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Finally... if this went down as reported, we have something that looks like a justified shoot. If the perp pointed the gun at the officer or at another person... justified. The loss of the innocent person's life is really a tragedy, but I commend the officer on his actions because it was kill or be killed.
You do know police aren't trained to be movie start heroes? They try to take several shots to the mass of a person to take them down because there is a better chance of hitting when there is distance between the officer and the person they are shooting at.
It is sad that she was struck and killed by one of those bullets, overall it is a very sad story that will effect those people's lives.
"Sad" does not begin to measure this tragedy.
I know nothing first hand of police training, but clearly there is a need for training for precisely this sort of scenario, would you not agree? It doesn't even make sense that an officer who can't hit a head with a single shot from a few feet away would be carrying a gun and a badge.
Don't misunderstand my comments. There is no stronger supporter of the police, generally, than I. But I don't accept that this tragedy had to happen.
Let me also make clear that this scenario does not make the case for individual gun ownership for most Americans.
I know nothing first hand of police training, but clearly there is a need for training for precisely this sort of scenario, would you not agree? It doesn't even make sense that an officer who can't hit a head with a single shot from a few feet away would be carrying a gun and a badge.
Don't misunderstand my comments. There is no stronger supporter of the police, generally, than I. But I don't accept that this tragedy had to happen.
Let me also make clear that this scenario does not make the case for individual gun ownership for most Americans.
I don't think any police training teaches them to shoot for the head. I am Surw we have an officer or two that post on here who can give a much more detailed reason than I can.
I know nothing first hand of police training, but clearly there is a need for training for precisely this sort of scenario, would you not agree? It doesn't even make sense that an officer who can't hit a head with a single shot from a few feet away would be carrying a gun and a badge.
Don't misunderstand my comments. There is no stronger supporter of the police, generally, than I. But I don't accept that this tragedy had to happen.
Let me also make clear that this scenario does not make the case for individual gun ownership for most Americans.
Spoken like someone who has clearly NEVER had to shoot back at someone who is shooting at them.
Standing at a little table at a firing range shooting at paper cutouts isn't exactly the same as shooting at someone with a gun pointed in your direction. This officer was in a lose/lose situation and aside from letting the perp shoot him he had no other choice but to shoot the best he could.
I know nothing first hand of police training, but clearly there is a need for training for precisely this sort of scenario, would you not agree? It doesn't even make sense that an officer who can't hit a head with a single shot from a few feet away would be carrying a gun and a badge.
Don't misunderstand my comments. There is no stronger supporter of the police, generally, than I. But I don't accept that this tragedy had to happen.
Let me also make clear that this scenario does not make the case for individual gun ownership for most Americans.
I don't think any police training teaches them to shoot for the head. I am Surw we have an officer or two that post on here who can give a much more detailed reason than I can.
That may well be true. But would you not agree that police training should be sufficiently comprehensive to address different scenarios? One-size-fits-all is not going to work, as demonstrated here.
How ironic is it that not only did the officer's action NOT save her life, but actually took it?
Amazing how quickly this thread about a real life tragedy deteriorates to adolescent one-liners about cop shows and movie stars. Sad, but unfortunately not at all unexpected.
Very sad --- but why was this violent previously convicted criminal running loose in the first place? We need more prisons if they have to let types like this roam free to prey on the innocent.
In this case the cops were damned if they did, damned if the didn't. There would be outrage if they'd have stood and watched the criminal shoot the woman in the head.
In this case, I blame the liberal judges and the probation system that lets someone like this roam freely about to prey upon the innocent. You can bet he had a very powerful drug addiction and "needed" money fast for his next fix -- yet the cartels are given free access over our border to bring the most powerful intoxicants over it to destroy Americans and make them willing to kill even their own grandmother for their drug fix.
Smith had what police described as "an extensive criminal history," which included arrests for robbery in the first degree in 1999, promoting prison contraband in the second degree in 2000, robbery in the first degree in 2003, assault in the second degree in 2003 and robbery in the second degree in 2003.
I'm almost certain that the officer had extensive training with firearms.
A college degree would have helped how?
Humans are fallible.....they make mistakes.
So {sew} buttons on your underwear.
A person or persons with a college education might have given more thought about spraying bullets everywhere and therefore not risking the life of a hostage, duh. Mr. Armchair expert.
Last edited by NoJiveMan; 05-19-2013 at 10:52 AM..
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Mr. Armchair expert.
