... and a good illustration of how things can go badly wrong after a self-defense shooting.
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/shooting-suspect-thought-cop-1339626.html
Guy gets robbed, pulls weapon, shoots one of three robbers. Robbers flee; guy flees across street to diner.
Off-duty cop, still wearing vest and uniform, hears shots while sitting in his black Tahoe, then sees victim running into diner with gun.
Victim is yelling for diner owner to call the police, because he's been robbed; cop enters diner, sees man with gun, orders him to the ground.
Cop starts to handcuff victim/MWG; victim/MWG sees tattoos on cop's forearm, notes the black Tahoe is not a police car, and thinks the cop is part of the robbery team. Struggle for gun and shooting ensue.
I would not like to be the DA for this one. It's a lose-lose. Let the guy walk, for mistaken identity, and it's ok to shoot cops. Convict the guy, and you put away a guy with no record, who may have had reason to doubt the cop was actually a cop.
Edit: Mods, I put this in General Discussion because it encompasses both tactical and legal considerations. If you think it would fit better elsewhere, feel free to move it.
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/shooting-suspect-thought-cop-1339626.html
Guy gets robbed, pulls weapon, shoots one of three robbers. Robbers flee; guy flees across street to diner.
Off-duty cop, still wearing vest and uniform, hears shots while sitting in his black Tahoe, then sees victim running into diner with gun.
Victim is yelling for diner owner to call the police, because he's been robbed; cop enters diner, sees man with gun, orders him to the ground.
Cop starts to handcuff victim/MWG; victim/MWG sees tattoos on cop's forearm, notes the black Tahoe is not a police car, and thinks the cop is part of the robbery team. Struggle for gun and shooting ensue.
I would not like to be the DA for this one. It's a lose-lose. Let the guy walk, for mistaken identity, and it's ok to shoot cops. Convict the guy, and you put away a guy with no record, who may have had reason to doubt the cop was actually a cop.
Edit: Mods, I put this in General Discussion because it encompasses both tactical and legal considerations. If you think it would fit better elsewhere, feel free to move it.