Whoa, little judgmental there without all the facts.
The part of town they were in probably has shots being fired on a daily basis. Also, there was a kidnapping of a 2 year old in the area by someone in a white van. The cops were on the look out for it.
Some people are just too eager to jump on police officers. Yeah, these guys screwed up, but it probably had more to do with being hyperalert due to the situation than being just plain stupid. I can easily imagine our troops doing something similar when in a hyperalert state. (Ever hear of friendly fire?)
Are you a cop? If not, don't be so quick to judge.
Not only that, but the police had received REPORTS from the public of GUNFIRE at that location.
Despite the teasing I have given the officers so far, My best guess is that they were exiting the car, heard the backfire, and squatted down behind the doors. They fired through the windows, not thinking about whether they were up or down, in this sudden and tense situation.
Thanks for sharing.