Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Utah...Raw body camera shooting incident

Rock, I'm not trying to say the cop was not justified in killing this man, by shooting him multiple times center mass, then wondering why he wouldn't drop the knife when he was lying face down, on his arms and hands, cold dead. The cop was totally justified. The only point I am making is, if he had wanted to spare this man's life, he could have, without putting his own life in danger.

I knew what you were saying, OO.

But getting sued personally and your department getting sued along with you, for crippling a guy, precluded that a long time ago.

Bullschidt! You don't know what you are talking about.


mike r

This...

That's one big reason why I wouldn't want to be a cop.

Too many people these days are using cops to commit suicide.

If somebody wants to commit suicide, it's their own business, I guess. But don't put it on somebody else to have to deal with.

It was a good shoot with much restraint used. A couple of points.
1. Police ARE NOT trained to shoot to wound. They are trained to stop the life threatening action by the perp whether its directed towards the LEO or someone else. If the person dies because of that action or not, that is how they are trained.
2. We don't know if the officer had a Tazer. LEO's are NOT trained to use such a device in an impending deadly force encounter. They do not always work.
3. The repeated commands to "drop the knife" when some said the perp was dead is a BIG mistake. You cannot assume the perp is dead or unconscious. It is best to have another officer arrive and help assess the medical condition.

Perfect shoot.

Police officer was 110% justified. He gave the man every chance in the world, multiple times. To expect the officer to further risk his own safety is completely unreasonable.

I would agree. He did an exemplary job.

He could have, and we’d pay for the medical, the welfare, and who knows what else after. Until he did it again.

The guy could have been high and not aware of what he was doing or intentionally trying to get killed. Either way the cop didn't have a lot of choice at that time.

Deadly force is just that. You either use it or you don't. There is no wingin them, except on TV.

It's a pretty wide angle camera. I imagine he was a bit closer than it looks.

Cop was right. About everything he did. Hope he understands that well enough that it does not haunt him.

I'm also with the LEO in this case......

we all have our own opinions.....the perp had a death wish......

Maybe too for the LEO....linky......

article in the local news......

http://etvnews.com/body-camera-footage-in-duckworth-shooting-released/

^^^ What he said is spot on.

Shooting to stop the threat is how cops are trained. And that training was developed because other cops died trying to use lesser tactics. Shooting to wound a suspect would be foolish (and against policy) as the suspect could be amped up on drugs, mentally ill, etc. and then continue closing the distance with the cop while the cop is busy trying to aim a shot just to wound the suspect. Shooting a guy below the waist means you've now made him even madder; It doesn't mean the suspect can't continue charging and he still has a knife he can throw at you (or possibly pull out another weapon, maybe a gun).

In normal training, if there's only one officer in a deadly force situation like this, the cop has a firearm out, not a Tazer. If a 2nd officer arrives, that officer can use the non-lethal Tazer while the first officer still has his firearm out. Until the suspect is handcuffed (dead, alive or unconscious) and restrained from attempting further assault, there is a potential threat to honor as the suspect was trying to attack the cop and still has a knife and possibly more weapons in his possession.

I truly hope the LWO can move on after a period of time with his career. For quite a few though, they go downhill. A version of PTSD, alcohol abuse, marital problems and other baggage can occur. Thankfully many departments are aware of this and support the LEO with much counseling. It doesn't hurt either if you are a church member and are willing to talk to your pastor, minister, rabbi or priest.

While the shoot appeared 100% justified - that doesn't mean the LEO is "out of the woods".

I’m impressed by whoever trained that Cop. They say under stress you revert to your training and that Cop’s conduct was impeccable.

I believe the knife was a Mora, ain’t too many knives and sheaths in that bright an orange. I forget the name of the model, It’s a heavier $50 outdoor version, I have one just like it.

I got to confess though what I really wanted to do watching that video was to grab a pair of binoculars and go work along that brush line and that water feature, looks like a fascinating time of year up there.