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mojo84 wrote:One thing that stood out to me was the demeanor of the cool after shooting the guy. He remains relatively calm and cool. Many other cops that have shot someone were very excited and it was obvious it was a big adrenalin rush, sometimes even sorrowful/compassionate even though it was a justified shoot. This guy seemed pretty matter of fact about it without much emotion. Not that this means anything necessarily. Just an observation.

Maybe because he realized how wrong he was and could see the light at the end of the tunnel of his law enforcement career.

BobCat wrote:C-dub I owe you an answer. I would probably have made the exact mistake the policeman did. Even knowing from the title of the video that the driver was unarmed, I was so surprised by his movements that I "saw" a weapon in his hand instead of his license of whatever it really was. I would have done the same thing the cop did if I had been that close - but I hope I would not have been that close, gun drawn, when the driver made his move.

And so would I under the same circumstances, except that I doubt I would have already had my gun out like this officer did, which, hopefully, would have prevented from making the same mistake. This guy was way too jumpy already.

gljjt wrote:

C-dub wrote:I think that is enough for me and for the police to shoot. Bobcat, at what point would you wait to shoot? Would wait until fired upon first? What if it was a gun?

But it wasn't. And if you had shot in those circumstances you would also be going to trial.

There are dozens of cases where the police and citizen were found to be justified in shooting an unarmed person because they perceived a threat and they thought that person had a weapon and was about to employ that weapon.

This particular case is odd because the officer seemed on edge right from the start and for no good reason and is the one who escalated this incident. Someone said that they could understand the first shot, but it was the follow up shots that presented a real problem when it was obvious the man, not only didn't have a weapon, but might have had his hands up.

The driver/victim did do what he was told to do. However, what was unexpected was that he had to reach back into the vehicle to do that.

Bobcat said that it looked to him as though he went for a weapon and came up with one, but didn't think that was enough reason to shoot. I think that is enough for me and for the police to shoot. Bobcat, at what point would you wait to shoot? Would wait until fired upon first? What if it was a gun?

Having said all that, I don't understand why the officer had his gun out on someone for a seat belt violation if there even was one. His car was pointed the opposite direction when he suddenly backed up and turned around to confront the man. By the time he comes into view the driver is already out of the vehicle. I wonder if the officer really saw a seat belt violation or if he saw the guy undo his seat belt to get out of the vehicle. Is it a violation to take undo the seat belt as you're coming to a stop? Do you have to be at a full stop or in Park or engine shut off or what for it to not be violation?

I couldn't tell from that video that the officer ever realizes he made a mistake and starts to help the guy.