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Question of the Day

Question of the Day – Was Contra Costa Police Officer Justified in Danville Shooting?


Photo still from Youtube video via contracostasheriff

The Contra Costa sheriff’s office released video of a police officer shooting a man brandishing a knife, who later died. The officer was investigating objects being thrown from an overpass down onto Highway 680 when he encountered the suspect, who refused to drop the knife. Was the officer justified in this shooting or could he have deescalated the situation without firing his weapon?

According to this Sfgate article, the day before this video was posted, the Contra Costa County District Attorney, “announced voluntary manslaughter charges against [the officer] for a 2018 fatal shooting of a man during a slow-speed pursuit.”