It's a pellet gun, which can easily blind someone, and can penetrate a human skull.
The kid is 13, no adult present, carrying the weapon in a public urban area.
That breaks two California laws right there.
His back was turned to the cops, and he was wearing a hoody, so age was difficult to determine.
When ordered to drop the gun - twice - he turned around, still holding the gun, which was now pointed in the direction of the officers.
You sound like an idiot.
But, as LEOs, they should be held to a higher standard.
Cops should NEVER initiate the violence. But when violence ensues, they should have the right/duty to use violence to end it, with public safety paramount.
In our legal system, you may not physically defend yourself until attacked. Threats are not sufficient to justify a violent reaction. Merely looking dangerous is not sufficient justification. Just as citizens are prosecuted for violating this common sense restriction to self defense, so to, should police.
A major crisis is developing in our country, as more & more groups are claiming entitlements not given to others. Politicians are entitled to a lavish lifestyle. Blacks are entitled to preferential treatment in economic opportunities. Muslims are entitled to avoid Obamacare. Police, controlled by unions, another entitled class, are abusing their authority.
Justice is supposed to be blind, & therefore incapable of telling a uniform from a hoodie. Justice, I believe, would say the police initiated the violence & therefore are responsible for its consequences.
If your eyes have never deceived you, you must have been blind since birth. (No offense intended to blind people.) Things are often not what they initially seem. Most of us learn that it is unwise to violently react without first assessing the situation. Haste makes waste. When the zombie jumps out of the bushes, we don't immediately pull the glock & empty it - it might very well be a joke. As long as you are not being assaulted, you have time to think. Ten seconds is not thinking, it is reacting.
If the law allows police to shoot anyone that looks, in their OPINION, dangerous, but has committed no violent act, then we truly live in a police state.
The 13 year old had 10 seconds to respond.
Ten seconds.
You are defending a murder, and a murder which helps the gun-control crowd, no less.
Apparently, you've never heard of Airsoft guns. They shoot mostly harmless small plastic balls. The main threat is eye injury ("you'll put somebody's eye out!").
This is police state overreaction on parade. If the kid didn't point it at anyone, they had no reason to shoot-- even if it was a real rifle.
oh..so he turns and within 10 seconds doesn’t react fast, so he is shot for that? Cops know about air soft and pellet guns. He wasn’t aiming the rifle, in a shooting stance, right?
Plastic pellets. Airsoft. Might do damage to an eye on a close enough shot but no where near enough force to penetrate a skull at any range.
That breaks two California laws right there.
"Laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding..." "Shall not be infringed".
In 10 seconds, several someones screaming at you will cause you to turn around to see what all the fuss is about. Seeing REAL guns pointed at you will give you an "oh sh*t" moment and cause you to freeze.
Getting riddled with very real bullets for carrying a toy only shows how far off base our "law enforcement" has fallen.