For many years, the “I feared for my life” were the magic get-out-of-jail words for any copper who blew away a civilian, in whatever circumstance.
Now, fortunately, that not necessarily true anymore, but let’s look at the rationale.
If at the beginning of the encounter the shooter feared for his life, and had a reasonable reason for doing so, he is allowed to take steps to protect himself. Once he starts that process, the fear might not immediately stop when the robber is probably incapacitated. The fear, action and adrenaline continue before a rational grasp of the situation can reasonably take place. Someone on that situation might not be able to stop instantly, especially if not extensively trained in complicated use of force situations.
Also, the robber may have received fatal wounds before the coup de grace. The final shot may have had no effect. Continuing to fire into a corpse, or a person who was fatally wounded, may not be actions which caused injury.
Finally, you know this guy is going to get raked over the coals, his life overturned, his social media and voting history scrutinized. He either shouldn’t come forward, or be guaranteed anonymity. The grand jury process, while it supposed to be private, will leak like a sieve if a leftie narrative can be weasled out.
Was it fear, action, and adrenaline that made the Hero walk up to the Perp lying motionless on the ground, reach down and pick up the Perp's gun, then fire a 9th round into the Perp from a foot away?
There is a line between self defense and execution, and our Hero may have crossed it.
He already has and is cooperating with the authorities.
If at the beginning of the encounter the shooter feared for his life, and had a reasonable reason for doing so, he is allowed to take steps to protect himself. Once he starts that process, the fear might not immediately stop when the robber is probably incapacitated. The fear, action and adrenaline continue before a rational grasp of the situation can reasonably take place. Someone on that situation might not be able to stop instantly, especially if not extensively trained in complicated use of force situations.
I was the victim of an armed robbery, and yes, for me fear and adrenaline cancelled out rational thinking. It was like I was on autopilot, I wasn’t thinking, only of surviving.