When can a police officer shoot at a fleeing person?

Only in very narrow circumstances. A seminal 1985 Supreme Court case, Tennessee vs. Garner, held that the police may not shoot at a fleeing person unless the officer reasonably believes that the individual poses a significant physical danger to the officer or others in the community.

Can a police officer shoot a suspect who is unarmed?

The law previously allowed an officer to shoot a suspect who was about to flee, even if he was unarmed. But in 1985, the U.S. Supreme Court held that shooting a suspect who is not an imminent threat violates the person’s constitutional rights.

Can a police officer shoot a person in the back?

“You do not shoot someone in the back if they are not a threat to you,” Stephen Zappala told reporters. But in the 1970s, officers were often authorized under state law to shoot a person in the back to keep the suspect from evading arrest even if the individual clearly posed no threat.

Can a police officer use of force against a fleeing felon?

Though the legal standard has been established, courts continue to hear cases involving use of force against fleeing felons under a variety of circumstances. Just last year, the Supreme Court sided with police officers who were sued over a high-speed, two-state chase in Arkansas that ended with the deaths of the fleeing driver and his passenger.

When can police use lethal force to stop a fleeing felon?

They said officers can use lethal force to stop a fleeing felon only if they have reasonable grounds to think the suspect is a danger to police or bystanders. And they added that officers should, if possible, shout out a warning before firing.

Do police officers who shoot suspects as they run away get praise?

CHICAGO (AP) — In decades past, police officers who shot suspects as they ran away were more likely to expect praise than criminal charges. And while the legal landscape and public opinion have shifted in recent years, it’s never a certainty that such shootings will result in officer indictments.

Was the suspect a threat to the police?

A key issue in police shootings is whether a suspect was a threat or whether an officer assessed that threat properly. Legally speaking, the answer is complicated. Among the Supreme Court cases that offered guidance was Graham v. Connor.