[Bm7b5]

Recently, there has been some vigorous discussion about the value of OC and it's correct use. In those discussions, one thing that mercop stressed was that IF you choose to deploy OC, you better have a follow-up plan. This video shows that failing to heed mercop's advice can cost you your life. Forget the history between the murderer and the police officer here, and the other tactical mistakes the officer may have made. The point is, he gave someone a shot of OC and then turned his back on that person. The relevant part of the video comes in at 6:20:

YouTube - Dashboard Camera Video Of Police Officer's Shooting Released

 

[LethalStang]

Cant believe he just walked away like that. I would've drawn my weapon on them, I believe that was justified.

 

[rottkeeper]

Complacency, sprays and turns his back and walks away. OC should have been in his weak hand and strong hand on weapon ready to draw. Never ever turn your back on a subject, specially when they have already demonstrated they want to flee.

 

[CarGunGuy]

Did that cop live or die? Please tell me he lived... wow. Hard to watch that.


EDIT: Looked it up. He was killed. That is sickening. RIP.
He made a mistake, and it cost him. So sad.

 

[CarGunGuy]

More information:

Corporal Bruce McKay was shot and killed during a motor vehicle stop.

Corporal McKay pulled over a suspect for speeding on Route 116. The suspect then fled in his vehicle, leading the officer on a brief pursuit. The officer pulled his cruiser in front of the suspect's vehicle, forcing him off the road. Corporal McKay then used pepper spray on the suspect while attempting to take him into custody. After being pepper sprayed, the suspect produced a handgun and shot the officer four times, killing him. The suspect then ran over the officer.

A civilian witnessed the incident and pulled his vehicle between the suspect's vehicle and Corporal McKay, in an effort to shield him. The civilian, a former United States Marine, then exited his vehicle and rushed to the officer's aid. He grabbed Corporal McKay's gun, while his son called for help on Corporal McKay's radio. The civilian then ordered the suspect to drop his weapon. When the suspect refused, the civilian shot and killed the suspect.

The suspect had previously been convicted of assaulting Corporal McKay during a vehicle stop in 2003.

Corporal McKay had served with the Franconia Police Department for 12 years. He is survived by his daughter, fiancee, parents, and sister.

Corporal N. Bruce McKay III, Franconia Police Department


The civilian is a hero for killing this scumbag and preventing his escape.

 

[Guardian]

May he RIP.

My God, I pray for his soul, but what the heck was that man thinking during all of this. That's rhetorical, no answer needed. After being a Security Police Officer for most of military career and going through mililtary training and training with our civilian counter parts, I just witnessed during that video so many mistakes, I was screaming at my monitor, crap, so was my wife.

 

[gasmitty]

A point which should not go unheeded is that the cop let his guard down because he had a long, long history with the perp. It's possible the cop let it get too personal and just sprayed the kid with OC because he was fed up, and the kid had never previously been violent. But having raised the ante with the OC, the cop never should have turned his back on the kid.

By the way, notice how effective the OC spray was???

 

[Guardian]

A point which should not go unheeded is that the cop let his guard down because he had a long, long history with the perp. It's possible the cop let it get too personal and just sprayed the kid with OC because he was fed up, and the kid had never previously been violent. But having raised the ante with the OC, the cop never should have turned his back on the kid.

By the way, notice how effective the OC spray was???

Both points noted. That made me mad as heck also since the perp had assaulted him previously, he knew that violence was part of the suspects make-up. I see your points though.

 

[BugDude]

Complacency, sprays and turns his back and walks away. OC should have been in his weak hand and strong hand on weapon ready to draw. Never ever turn your back on a subject, specially when they have already demonstrated they want to flee.

I carry OC weak side just for that reason. If you have it on the same side as your weapon, you can only do one thing at a time with that hand.

This is such a tragic situation for this officer and his family. I just can't imagine what they are going through. Unfortunate and senseless murder.

 

[Bm7b5]

Valid points everyone has brought up. The key thing we can learn from this, though, is that once you've engaged, the fight is on until you are completely out of danger. Police officer or civilian.

A possible 2nd lesson is that we shouldn't initiate purposeless aggression. The officer sprayed the driver, but it isn't clear he had a real purpose. It wasn't to stop an attack because the driver wasn't attacking at that time, and it wasn't to enable to officer to handcuff the driver because he just walked away. It almost seemed like it was a "you wanna f with me, that this!"

But it is the first point that, at least to me, is the key thing to take away.