Any person with a firearm has a duty of care as it can be a deadly weapon no matter whose hand it is in, and I must question the decision of some of the independent police conduct authority findings with increasing number of shoot to kill by police, as the same old cry is becoming too often, "they feared for their safety".
In some cases it is nothing but legal murder by the police as the intent is there the moment the firearm is pointed, as there is never any attempt to incapacitate the victim.
Yes I speak as a legal licensed firearm owner of many years, and the public can be thankful that I and other licensed firearm holders do not act in the same way that our police officers do when we fear for our safety.
Perhaps it's the uniform that allows legal murder, just as the armed forces and have the backing of the IPCA and New Zealand government.
One is of the view that unless one is confronted by someone with a firearm, then there is no reason to fear for one's safety if you are in control of a firearm, as you are in control and can back off if need to.
Sadly firearms are the only legal solution to euthanase large animals in some situations or for defending animals, poultry or wild life from marauding dogs in their excited fury.
It's not the firearm that is dangerous, but the hands it is in, and the police are proving that they should not be armed and the IPCA is proving a farce, as more and more people are being shot and killed.
So it appears that we need a watch-dog to supervise the IPCA if justice is seen to be done for grieving families.
JOHN BASSETT
Diggers' Valley
