Is it necessary for cops to use lethal force against a guy with a knife?

[JLM]

Family in shock after police shooting on Toronto streetcar - Toronto - CBC News

Of course I can understand there are instances when it is, like when he has it pressed against someone's jugular. I think in many cases a shot to the knee cap or shoulder will suffice.

 

[WLDB]

There wasnt really enough info in the article to say. If he was holding someone hostage with a knife to their throat I can see using lethal force. If not a shot in the leg or arm or even a taser shock should have done the trick.

 

[Cliffy]

But, who is going to protect us from the police? Why can't we use lethal force to protect ourselves? It is getting damn hard to tell the criminals from those who are supposed to protect and serve.

 

[grumpydigger]

once you become a full patch member of law enforcement all the rules change , if a citizen used lethal force under any circumstance everything would be different no matter what the reasons

 

[Locutus]

Enhanced video - Shooting of Sammy Yatim by Toronto Police - YouTube

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

He deserved it.

He was a Muslim.

 

[WLDB]

Enhanced video - Shooting of Sammy Yatim by Toronto Police - YouTube

He didnt listen, but by the looks of things he didnt have a hostage either. In this situation wounding him to make him drop the knife makes more sense than killing him.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Shooters are trained to shoot for the center-body mass. In shooting circles, the technical term for an arm or leg shot to wound is a "miss."

 

[captain morgan]

Shooters are trained to shoot for the center-body mass. In shooting circles, the technical term for an arm or leg shot to wound is a "miss."

They really should have done some of that fancy shootin' I've seen in the movies and shot the knife right out of his hand.

I can't help but wonder if the problem here is that the police don't use old-school 6 shooters with those deep holsters that have a bunch of bullets stuck in around the belt-line

 

[#juan]

That was a shameful display of incompetence. The guy was armed with a knife and he was outnumbered by about a dozen police with guns. When the shooting started there were police outside the bus who were in no emmediate danger, but they were shooting like it was a bloody wild west show. These guys obviously need some remedial training. Their only answer to a disturbed man with a knife was to fill him full of lead.

 

[captain morgan]

Killing of Tim McLean - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[#juan]

Killing of Tim McLean - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Right. Where are the cops when you need them? As soon as Li stood up with the victim's head they should have shot him, but, for some reason, they didn't. I don't know why they didn't.

 

[JLM]

Killing of Tim McLean - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Is there a connection between that incident and this one?

 

[captain morgan]

Right. Where are the cops when you need them? As soon as Li stood up with the victim's head they should have shot him, but, for some reason, they didn't. I don't know why they didn't.

Your right... It's imperative that we all understand that knives are a harmless implement unless they are in the hands of people named Vince... Then, it becomes a dangerous thing

 

[JLM]

Right. Where are the cops when you need them? As soon as Li stood up with the victim's head they should have shot him, but, for some reason, they didn't. I don't know why they didn't.

Wouldn't that have been like closing the barn door after the horse has fled?

 

[#juan]

Is there a connection between that incident and this one?

Certainly there is. Both incidents involved a group of policemen and a man with a knife. The connection is obvious. In one incident a man was literally filled with lead. In the other the mounties held their fire even though the guy was an obvious threat.

 

[55Mercury]

Man, that sure looked a lot like murder to me.

 

[JLM]

Certainly there is. Both incidents involved a group of policemen and a man with a knife. The connection is obvious.

Over shadowed by the over whelming differences!

 

[captain morgan]

Is there a connection between that incident and this one?

Not really... This guy probably took his knife out in order to whittle some wood into a spoon or something whereas, Li was likely trying to offer one of his fellow passengers some help shaving.

I'm guessing that the guy in TO was likely heading down to the ice cream shop to use his new wooden spoon, and when he showed his artwork to the police, they were threatened by this spoon, let alone those deadly calories in the (proposed) ice cream and opened fire to save themselves from a poor nutritional choice

 

[JLM]

Not really... This guy probably took his knife out in order to whittle some wood into a spoon or something whereas, Li was likely trying to offer one of his fellow passengers some help shaving.

I'm guessing that the guy in TO was likely heading down to the ice cream shop to use his new wooden spoon, and when he showed his artwork to the police, they were threatened by this spoon, let alone those deadly calories in the (proposed) ice cream and opened fire to save themselves from a poor nutritional choice

Do you think a judge would "buy" that scenario? -