I’m not considering a straw man argument. You’re imputing I’d defend the police standing by during a violent shootout, which is stupid.
We have no objective information that the gang members did _anything_ warranting a shot, much less 9 dead (I’m not contending there wasn’t, but in absence of _any_ evidence, all we have is apparently groundless shootings). I’m hoping there is justification, but significant time has passed and we haven’t heard _anything_ when usually the DA would be quick to announce justification (say, that the Banditos lured the Cossacks into an ambush).
We have certain constitutionally-established laws in effect. The police can’t tell people - felons included - they can’t eat at a restaurant or otherwise gather peacefully in public. The police can’t start shooting people without actionable evidence of threat of grave bodily harm. The police can’t “not let them into town”.
Of course I support police stepping in to at least contain violence, and minimize the possible harm to innocents.
Problem is, there’s no indication yet that was the case ... and the growing passage of time, without intervening commentary from the LEO & DA agencies involved, is _not_ a good sign.
There is no evidence the police did anything wrong.
There is a tremendous amount of information and evidence to be sort out.
I can wait for the information to be made public.
I predict that then, some poster here will claim coverup.
But there are still people claiming the earth is flat, created 10000 yrs. ago, fluoride is a conspiracy and harms us, there was no holocaust, no moon landing, we don’t need vaccines, etc, etc.