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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]StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)If having a gun makes someone a threat deserving of being summarily shot in the street, the streets would be littered with white men shot by police all across America. But funny how that doesn't happen... Hell - white men who obviously ARE threats as proven by the people they just shot dead don't get shot by the police.
He was not a threat to the cop while running away - that's why police are not permitted to shoot fleeing suspects.
When the cop ordered him to stop and put up his hands, he did it. At that point, he posed no threat to the cop at all. In fact, that's why cops tell people to put up their hands - because people with their hands in the air, even if they have a gun, cannot easily shoot anyone.
The child was no threat to the officer in that moment. He had surrendered.