The guy had a knife, which might have injured one of the cops, maybe.
Where do people like you even come from?
Also, they tasered the guy twice before finally shooting him, so they didn’t “automatically reach for their guns”.
I come from an over-policed city, where I am genuinely afraid of every cop I see, because of stories just like this.
So you don’t think cops should be required to gauge the risk to the public before they gauge the risk to themselves? They chose a dangerous career, and seem unwilling to accept the risks that come along with it. A knife is less dangerous than a loaded gun, I don’t think that’s a controversial thing to say.
I’m not saying the police were perfect here, but someone attacking you with a knife isn’t something that “might” kill you, it’s an incredibly dangerous situation that presents an immediate danger to your life.
Honestly, some of the comments here are so detached from reality it’s incredible.
Cops are too quick to use violence. That’s just a sad reality. Violence is not necessarily the correct response to a violent situation. There are ton of techniques to deescalate even the most violent and dangerous situations. Granted, the NYPD isn’t trained in those techniques, so that’s a big problem, but the cops put the public in more danger than the danger the cops faced by this one violent individual. Personally, I would rather the police put public safety above all else, including themselves. I know asking anyone to put themselves at risk to protect another person is a lot to ask, but if cops aren’t willing to do that, then it comes down to us. And in that case, what are the cops for?
