Forget about trigger-happy cops for a moment. Let’s talk about law enforcement’s reluctance to use deadly force (a.k.a. restraint). And poor marksmanship. And stopping power, or lack thereof. A debate brought to you by wsbt.com—which did NOT re-release the in-dash video of this police shooting released by St. Joseph County (MI) Prosecutor John McDonough . . .
“Officers tried for approximately seven minutes to have Mr. McCausland peacefully, exit his vehicle,” McDonough said.
McCausland did get out of his truck once and waved his shotgun in the air and pointed it toward police. When he got back into the truck, he raised and lowered the barrel of the shotgun several times before one deputy opened fire. The first shot missed. The deputy then fired one more shot that hit McCausland in the back of his shoulder.
McCausland then got out of his truck, went to his knees and began to lower his gun. That’s when another deputy shot him in the stomach.
That’s when McCausland returned fire, getting three shots off. One went into the ground, another into a telephone pole and the last one into a police cruiser. During that time, police managed to shoot McCausland twice more.
