Officer Garrett Safely wasn't a Hero When He Shot Duckworth

  I hailed officer Garrett Safely as a hero when I first heard the story of how he shot a suicidal man in Wellington.
  "I don't want to shoot you," officer Safely yelled, as Bobby Ray Duckworth approached him from a distance away, knives in hand.
  The original call had already told officer Safely that Duckworth was suicidal. That was the whole purpose of Safely responding. While he was there, a dispatcher had notified him that Duckworth wanted to commit suicide by cop.
  I liked it that Safely didn't want to shoot Duckworth. He yelled at him several times to put down his knives. Those who have to take lives should be just like officer Safely, I thought, remorseful.
  I posted the story on Facebook, calling Safely a hero.
  Someone (he used the name, Sam Hill; whether that was really his name, I do not know) wiser than I responded: "Cop knew the victim wanted to commit suicide by cop. Seems the guy needed medication. A hero would've deescalated by walking away from an already nonviolent situation and monitored the victim until he had time to calm down. Then you get him help. But, when you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail. This wasn't self defense, it was murder for the sake of pride."
   Well, then, Sam Hill is right in that Safely shouldn't have shot Duckworth. Retreat. Get in the car and drive away, if you have to. You didn't need to shoot him. Yes, the law does allow you to kill him, as you are allowed to hold your ground and kill anyone who threatens your life.
   But, that clearly isn't the right thing to do.
   Does the training officers receive make them too likely to shoot? I think so. I think officers should be shown the video of the Duckworth shooting, and be told to walk away.
   And, I think our laws should be changed. All cases such as this should not be pre-determined by the law to mean you have the right to kill. Each case should be looked at on its own merits, as to whether the shooting is justified.
   Laws that make such shootings justified only encourage them to happen.


 




 Cop knew the victim wanted to commit suicide by cop. Seems the guy need medication. A hero would've deescalated by walking away from an already nonviolent situation and monitored the victim until he had time to calm down. Then you get him help. But, when you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail.This wasn't self defence, it was murder for the sake of pride.