When Aim Really Matters: Domestic Dispute, Thought Armed Burglary, Tests Officer’s Marksmanship

This is a terrible one, for sure. Officers were responding to a call about a possible home break-in after hearing glass break and people yelling. When they arrived, they found a busted out window and two people inside. One person had a large knife, and the other seemed to be a hostage.

After failed attempts at trying to get the man to drop the knife, one of the officers saw an opportunity and fired a single shot.

In reality, what was happening was a domestic dispute. The person who they thought was the hostage was mom, and her son was the man with the knife.

There was definitely a danger here, and I believe that the officer handled it the best way he could under the circumstances. It’s a sad end to an apparent mental health crisis, but decisions have to be made in a split-second when it seems that a life is on the line.