New York Police kill 14 year old gunman

[johncar54]

Marco, I rather suspect that if NYPD had turned up to Woolwich in the aftermath of that awful incident we wouldn't be putting the .......... up in prison whilst awaiting their no doubt expensive trial .

I can tell you shooting at an armed person in a street, with civilians all around, is very different from shooting at man-shaped targets on the practice range, and even there, officers often miss the targets completely or (if the target had been a gun man) the hits would not have killed the gun-man.

(Michael) UK armed police are not, and would not wish to be, judge, jury and hangman. If a suspect is killed it is not to be celebrated; a live prisoner who can stand trial is much preferred.

[imagine]

Marco, I rather suspect that if NYPD had turned up to Woolwich in the aftermath of that awful incident we wouldn't be putting the .......... up in prison whilst awaiting their no doubt expensive trial .

I can tell you shooting at an armed person in a street, with civilians all around, is very different from shooting at man-shaped targets on the practice range, and even there, officers often miss the targets completely or (if the target had been a gun man) the hits would not have killed the gun-man.

(Michael) UK armed police are not, and would not wish to be, judge, jury and hangman. If a suspect is killed it is not to be celebrated; a live prisoner who can stand trial is much preferred.

he pointed the gun at the officer, what is he supposed to do what would you do, hesitate and get yourself shot, so he can stand trial after he shoots you i think not

[johncar54]

he pointed the gun at the officer, what is he supposed to do what would you do, hesitate and get yourself shot, so he can stand trial after he shoots you i think not

I was speaking as a retired UK police officer, who when situations required it, carried a gun. In 39 years, I thus spent a lot pf time considering what I would do in a variety of dangerous circumstances.

[imagine]

I was speaking as a retired UK police officer, who when situations required it, carried a gun. In 39 years, I thus spent a lot pf time considering what I would do in a variety of dangerous circumstances.

i think maybe i misunderstood
ok what would you do in the same situation, a gun pointing at you, i know what i would do,
a cop is not a cold killer, he has tough situatations he has to decide instantly what to do, instinct says hes got to stay alive, he has to carry a heavy load of the things he had to do while on duty with him to his grave

[johncar54]

......... what would you do in the same situation, a gun pointing at you....................
a cop is not a cold killer, he has tough situations he has to decide instantly what to do, instinct says hes got to stay alive, he has to carry a heavy load of the things he had to do while on duty with him to his grave

I did say however, "The only way to prevent an armed person from being able to shoot again is either to physically restrain him/her, or of you cannot do that, kill them."

The point of my posts were that police officers do not rejoice in a suspect being killed and have no desire to be 'judge, jury and executioner.' It appeared that some here think that police should deliberately decide to kill rather that detain.

As for, "he has to decide instantly what to do, instinct says hes got to stay alive"

That is not correct. Throughout all their training (not just with firearms) officers examine as many scenarios as possible, so that when they act, albeit in a spit second, it is a trained reaction not an instinctive one, as maybe would be the case with an untrained person.

I would hope that in the USA case the officer had no alternative but to shoot, and as I said, in shooting, to aim to kill. Nonetheless, that was a tragedy, not something to be applauded here or elsewhere.

[Arthur Little]

Nonetheless, that was a tragedy, not something to be applauded here or elsewhere.

... that's been my view, all along! (See #2). Glad someone else here recognises it.