[beltfed308]

I think the difference is that the patrol officers had experience with people in this type of situation. The marshall was inexperienced as a "street" cop. The marshall made a bad judgement call and fired after the "threat" was gone. It was a revenge shooting to me.

[This Just In]

I have family and friends who have served in law enforcement for quite a number of years now. All of them will tell you that in a situation like that things happen so quickly, and your split second decision may result in an outcome like Stowers.

If Stowers in fact tried to use his vehicle to kill the marshal, who's to say he wouldn't turn that car around and try to run him over again. According to the article, the shot that hit Stowers was believed to have entered for the side and not the back of the vehicle.