Serving and Protecting

[O Really]

I don't know if this got coverage in WNC, but down here on the Sun Coast we were treated to another example of fearful police officers. An admittedly looney guy was threatening suicide, putting gasoline on himself and saying he was going to light it, and his mother called 911 for help. Cops showed up, tried to get the guy to give it up and he threatened the kevlar-protected cops with - gasp - scissors, and was shot down. I can't imagine the weight of the mother's guilt bag for having called the cops who shot her son. Anybody want to bet on whether the shooting will be found to be "justified"?

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafe ... al/2108146

[O Really]

The particularly sad part about this story was that the victim wasn't a criminal. It's not like he had killed somebody and was escaping. He was seriously disturbed and if they had let him "get away" it's not like he would have likely been a danger to anybody else. But they focused on the "threat" of him to them (with the scissors) and decided to shoot him. So now we're to the point that two or so police officers, clad in Kevlar, can't handle a certified loon with scissors without shooting him? Subsequent reports have said that a Taser might have been an issue because of the gasoline, but seriously - scissors. Or a knive? Or a light sabre? Were there really no reasonable alternative to shooting a guy you know is crazy?

[rstrong]

Zero tolerance.