As a member of my own community’s auxiliary police patrol unit,

https://www.sheriff.org/about_bso/community/cops.cfm

I suppose I should comment on the recent taser/gun mixup shooting in Oklahoma. My COPS unit isn’t authorized to carry firearms (even if we’re licensed-to-carry by the State of Florida) so this particular accident isn’t likely to happen here, but this is Florida, and old people mistake the accelerator for the brake all the time. At least once a week, you see it on the news, some geezer drives his Oldsmobile into a 7-11 or somebody’s living room. In fact, my barber was put out of business last year when one of his patrons drove INTO his shop.

Its a good thing the COPS folks aren’t allowed to pack heat, a few months ago one of my fellow senior patrol colleagues hit the wrong pedal, jumped the concrete traffic stop, drove through a wrought iron fence, and only a strategically placed palm tree prevented him from driving his Crown Vic prowler into the clubhouse swimming pool.

I’m not surprised the elderly reserve officer accidentally shot and killed instead of tasing a suspect, but I do believe it was an accident. People make mistakes, especially in stressful situations they are not familiar with and when they are not properly experienced or trained. And it must certainly be even more likely for an elderly person. I’m old enough myself to realize I often get rattled when I’m surprised or scared. I’m not sure I could shoot someone even if I was totally justified to do so–or refrain from doing so if I was not. You just don’t know unless you’ve done it before. There’s a lesson for our second amendment friends here…You could easily kill someone without meaning to, or freeze up and let some intruder take your gun away from you and beat you over the head with it. It happens all the time in the real world.

I feel sad for that volunteer deputy, and for the man he killed, but I’m not surprised. I don’t think there was any malice involved. Sometimes, shit just happens.