Ohio cop praised for restraint, refusing to shoot suspect

[Chuck Haggard]

I often tell people that fortuitous outcomes reinforce bad tactics.

Regardless of the guy being a combat vet and having honorably served his country, he left his safety and well-being in the hands of a murdering criminal.

[Nephrology]

While I am happy that everyone came out of this alive, that clearly would have been considered a good shoot. As an monday morning QB, I would have put two rounds in him before he got within 7 yards of me.

[Gadfly]

Well, the saying "if it was stupid but it worked, then its not stupid" comes to mind.

As I mention in a past "use of force" thread, I back peddled from a baseball bat. But unlike this video, I had a couple of pine trees to dance around and use as a barrier. Going straight back is the problem I see here, not necessarily the restraint. Get off line, use a barrier, dance around the car if you have to dance...

Just like you are all saying on this thread, my boss chewed my ass for letting someone get that close to me when I had no back up around. I can see what he was upset about now, but at the time, I really did not want to shoot until I had exhausted my options (like some OC). My boss was of the opinion that if one of us could end up dead, it should be the other guy, not me.

My current supervisor and a few officers just watched this with me. They were all loudly saying "why is he not putting holes in that bad guy??" My co worker stated that this video may have saved the suspects life, but it will get a future officer killed for trying to copy the actions he saw in the video.

Sadly, he is probably right.

[Chuck Haggard]

Well, the saying "if it was stupid but it worked, then its not stupid" comes to mind.

As I mention in a past "use of force" thread, I back peddled from a baseball bat. But unlike this video, I had a couple of pine trees to dance around and use as a barrier. Going straight back is the problem I see here, not necessarily the restraint. Get off line, use a barrier, dance around the car if you have to dance...

Just like you are all saying on this thread, my boss chewed my ass for letting someone get that close to me when I had no back up around. I can see what he was upset about now, but at the time, I really did not want to shoot until I had exhausted my options (like some OC). My boss was of the opinion that if one of us could end up dead, it should be the other guy, not me.

My current supervisor and a few officers just watched this with me. They were all loudly saying "why is he not putting holes in that bad guy??" My co worker stated that this video may have saved the suspects life, but it will get a future officer killed for trying to copy the actions he saw in the video.

Sadly, he is probably right.

No, if it's stupid but it worked anyway, it's still stupid.

We can agree on the rest.

[Dave Williams]

I often tell people that fortuitous outcomes reinforce bad tactics.

Regardless of the guy being a combat vet and having honorably served his country, he left his safety and well-being in the hands of a murdering criminal.

+1!

[Hambo]

When I watched this all I going through my head was the Dinkheller killing. Had the suspect been armed this video would have ended the same way.

[Chuck Haggard]

The thing about suicide by cop suspects is that many of them are VERY willing to start killing people in order to force the issue. Dying in a big blaze of perceived glory and taking a cop or two with them is a plus for these losers.

[hks95134]

The problem with these exercises in “restraint” is the reality that waiting to see and identify what may be in the guy’s hand will put you too far behind the curve to respond in a timely manner if the threat warrants DF.

There are other things you can do besides just back pedaling, which too often results in you being on your back just as it did in this case.

Well if you DON'T backpedal then you let the perp invade your safety zone and that violates Bruce Lee's principles of maintaining a safe interval.

There is a right way to backpedal and a wrong way. If you do it the right way then you won't fall on your arse.

Personally if I were the LEO I would have shot the wacko and given him his wish.

There really is little if any safe antidote to the desire for suicide by cop.