This whole story is weird.

 

West Virginia Cop Fired for Not Killing Man with Unloaded Gun

 

Another link with a bit more information....More Info

Interesting. In most cases, including a recent one near Cincy I thought an officer would be fired for doing what this guy did. In both cases, the officers instincts were right. However, if wrong and the guy goes back inside and kills the girlfriend then how do we look at this situation? By not shooting he put others at risk, not just himself.

 

If you think you've got a tough job you've got no idea what this job is like. 99% boredom and 1% pure fear.

Interesting. In most cases, including a recent one near Cincy I thought an officer would be fired for doing what this guy did. In both cases, the officers instincts were right. However, if wrong and the guy goes back inside and kills the girlfriend then how do we look at this situation? By not shooting he put others at risk, not just himself.

 

If you think you've got a tough job you've got no idea what this job is like. 99% boredom and 1% pure fear.

 

I'm have a similar opinion. In a situation like that it's really hard to say the cop made the right decision to not shoot the guy when he produced a weapon and would not put it down. At the time the officer did not know the gun wasn't loaded, the man was threatening a woman (and children?) or at least they were in a possibly life threatening situation, and he would not follow orders. I'd say much more often than not when someone produces a gun in a situation like that, it is loaded and they have the ability to use it and probably the mindset to use it. Unfortunately police officers don't have the time to psychoanalyze the situation/perpetrator and must act when the person is shown to be a threat to either the officer themselves or others. The officer may not have felt threatened, but there is no way he could have known the guy wasn't going to go back in the house and blow away the woman/children.

 

Now, should the guy be fired for this? Ummmmm, that's a tough one. If the guy is a good cop, first instinct is to say no. But did he hesitate in what should have been viewed as a deadly situation? Possibly. And if he is viewed in that way can a fellow police officer he may be with trust him if another situation comes about and a person produces a weapon...only this time loaded with an intention to use it? That's a tough call.

 

Reason 5,276 why being a police officer is so dang tough, and many times a thankless job.

He wasn't threatening anyone but himself.

He wasn't threatening anyone but himself.

 

Dude, if a guy has a gun, has a woman in the house (and possibly children, article didn't say) and is making threats to kill himself, you don't know he's not a threat to the woman and others. He's obviously unstable so he's liable to do anything...the problem is you don't know what he is willing or capable of doing. Lots of people kill themselves...and others before they do so. Happens every day.

Dude, if a guy has a gun, has a woman in the house (and possibly children, article didn't say) and is making threats to kill himself, you don't know he's not a threat to the woman and others. He's obviously unstable so he's liable to do anything...the problem is you don't know what he is willing or capable of doing. Lots of people kill themselves...and others before they do so. Happens every day.

 

Okay

In this case, if the person tried to re-enter the house/apartment then he should have pulled the trigger. Not sure why the responding officers didn't try less than lethal force. Maybe a bean bag round?

In this case, if the person tried to re-enter the house/apartment then he should have pulled the trigger. Not sure why the responding officers didn't try less than lethal force. Maybe a bean bag round?

 

Is that routine issue for most cops? My first guess is to say no but I don't know. Also, having seen videos of these things used, you have to have a pretty clear open shot to effectively use those things. If this guy was standing in a doorway possibly partially obscured by a door frame, wall, etc., it may not have worked and possibly triggered him to react violently, who knows.

That's like arresting someone for not rioting.

I can see both sides. In the end, would he have shot him if the felt he or another citizen was in danger? if so, he's the perfect policeman. If not, he should be driving a truck.

 

Unfortunately, no one is perfect and expecting perfection isn't fair in most cases.

He wasn't threatening anyone but himself.

 

Murder/Suicide.

 

All too common now days.

 

But I see your point very well.

Sort of maps the new movie Sully, that I went to this weekend.

 

The one in the cockpit has to make the final decision. He made a decision to try to work it out - at extreme risk to himself. But it was his call in real time. Two other arrived and those 'flying' the situation plane changed. They saw it differently.

 

Pilots, police - they are both sometimes dealing with extrodinary situations that require 'gut feel'. He made the decision to try to work out. He should not be fired for going with his gut in this situation. And - his gut was proven to be correct. Maybe that is what has the chief mad.

So this happened in May and were just now hearing about it. Go figure.

Just to clarify, my reasoning for posting this has nothing to do with the guy being shot and killed. He had a weapon, that no one knew was unloaded, and failed to adhere to commands. No issue with that.

 

My issue is this cop should've never been fired.

Just a thought... But maybe this officer didn't shoot the guy because he didn't want to be the next cop to make the national news in a negative way for following protocol?

 

I haven't clicked on the article yet and don't know all of the details, but I will. I just wanted to post my perspective before reading what the media tells me "really" happened. You couldn't pay me enough to be a police officer in this day in time. Everything they do is portrayed as wrong by 75% of the public and when it involves discharging their firearm they could end up going to prison for it. As sad as it is, it's hard to question an officer for not discharging his weapon in an instance like this. If his life wasn't in danger, why put it in danger by firing your weapon?