot to kill nor shoot to maim. You should shot to stop the threat. Whether they live or die is not as important as stopping a lethal threat (and if there is no lethal threat, you should not be shooting). And if your intent is to stop the threat rather than kill or injure, the best chance of stopping the threat is to shoot center of mass until the target goes down. (Which will, in most cases, kill the target, incidentally)
- zik 12y ago
  > ...the bullet/round comes down with the same speed and momentum as when it was first fired... This would only be true if air resistance wasn't a thing. Physics is against you on this one.
  - pzxc 12y ago
    You're right, my explanation was technically inaccurate. However, the terminal velocity of a bullet due to gravity is still easily enough to kill someone (and does kill every year from people "celebrating" this way), so my point still stands.
  - Crito 12y ago
    When rifled bullets are fired in parabolic trajectories into the sky, they retain enough horizontal velocity to easily kill. There are numerous examples of people being struck and killed by bullets that were fired into the air (typically in celebration of something inane). Lightweight rounds, such as birdshot, are safe when fired into the sky. That is the exception.
walshemj 12y ago
Actually no certainly in the uk if a copper has to fire they are trained fire to kill - of course in serious anti terrorist situations they call in the SAS.
- Crito 12y ago
  In Germany, and perhaps other countries, police are instructed to fire warning shots. It is only because German police have to fire their guns so infrequently that this has not caused innocent fatalities. The practice violates numerous firearm safety rules.
  - walshemj 12y ago
    Unfortunately Germany has had a number of very high profile terrorist incidents where it went pear shaped.

pzxc 12y ago

1. Firing a shot in the air is reckless -- the bullet/round comes down with the same speed and momentum as when it was first fired, and it's gotta land somewhere -- and I'd be surprised if that was the standard operating procedure of any law enforcement agency in the world (however my surprise doesn't mean it isn't true). Perhaps you meant they fire a warning shot in the ground, but there is a big difference and that you missed the distinction suggests to me you may not have accurate information about what law enforcement agencies are or are not required to do. 2. As for the GP, you should neither shoot to kill nor shoot to maim. You should shot to stop the threat. Whether they live or die is not as important as stopping a lethal threat (and if there is no lethal threat, you should not be shooting). And if your intent is to stop the threat rather than kill or injure, the best chance of stopping the threat is to shoot center of mass until the target goes down. (Which will, in most cases, kill the target, incidentally)

zik 12y ago
> ...the bullet/round comes down with the same speed and momentum as when it was first fired... This would only be true if air resistance wasn't a thing. Physics is against you on this one.
- pzxc 12y ago
  You're right, my explanation was technically inaccurate. However, the terminal velocity of a bullet due to gravity is still easily enough to kill someone (and does kill every year from people "celebrating" this way), so my point still stands.
- Crito 12y ago
  When rifled bullets are fired in parabolic trajectories into the sky, they retain enough horizontal velocity to easily kill. There are numerous examples of people being struck and killed by bullets that were fired into the air (typically in celebration of something inane). Lightweight rounds, such as birdshot, are safe when fired into the sky. That is the exception.

walshemj 12y ago

Actually no certainly in the uk if a copper has to fire they are trained fire to kill - of course in serious anti terrorist situations they call in the SAS.

Crito 12y ago
In Germany, and perhaps other countries, police are instructed to fire warning shots. It is only because German police have to fire their guns so infrequently that this has not caused innocent fatalities. The practice violates numerous firearm safety rules.
- walshemj 12y ago
  Unfortunately Germany has had a number of very high profile terrorist incidents where it went pear shaped.