Can't police officers subdue without shooting and killing?

Knife-wielding men killed by police.

The latest example of police shooting and killing citizens in the Spokane area was Wednesday, Jan. 23.

What in the world is wrong with this picture — several “trained” police in cars, armed to the teeth, approach an individual with a knife and they can’t subdue the person without killing him? 

It happened in Cheney last summer, as well.

Couldn’t three officers distract the man and one other knock him over the head? At least he could survive. Other possible options are lassos, dart tranquilizers, dog catcher loops, bean bags and bear mace.

When I was an unarmed, unprepared 26-year-old pregnant woman, a crazed man attacked me wielding a knife. I grabbed the knife blade and pointed it towards the man. (Of course, a  trained person would have grabbed his wrist). He pulled the knife through my fingers and I ran outside and fell into a bush.

He ran into the house, stole a radio and ran away. Nobody died. Even though I still have two fingers that can’t bend and a scar on my thumb, that is preferable to someone’s death.

Some revision of police protocol and/or better training is needed to avoid these unnecessary deaths.

Nancy Street

Cheney