For those of you who lack knowledge in the areas of firearms,swat responsibilities,and in pure self defense.
In this silly world of ours, many Police force’s have “familiarization” CLASSES to try to help officers tell a lethal weapon from a harmless imitation…..Since the imitations are made to look as “realistic” as possible, this is hard to do under the best of circumstances, let alone when one is “brought to bear”, on you in a “confrontation”!!!
To tell the truth, no cop will shoot a 5 yr old with a gun…. if it’s a 15 yr old, I doubt if I’d even consider that it might be anything in his hand other than a “lethal” weapon, and “Act Accordingly”……. I for one, do not feel like making a mistake like that, and “waking up dead”.
1. A pellet gun is or can be a “lethal” weapon !!!
If in fact the pistol carried by the 15 yr old boy, was a “pellet” gun as defined in the
world of firearms, you must know that the projectile normally fired, is similar in size to a .22 caliber bullet., It is normally “pointed”, and is VERY capable of penetrating the skin, putting out eyes, and if fired at close range, and hitting a “soft area”, it can (and has many times), “KILL”. It IS considered a “Lethal” weapon, at close range by anyone familiar with weapons, and is used daily to kill “varmints”.
2. A SWAT team is a select group of people, chosen because they exhibit “superb”, courage, self control, skill, in circumstances which put “them” and others in extreme danger….in other words, they can be trusted as much as any man around, to THINK, and make a “rational”, judgement call, as to the use of Deadly Force, in the split second, usually available to them to do so…..
3. ANY law enforcement officer (or Military member), knows when he, she takes the job, that they may well put themselves in harms way, to defend “”You”"…..the 1,100 kids, the teachers, the cafeteria workers, etc etc etc…..
4. Be advised…. If any trained person is confronted with a “pellet” gun at close range, and is armed, they will “Shoot”….. They are there to “Protect” us….not commit voluntary suicide.
5. Those of you who think otherwise, lack either knowledge or common sense. A “COP” is in the same position as a GI I do NOT expect any Man or Woman, who is defending my rights, to commit suicide…… That’s why we arm them.
6. I CERTAINLY don’t advocate the use of “Deadly Force”, if it’s not deemed necessary……I have kids too, and grandkids also…..But it’s seldom that these trained people make a bad call.
7. If you were there, in the same position, under the same circumstances, having that weapon pointed at you, by who the heck ever…..you’d either shoot, or cry, and get shot,wounded, killed…..depending on your level of intelligence.
8. I am sorry the young man was killed…..and sorry for the way the Lt. must feel….but I don’t know a single man I served with in the US ARMY, who would not have done the same…… I would have, because I “Had to”…
I thank each and every member of our Police Departments for their service. Protecting “Us”, for harm, and putting themselves in harms way, many times a day….
God Bless them ALL!