Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by panic 3612 days ago
The police could have left her alone and come back later. They were in her house, and she was only threatening to harm the officers, not her child.
2 comments

If she had shot herself, or her child, or one of her neighbors, while she was in an unstable mental state, people would be outraged that the police had not done anything to prevent it.

It's also intolerable in a society with the rule of law that someone could opt out of being subject to the law by waving a gun around and refusing to comply with a lawful order from the police. If that worked, everyone would do it. It would be impossible to enforce the law.

If she didn't have a child with her, maybe they could have waited her out. They had already been there for quite a while before they decided to act. But to suggest that they just walk away and come back later is absurd.

Sure, but isn't it just as intolerable in a society with the rule of law that people are executed without a trial? There have been lengthy standoffs between the police and people trying not to pay their taxes (Google "police standoff taxes" for lots of examples; here's one: https://www.policeone.com/standoff/articles/1805292-It-was-l...). These standoffs don't typically end in death for the person under arrest.
When the police shoot someone who shoots at them, or threatens the lives of others, it is not reasonable to classify that as an execution.
I find it interesting that serving such warrants is done in the home vs. catching them outside. It seems like backing someone into a familiar corner (their home) would be like backing a wild animal into it's den.