Perhaps robbing banks, crashing cars and threatening police with a knife wasn't a good idea. Maybe the officer could have bought him a mocha and they could have talked about his feelings.The police have a thankless job just about everywhere but Seattle has to be the toughest. Having to weigh all the political correctness with protecting not only the citizens but themselves, it's a wonder anyone chooses to do that job. Thank God they do. Yes, it's sad that someone had to die, but he robbed a fucking bank and threatened someone who is badged and armed. What the hell do you expect?

Yes, it would be a lot easier to believe and yes, shooting a guy with a knife seems excessive. However, he robbed a bank, flipped a car in a residential neighborhood near a park where kids play, then tried to escape, and finally threatened someone with a knife. And not just anyone. Someone who wears a badge and carries a firearm and has the legal right and gets paid by the city to exercise both. Don't want to get shot by the Seattle PD, DON'T ROB BANKS! And live by the societal rules. Or, go your own path, do your own thing and run the risk that in doing so, you might get spanked. I'm not sure if there's any in-between. And it would be "nice" not to see the SPD kill every now and then, but then it wouldn't be news. I have to believe it happens everyday, all day, it just doesn't make it to KOMO. I don't think the cops are out there killing just for the fuck of it. I grew up in LA during the Daryl Gates regime and if you want to read about real abuse of power, look Herr Gates up. Makes Seattle look like Mayberry.

I don't think that the lack of accountability from the police is the main problem here. I think breaking the law, endangering low salary bank employees and the public at large and then the police, that's the problem. Why is it every time something like this happens, people react to the harm brought to the criminal and not the act they commit or the people they threaten or harm? Of course, your answer here is because he's dead. So at the risk of being callous, so what? Not only did he not likely contribute to society, he subtracted. That's a safe bet right? I doubt he robbed banks during the day and volunteered at NW Harvest at night. Perhaps the cops could have taken a less fatal approach, but maybe not. We don't know all the facts yet. Except one, HE ROBBED A FUCKING BANK. What idiot in this day and age walks into a bank, in a costume, by himself to rob it?l This isn't a Tarantino movie.
So, at the risk of being redundant, don't want to get shot the police, in Seattle or any other city, DON'T ROB BANKS! (of course that applies to other genius acts like coming at policeman with a knife…)