"Warranted" - not really. A situation that was an unfortunate consequence of the ridiculous gun violence culture in his country combined with his own very poor choices yes.

I don't see it as him being gunned down for failing an attitude test. He had repeatedly failed to comply with instructions designed to give police more confidence that their own lives are not at risk and was walking towards the police when the first bullets were fired.

The police were as I understand it responding to reports of a weapon being brandished from a vehicle which they apparently suspected was Dylan's.

"Perhaps he could have been mentally ill, or under the influence of drugs but neither of these are a reason to kill him." and yet he had been driving a large vehicle on public roads in the lead up to this incident. If he was too confused, mentally ill or under the influence of drugs to the point where he could not understand the instructions given to him then he was a serious threat to others operating that vehicle.

It's a horrible situation, a do get significantly bothered though by what appears to be the misrepresentation of the police role in most of the cases I've seen where it's very clear the individuals involved made choices which made themselves look like a significant risk to the police involved.

R0bert

o sung wu,

There is a lot of advocacy 'research' and 'reports' about and all deliberately and slyly framed to mislead for political purposes.

If you are searching for reliable, non-partisan research go to the Pew Research Centre,

http://www.pewresearch.org/

from Wikipedia,
"The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan American think tank which is based in Washington, D.C. It provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world. It also conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis, and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take explicit policy positions, and is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pew_Research_Center

Example relevant report from the Pew Research Centre (also useful to read the comments),

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/10/21/gun-homicides-steady-after-decline-in-90s-suicide-rate-edges-up/

@Is Mise, Friday, 15 July 2016 4:04:24 PM

Touche.

Complicated. I will restrict my reply to one element of a wider spectrum of poor decisions and lack of planning by Commonwealth governments.

I have commented before on the lack of practical, realistic, short and long term options for both community (esp., carers and families of people with mental health issues) and police dealing with marginal IQ and mental health sufferers. The police are being caused to handle difficult often intractable issues that are outside of their brief and training of course.

Both sides of government and including Greens sold off the previous excellent Commonwealth mental health and rehabilitation facilities. They aped UK policies already found to be flawed, based as they were on idealism not evidence and threw the baby out with the bathwater.

With apologies to RObert, not wanting to away from your post above which deserves consideration replies.

Hi there ONTHEBEACH...

Many thanks for that most interesting link you kindly sent me. They seem to be a well balanced research group, with some interesting views, both on US and world affairs. With time I'll quietly pursue it more carefully. Thanks again my friend.

o sung wu,

Thanks.

It is good to be on the side of curiosity and discovery, valuing evidence over win/lose positioning and arguments.

Learning more about the world to make some sense of our experience is useful.

I am always astounded that some can carry their unthinking opposition to authority to the grave. Spending their lives distrusting and disrespecting the very people they would call upon to protect and rescue them in any minor emergency.

I suppose a lot is in how one is brought up.

One of my very early recollections of police was of the Police Sergeant who had difficulty standing he was so weary from the driving sleet and hours on the job. But he wouldn't quit the search for the wee child who had wandered off into the bush. He couldn't go home feeling he had abandoned the infant out in the cold and rain as we were. The men made a bed out of blankets and canvas tarp and he was dead to the world before he could drink his steaming tea or eat the stew brought by other volunteers.

I was a country kid involved in the search and saw it all. Not my first search, I knew the surrounding bush and mountains. We had grazing land bordering kilometres of public road, rest stops and State/national parks. Some memories can plague you forever and can come back when you least expect them, but always leave so slowly.

I am sure that 99.9% of the alleged 'shocking' behaviour of the US police is down to images from Hollywood, and the hares set loose by defending criminal barristers and sensationalist tabloid media.

Hi there ONTHEBEACH...

The police of yesteryear are far different to those of today. When you and I were mere youngsters, our opinion of police particularly the old sergeant in the bush, we held them in absolute awe ? I wasn't afraid of them, rather I had enormous respect for them.

You and I, we lived in different times, with much higher standards the community at large expected of us ? Today, conforming to those community 'standards'? The word standard(s) can't be found, in even a rudimentary lexicon ?

You're obviously from the bush too OTB ? Way back you'd recall the old bush police sergeant did practically everything. Moreover he held many ex officio appointments, some not even remotely to do with, the enforcement of the law. Such as, Deputy Mining Warden's bailiff; Deputy Marshal of the Admiralty (most necessary if you were stationed at Bourke, NSW ?) Immigration Officer; and Deputy Post Master, to cite just a few of his many appointments ?

As I mentioned in another Topic, I was a relieving sergeant in the bush and found it absolutely fascinating, and far better than big city policing - My wife nevertheless didn't find it so, consequently we remained in the City.

We both lived in far better, even luckier times. Albeit we were dirt poor, I thoroughly enjoyed my youth, and schooling.

I totally agree with your last paragraph; a lot of what's dished up on our TV, with a profusion of US Cop shows to select from, 'shapes' many of our opinions, concerning the operational nature of American Police.

Three more police deaths today...

Here's what US reporter Megan Brilley, posted on twitter:

"Just went to the most recent listed address for the alleged #BatonRouge shooter in KC... A man answered the door with an AK-47"

Tell me again that the US doesn't have gun problem....