This reminds me a bit of the infamous 1986 FBI shootout in Miami where lessons were learned the hard way about how to—and how not to—effectively engage and eliminate well-armed criminals. How did not one but two motorcycle cops get taken out with headshots from a handgun fired by a two-bit thug? Why did two experienced SWAT team members go down? There are well-established protocols and tactics that are supposed to be followed that give almost all the advantages to the SWAT team members—not to the thug. There’s a lot we don’t know at this point, but the circumstantial evidence suggests that there was a failure of tactics or training.
27 year old 2 bit thug may have had former military experience and lots of remote range time. Not all gang bangers are spray and prey wannabes. Some can shoot !
The traffic stop situation is hard to stop if a perp just comes out firing head shots. You can’t treat every routine stop like an armored car robber max felony stop. (Miami).
In the apt house, that’s harder. If the building was evacuated, do you ever send a SWAT team in? If the perp is hiding in a closet with a leveled semi-auto rifle, and just blasts away at the sound of approaching cops talking “clear” etc, what do you do?
Do you just pump in tear gas? If you do, it can cause the entire apt house to ignite, explode and burn. Then the community hangs you. Remember, it was only a “tip” that he might be inside. What if he’s not, and you keep the apt house evacuated for a full day or two, for officer safety. Then the community hangs you for keeping them out of their apts.
Being a cop is hard and dangerous. All danger and risk cannot be eliminated, ever.