Although clearly I was not there and do not have a complete understanding of the situation, just news reports, a couple comments.
First, according to many sources, a violent man with a knife within 21 feet is considered a deadly threat and police are supposed to respond to one as such.
Second, police are not trained to shoot people in the knee or other allegedly non-lethal areas. A firearm is a deadly weapon and intended to be used as such. Officers are supposed to shoot at center mass and bring the man down quickly, should deadly force be considered necessary. Should deadly force not be necessary they are not supposed to use firearms.
If the officer had fired at the knee, a much smaller target that moves more quickly, chances of missing were much greater. Had he missed while firing at that angle, the round would probably have quite likely had a good chance of ricocheting and flying off in a near-random direction, something no one wants on State Street, especially with a crowd around.
I agree with "retired." The Schenectady police have many serious problems and faults, but unnecessary shootings are not on the list, thank goodness.
Thank you. The information on penalties in the article came from the N.Y.S. Department of Motor Vehicles press office. It refers to penalties for people who drive without ever having had a driver's license.
Although I am not an attorney, my understanding is that "aggravated unlicensed operation" refers to cases when a person who had a license and has lost it has knowingly driven a car.
§ 511. Operation while license or privilege is suspended or revoked; aggravated unlicensed operation. 1. Aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree. (a) A person is guilty of the offense of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree when such person operates a motor vehicle upon a public highway while knowing or having reason to know that such person's license or privilege of operating such motor vehicle in this state or privilege of obtaining a license to operate such motor vehicle issued by the commissioner is suspended, revoked or otherwise withdrawn by the commissioner.
My basic statement was that Ufologists have for 60 years contended that lights in the sky hint at something of extraordinary importance but have never actually proven anything.
I also said that for roughly 60 years people who believe in UFOs have been announcing that they are on the verge of releasing important proof yet it never comes.
And I said that without proof the simplest explanation lies in a social or psychological explanation centering around mass movements. (And this one actually has been accepted by several scientists, dating at least back to the book "When Prophecy Fails," a landmark study in cognitive dissonance theory as well as a sociological study of a UFO religion.)
I see nothing in the comments so far that contradicts these statements.
Posted on August 2 at 4:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Although clearly I was not there and do not have a complete understanding of the situation, just news reports, a couple comments.
First, according to many sources, a violent man with a knife within 21 feet is considered a deadly threat and police are supposed to respond to one as such.
Second, police are not trained to shoot people in the knee or other allegedly non-lethal areas. A firearm is a deadly weapon and intended to be used as such. Officers are supposed to shoot at center mass and bring the man down quickly, should deadly force be considered necessary. Should deadly force not be necessary they are not supposed to use firearms.
If the officer had fired at the knee, a much smaller target that moves more quickly, chances of missing were much greater. Had he missed while firing at that angle, the round would probably have quite likely had a good chance of ricocheting and flying off in a near-random direction, something no one wants on State Street, especially with a crowd around.
I agree with "retired." The Schenectady police have many serious problems and faults, but unnecessary shootings are not on the list, thank goodness.
On Man shot dead by Schenectady police officer