I remember hearing that they have to ask them to drop their weapon when they shot someone, and they even have to handcuff them, even if they’re obviously dead or at least not a threat anymore, just to make sure they follow the procedure. Is that true? I’ve also heard that they are advised to “magdump” i.e emptying their entire magazines on their target, to make absolutely sure they won’t have a second adrenaline-fueled wind and reach for a weapon.
Yes it’s true that somebody can take a ton of bullets without stopping, which is why it is instructed to keep shooting until they stop. There is one officer with 132 rounds of 9mm at all times. Once he pulled over an illegally armed felon, who began shooting at him and the officer successfully shot him like 30 times. It was only until the final 3 struck him in the head that he dropped and the gunfight stopped.
Same reason they cuff “corpses”. Somebody could be playing possum or have that adrenaline fueled second wind.
People are dangerous and bullets don’t kill as fast as you think they do. Unless it’s a head, heart or spine it is not instant. Even shot in the heart you have maybe 5-10 seconds to pop off a few more shots. Many other injuries incapacitate from 5-30 minutes, which is an eternity relative to a gunfight.
Unfortunately it can’t really be helped. Since the person is actively suicidal they will force to cop to shoot by running at then with a knife. You can’t really do anything about that on the officer’s side.
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