Why the Rayshard Brooks shooting was justified
It is always tragic when someone is killed in a police shooting, but often those shooting are justified. Each police shooting is an individual event with its own unique set of circumstances. Each shooting should be judged based upon what took place in that specific incident.
In the case of Rayshard Brooks, police were in the process of arresting Mr. Brooks for being over the legal blood alcohol level to operate a motor vehicle. Mr. Brooks is initially calm and cooperative, talking with the police about his evening. However once he is informed that he is going to be placed under arrest, he becomes combative.
During a scuffle with police while they are trying to place handcuffs on him, Mr Brooks grabs one of the officers taser. Mr Brooks is then able to wrestle his way away from the police and starts running with the cops in pursuit. When Mr. Brooks turns and fires the taser at the pursuing officer, that officer draws his gun and returns fire.
Mr. Brooks happened to have been able to grab one of the cops taser, but it was just as possible that during the scuffle he would have been able to grab one of the cops gun. Mr. Brooks did not appear to be acting rationally. I have no idea what he hoped to gain by fighting with the police.
Again, this is a tragic loss of life, but it is understandable that if a person is willing to fight with cops, grab their taser and fire it at them, they would naturally feel threatened and act to protect their own lives.
