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In reply to the discussion: I fully understand that this post is likely to draw very intense personal criticism but, at my age, [View all]SergeStorms
(19,187 posts)you really stepped in it this time, didn't you?
I agree with you on this one. Cops aren't always wrong, and in 1/100 of a second this one made a decision that will probably haunt them their entire life. Most Cops hate drawing their guns, let alone firing on someone. There have been far too many shootings lately, and I think many here are venting their spleens, and no one likes being told they're wrong. This was tragic, but Cops have literally split seconds to make decisions. This Cop thought their life was in danger and reacted. A 13 year old juvenile lost his life because of it.
For those who think the Cop is a "murderer or executioner" let me ask them this; in 1/100 of a second when the kid turned with his "hands up", is it possible the Cop thought those hands were being raised to fire a shot? The kid was told numerous times before to stop and drop the gun, and he didn't. Then he wheels around, after ditching the gun behind a fence where the Cop can't see if he's dropped the gun or not, and raises his hands. The Cop doesn't know if the gun is still in those hands or not, and are those hands being raised to fire his gun? The Cop, fearing for their own life, fires. All in 1/100 of a second.
It's most certainly a tragic end to something that should have never happened, but the kid (and remember, the Cop doesn't know it's a kid at this point) shares responsibility for this terrible tragedy. He took his chances when he picked up that gun and broke the law, and he lost. This Cop is no more a murderer than you or I, Atticus. I'm in the same age group as yourself, and I think we've seen a little more of life, and death, on which to base logical explanations. You knew you were going to catch hell, as do I, but maybe you gave one person reason to take pause and not be so reactionary. If so, you've succeeded. Too bad a kid had to lose his life over such a stupid and tragic mistake.