There has to be a better way to stop someone with a knife or machete other than with a bullet. I'm glad the officers used the "shoot to stop" method, but it's 2010 can't they use tasers or tranquilizer guns or something?

If this person really lunged at cops pointing guns at him with a machete then he obviously has some kind of mental problem and needs help. As a civiled society we need to find a better way to apprehend people with mental problems without shooting them.

That's right guys! Because we all know those machetes can shoot bullets too.. Simple minded pricks... NYC is the only city that trains cops to shoot and kill anyone "not" armed with a gun. Why give cops pepper spray or batons and tazers, if the only time they're gonna use them is when a perp is already in cuffs? Like the Iraq war veteran that was brutalized by the NYPD.

The deadliness of knives at close range has been well documented.

The standard "rule" is that it only takes 1.5 seconds for an average attacker to close a distance of 7 yards or 21 feet. 1.5 seconds is also how long it takes the average trained officer to upholster, aim and fire a handgun.

Inside of 21 feet, a drawn knife constitutes the use of deadly force.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tueller_Drill

That's right guys! Because we all know those machetes can shoot bullets too.. Simple minded pricks... NYC is the only city that trains cops to shoot and kill anyone "not" armed with a gun. Why give cops pepper spray or batons and tazers, if the only time they're gonna use them is when a perp is already in cuffs? Like the Iraq war veteran that was brutalized by the NYPD.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/06/22/2010-06-22_decision_to_fight_cost_his_life.html

Because knives and other bladed weapons can't kill people.

In 2008, according to the FBI crime states, nationwide, knives or other cutting instruments were responsible for 13% of homicides. In NY knives were responsible for about 22% of total homicides.

Um, so the lesson is: approach the police with a machete and there's a fair chance you'll get shot. File for future reference.

Recently, a bill proposing that cops shoot to wound, instead of shooting to kill, was proposed...

Shoot to wound? That's ridiculous! There's a reason law enforcement and military are trained to shoot-to-kill. Targets are made with the head and torso. Why? Because that is the target—the largest mass on a human—the torso. Shooting a leg or arm (which may be moving) is Hollywood bullshit and incredibly difficult to do especially from a distance. http://tinyurl.com/283y4dl

So the one group of people in our society who are allowed to kill their fellow citizens consequence-free shouldn't try not to kill, because it's HARD?

Forgive me if me faith in the blue-and-whites just dropped a little further...

Blame the politicians who refuse to allow more people to get firearms permits. If you're not a cop, and someone is coming at you with a machete, you would definitely be justified in shooting them.

Where could he have gotten a machete? Surely it wasn't at Paragon...

That's some good shootin.

To introduce a bill would be shortsighted. I would never want to handicap the police in such a way, but as long as all avenues are taken to stop a perp before having to use deadly force are taken, I'm satisfied.