On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 11:12:15 +0000 (UTC), Bruce Fletcher
wrote:


There is no such thing as a "shoot to injure or disable" policy, if you
(police or armed forces) shoot someone your intention is to kill them.

I have never understood this policy. Even in the armed forces a
wounded prisoner may be a source of information and certainly is to
the police. Firing at long range with inaccurate weapons there may be
no choice, but firing at short range with reasonably accurate weapons
there is.
Is it to do with fear that the wounded person still might be able to
fight back? Not a fear that you are allowed to consider when using
"reasonable force" to deter an intruder in your house - or your
isolated farm in a well known case.
Don't often stray too far from railways in my posts, so I apologise in
advance!

Guy Gorton