Oh boy....I hate to see stories like this...

[jeffk]

The police do not randomly go to people's houses. They are summoned for a problem. In this case, someone else in the home likely felt threatened.

The police likely do NOT know all the details of what they are going into.

Almost no one in their right mind greets the police armed with a knife. That is an immediate escalation of the threat; to the officers and to anyone else in the home. The officers are FIRST concerned with their own and other non combatants safety. The armed person's safety is secondary.

It is easy to do post action, armchair quarterbacking of coulda, shoulda but, in the moment, there was a active threat and probably need for instant reaction against that threat. Most of us are NEVER in a situation like that. Training kicks in and you respond as taught. Officers are taught to use deadly force as a response when threatened with deadly force.

There will be a formal review and we should wait for the details. The reasons and results might not be as WE, personally, may wish but if it meets approved policing practices, it is justified. Then, if enough of us don't like the outcome there might be a review of policing practices, which are usually well thought out.

[Mr. V]

Originally Posted by jeffk

[B]Almost no one in their right mind greets the police armed with a knife.

What if the knife wielder had gotten into "the holiday spirits" and was thoroughly drunk?

Folks who are "blotto" arguably are not in their "right mind" but cops usually seem to treat them as if they are in this type of situation.