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California sheriff releases bodycam video of killing of boy, 15, holding gardening tool
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 14 Mar 2024
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I think shooting someone trying to attack you with a hoe generally counts as self-defense, but I don't understand why
This seems like exactly the situation tasers are meant for. Even if attempting to use a taser would have been riskier for the deputies, IMO accepting a reasonable amount of risk is part of their job. "Take the risk of confronting an aggressive teenager, but not the further risk of attempting to subdue him non-lethally" isn't where I would have the line drawn.
That statement also admits that this is in line with protocol, Idk who in their right mind would call a protocol acceptable where 3 guys show up to a distress call with guns and can’t manage to deescalate one kid with a hoe without loss of life.
The question I'm asking is:
Why is there no time for a taser or pepper spray? Those should release just as quickly and easily as a firearm. Moreover, I'm rather confident I could take someone coming at me with a gardening tool, and I'm no police officer. Sure, don't risk a physical altercation, though at what point did that situation warrant the use of a firearm?
And a taser holds little real risk for the officer firing it. Hell, even a gun can have issues.
But in your first sentence you clarified this is okay. No change will happen until you, and every other American, change that thinking.
You don’t understand why a cop killed a kid in a country that will do backflips in order to find justification for said violence?
It’s only one small step from advocacy of a taser to advocacy of a gun.
Tasers are not as effective as a gun. If you are fighting for your life you take no chances.
And if this were a story about some random person defending themselves I might agree, but it's not. It's about a police officer who supposedly has the physical fitness and training to take the extra risk of using less than lethal options.
They say that tasers are not reliable. Plus police also have guns, so if a person with a hoe knocks you out (because taser failed), it can get possession of the gun and can start killing others.
That says they shouldn't have tasers.
"It"?
That says they shouldn't have guns.
“It” is obviously a typo.
The police should have tasers for the case when a person is aggressive but does not have a weapon, like a haw.
In places like UK it is indeed makes sense for police not to have guns on police . But in US, population has lots of guns, so, it is not realistic.
A taser would have been enough. That 15 year old kid wouldn't be able to shrug off a taser.
Tasers can fail to go off, miss, not attach, or even be dodged besides some people not being affected. If somebody has what is effevely a knife on a pole and they're that close it's one and done. The most effective force to use is a gun.
Pull out both and position taser like flashlight?
Pull taser out immediately to reduce time drawing it if their is slight indication of violence.
I'm not sure someone running at you with a gardening tool counts as fighting for your life.
Police around the world manage not to shoot people in these situations.
It was basically a knife of a pole. It's a long reach weapon and most gun instructors will tell you even at 21 feet a hand to hand weapon may have the advantage over a gun. Best not to have potential weapons at the ready when confronting police. This is all armchair quarterbacking at this point anyway. It was a heat of the moment reaction.