Does he really mean it when he threatens to kill me? No. The only question is whether the threat is credible enough that hesitation could end lives, his, his team's, or innocent bystanders'. In this case, the officer clearly believed the kid was both able and willing to pull the trigger and take lives whether hindsight or Monday morning quarterbacking tells a different story. How do we know? Because he fired. And I don't believe for a second that he wanted to kill anyone. He's not some cold blooded executioner itching for blood. That's exactly why it's a tragedy. People like Lurchy always seem sure of how they would've or should've reacted while sipping on their lattes and pretending they'd have the balls to do any dangerous job.
But tragedies like this will keep happening tomorrow, next week, next month, as long as ICE agents are left to face hundreds of unhinged maniacs alone while local police stand down and let unlawful rioters run wild. If authorities had arrested every single rioter breaking the law the moment they crossed the line, that kid would be sitting in a jail cell right now instead of a coffin. Maybe if he'd listened to his parents instead of Walz, he'd still be breathing.
Stop romanticizing the mob. Stop demonizing the people actually trying to enforce the law. The blood is on the hands of the politicians and activists who keep tying officers' hands while cheering on the chaos. Oh, and do Minnesota a big favor and arrest Walz and Frey already, they truly belong in jail.