Shooting through a closed door question

[cannon]

No doubt you have seen the thread in OT where an officer shot a suspect through a closed exterior door.

My interest is in the shooting through a closed exterior door only.

While it does not seem safe or sane to me. I am no expert.

What are your various department policies on that?

Short version is.

Neighbors make a noise complaint.

Officers show up at garage and suspect answers door gun in hand.

Suspect opens door sees officers and slams door.
Suspect opens door. Officers see suspect holding gun. Suspect slams door.

Officer shoots suspect through door.

[CinnamonBear723]

There is no department policy on shooting through a door. That's a judgement call that only an officer on scene can make. Hypotheticals are mostly useless in law enforcement since situations are often unpredictable.

[cannon]

There is no department policy on shooting through a door. That's a judgement call that only an officer on scene can make. Hypotheticals are mostly useless in law enforcement since situations are often unpredictable.

That makes sense. Thanks for answering.

[goawayleftwing]

First and foremost, u would probably kick that door right back into his face before he could shut it. Secondly, when that door shuts u find cover. Thirdly, if u shot someone through a closed door u better be prepared that not only would your dept. not cover u, but u are gonna probably loose that civil "wrongful death" lawsuit that u are gonna pay out on..and your dept. doesn't cover u in a civil lawsuit. If u shoot blindly through a door and he isn't actively firing on u, u are gonna be SCREWED

[tyrist]

Shooting through an object is covered under cover fire for my agency. It is slow and deliberate fire where the suspect is reasonably believed to be. Your decision to pull the trigger still has to pass the lethal force criteria.

A suspect threatening serious bodily injury or death doesn't prevent you from responding just because he places a barrier between the two of you.

[Whiskey_Tango]

Other than the alleged noise violation, did this suspect break any other law by holding a firearm in their residence?

[CBR_rider]

Other than the alleged noise violation, did this suspect break any other law by holding a firearm in their residence?

Well, he was a felon and on probation IIRC.. but I don't know if the officers knew that when they first saw him. Also; I don't know exactly what he did/said while holding it as that would make a huge difference in how I would respond to someone answering a door with a gun in hand.

FWIW, I have been to numerous houses at odd hours of the night and have had folks start to answer the door several times with firearms (that I know of). Usually it goes something along the lines of:

Me: Knock on door
Homeowner: "WHO IS IT?!!!"
Me: Identify self as law enforcement and possible state reason for visit
Homeowner: "Okay, let me put my gun away first."
Me: Sounds good

But that scenario is quite different than the one the officer's found themselves in during this shooting.

[yzErnie]

First and foremost, u would probably kick that door right back into his face before he could shut it. Secondly, when that door shuts u find cover. Thirdly, if u shot someone through a closed door u better be prepared that not only would your dept. not cover u, but u are gonna probably loose that civil "wrongful death" lawsuit that u are gonna pay out on..and your dept. doesn't cover u in a civil lawsuit. If u shoot blindly through a door and he isn't actively firing on u, u are gonna be SCREWED

Honest question...Are you an LEO?

[eta34]

^Exactly.

[71MUSTY]

No doubt you have seen the thread in OT where an officer shot a suspect through a closed exterior door.

My interest is in the shooting through a closed exterior door only.

While it does not seem safe or sane to me. I am no expert.

What are your various department policies on that?

Short version is.

Neighbors make a noise complaint.

Officers show up at garage and suspect answers door gun in hand.

Suspect opens door sees officers and slams door.
Suspect opens door. Officers see suspect holding gun. Suspect slams door.

Officer shoots suspect through door.

Well first off it was a roll up door not a standard door.
Second he didn't slam it he pushed the garage door opener button so the door was closing.
Third when the officer drew the door was open. his shots hit the door as it lowered and 3 out of 4 hit the suspect.

Not at all like shooting blindly thru a door like the media portrayed.

But I'm not a LEO so I can't really answer your question.

[Jimvh2]

.

Well, he was a felon and on probation IIRC.. but I don't know if the officers knew that when they first saw him. Also; I don't know exactly what he did/said while holding it as that would make a huge difference in how I would respond to someone answering a door with a gun in hand.

FWIW, I have been to numerous houses at odd hours of the night and have had folks start to answer the door several times with firearms (that I know of). Usually it goes something along the lines of:

Me: Knock on door
Homeowner: "WHO IS IT?!!!"
Me: Identify self as law enforcement and possible state reason for visit
Homeowner: "Okay, let me put my gun away first."
Me: Sounds good

I had local PD pound on my door at 3am on New Years Eve a couple of years ago and this is almost word for word the convo we had before I opened the door.

They were looking for a naked party goer and saw one of my gates open. Wanted to make sure to contact me before going in the back yard. The guy opened my gate then climbed the fence to my neighbors house and fell asleep on their patio. We don't get a lot of excitement in my neighborhood....

[1911su16b870]

Obviously every situation and person's training/experiences are different.

We do not know the whole story or the mindset of the officer involved.

I do believe based on certain limited/rare circumstances, one may need to engage a threat through a doorway, but you still own each and every round fired (4th law).