There are some aspects of the Michael Brown
shooting that trouble me. As a former
deputy sheriff, FBI Agent and FBI firearms instructor, I would not have reacted
as Ferguson Police Officer, Darren Wilson, did; and I’ll tell you why.
This is not a criticism of Officer Wilson. He probably reacted appropriately and in
accord with his training.
When I was in law enforcement, the weapon of
the day (really not that long ago) was a .357 magnum revolver. It held six rounds. By training and experience, a deputy or an Agent
knew exactly how many rounds / bullets had been fired, and how many live rounds
remained available - at all times. Now,
I’d be willing to wager, cops involved in shootings generally have no idea. If someone, after the shooting of Michael
Brown, had asked Wilson how many shots he’d fired from his semi-automatic’s
large capacity clip, he would have probably shrugged his shoulders.
With the large capacity clips, I can say with
certainty, law enforcement training has been downgraded (in my opinion) to
maximize firepower over marksmanship and related tactics.
Would I have killed Michael Brown under the
same circumstances? I don’t know. What I do know is that I probably would not
have started firing at the distances reported, and probably fired no more than
twice before making a split second evaluation of the effect. First, Wilson knew, or apparently knew, that
Brown did not have a weapon. Secondly, a
properly placed bullet will stop someone at very close range, if you’re
confident in hitting what you are shooting at.
However, I would not have let Brown engage me in some sort of wrestling
match for the possession of my firearm.
As I’ve said before, many cops are killed with their own gun.
The other troubling aspect is Wilson’s approach
to Brown. Reportedly, Wilson knew that
Brown was a suspect in a ‘strong-arm’ robbery.
Wilson should never have allowed the suspect to get so close to him when
he (Wilson) was still seated in his vehicle.
And, apparently, Wilson attempted to talk to Brown through the
rolled-down window of his patrol car.
That was his first mistake. I
guess that Wilson’s explanation was that when he attempted to get out of his
vehicle, Brown pushed the door closed, and then began to assault Wilson through
the open window. Regardless, Wilson was
too close to Brown while still in his vehicle.
This is a tragedy for everyone concerned. Wilson was recently asked if he would have
done anything differently. He responded
that he would not have. My thought is of
course he would have. His career and
personal life are in tatters, and he narrowly escaped prosecution.
It is reported that Michael Brown had marijuana
in his system. To my knowledge, MJ does
not cause the type of behavior he exhibited on that fateful day. Brown, from all indications, was an angry,
possibly mentally impaired, individual looking for trouble. It cost him his life. Yes, he was just eighteen; and that is sad. But, he was dangerous nonetheless. If he had reached Wilson, he could have potentially killed a police officer who was only trying to do his job.
True Nelson
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