Police officer charged with murder in South Carolina after shooting unarmed man in the back. What do you think of cases like this?

This incident is shocking and disgusting, it happened in a location that I drive through daily to get to work. The area is known as a high crime area and there is a significant police officer patrol presence, when the story first broke in the local newspaper I had a gut feeling that there was something wrong with the officer's statement.

Throughout North Charleston most traffic stops that I've witnessed had a minimum of two police cars, sometimes as many as four. Why there weren't more officers present for backup is a bit baffling, but ultimately, as we can see from the video...this officer chose to shoot an unarmed man in the back while he was fleeing. Pathetic.

Yinon,
This appears to be an act of homicide, I don't see how the officer or an objective observer can justify the use of force.
This demonstrates the URGENT need to develop, use and train police officers on non-lethal means needs to be protect the officer and the public.
The officer needs to be tried by jury and if found guilty, convicted.
This is a sad day for the family of the deceased caused by the officer who failed to follow any type of escalation of force rules.
The citizens of South Carolina should demand actions to prevent this type of action in the future.
This family needs to be compassionately responded to by the major or responsible civil authority.

Whether this police officer was right or wrong this video is going to rob him of his life. I can already see it coming.

As somebody who has spent 35 years in civilian and military law enforcement, I have a couple of observations about not only the video, but how situations like this in general. For that reason, I choose other because the first three options are not adequate for such a complex issue.

First, the video is inflammatory and damning; however, it is without context. We (the royal we) should have grave concerns, and we should demand answers, but we simply don't know (and we won't know until there is a thorough comprehensive investigation) all of the facts surrounding the event.

I'm not saying the police officer is right; or that he is wrong. I'm saying let the process take place, and the actual entire truth will eventually come out; not the mere seconds of video, but the whole unadulterated truth. Despite the widely publicized failures in the system, if we are patient enough to set aside our emotion and take a more intelligent approach, most times the system/process works just like it should. During the course of my career, I have been associated with a number of police officers who have been party to deadly enforce encounters. Those who did what they should were exonerated. Those who did not suffered the consequences including jail sentences.

Remember, none of us swore an oath to protect an individual. We all swore an oath to protect and defend the US Constitution. That Constitution provides for an exhaustive deliberate process by which we as society bring forth justice. Let's honor our oath. Let's be smart enough to let the process work. The whole truth will come out.

Second, what makes this so shocking is that it doesn't happen every day. If the police were wild renegade crazy people shooting whoever they pleased and this happened daily, we would just come to expect it. The media's 24 hour a day cable news cycle seeking sensational stories to drive rating colors our judgment, but the actual facts don't support a nation oppressed by police. Quite the contrary. I read recently that there are 600,000 to 700,000 law enforcement officer in America today. How many of those officers very professionally without anyone noticing resolved their calls for service; investigated potential criminal suspects; arrested those suspected of committing offenses; completed traffic stops having either issued a summons or a warning; or interacted in a hundred other ways with the society that pays their salary without a hint of violence? And how many were involved in some behavior that dishonored their oath? We think about the exception; not the rule.

Third, to say this happens on regular basis is unsupportable by the facts. It simply doesn't and anybody willing to purge themselves of the emotion attached to this issue and truly study the facts will find such clear cut evidence to that end. Almost everybody I've ever talked to about police misconduct has no idea what they're saying. When questioned carefully, suddenly they know a guy who knows a guy who was actually there; or they don't understand how/why police officers do what they do, and subsequently chalk it up as misconduct.

To say that police make tough decisions and there shouldn't be consequences for those decisions is not fair to society or the police for that matter. From failure, comes improvement. When the police don't do as well as we expect, then there has to be a careful examination of the circumstances, and steps taken to mitigate any such event from occurring later.

To say that because it rarely happens is to say that it's not a problem isn't fair to society or the police either. Society asks much of it police, and it should expect their best effort every day. Bad police officers make it hard on good police officer because the 24 hour a day media will beat this horse until far beyond its death without ever acknowledging the success stories that happen every day without notice because we don't celebrate quiet successes in this country anymore. We ruminate on the failures of others because that sells advertising.

A final thought. I'm continually amazed at the number of people with whom I have contact who with no training, experience, education or insight are perfectly comfortable telling me how poorly I do my job; or even how to do my job. How many of those people would take the same approach with the doctor treating them for cancer? Or the dentist filling their tooth? Or their lawyer pursuing correction a legal wrong? Or for that matter the plumber unclogging their drain? Food for thought.

This is a major issue that Law Enforcement struggles with. There are bad cops out there. There are not many but those few make it really hard for everyone else. I was a cop for about 3 years. I enjoyed it but not the constant battles you would have with some people for issues that you had not control over. It is just really eerie how he reacted. He just shoot him down like it was a common chore. I have read a bit on this and it upsets me that this happens. This one, former officer, just made it harder for every other officer in the United States.

Based on my own experience as a civilian LEO, this is a rare instance. As with any occupation, there are bad apples. Perhaps this is not a bad apple, but a case of poor decision-making? Either way it is murder.

We (LEOs) are all trained in standing laws regarding fleeing felon & when deadly force is authorized in such cases - ONLY when the fleeing suspect poses an immediate threat to others. This suspect does not appear to be carrying anything while fleeing.

I do not think that this is a prevalent issue with LEOs. Due to recent media coverage it appears that it is rampant & that is what the uninformed will believe because that is what is presented to them. We must remember, there are only 2 things that sell in the news: sex & death.

This video is harder to tell than others, but I do know that not every time a cop pulls the trigger is murder. The court of public opinion has muddied the waters between good shoots and bad shoots. That being said, even if the cop is wrong, you can invoke your rights without fighting. He's the guy with the gun.

I do believe this is a rare case. I am always reluctant to judge based on a short video because one does not know what went on before. But, the fact the the officer is facing murder charges indicates this is real.

I could not vote it is rare so it is not a problem. It is certainly a problem in this case.

I was on the police's side on the cases of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and even 12 y/o Tamir Rice. Police officers have difficult split-second decisions to make and their job is extremely dangerous. It basically boils down to this: be a law-abiding citizen, obey police commands (even if you think you're right) and don't be waving toy guns at police. Now, shooting someone in the back 8 times won't get you sympathy from anyone. That is murder; there's no better way to put it.