There is an edited version of this video making the rounds showing only seconds before the impact and without the needed info. At 1:50 you get the dash cam from the ramming patrol car.
Police say the suspect, Mario Valencia, confronted them with a stolen gun and fired one shot in the 5600 block of West Coca Cola Place before being struck by the cruiser.
Valencia is accused of a series of crimes in Tucson and Marana on the morning of February 19, including stealing a rifle from the Wal-Mart in Marana.
Read more at http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=996_1429049368#5yy1ouTMmukJAEGH.99
Not an elegant solution, but I must say it was effective.
Now, Could you as a civilian, apply the same tactic? I am going with no as the subject was leaving and you wouldn’t be in imminent danger. You could make the case that there was a continued danger, but legally I would consider it risky.
What we cannot deny is that a car can be an effective weapon when needed.
I saw this on the news this morning. Some woman on there was complaining about it being “excessive”. I wonder if she would have volunteered to go take the rifle away from him? I bet not. It might have seem excessive, but considering he had already fired a shot, I think the cop improvised to end the situation.
I’ve seen some situations where a car should have been used as a weapon. Some of these goons need to find themselves facing a warrior. A lot of this shit would stop, then.
Since he was holding himself hostage, using the car was a decision that ultimately saved the (alleged) criminals life. Not to mention alleviating the risk to the cops and other people in the area. I’d say good, even if unusual, call on the cops part.
“…Could you as a civilian,…” Because, you know, there are Cops and then there are mere mortals.
This expression is despicable. Cops are civilians.
OK, try that one in court and see how far you get. I am well aware of the niceties of philosophical arguments, but they usually don’t do well in court. If so, this country would have 300 million sovereign citizens, specially today.
“He’s got a motorcycle. We’ve got a whole big metal car! It’s almost not fair…”
—Max, from “Sam and Max: Freelance Police”