Times Square Shooting: Tourists Film Police

[Standard Dave]

Tourists filmed with their mobile phones as police shot a knife-wielding man dead in New York's Times Square.
The scene where officers gunned down Darrius Kennedy, 51, has become a macabre photo opportunity for visitors to the city, who have been posing next to the blood-stained pavement.
New York's police department has been defending the killing after Mr Kennedy's family accused them of using excessive force to end the confrontation, which happened in broad daylight at one of the city's best-known tourist destinations.
Some witnesses have uploaded videos of the incident to YouTube.
Kennedy was smoking marijuana near the military recruiting station in Times Square about 3pm on Saturday when officers first approached, police said.

Times Square Shooting: Tourists Film Police

I assume NYPD don't carry taser, the report says they discharged pepper spray a number of times before the male lunged at them and was shot.

[KaiGywer]

Bring a knife to a gunfight and you'll usually lose.

[pgg]

A taser is not a substitute for a deadly force. No Officer should be reaching for a taser when some one comes at them with a knife.

[MacLean]

I assume NYPD don't carry taser, the report says they discharged pepper spray a number of times before the male lunged at them and was shot.

We don't tase people with knives, we shoot them. If you bring a knife to the fight you are not "resisting" you are committing an assault likely to cause gross bodily injury or death.

[lewisipso]

He won't do it again.

[Captain America]

We don't tase people with knives, we shoot them. If you bring a knife to the fight you are not "resisting" you are committing an assault likely to cause gross bodily injury or death.

Exactly and if he's stupid , high or crazy enough to attack armed uniformed police officers what is keeping him from attacking unarmed citizens ?

[countybear]

"Were you or another person present placed in immediate, reasonable fear of being killed or suffering serious bodily harm by the offender's actions?"

"Yes."

"Case closed."

[Standard Dave]

We don't tase people with knives, we shoot them. If you bring a knife to the fight you are not "resisting" you are committing an assault likely to cause gross bodily injury or death.

Do you know why they would have tried to use pepper spray? that would be far less effective than less than lethal options like taser or baton rounds.

[JLK]

speaking for myself three reasons if time/situation permits its use 1) possible resolution (that hurts I am going to put the knife down and comply) 2) distracts/limits visibility of attacker 3) arm chair quarterbacks

[pgg]

Do you know why they would have tried to use pepper spray? that would be far less effective than less than lethal options like taser or baton rounds.

My guess would be that he was not advancing on them at the moment and decided to try to resolve it with less lethal means. As soon as he started advancing lethal force was used. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Captain America]

My guess would be that he was not advancing on them at the moment and decided to try to resolve it with less lethal means. As soon as he started advancing lethal force was used. Just my 2 cents worth.

My guess too. I have maced people with edged weapons before including an 11 year old girl and was successful in resolving the incidents but they were stationary as pgg suggested and nobody was within arms reach of them. I was fully ready to transition to lethal force if that changed.

[MacLean]

Do you know why they would have tried to use pepper spray? that would be far less effective than less than lethal options like taser or baton rounds.

I think folks answered this, and I agree.

If he is static, nothing wrong with trying what you can. When he goes mobile, it's over.

[bayern]

FYI, Patrolmen in NYPD don't carry Tasers; only Supervisors and special units. Guess they don't want anyone getting hurt.

[E-man]

I got a headache just trying to watch that tripe.
Sounds like a good shoot and at the end, if one can stomach the head churning on video, the amateur says "That not a good shoot, that not justifie"

[lewisipso]

FYI, Patrolmen in NYPD don't carry Tasers; only Supervisors and special units. Guess they don't want anyone getting hurt.

If I understand it correctly, if we get them this will be our policy as well. Hope the supervisor doesn't get busy.

[bayern]

Re: Tasers. In my old department, (I will give them credit for technology, etc.) EVERYONE is issued a Taser along with their regular equipment. From the BBMFIC to the lowest officer. This includes Investigators, admin types, (everyone who is sworn) Matter of fact,our Dept was the first in the State to get them from my understanding. Prior to that, we had the old stun-guns. A handheld radio against the side of a perps head was more effective, though it was fun zapping the damn thing.

[GunmetalGray]

I remember reading the local PD's report and seeing an encounter with a guy who just committed DV. Guy was belligerent, had a butcher knife, and started coming aggressively towards officers. They, in my opinion, got lucky and tazed the guy.

21 feet is too close for my comfort. You are stationary within that distance and have a knife, I *may* attempt a taze. If you are advancing on me within 30 feet, you will have a .357 Sig sized hole pointed at you, and deadly force will be on the table.

Any encounter involving a knife and aggressive behavior should be a good shoot.