Friendly fire shootings show why arming everyone won’t solve gun violence [View all]

[SecularMotion]

The New York City police officers who shot and killed Jeffrey Johnson near the Empire State Building last week did not know that he was a lone gunman with a vendetta against a co-worker. The incident took place close to a world-famous landmark in a city that has suffered dearly from terrorist attacks, so it’s not surprising that police reacted aggressively. Still, the incident, in which innocent bystanders were also shot, raises questions about whether police were too quick to assume a broader terror plot was underway ­— and about claims by the gun lobby that having lots of armed people on the scene is the best way to stop gun violence.

The New York Police Department has admitted that all nine bystanders wounded were actually struck by bullets or fragments from two cops. This mystifying fact should result in a serious review of protocols; these officers are trained to be good shots. This was chaos in a crowded environment — an environment that ought to be controlled by law enforcement. As they review the incident, investigators should determine whether any suspicions of a larger plot prompted officers to fire their weapons in ways that would endanger innocent people.

http://articles.boston.com/2012-08-31/editorials/33503371_1_gun-violence-police-officers-gun-lobby