#juan said:Bringing a knife to a gun fight?
Sounds a little crazy to me. In close quarters, I could understand a good bit of urgency to get the guy stopped, but outside in the open with five men to one, there were other options. two or three policemen with batons should have been able to swarm one man with a knife and disarm him. All five policemen standing back and shooting is more than a little cowardly. Maybe it was just lack of training or lack of leadership.
They are taught to be "cowardly". How many times have I heard it from trainers?
"The ONLY important thing is that YOU go home safely at the end of your shift"
I have been playing the Devil's advocate here. I think people who have never been in so much as a street fight second-guessing guys whose lives are at risk is laughable. Most people have no idea what proper procedure in an armed confrontation is. That is demonstrated by the numbers that what the police to shoot the guy in the arm. NOT DONE. Period.
At the same time, I can see the point about night sticks. But all it would take is for the guy to make one lucky slash or stab..........dead cop. Remember, bullet proof vests DO NOT stop edged weapons.
So you are asking these guys to risk their lives to subdue without harm a guy who obviously means them harm..........you're asking a little much.