[BeaverFever]

And you think that carries over to their actions in their personal life? I'm not disagreeing, but I think Brock might.

My post was to suggest that cops in the line of dutyare perhaps more likely to shoot first than would a civilian, because the on-duty cop is actively responding to a crime or on the look-out for crime and often has an expectation that danger may be imminent. So, had the dad been on duty and responding to a possible break-in call, I would give him greater credit for shooting at a shadow as there would naturally have been an expectation of danger onhis part.

A civilian or an off-duty cop on the other hand should not assume that danger is imminent and open fire just because he hears a bump in the night, especially when there are other much more plausible causes (such as the son dad was sharing the room with). In this context, I was suggesting that the dad's law enforcement career is probably not the reason he opened fire. But obviously I don't know the guy.

[andyt]

Was dad sharing the room with the son? In that case there is absolutely no excuse at all.

[BeaverFever]

Article said they were on a trip together, so I just assumed, otherwise how else would the son get into the room and get shot in the back? Or did the dad go over to the son's room and say "hey, somebody's in there, it must be an intruder! No need to think this through any further!"

[bootlegga]

andyt andyt:

bootlegga bootlegga:

now isn't the time to turn this into a debate on gun rights - you want to do that - IMHO, go to the Aurora thread and do so there.

- and one reason why I've fought the urge to buy another firearm after I got married and started a family (the other is worrying about an accidental shooting at home).

1. You're doing it yourself

2. This is a very good thread to talk about civilian guns. Aurora was thankfully still an aberration. Innocents getting shot by guns meant to protect them are not.

Not really - you and BF are advocating on the issue - I'm not against parents owning weapons, I'm simply saying it isn't for me at this juncture in my life. Somewhere down the road however, it may be.

[andyt]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

Article said they were on a trip together, so I just assumed, otherwise how else would the son get into the room and get shot in the back?

Son went into dad's room by mistake, realized it, turned around to leave an blammo. If they were sharing a room, even if dad was drunk, you would expect him not to just shoot somebody coming into the room.

[BartSimpson]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

And you think that carries over to their actions in their personal life? I'm not disagreeing, but I think Brock might.

A cop is a cop 24/7/365. Despite what some people may mistakenly believe, cops are never truly 'off duty'. Marines are the same way. I may no longer be in the Marines but the Marines are inseparable from me.

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

My post was to suggest that cops in the line of dutyare perhaps more likely to shoot first than would a civilian, because the on-duty cop is actively responding to a crime or on the look-out for crime and often has an expectation that danger may be imminent. So, had the dad been on duty and responding to a possible break-in call, I would give him greater credit for shooting at a shadow as there would naturally have been an expectation of danger onhis part.

Again, cops are never truly 'off duty'. You're mistaking police work for a job at Timmie's. Timmie's is a job, police work is almost religious in the way some folks take to it.

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

A civilian or an off-duty cop on the other hand should not assume that danger is imminent and open fire just because he hears a bump in the night, especially when there are other much more plausible causes (such as the son dad was sharing the room with). In this context, I was suggesting that the dad's law enforcement career is probably not the reason he opened fire. But obviously I don't know the guy.

The dad's LEO career was probably not the only reason he opened fire, but I guarantee you that it had everything to do with his willingness to pull the trigger.

[FurTrader4]

Yeesh!...Father shoots son on a camping trip it just sounds suspicious after all how long have they known each other.
The fact that the father was a cop and a trained professional just makes it all that much more suspicious!

[uwish]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

Also note, the son was shot in the BACK...another responsible American gun owner eh?

and a COP ooo only the police and military should have guns! ooooo