Are Police Allowed to Robot-Bomb Suspects?

U.S. News & World Report‎ ^ | July 08, 2016 | Steven Nelson

[Dubh_Ghlase]

"It sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think?"

[American72]

What do you do if you are eating supper and a robot comes up to your house and says “Turn over all your guns or I will blow you up right now.”? Exactly. Once they start down this rabbit hole, I can see how this type of technology could be used in this manner. The possibilities are frightening.

[Menehune56]

A shame an innocent robot had to be sacrificed to take out this filth. I just hope they didn't use Wall-E.

[Innovative]

When you have an active shooter killing people, I think using all measures, including robots, to stop him makes sense.

Dallas Shooting Suspect, Micah Johnson, ‘Upset at White People’

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3447534/posts

“A military veteran who said his goal was to kill white police officers opened fire Thursday night in downtown Dallas, leaving five officers dead and seven wounded before the police killed him with a remote-controlled explosive delivered by a robot, officials said. “

[showme_the_Glory]

Number 5 Alive.

[Brooklyn Attitude]

That little Robot just became the First Terminator.

[Talisker]

Shoot 11 police officers and kill 5 and you will be amazed at what they are willing and able to do to you

Nobody argues with that. It's the precedent for the weapon that is concerning. Specifically, in using it elsewhere, under conditions where it is not immediately and absolutely required. Cops get killed under all sorts of conditions. So the next step is a drone bomb, right? What about never seeing any human cops again - just drones. Don't want that? Why not - you want cops to get killed? So where's the argument against it?

[blueplum]

I’m going to guess that since the shooter wanted to keep up the firefight, he had a few hundred rounds left to do so. He made claims about bombs, so that raised a question as to whether he was personally strapped. He was wounded but not enough to bleed out. Flashbangs had no effect. So, the cops could wait him out for a few shifts over which the shooter would get crazier and crazier, or they could end it.

It strikes us as odd for police to use a robot-bomb and I’d like to know more about it, but if the guy wanted suicide by cop he got it pretty spectacularly.

[anoldafvet]

Before shooting back they should have to get permission from a lawyer like our troops in Afghanistan do. Sarc/off

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

the police killed him with a remote-controlled explosive delivered by a robot, officials said. “

Depending on how it was delivered, perhaps the robot could be nicknamed "Proctobot".

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

the police killed him with a remote-controlled explosive delivered by a robot, officials said. “

Depending on how it was delivered, perhaps the robot could be nicknamed "Proctobot".

[rdcbn]

By all accounts, this was an improvised solution to neutralize a skilled, well armed killer who did not want to be taken alive .

They already have guns mounted on robotic entrance so a grenade is not a stretch.

It all comes down to policy.

I'm not thrilled with the concept personally because the prime justification for such a device is to resolve hostage situations while protecting the hostages and general public and an explosive device is not the best hostage rescue option for obvious reasons.

The issue is when society spins out of control and violence becomes the norm, such tools become a justifiable slippery slope kind of necessity.

My personal preference is to have a peaceful and tranquil enough society where a old school revolver is maore than adequete side arm for LEOs.

[blueplum]

“What do you do if you are eating supper and a robot comes up to your house “

The bot’s mistake would be giving me time to go get what it wants. So, if the robot was on the welcome mat, I’d drop a faraday box on it and disable the robot

If the robot was on the front lawn, I’d activate the lazer and make robot popcorn

except, I don’t have a faraday box and I don’t have a lazer so, I’d probably just run like I was 20 again.

[Milton Miteybad]

Do you think, just perhaps, that the fact that the suspect was holed up in a parking garage, raining down rifle fire onto the police officers below could have had something to do with their decision to use a robot to present the perpetrator with his own personal fireworks display?

Let's face the cold, hard facts: if this evildoer had not been shooting cops like fish in a barrel, he would never have had to concern himself with robots, bombs, or anything else. If the perpetrator had not taken it upon himself to kill five peace officers and wound six more, he'd be alive and in one piece today.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

I hope they put a pound of bacon on top of the bomb to scare the crap out of the maggot.

[Jack Hammer]

More ROE BS?

[Secret Agent Man]

Well they have before. Flashbangs have killed a few people.

Tanks through doors have as well.

[Secret Agent Man]

Hopefully this will not be the case if they ever come after actual patriots to murder us.

[r_barton]

To prevent collateral damage a robot wood chipper with a large vacuum attachment would be more effective and more just. ;-)

[Elderberry]

A shame an innocent robot had to be sacrificed to take out this filth. I just hope they didn't use Wall-E.

Don't assume the robot was destroyed just because it was the delivery mechanism of the explosives.