The Antelope Valley Times

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Man carrying ax shot dead by deputies in Lancaster [update: man ID’d]

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LANCASTER  – A 45-year-old man was shot to death by sheriff’s deputies in Lancaster after he walked toward them carrying an ax that he had previously used to try to kill a neighbor, authorities said.

It happened around 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, outside a home on the 2800 block of La Vida Drive in Lancaster, according to a news release by the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Deputies responded to the area after a report that an ax-wielding man had gotten into an argument with a neighbor.

“The suspect, a male white 45 years old, had an ax, swung it at his neighbor several times, and threatened to kill him,” sheriff’s officials said in the news release.

When the deputies arrived, the man was standing outside on his front lawn holding the ax.  The man then walked toward the deputies, who ordered him to drop the weapon, which he allegedly refused to do, according to the sheriff’s department.

“One of the deputies fired several rounds at him from a stun bag shotgun, but it did not affect the suspect. The suspect raised the ax up so it was partially above his head and walked toward the deputies. The deputies then shot the suspect,” the sheriff’s news release states.

Paramedics rushed the man to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His name has been withheld pending family notification.

The shooting is being investigated by the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, the Internal Affairs Bureau, the Office of the Inspector General and the L.A. County District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division.

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UPDATED 2/15/16: The man killed in the deputy-involved shooting has been identified as 45-year-old Matthew Quinn, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.

Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

101 comments for "Man carrying ax shot dead by deputies in Lancaster [update: man ID’d]"

  1. It is always sad when law enforcement has to draw their weapon to protect themselves or the public. No policeman or sheriff (and I know many) ever “gets off” on killing someone! That is an insane statements by someone who is – likely, mentally disturbed! This suspect had an opportunity to drop the ax – and he refused to do so, even after being hit three times with a stun bag. Someone said he may have had a death wish. Someone else said he was mentally challenged. Regardless – he gave the deputies no choice. They have been trained that when they are forced to draw their weapon, they are not to try to be a John Wayne or Rifleman and shoot the weapon out of the bad guy’s hand. That is crazy – they shoot where they have the greatest probability of stopping the suspect. Sometimes the bullet does not hit a vital organ, but often it does. We can all agree that it is a tragedy whenever someone is killed – for any reason, but I tell you – I never want a police office or sheriff to lose their life trying to save ours. They put their life on the line every day – never knowing if they will be coming home to their family that night because of some idiot who thinks he is above the law. Look at what happened in Dallas! Sheesh – unbelievable!! I can understand that out of the thousands of law enforcement personnel, a few idiots get a badge and gun – and do stupid things! Deal with those deputies or police officers – and harshly! But don’t use a wide brush to paint all law enforcement as trigger happy! That is a stupid argument – and these protests when they get out of hand and start blocking freeways, looting stores – are nothing more criminal behavior. How does that help us all deal with the few who need to be removed from law enforcement or even prosecuted when they cross the line? It doesn’t! It is a total distraction! Bottom line – God bless and protect our law enforcement (and military) – they make it possible for us to live without fear in this great country.

    • They might make it possible for YOU to live without fear. For many people their single biggest fear is that these “law enforcers” will use their authority to ruin, or even end, their lives.

  2. New tactic for use in these situations:
    All patrol cars will carry a rope, when a suspect does not go down with less than lethal two officers shall deploy with the rope stretched between them and run past the suspect with the rope at either ankle level or neck level to knock down the suspect.

  3. To Tim Scott,
    Re: “…cops go looking for fights knowing that they can always shoot their way out if they need to. And clearly you are okay with that.”

    No, I am not “…okay with that.” I reserved judgment and post information about the possible reason/cause of this shooting and you still can’t get past your dislike of LEO’s. In the process you attempt to paint me as a boot licker simply because I don’t get into lockstep with your position. Sorry, fail on your part. You try to come off as some kind of voice of reason or conscience, but your own words betray your true agenda

    I suspect that now is where I will be encouraged to go and inflict harm on myself as you did in a previous “discussion”?

    • Not at all. I think my previous response was about as neutral as your original comment. We disagree, and I have no problem with it and don’t really see that I “tried to paint you as a bootlicker.” That’s just perspective…the same kind of perspective that makes you write off everything I say as “just can’t get past your dislike of LEOs.”

      Meanwhile…I don’t recall suggesting you inflict harm on yourself. Unless you were using a different screen name at the time. Of course, I could just be forgetting. Having been subjected to any number of pointed personal attacks since I started posting here I have been in any number of fairly heated discussions where i have responded in kind.

      • I love you Tim Scott! While I may not always agree with you, your comments are always very intelligent and well thought out. You keep a cool head while most are quick to “pop off like a five dollar shot gun” and in turn, just sound stupid. Bravo, and keep posting. It’s refreshing and keeps me (for one) coming back to this site to read the comments!

  4. “Notice that the neighbor who was attacked managed to survive unharmed…without killing anyone. Apparently DISTANCE does make one immune to swings from an axe. It just doesn’t create the opportunity to shoot someone and go back to the station with a good story.

    Despite all your silly mischaracterizations I’m going to refrain from calling you names in kind. Back to you.”

    Tim, I must say I admire your restraint and rare deviation from your standard response. Thanks for not calling me names. Pleasantries aside, this ‘DISTANCE’ suggestion that you claim would make one immune to an axe swing holds no ground in this particular situation.
    You are correct that keeping a good separation between yourself and someone swinging an axe would probably increase your life expectancy, however this would not and did not apply to law enforcement in this situation. Using DISTANCE as a tactic is impractical and impossible as a means to subdue someone running around with an axe in a densely populated suburban neighborhood and would do little to prevent the subject from attacking someone or continuing on with an attack.
    Furthermore this DISTANCE tactic you tote so highly would not only decrease the likelihood of a successful apprehension but also increases the likelihood of collateral damage to innocent civilians. Maybe if this was somewhere secluded in a remote area, but not your standard cookie cutter house, civilian filled neighborhood. The risk of him attacking someone or barricading himself in someones house is far too great.
    Based upon your tactical advice the cops were supposed to get a long eye on the guy and subdue him with less lethal from a far distance. Not practical Tim. You’ve been watching too much TV again. I suppose the deputy was just supposed to blow the axe out of his hand with a single shot from 300 yards away…? Hindsight can be corrected to 20/20 but your vision chart is still foggy on this one.
    For starters, there was no mention of this man’s mental illness, no detailed info that the neighbors were unharmed; the cops didn’t know anything other than a man with an axe had attacked his neighbors and was on the loose with said axe still in hand.
    Deputy responds to area after numerous people call 911 in a panic, deputy is greeted by terrified witnesses pointing towards a wild man with axe in hand, which he is still waving about and moves towards deputies with. So I ask you, what option did the deputies have at this point? To throw the cars in reverse and retreat back to safety to work out a plan to distract and disarm him without using any weapons or raising their voices? Give me a break Tim. We all know that you would of just walked up and took the axe from him because you’re just plain cool like that (and because you said that’s what you would of done) – However back in the real world, this guy was an immediate threat to his neighbors, his family and the deputies.
    We all know the outcome and the result – However it is just in poor taste that you would even suggest that lethal force was used simply for bragging rights by the cops. I get that you’re anti cop and loathe law enforcement in general, and that’s fine.
    Yet employing deadly force on a man with an axe doesn’t warrant the label of trigger happy corrupt cop. Could they have aimed for the knees or went for a non kill shot? In the minds of anyone that has never had someone running towards them with a weapon, absolutely. However, If you’ve ever been in a situation like that, the answer and response is you are more than likely going to shoot until the threat is no longer a threat, and this applies across the board, civilian or sworn. Cop or no cop. Tim or Joe Q Citizen. And finally, regarding your latest wisdom:

    Tim Scott
    February 16, 2016 at 8:02 am
    If someone is an immediate danger to the public they need to be shot. If the only person they are a danger to is someone who is going out of their way to put themselves at risk that doesn’t apply.

    Probably one of your top 10 greatest posts that further reaffirms the type of person you are or long to be. However, on a positive note your unintended sense of humor still shines through those hard renegade vigilante posts of yours; I’m still laughing at your post regarding how you would of handled this: By simply ‘walking up and taking the axe from him’ – Okay Tim, thanks for the laugh. You should consider stand up comedy, when you’re not otherwise disarming folks with your bare hands, saving society and bashing all things not Tim approved of course.

  5. When a cop tells you to drop your weapon and you refuse and advance toward the cop with the weapon raised–nothing good is going to happen. They tried non-lethal force and it didn’t work. They had no choice.

    I’m not a huge fan of our local sheriffs, but those men and women put their lives on the line every day. The shooting was sad, but certainly justified.

  6. To all unfortunately these incidents do happen but please remember this dies son brother
    maybe a father and some bodies best friend. RIP To a lost man and My prayers go out to
    his family Mental illness comes in all shape size and form. Ive lost loved ones to this decease and I pray some day there will be a cure for all Mental illness but remember he did have loved ones that are grieving so be kind say your oppinions but don’t hate the
    ill

  7. Cops righreously kill a nut with an axe. Libs try to demonize cops. Libs get smacked down for being idiots. So they deflect and start talking about LEAPS. Same old story.

  8. I’m so sick of reading comments about leaps…. is anyone else in agreement? There is no stopping our legal agencies from buying equiptment, expanding their efforts in stopping crime. That’s what law enforcement means. Enforcing the law. Leaps, Leaps, Leaps who cares! The money would be used somewhere else if not on leaps. Don’t waste your thoughts on the program. Nothing will change it is what it is. Just live by the rules be law abiding. If a mentally ill person were to enter your home at 3am all in bed… and try killing your child with an ax…. would you allow it or would you kill the attacker? The ignorance I read is astounding. He had an ax he was a threat he would not quite and lay the weapon down. He wanted to die and he used this as his way to be killed rather than kill himself. Sadly these are the facts of life.

      • Your grammar is forgiven but not your statement.Your grammar is forgiven but not your statement.No to LEAPS.No to LEAPS.

      • I am grateful that this person has been stopped and won’t have the opportunity to inflict harm on another.

      • Although I will forgive your grammar,I don’t believe your theory of this trajedy is correct . All that you read here is not fact, but a statement given to the media by the law enforcement agency involved.Now you thier story, and as we all know, there are two sides to every story. Don’t be so quick to label and judge until both stories are told,and the facts of this incident are presented.As far ws LEAPS goes, that plane is a big waste of our taxpayer dollars that cannot be justified at the cost of ninety thousand dollars per month. It falls far short of doing what it should be doing,and it supposed duties would be better served by a helicopter inth area it patrols. It’s flight path is only a large circle around this citiy,response time is slow,and it can’t hover,or manuever well. It is truly nothing more a Spy in the Sky.

    • Then do not read comments about LEAPS.Then do not read comments about LEAPS.If you are OK with wasting $10,800,000.00 then there is nothing anyone can say to you.If you are OK with wasting $10,800,000.00 then there is nothing anyone can say to you.I will not be silent.I will not be silent. This is a failure of our leaders.This is s failure of our leaders.Did you vote for Rex?Did you vote for Rex?Then I blame you.Then I blame you.Wasting tax dollars that could be used to fight crime.Wasting tax dollars that could be used to fight crime.Lancaster voters are not smart.Lancaster voters are not smart.We vote for Rex and we spend $10,800,000.00.We vote for Rex and we spend $10,800,000.00.That goes to Rex’s political contributor.That goes to Rex’s political contributor.While crime goes up.While crime goes up.Arent you sick of it?Arent you sick of it?No to LEAPS.No to LEAPS.

      • If you want a vote AGAINST Rex to be counted, don’t mail it in. Drop it off at a polling place the day of the election. Keep informing the sheep Turd. God knows no one else will!

    • The ten million dollars wasted on LEAPS could be used for more intervention programs and more law enforcement personnel which would actually help lower crime. LEAPS is a waste of money and does nothing to stop crime.

    • No I am not in agreement. I want to know more about LEAPS. I want to know why our leaders committed $10 million dollars to an unproven program. I want to know why it has only been able to catch two Walmart shoplifters and chase some idiot into the desert because no one wanted to drive a vehicle there. I want to know why we spend $90 grand a month on aerial surveillance when we have the Sheriff’s helicopter in our law enforcement contract that we already paid for. I want to know why no other city is dumb enough to have LEAPS. I want to know why the 15 cities and agencies who attended the LEAPS sales pitch all said NO. I want to know why with the crime rate up we continue to waste tax dollars on this failed experiment.

      They say the definition of insanity is doing things the same way over and over again and expecting different results. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, LEAPS.

      • All valid questions – Valid points. About the only potential value I see with Leaps is the ability to conduct retro surveillance and gather information from crimes already committed. While that can be a valuable tool and aid in solving crimes, it only works if the plane was aloft and in the right place at the right time. As a real time crime fighting machine, it has exhibited very little potential and yielded only mundane intelligence that doesn’t warrant it’s cost. However I think the real hidden profit is the revenue in which Leaps generates from it’s deployments and ‘loans’ to other cities. For the curious, I suggest keeping an eye on the Leaps bird via a live ATC radar feed app available for use on any of today’s smartphones. It’s flight path is a lot wider than most people think, and when it takes off from Fox it doesn’t always stay in the AV. It might as well be part of Janet Air with it’s odd flight history.

    • That man was my brother n law he was a child molester to his own children and a piece of [removed] human bwing and he deserved what he got, may he rest in hell

      • He was my cousin. May God grant rest and peace to his soul and may he grant solace to his grieving mother and siblings.

      • Is that so, Mr. John Duh? I wouldn’t call a cop is this guy was standing on MY porch with an axe. I’ll leave the cop calling up to your type.

  10. Dude was white. Who cares. Report the news. Did a black person get scared by the noise? Was a black person nearby? Police shooting white people is a distraction from the real story that black people are shot all the time by the police.

  11. Cops get off on this stuff anyway. Now he can get his secret cop tattoo commemorating shooting another person, who was most likely mentally ill, and he can go show his new tattoo to his cop buddies when they’re bro’ing down at Schooners before they get drunk and drive home.

  12. People,
    This is the only way society will get better.
    Thanks Sheriffs for getting one more scumbag out of the city.

    • Executing the mentally ill is the only way society will get better? You’re a [removed] beyond comprehension. Stay in AV where you belong with the rest of the knuckle dragger right wingers.

      • Get a grip AV. “Mental illness” is a farce and just an excuse for people to act crazy. It’s so easy to be normal. Just be normal!!

        • Exactly! Tim and his ilk will think up any nonsense to excuse people from responsibility for their actions. Addiction is a disease – NOT – it’s a choice. Drunk drive and kill people – you’re a murdered. Threaten cops with an ax and get shot – what did you think was going to happen?

          • You’re supposed to be surrounded until you give up no matter what your actions are. When non lethal devices dont work, you are supposed to be shot in the arm or leg because we all know that works so well.

          • Unless you know the person you are commenting on then I don’t thin it’s right to say mental illness is just an excuse. I’m sure if it was a member of your family or friend who was mentally ill and thus happened to them then you would be whistling a different tune. This man was bipolar and schizophrenic who took medication for his condition. I’m not saying that the police weren’t justified in what they did. They did what what they felt they had to do, period. They did their job to protect others and in that I agree but leave the cold hearted comments about the man who died to yourself. It’s a sad story for both sides and in my opinion, this man did not know what he was doing. I am saying this because I knew the man.

  13. Nobody here seems to see the true problem. Mental illness. Perhaps this gentleman had no control due to mental problems. He could, on a normal day, be your friend or mine. Please show some compassion for this man.

    • I agree Jim. My guess is this was not his first potential violent act. Mentally ill or not, one less killer off the street.

  15. No one is suggesting that the city should take away guns from deputies. They are effective in deterring and stopping crime. What many people suggest is that the city quit wasting $10 mill on LEAPS. It does not deter or stop crime. It is a payoff by the mayor to his political contributor and friend. It is quite possibly the worst misuse of tax dollars in the city’s history.

    • LEAPS is equipped with long range tazer & pepper spray systems which could have been used to take this guy down. LEAPS would have scooped-up the axe and defused the situation allowing the deputies to make a less lethal arrest.

      • LEAPS does all that and more. While being serviced it calculates cures for diseases, removes CO2 from the atmosphere, solves the crisis in the Middle East, and assists elderly ladies while they cross the street. Some believe it is the greatest advancement of our age, just behind everything else that serves a useful purpose.

    • Tim… That person you are referring to is putting more money every month towards R&D of leap. He’s not making a dime while it is in the air dong what it is designed to do, helping the cops do their job.

      • So, Mike, you are saying that LEAPS needed ten million dollars of additional R&D, which is being subsidized by the taxpayers of Lancaster in the form of a contract for a not yet useful product? Wow, must be nice to be the mayor’s pal.

        Of course the way I heard it is that it was SUPPOSED to be a proof of concept, so they could point to “look how great this works” in their efforts to sell it elsewhere. That of course was an abject failure. Of course that dumping ten million city dollars into a proof of concept for a friend was no less corrupt.

  16. You people are just brilliant. So when he’s using the axe to hack up innocent people inside the homes which are inside the “safe perimeter” made by the deputies as they “safely wait him out”, will that be the deputies fault too? How bout dropping the axe when told to. There are some really stupid people on this site.

    • Maybe not, but it certainly seems like establishing a perimeter at a safe distance and waiting him out should have been. Problem is that when someone commits the “crime” of disobeying a deputy all the deputies are interested in is finding a way to have administration of the death penalty deemed a justified shoot. Get close enough to the guy with the axe to be threatened then go ahead and shoot him is the expected response, and that’s what we have.

      • I agree with you Tim. The deputies should set up a perimeter and wait the person out. Now, is there any way we can talk you into grabbing an axe, and walking up and down your street threatening your neighbors?

      • It seems silly and simplistic to say just set up a perimeter and wait. What happens when the person approaches the perimeter with an axe? I know you expect a perimeter far from the house, but what if the person keeps walking across that safe distance?

        In this case, the man was in his yard and the police watched. The man was walking towards the police when he was shot.

      • Let’s see how you react when someone comes at you with an axe. I’m sure your first response will be for the axe wielder’s safety.

      • They tried several rounds from a stun bag shotgun that seemed to have no effect. You can’t get close enough with a taser when they are swinging an ax.

      • Even though I wasn’t there and not sure of the actual event…there could have been a way to distract him in front view and someone could have tazed him from behind….but I guess it’s easier to just shoot him ..I have seen someone tazed literally two feet from me and those tazor guns go pretty far though!!!

    • Bean bags didn’t work and tasers don’t always work. Just look at the case of Deputy Geer f the MCSO in Colorado this week. Came across a 17 year old with a gun, used his taser, it was ineffective and he was shot to death. One of 6 LE shot and killed in the last week. They’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

    • Tazers don’t always work. Especially on people in an altered mental state (either due to illegal substances or mental illness).

  18. Something like this happened next to my house. A women had an ax went across the street to the neighbors house and broke out the windows on the neighbors car. The cops held her at gunpoint but she gave up. People can get crazy.

        • Upgrades? For what? So it can find homeless encampments at night? It sure can’t stop crime. A $10 million dollar homeless camp finder. What a waste of tax dollars.

          • They installed an expresso coffee press and a 4-track tape player salvaged from Rex’s traded in Lear Jet.

          • Ahhhhh yessssss. Rex and his fancy private plane. Funny how Mr. “Green” flies around in his private plane to talk about the evils of fossil fuels and then comes home to his fossil fueled power Audi and his fossil fuel powered mansions. Oh wait, he has a Tesla which he plugs in and charges with fossil fuel generated electricity.

            Green my butt. He is in it to make some bucks. Apparently suing Monster and our two VFW Halls isn’t bringing in enough. Does anyone know the status of his lawsuits with the VFW halls?

        • Because the ten million spent on LEAPS could have been directed towards better training for deputies so they perhaps could find ways to shoot fewer citizens.

          • Lol. Citizens? This idiot wasn’t a citizen, he was a menace to that neighborhood. And if this clown was on Timmy’s mother’s front porch or loserirrus’ mother’s porch “establishing a perimeter and waiting him out” would’ve been a great option. You have exactly how much experience with armed crooks? Oh that’s right…. zero. It must be annoying when the libs can’t go to the “what about less lethal” card. Tried it. Didn’t work this time. Is there NO criminal these libs won’t defend?

          • He wasn’t a citizen? Do you have ANY reality to back that up, or are you once again “checking” in on your alternate universe?

      • As is almost always the case when someone wants to support the cops, you bring in something totally irrelevant. The Tueller Drill starts with a HOLSTERED weapon. Cops and their apologists talk about this 21 feet business ALL THE TIME, despite the fact that they are never talking about starting from a holstered weapon condition.

        Here we are talking about a guy with an axe on one side, and multiple guys with handguns IN HAND on the other. Yes, a guy with an axe is “armed” so it is clearly going to be judged a justified shoot. But let’s not pretend there was any real risk of casualties on the other side.

        • Next time there’s a nut with an ax threatening people, let’s call in Tim and see how he handles it. In fact, let’s have Tim respond to all situations where a weapon is involved.

          • Tim wouldn’t call in LEAPS that’s for sure. I do t agree with a lot of what he says, but he is spot on about the failure of LEAPS.

          • No, Tim’s skull is too hard for even an axe at full swing to inflict any damage; he would just continue coasting down the street on his Rascal scooter spouting off his usual tired rhetoric about Leaps along with his shadetree expertise pertaining to perimeter and containment points + more training for law enforcement on how to stop a mentally ill axe wielding guy on a spree.

            It’s unfortunate that the end result was this, but it’s equally unfortunate that Tim and other folks think the LASD were salivating with anticipation to use deadly force in this case. The idea of setting up a large perimeter to ‘wait’ out a man with an axe is obtuse and far fetched when a dozen neighbors are calling 911 to report that he was on a spree and had possibly already attacked a neighbor. So do the cops wait for him to tucker out after playing Lizzy Borden and then go and cuff him..? He ignored demands to drop the axe and instead continued to advance towards the cops – Tim might have been able to subdue him via his awesome less lethal powers and gift of telekinesis, or with his trusted pair of grabber tongs that he carries on his freedom scooter, but for the rest of the rational folk, you’re going to defend yourself and do what it takes to stop a man with an axe.

            I’m sure Tim has a better plan of attack that also includes blaming the cops and everyone but the actual person responsible for this outcome and I can’t wait to read all about it, starting with the standard Tim opening insult and other pointless tidbits, as he usually has an axe to grind too. Mental illness is a problem and it needs more attention focused on training and educating all walks of life, but all the training in the world isn’t going to make one immune to the swings of an axe and mental illness doesn’t make the blows any less lethal when the axe is being swung. My condolences to the family and friends of the gentleman that passed and also to the deps that had to defend the citizens and themselves with deadly force. Over to you Tim;

          • Notice that the neighbor who was attacked managed to survive unharmed…without killing anyone. Apparently DISTANCE does make one immune to swings from an axe. It just doesn’t create the opportunity to shoot someone and go back to the station with a good story.

            Despite all your silly mischaracterizations I’m going to refrain from calling you names in kind. Back to you.

          • So if Tim was one of the responding deputies, when the deranged man with the ax charged, his response would be to create distance, presumably by running away.

            Then what? Have the nut chase you around the neighborhood with an ax?

            Tim and his liberal buddies would love to see this become standard procedure for the police. What they really want is anarchy in the streets and the police forbidden to stop it. That’s why he criticizes everything the police do, and defends every killer and child-molester on here.

          • I wouldn’t make a good cop, because I would have just taken the axe away from the guy. This isn’t the middle ages, so finding someone who has any shred of training, practice, or skill for fighting with an axe is about as likely as finding the holy grail.

        • So the LEO’s are obligated to go into an armed confrontation at a disadvantage in order for the Tueller drill to be “relevant”? I find that irrational to the say the least. The Tueller drill is most certainly relevant as it’s how many LEO’s are trained to deal with situations such as this, regardless of whether the weapons are holstered or not.

          The following link contains what appears to be a pretty unbiased review and explains how and why LEO’s revert to this drill. Note the psychophysiology and accuracy sections in the article.

          http://lawofficer.com/2016/02/12/21footrule/

          Right, wrong or indifferent, the fact remains, a suspect with a weapon refused to surrender it twice and advanced on the officers. I know this will not sit well with some folks, but do we really need folks who have diagnosed mental problems walking the streets? Not just for our protection, but theirs as well?

          I find it interesting that I didn’t come down on any side, only asked for folks to reserve judgment until all of the facts came out. I posted information about a possible reason why the cops responded as they did. That is all. And in this, you are still able to find some kind of disagreement with anyone who doesn’t agree with your general dislike of LEO’s.

          • And I agreed with you. Cops, taking a test out of context, find a way to feel threatened so they can shoot someone. “Look, if my weapon was holstered a guy twenty feet away would be a danger.” But the weapon wasn’t holstered, so the test being referred to has no connection to the situation except in the mind of the cop…and of course with the shooting review board that is looking for any excuse to say “justified.”

            Right, wrong, or indifferent…cops go looking for fights knowing that they can always shoot their way out if they need to. And clearly you are okay with that.

          • If someone is an immediate danger to the public they need to be shot. If the only person they are a danger to is someone who is going out of their way to put themselves at risk that doesn’t apply.

          • @Tim Scott, RE:”…cops go looking for fights knowing that they can always shoot their way out if they need to. And clearly you are okay with that.”

            No, I am not “okay with that”. So again, you attempt to put words in my mouth because I posted a relatively neutral post, one that reserved judgment but also looks for answers or a cause. One that disagrees with your general premise that all cops are guilty because of the actions of a few.