If I have a gun, and you have a knife, and I pull up in a vehicle to "confront" you, I'll put the vehicle between you and me, not jump out and "hold my ground".
If you want to come around the vehicle with your knife, THEN I'll shoot you.
The "Pretend Sojer Code" prevents the police from using their heads and backing up in a situation like this.
It's interesting to watch the body language of the backup police when dealing with the onlooking peasantry.
Police officers are not required to retreat in the face of threats and person running forward can do it alot faster than you can backup.
It’s the citizen committing the act that is required to submit to the FIRST command of the officer to desist. Those officers gave multiple verbal commands to the decedent who decided the outcome.
“If you want to come around the vehicle with your knife, THEN I’ll shoot you.”
That’s exactly how it was playing out. No doubt the guy was approaching to kill, and walking around the car would only delay the act by no more than a second. By the time his intent was clear, retreat was not a viable option.