A Troubled Man and 20 Police Bullets in Brooklyn

[Tom Earp]

The article did not say if the alley way was dark or lit.

If an Officer "thinks" that the individual has a weapon then they have a justification to fire.

If there is gun fire, it is an automatic reaction to fire at a suspect if they thought he had a weapon.

While none of us were there and do not know if it was a rightous shooting, that is the question.

It is also called the Blue Wall. I never liked that idea if there was a cover up myself. If it was a bad COP, I did not back off one damn bit in my Department! I hated brutal COPs and they knew it!!

Some said I needed to take care of my own! They were not my own if they did not do right!

I have been there and it is never easy for a Police Officer to shoot anyone and have that on thier head forever.

Yes, no weapons are allowed in NY unless your were a local Officer. Did I have mine when I went there Yes. Did I hide it Yes! I was not legal in the eyes of NY!

If this person did not obey orders from the Officers on the scene, he left himself open. There was a call to the P D, that is why they were there.

What happened next is anyones conjunture and none of ours as none were there!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

If an Officer "thinks" that the individual has a weapon then they have a justification to fire.

No, if an officer reasonably thinks (1) that the individual has a weapon, (2) that he is about to use it, and (3) that the use of force is necessary to protect himself or others, then he has justification to fire.

[Rudey]

I'm not a cop so I don't completely understand this...but 20 bullets? I'm assuming that's 20 bullets that hit him and not the total fired. Anyway, 20 bullets?? If someone needs to be shot, you just create a killing field? What if there were other people nearby?

Clearly I don't know what happened but 20 bullets still sounds ridiculously high to me.

-Rudey