I still want to know why only one officer fired, three times? At that point, wouldn't the other officers fire as well?

She fired three shots at close range and hit nothing vital?

Shouldn't more backup officers have arrived? Even the Boca police?

It sound like things escaladed quickly and the City of Boca Police probably had no time to respond before the the guy got shot - domestics issues are the worse type of problems any police officers like to get involve with because things usually get ugly and bad things happen.

This is a very unfortunate event, but I just don't see this hurting any PR or funding for the Dome - the Corvette ordeal was far worse to the fund raising effort that has been felt for many years, things are turning around and moving forward, this will only be a blurp in the process.

These type of situations are never easy to get the full story, only the people involved really know what happen and as to the responce to why only one office open fired - would you have like it to be like the movies and the entire police force open fire blowing the guy to smithereens - that would have to be the ultimate PR nightmare and the hope on any Dome would then not only be a Dream, but pure fantasy.

How quickly we forgot about Corvette Gate. ;) That was a PR NIGHTMARE for those who remember!

This time of year seem to be more highlighted by incidents such as these. A few schools had issues in the off season last year and rebounded very well. Unfortunately USF just had a homicide on campus last night and they are still investigating it as we speak. I'm not looking for the "misery loves company" type of situation. (Only a few UCF posters will attempt to capitalize on that one. They just don't like each other.)
I apologize if anyone takes it that way but I'm just trying to put it in perspective. The shooting was very unfortunate for all involved but FAU should be OK from this.

The Police department is a state agency, certified by the State of Florida but in no way do they go through the rigorous training FHP goes through. As for the shooting in a homicide the FDLE would investigate but I'm not sure in this situation. Maybe because it is a state agency they may?

I also agree with the poster that a situation can change at a very very rapid pace and if an officers life is threatened the use of deadly force is what you are trained to use. We can speculate all day long but unless you were there forget about it. IMO opinion she shot to slow him down not kill.

I think we need to hear the complete story from both sides before we condemn either party. The other officer may not have been in a position to fire without injuring innocent bystanders. ?

FAU police go through the same academy that all certified officers in this area go through. They have to meet the full certification requirements as everyone else. What they may lack is investigative knowledge and they can request help from local agencies if they need it. They have full arrest powers on campus as well as off campus if the situation warrants. Working as a LEO I can tell you that you have no idea what goes through your head when your placed in a confrontation situation. I'm 6'2" and I am not ashamed to tell you I have been afraid more than once while on the job. Idiot's on drugs and drunks are almost as scary as a mad wife during a domestic call. ;-)

It's extremely sexist (and probably wrong to say) but this would not have happened if it were three male police officers. The guy may have beaten with a night stick but nobody would have been shot.

The thing is you just don't know for sure if it would have turn-out differently - being shot and injured or beaten to smithereens. The end results is the guy ends up in the hospital and survives the incident regardless. This was a bad situation which never have good outcomes, just bad publicity to deal with - will we really know what started the hole incident. Something made this guy snap and did this guy have a history of violent outbreaks.

Yeak Exit… THat is pretty sexist. Follow this link to read the story in today's sun sentinel.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pshoot19feb19,0,1629541.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

The link is screwed up here is the text

Palm Beach County deputy shoots, kills man thought to be reaching for gun

Sergeant cites `aggressive movement'

By Patty Pensa
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

February 19, 2006

A Palm Beach County sheriff's sergeant shot and killed a 29-year-old man late Friday night as he reached toward his waistband for what deputies thought was a gun, officials said.

The shooting occurred in a neighborhood near Jupiter as deputies were responding to a 911 call of a juvenile with a weapon. Deputies were flagged down and led to a Toyota Corolla where Chester Otis Washington became verbally aggressive toward the deputies, sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said.

The identity of the sergeant, a 17-year department veteran, was withheld on Saturday.

One of about five deputies at the scene shot Washington multiple times with a Taser stun gun, but it failed to subdue the 6-foot-1, 340-pound man. Washington then "made an aggressive movement" toward his waistband and the sergeant fired twice, Barbera said.

Washington, who neighbors said was the father of two small children, died at the scene about 10:45 p.m.

The sergeant who shot him has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.

The Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office also is investigating.

Washington and another man were inside the Toyota parked outside the corner house at Limestone Creek Road and Third Street. The owner of that house, Vera Salery, said she did not know the men and had no idea why they were parked in her driveway.

Bottle caps littered the driveway and Third Street on Saturday morning. Blood stained the middle of the road, and there were spray-paint marks made by investigators.

Salery said she was watching television when she heard at least two gunshots.

After Washington was hit with the Taser he went down on his left side and started aggressively reaching for a pouch on his right side, sheriff's officials said. When the sergeant saw a shiny object he fired twice, killing Washington, they said.

The shiny object turned out to be a Swiss army knife, Barbera said, adding that the car Washington was in has yet to be processed for other weapons. An autopsy will determine if both shots hit Washington, Barbera said. The man with him was not arrested, Barbera said.

Irma Tatum, who lives near the shooting scene, said she knew Washington by his nickname, Googie. She described him as a "sweet guy, a teddy bear" and a church-going man.

Tatum said she was driving along Limestone Creek Road when she heard shots and saw Washington fall on pavement.

"I never knew him to talk about guns, knives, nothing," said Tatum, 44. "He wasn't the type to fight. He never caused problems with no one."

It's typical to see people hanging out in the neighborhood, especially on the weekend, Tatum said.

"There's nothing else to do here," she said.

Residents said Washington lived in Jupiter with his girlfriend and his girlfriend's grandmother, though sheriff's officials said he lived in Stuart. Washington's family in Stuart declined to comment.

Washington has a criminal record dating to 1997, when he was 21. He was arrested eight times and he was sentenced to more than three years in prison and jail, according to state records.

His criminal record includes multiple convictions for resisting an officer, twice with violence. He was charged twice with battery on an officer.

Other convictions include possession and intent to sell cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine; tampering or destroying evidence and reckless driving.

Staff Researcher William Lucey, Staff Writer Jerome Burdi and Megan Kenny of The Stuart News contributed to this report.

Just saw on the local news this morning that all FAU police officers are now being trained to carry and use Tasers. There isn't anything better than watching a bunch of cops get tased on TV (for training purposes)!