Regardless of the mans colour he was in a place he shouldn't have been, carrying out an act he had been forbidden by the courts to do, refused to leave when asked to do so by the police, recovered from being tazered and became very aggressive and abusive to the law officers. He then proceeded to go to his car and bend down to get something. The police were warned he carried a weapon, (doesn't matter if it was a knife, that knife could have turned out to be a big machete or he may have unknowingly had a firearm), so despite being told to stay away from the car he didn't. He lives in America, he knows what is happening in America and if he has 2 brain cells he would realise he may be treated in the same manner as other perpetrators have been. He refused to acknowledge all of this and carried on with his intentions, (whatever they may have been), so the police, who are there to protect innocent or vulnerable action took a split second decision to take the action they did in order to stop him and protect others. Seven shots may seem excessive, only an enquiry may be able to answer that, but put yourself in the position of those officers, (actually you can't even begin to imagine what might have been going through their minds at the time unless you have been front line military facing a hostile enemy), could you swiftly in a split second take a decision that could result in you, your colleagues or an innocent passer-by being killed?
Put yourself in the position of the woman he was trying to get access to. You are terrified that he is going to hurt/kill you or anyone else in your house. You would want the police to take swift action to negate the situation and make you feel safe again. Personally I have no sympathy for the man. He knew he was breaking the law, he knew police carry firearms, he knew they use them in hostile situations and that he ran the risk of being shot. My sympathy lies with the officer who is given a very difficult job to do and never wants to shoot someone because he then has a death at his hands, (which was not in a declared war zone), to contend with for the rest of his life and that fact will follow him around for the rest of his days. He will carry these feelings even if the guy had been white, Chinese, Polish, Mexican or whatever other nationality you care to name.
The media are the worst offenders in these cases for stirring up trouble by using sensationalism to sell their filth.
Put yourself in the position of the woman he was trying to get access to. You are terrified that he is going to hurt/kill you or anyone else in your house. You would want the police to take swift action to negate the situation and make you feel safe again. Personally I have no sympathy for the man. He knew he was breaking the law, he knew police carry firearms, he knew they use them in hostile situations and that he ran the risk of being shot. My sympathy lies with the officer who is given a very difficult job to do and never wants to shoot someone because he then has a death at his hands, (which was not in a declared war zone), to contend with for the rest of his life and that fact will follow him around for the rest of his days. He will carry these feelings even if the guy had been white, Chinese, Polish, Mexican or whatever other nationality you care to name.
The media are the worst offenders in these cases for stirring up trouble by using sensationalism to sell their filth.
(Please take this with the good humor intended)
