Sunday, December 06, 2015

Laquan MacDonald

No, I haven't watched the video of the shooting. I'll take the descriptions as given: the Chicago policeman shot him to the ground, and then kept on shooting. There's no question about MacDonald having a suicide vest that would justify that kind of continuing fire.

"Gangland killing" was what jumped to my mind immediately. Why spend the extra rounds on a dead man unless you're trying to make a point? But why would a cop need to make a point to MacDonald's gang? (I assume he was in one--probabilities point that way.) Was the cop acting as a cop, or as an enforcer for the mob or another gang?

If I'm right, I wonder if we'll ever find out?

2 comments:

Mark Reiff said...

As a professional trigger puller, why would you NOT empty the magazine into someone you have decided is a threat? Use of force is always a bit tricky, but once lethal force is acceptable, there is no reason not to make it exactly that. Down is not out.

james said...

Not moving is the traditional indicator that somebody isn't a threat anymore, or doesn't want to be. I'm not a pro and have never had to even aim at someone, so I'm far from expert on the heat of the moment, though. (The simulator doesn't count.)