They should have hit his ass with a few dozen anti-tank rockets and solved the problem as soon as he got out of the original area and first entered the highway.

People’s response to police “use of force” rules are sometimes ridiculous. If you commit a crime, and are in obvious violation of the law and are endangering the public safety, then your life is forfeit. Police obviously need some control to ensure anarchy is not allowed in an organization created for order, however it is ludicrous to assume that some “disturbed” individual should receive special treatment just because they don’t think right. The gene pool is better off.

They should have hit his ass with a few dozen anti-tank rockets and solved the problem before he even got out of the original area.

People’s response to police “use of force” rules are sometimes ridiculous. If you commit a crime, and are in obvious violation of the law and are endangering the public safety, then your life is forfeit. Police obviously need some control to ensure anarchy is not allowed in an organization created for order, however it is ludicrous to assume that some “disturbed” individual should receive special treatment just because they don’t think right. The gene pool is better off.

In statements made by the police about the reasoning behind the shooting, they cite concern over what would happen if Shawn got the tank free, not concern that he was armed.

Also, the old adage about having a hammer definitely applies here.

On the other hand, the police had to make a quick decision based on limited information with the interest of the public in mind. In such a situation, expecting anyone of making the an optimal decision is too high a standard (which, I believe, is your point); the standard to apply should definitely allow for sub-optimal decisions.

For those commenting about the overkill… He did steal a tank located next to a high school that happened to have a theater performance that night; drove through a few neighborhoods, obliterating motor vehicles, and came close to driving through someone’s house. All before deciding to get on Interstate 163 heading south trailed by the 22 cop cars. My best friend in high school saw the incident on 163 from her balcony. I think shooting him was a bit overkill, but the intention was not to kill the guy, and if the guy had managed to get on the other side of 163, there would have been a death toll as he headed into on coming traffic during rush hour. Could you honestly say that if you were that cop in the same position, you wouldn’t have done something similar? (referring to the attempted shot to prevent him from further destruction and possible deaths)

Also, when he got killed, he was trying to get the tank unstuck from the median and over to the other side, where there weren’t any police cars. If he had succeeded, he would’ve racked up a massive death toll.

I’m not saying that what he did was acceptable – but I still say the reaction to what he did was overkill.

Mine have FRICKING LASERS on their foreheads.

I doubt Mexico would like to have an unarmed American Tank coming their way….but maybe it makes up for those escaping. *shrugs*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawn_Nelson

He drove it for half an hour, across various parts of the city, then high-centered it on the center divider of the highway.

Amazingly, no deaths (apart from Nelson, who was shot for, I am guessing, criminal stupidity).

Of course, that was before September 11. Now, you must prove that you have no ties to any known terrorist organization before stealing a tank.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawn_Nelson