Critics should reserve judgment for now
As much as the harshest police critic, I’m not for lowering the bar as to what should rightfully constitute clear and present danger. The shooting of the mentally ill gentleman in North Seattle understandably brought upon the latest waves of disgust at the force’s perceived propensity for overreaction [“Brothers’ 911 calls before shooting: ‘Dad is being killed,’ “ page one, March 1].
Still, it would serve us all well to try to imagine the unimaginable. That is, being approached by someone in a menacing posture, at which time, in probably less than a pressure-packed second, we would need to ascertain whether or not our life was in danger.
Unless and until any one of us could with a clear head decide we would respond in any way different from those we’d implicate, we should withhold our “Monday morning copping.” If/when more facts emerge from particular cases, and only then, should we have the right to re-evaluate.
–Lew Witham, Seattle