Looks like a suicide by cop.
Police in the US state of Georgia have shot and killed an LGBT student activist, leading to an independent investigation.
Police encountered Scout Schultz at a campus in Atlanta after a call about “a person with a knife and a gun” late on Saturday, officials say.
Footage has emerged apparently showing Schultz, 21, refusing to obey multiple police commands to drop a knife.
Schultz’s mother said police should not have used lethal force.
In a video filmed by fellow students at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Schultz is heard saying “Shoot me!” while continuing to advance on the officers. One of them then opens fire.
It also looks like this poor kid had some severe issues. If it was a suicide by cop, it’s a shame that he chose to ruin some poor police officer’s life too.
Looks like cop did right thing. Do stupid things with dangerous weapons around officer, win stupid prizes.
We should pin a hero award on this officer and put them back on duty.
If the “poor kid” has “severe issues,” why on Earth would that serve as any post-facto justification for the shooting?
As the linked article says, “Police in the US are permitted – and often required – to use lethal force against any suspect who they believe presents an immediate danger to officers or members of the community. Officers must have a “reasonable belief” that an individual is capable of committing violence, in order to fire on them.”
A more proper question to ask is whether this kid actually posed an immediate danger in this fashion. Yeah, there’s the 21-foot rule. Yeah, the family lawyer says the kid was holding a closed multi-tool, not an open knife.
Why not have a substantive discussion about the proper use of force and alternatives to aiming for the center of mass? What’s the best response from the police if someone is indeed attempting “suicide by cop”?