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...you don't seriously believe that, do you?
Yes, there are standards for use of deadly force, even for cops.
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...you don't seriously believe that, do you?
I am no fan of the swat/patrol look-smell-feel but......to label-condemn all police as the enemy ? Innocent until proven guilty right , I believe no Police contact is good contact . The situation is FUBAR , BLUE-LINE goes along way but ......there are good guys out there......and hopefully old fashioned GOOD will prevail ....OR MAYBE more 5.56 and 40 for my guns .I'll take stab at it from what I saw on the video.
Before everyone damns all involved to the pits of hell for what happened, we'll need to hear the dispatch recording. In other words, what was actually called in, and what was relayed to the Officers.
Until then folks, there's really nothing to get lathered up about. But as goes with these threads about "Cops", seems we need to condemn before we get the facts. But I guess its more fun to to stir up dirty laundry, than research the truth.
If the call was a man who had done something with the rifle, would the Officers response be more in line? More than likely, yes.
If the call was just a man with a rifle walking down the sidewalk...then yep, the response was way overboard.
With society on edge about firearms...it's folks like this that are making it hard on the rest of us.
As for Open Carry" laws in WA. State. Let's look;
Washington is an open carry state for firearms. This means there is a presumption that carrying a handgun in an exposed holster, for instance, is legal except where it is specifically prohibited. Open carry does not require a license.
RCW 9.41.270 states It shall be unlawful for any person to carry, exhibit, display, or draw any firearm or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of others.
So now the million dollar question...is open carry of a firearm, in this case a rifle, enough to "...warrant alarm for the safety of others." It could, but;
In this law, mere possession of an openly carried handgun, or in this case a rifle, is not prohibited. In order to support an enforcement action under this law, the officer must be able to articulate (describe in a convincing manner) malicious intent by the suspect or circumstances that reasonably cause alarm to the public. In either case, because open carry in Washington is presumably legal, the articulation must include something beyond mere, open possession.
In conclusion, if the guy was just walking down the sidewalk with it, hopefully slung and not carried in hand...I think its an over reaction by the LEO's BUT, only IF that's what was told to the responding Officers.
IF the info. was more malicious sounding, then the Officers had the right to stop and detain. The dispatch recording holds the key here.
As for letting him go, then arresting him...REALLY? Why not let the guy get to his car and go away, thus ending the whole problem?