LEO shoots biker in back during traffic stop

Blue lights were not on until after they stopped at the sign and then took off. Harley vibration renders mirrors useless for identifying anything behind you.

 

100% pure speculation here, but the possibility exists that the cop turned the lights on *just* before he hit the dash cam. Don't claim to have any insight or information to support it, just the supposition that if their claim to have been followed by a car w/o headlights holds water, that may be the explanation of the absence of video evidence of it.

I don't know if it is universally. Each state would have their own statutes on what constitutes evasion and to what level it would have to rise to reach felony status.

 

So they've already rattled everything off that will come off, huh?

 

Can't speak for this guy, but I *never* turn to my left while astride a bike. It doesn't feel natural...might be that I still have my hand on the left bar when looking right, and *know* I don't want to have the throttle in my hand and look left. Makes it a real pain in the ass when instructing and I'm off to track right watching riders come towards me.

 

I know some who'd argue that point. And at least one who disliked it enough to choose the alternative.

 

It would be great to know what these guys did to spark the cop's interest before the video began. Haven't seen it mentioned.

The other link's info about them thinking it was their friend seems plausible. So they took off from the light playing around, got lit up, freaked out, crashed, stopped, got shot.

 

Guy took his hand off the throttle. The other cop car still had the siren on so there is a reasonable chance he didn't hear verbal instructions. There may not have been a reason to look right, but there really was no reason not to.

 

The stop was a bad situation for sure, and I am sympathetic with what happened to the rider, but not knowing the mindset of each person involved or having further information about the events preceding it makes it very difficult to determine fault.

The only thing I can say for sure is perhaps the entire situation would have turned out differently had the riders just pulled over from the beginning like they were supposed to.

 

Are Police always allowed to shoot first? That's my question...

 

Depends on the given situation and perceived threats and threat levels. Are you saying it would be better for police to not be allowed to shoot until they are shot at in all cases?

 

With this particular cop, yes!

 

Can you articulate an immediate fear for your life or the loss of another, where the only reasonable action that would prevent such from happening would be the use of deadly force?

If so, generally yes.