Shooting Bomb Carrying Fleeing Suspect in the Back

[poohandwendy]

The air marshall acted appropriately.

Part of me wonders if the mentally ill guy was wanting to be killed? I dunno, he was off hs meds and it very well could be that he knew it would be a means to the end. Just a thought. (not that it is any less tragic if he were suicidal, just something that crossed my mind)

 

[dcentity2000]

Another one here, agreeing that the Air Marshall in question acted appropriately given the situation. It is a terrible tragedy.



Rich::

 

[akhenaten]

I did not answer the poll.....(it is obviously not unbiased)
I don't know if the person was running and talking about a bomb...I have heard conflicting stories....

But Air Marshalls( and all officers empowered to protect us) do not have the luxury of waiting to hear everyones story before they react!!

 

[jfulcer]

No, the OP is not biased at all.

 

[Dan Murphy]

No, the OP is not biased at all.

LOL, Jeff.

I voted all of them, fine to shoot in the back, head, front, whatever, anywhere, given your suspect listed in the OP.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Had it been Scotland Yard or the Israeli police dealing with the issue, it would have been about 8 rounds to the head.

The federal air marshalls had one unfortunate choice -- they did the right thing.

 

[Disney Doll]

You know, every time a law enforcement officer shoots someone, they get second-guessed from here to eternity.

It is a post 9/11 world. The man was at an airport, screaming about having a bomb. The air marshals did absolutely the right thing, no quesitons asked. It is a shame that the victim was mentally ill, and therefore didn't really have a bomb, but in the probalby 20-30 seconds that the air marshal had to decide, he couldn't do a complete psychological evaluation and determine that what he had was a bipolar person and not someone carrying a bomb.

Civil servants, law enforcement...their job is to do the greatest good for the greatest number. They killed one guy to potentially save the 100 or 200 people on that plane, not to mention the various people in & around the airport.

Yes it is a tragedy. I am sure the air marshal is heartbroken now that he or she knows the story after the fact. But I still see nothing wrong with their actions during the melee.

 

[DawnCt1]

Now the second guessing begins. Apparently an eye witness told Time Magazine that the word Bomb, was never said and at least one eye witness said that the air marshalls fired too quickly. www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1138965,00.html

Also, given the position of the man's fanny pack, it would have been impossible for him to lie down as instructed.

 

[Jamesbyr]

Wow. Guns pointed at passengers' heads? By officials? This is creepy. I need to hear a lot more about this before I really decide. The lesson so far is that we really don't want or need bipolar people on planes. Is that what I am getting?

By the way, if he "had" a bomb in his bag, who are the screeners who let him through security with it?

This is not the point. Irrational behavior on a plane can be dangerous and security is needed. The other passengers lives are the priority here, not the passenger who has had too much to drink, or someone who has forgotten their meds. Normal people cannot be held hostage to the irrational few.

Did I word that right? I hope so.

 

[DisneyCP2002]

I think the air marshall did what was right. It is a sad situation though

 

[jfulcer]

The lesson so far is that we really don't want or need bipolar people on planes. Is that what I am getting?

No, we don't need bipolars running around on an airplane and saying they have bombs. Heck, we don't need normal people doing that for that matter.

By the way, if he "had" a bomb in his bag, who are the screeners who let him through security with it?

He was on a connecting flight from Columbia, South America going to Orlando. Just a guess but I would think that the screeners may or may not be as thorough in Columbia. But since I've never flown there I couldn't say for sure. My guess is they are more worried about 'drugs' instead of 'bombs' based on the origin of the flight...

 

[DisneyJen0504]

I haven't watched the news myself, but someone told me that the bomb was supposed to be in the duffle bag.. After repeated shouts for him to stop, he not only kept going, but he then reached inside the duffle bag.. At that point I don't see where there was any other alternative..

I agree.

 

[DawnCt1]

Wow. Guns pointed at passengers' heads? By officials? This is creepy. I need to hear a lot more about this before I really decide. The lesson so far is that we really don't want or need bipolar people on planes. Is that what I am getting?

By the way, if he "had" a bomb in his bag, who are the screeners who let him through security with it?

This is not the point. Irrational behavior on a plane can be dangerous and security is needed. The other passengers lives are the priority here, not the passenger who has had too much to drink, or someone who has forgotten their meds. Normal people cannot be held hostage to the irrational few.

Did I word that right? I hope so.

I can undestand that once the air marshalls determined that the plane was under some kind of threat that everyone then becomes a "suspect". A cell phone can be a detonator, a woman seated in the back can be a "possible accomplice." So far, hijackers haven't worked alone so I guess the marshalls have to assume the worst of everyone. it is scary.