Firstly, the footage clearly showed a Sergeant in attendance administering first aid immediately upon the shooting. Given that Sergeants are the ones with most ready access to firearms I think it is able to be presumed that he was the shooter. Does not exactly fit into your “nervous young 20-somethings… awash with testosterone” line.

Secondly, your throwaway line about a man bursting into flames when tasered in Australia fails to complete the story in that he was running at Police with a container of petrol and a lighter in an attempt to set them alight. His sister stated that he had been sniffing petrol during the day. I would suggest it was the petrol that burnt him, not the taser. It may have ignigted it, but so could have the lighter. Either way, I think your comment was missleading.

I’m all for free speech and we need to ensure accountability of the Police but hey, let’s get it right when we open our traps.

In either case, what would you have done? Withdraw and have a crazed armed man chase you around?

G

What would have been said if Police withdrew even further after the man approached them (as you suggest) and he then stabbed a member of the public? I bet if that had happened you’d be on here complaining about Police inaction.

I’m sorry he was shot, ouch, but at the same time why should police have to use something that less effective overall when attending to incidents? Every single time when someone is shot, everyone is suddenly an expert, claiming this and that could have been avoided if so and so was available, but never once do people look at the entire picture and really think about it.

It’s the price people have to live with if we want a safe country. If NZ continues down this path, I can’t imagine how it’ll turn out in another 10 years.

Well in this case the “collateral damage” would appear to be limited to the idiot/insane person with the meat cleaver and whatever psychological damage the cop who shot him suffered. I think that is an acceptable price to pay for resolving the situation.

Yeah. Shame Labour closed all the institutions and then fucked up the mental health service even further during its time at the trough.

I am sure Mr Mokaraka would rather have been tazered than shot in the chest

Yeah, and I’d rather be shot than pulled apart by wild horses – at least it’d be quick. Tazers kill too, like they did the guy in Australia who burst into flames when tazered recently.

Since when was “retreat and containment” ruled out as an option for Police? Since we de facto armed every officer and mindlessly crowed in support every time they pulled the trigger, before the facts were known. Like what’s meant by “approached”? How far was he from Police when shot? Why couldn’t they pull back and wait for assistance that was already on the way?

The macho “never take a step back” culture that pervades the Police has already led to the unnecessary death of a young innocent on Auckland’s freeway. I just wonder how much “collateral damage” we’re prepared to accept being meted out by nervous young 20-somethings armed with a weapon they’ve only ever fired on a range and awash with testosterone?

no , not at all. 6 rounds would be overkill dont you think? But the one round to drop him ( remember he was going the copper with a meat cleaver ) is sufficent…brother..son..whatever..thats life….Oh thats right…probably too black and white for most folk…

I’m sure that once he is over his injuries he will get help from the local mental health team. Or are they supposed to be mind readers?

And *I* am sure Mr Mokaraka would rather have had access to adequate mental health services than be shot or tazered.

I’m sure he would have too. And perhaps had he been only acting aggressively without any weapons, and the cops had had a tazer, then that would have been an appropriate response. As others have said, wielding a meat cleaver certainly changes the situation and, in this case, it appears as though police acted in a proportionate manner.

i dont watch the news.. curious though, did they bring out the typical lowlife witness to say the police didnt need to shoot him?

Just shoot the prick and be done with it.