The police officer in question has just experienced the ability for violence that Michael Brown has, Letting him go would be putting the public at risk instead of the officer and in my humble opinion did exactly what he should have done, tried to make the arrest and responded to danger by defending himself. Let’s not forget that Michael Brown had just robbed a store.
Mr. Schultz, I would like to see how you react when you need a policemen when some thug is robbing you, how amiable will you be toward the person taking what is yours and acting in a violent and disrespectful manner. My thought is you will beg the police for their protection and they should do so, as it is their job.
We all can sit back and second guess this situation after the fact but we forget that it only lasted a few seconds or possibly minutes putting the officer in a precarious position to make decisions no one should have to make and putting him in danger from a perpetrator that was willing to do harm. In reality the Officer did what he should have done, protected himself and the public from a violent criminal who would rob and attack again if not apprehended. His decision although tragic at the loss of life was based on the actions of a man who would not stop and knew what he was doing, ultimately putting himself in danger and causing his own death.
Maybe we should ask how this situation would be different if Michael Brown allowed the arrest for a crime he committed instead of the violent actions he took to get away.