Shootout in South Carolina with video

[AEA]

Not surprising considering that the majority of Plain Clothes Cops NEVER have to use their pistols and probably have never been in a life or death situation like this. I would bet this is his first!

[Will938]

Still, she's acting like the cop is the criminal. I like how she says the perp was returning fire to defend himself...glossing over the fact that he retreived a pistol and was moving to get the drop on the officer.

She said nothing of the sort. The cop shot first. The "perp" returned fire. That's what happened and that's what she said.

Yes the kid retreived a pistol and was moving to get the drop on the officer...who was patiently waiting in his car, gun in hand. The cop had plenty of time to leave.

Go back and read it again, she insinuated that he was waiting there for a confrontation so he could kill the scumbag. She can't possibly know what he was thinking. He might of been waiting because he knew a confrontation was coming, but the guy sealed his own fate. Had he just left and not tried to pull a gun he wouldn't of had any holes poked in him. You tell me where you want to be when you're pretty sure you're about to be shot at; sitting still, gun in hand, waiting for the guy to show his intentions, or unprepared probably backing up through a cramped gas station?

[Photoman]

The COP had plenty of time to LEAVE?!? Why on earth do you want him to leave? He's a cop, not Joe Citizen!

For cryin' out loud. You are working way too hard to make the cop the bad guy here. Ain't gonna wash.

elb

This is a very good point that I hadn't considered. I'm thinking of this from my POV as a citizen.

Regarding your second point: It's insulting. I try very hard to look at the facts without letting my emotions or preconcieved notions color my judgement. Don't be prejudiced against the kid or for the officer until the facts are studied.

[Photoman]

I am surprised that no-one has noticed the officers ND/AD!

I noticed it but it really doesn't have any bearing on the event. Besides, everyone thinks I'm out to string up the poor guy already.

[Photoman]

You tell me where you want to be when you're pretty sure you're about to be shot at;

Behind cover, gun in hand and badge out ready to arrest him.

[Sangiovese]

I am surprised that no-one has noticed the officers ND/AD!

I noticed it, as well as sweeping the store and apparently firing one shot without any sort of sight picture. Those are the things he did wrong.

He also had excellent situational awareness, moved to cover, and put several rounds on target. Those are the things he did to save his life.

If I ever find myself in a similar situation, I hope that I can do the things that he did well, and avoid the mistakes. But until I find myself in a situation like that, I don't think that I can really criticize him. I can critique his performance in order to try to learn from the things that didn't go so well - but I am not going to try to say that I would have done any better.

He lived. No innocents were hurt. Sounds like a good outcome, even if it isn't a textbook example of tactical gunhandling.