Because the law enforcement officers have to protect their own lives. This is America, where anyone could be carrying an implement that requires two seconds to kill.
I agree - the chances of a teenage girl packing heat is probably small, but it's those small chances that can get you seriously injured.
According to this (admittedly outdated) research paper [1], the high-end estimate of traffic stops resulting in the homicide of the police officer is 1:20.1 Million. This doesn't really sound like a traditional traffic stop - more like a sting (something that I couldn't readily find data for).
At first I thought this was funny and thought about following up with more sarcasm
but then it hit me how much this is sad, USA seems 100% psychotic to me these days... I honestly feel like stopping following US-related news because it's all so depressing goddamn
She had her arms full of a crate of water / "beer".
I think that if police are worried about being shot at when they approach under-age people buying alcohol the police might want to change their hyper-aggressive policing style.
Guns must be a measure of last resort. When you pull your weapon you must have the intent to kill someone. To have the intent to kill someone you must have reasonable fear that they pose a risk to you.
Under 21 year old girl buying "beer" doesn't feel to me like a deadly threat to my life.
America has a culture of glorifying police violence. Wasn't true 30 years ago; has been building for decades. Now there isn't a night goes by some cop show doesn't have the good guys beating up the bad guy, threatening to send them to Guantanamo. We're supposed to cheer? Makes me ill.
Those cops grew up watching this crap, they know what a 'good' cop is supposed to do.
If she has a gun, she can shoot at least one police officer. And as a police officer, you don't want to be the one getting hit. So human survival instinct says that you will try to protect yourself (even well trained professional could fail at times to control their basic reaction).
But I wonder if it is worth the time, money and effort of 6 police officers to prevent kids (even though she is adult) from drinking ? Drunk driving is one thing, but drinking ?
If I recall correctly, most humans freeze, not shoot. The natural reaction is to either flee or freeze. I think policemen are specifically trained to take the gun out of the holster and press the trigger in such situations.
Why did they have to jump on the front of the car, as the article says? That would completely terrify me if I was walking to my car at 10pm in the evening.
