With his back to the cops how did the cops know he had a weapon? Was it slung over his shoulder? The cops story is "he turned towards us with the barrel up"? How did they know, if the weapon was in front shielded by his body, that he had a dangerous weapon. If the ten seconds is true then they had even less time upon shouting at him and his turning. Maybe five seconds? Wow! Good judgment there.
What is your solution to the situation of a teenager turning and pointing a realistic looking weapon in your direction right in the middle of gang-banger-land?
They state the barrel was "up" not pointing at them. And, yes, I do expect the cops to wait till there is an imminent threat, like I am required by law, before shooting. Is there a less stringent definition of "imminent danger" for the cops?
I will post again my thoughts: "The blame for this is squarely on the anti gun movement. They have created an irrational, and in this case, deadly fear in minds of law enforcement. I am in no way excusing these two cops. They should go to jail for at least second degree murder. But, the true impetus behind this boy’s death are Sandy Hook anti gun nuts, Michael Bloomberg, the Brady campaign, etc.
I can see your point and offer an example of the same mass brainwashing by the media and the antis.
Last night I walked into a Halloween party with a 5’ Boa.
[one of my smaller ones]
Apparently, if you walk boldly into a bar with a Boa as if you belong in a bar with a Boa, nobody will throw you out.
We were there for about 3 hours.
Most of those people only know TV horror stories of killer constrictors, wantonly stalking and murdering everything in their slimy, demonic path.
By the end of the night, even the screaming-meemies were -begging- to hold her and have their photo taken with her.
I lost count of how many people passed her around...scores, at least.
Without exception, everyone was amazed that she was nothing like what they’d been told constrictors are.
Nobody there knew my name but as we left, they were all saying goodbye to Beej.
Ironically, the very same people who were most loathe to touch her in the first place returned over and over again to caress her smooth skin and rub her head.
Why?
Their paradigm had shifted.
Their reality was rocked.
Because what the media force feeds us is crapaganda.
The masses are perpetually startled sheep, forever being panicked into a bleating, milling stampede by the talking heads.
Guns.
Dogs.
Snakes.
Cholesterol.
Wobbly ladders.
Whatever.
We have lost the collective ability to filter out the whiny white noise of bargain basement histrionics and form opinions for ourselves.
I find myself chronically disgusted by the general lack of testicular fortitude.
FWIW, the female cop at the door didn’t even blink as I went out and in with the snake draped around my shoulders.
Calm cop.
Impressively stable.
You better believe it.
I wonder what the real reason is, for the FBI to step in.
Indeed....exactly