Fixed that for you.
At what point is it ok to talk to someone before killing them or seriously hurting them
I think it's always always preferable and a moral requirement to talk to someone until they become a threat to others. At the point they become a threat, something needs to be done. At what point does that something become lethal force? I really don't have a definition for that, but it would likely require an eminent threat of death or severe injury to someone...to me firing bullets in the air qualifies.
Shouldn't police assume some risk in dealing with a person? Isn't that their job?
I agree totally. It's why they get paid the big bucks. How about when that person becomes a risk to the innocent bystanders? Firing a bullet into the air starts creeping into that unacceptable risk territory.
I can absolutely see why people can disagree with what happened. Maybe the guy truly meant no harm to others. Maybe he was crying out for help since the mental health resources in this country failed him. That makes it extra sad and it sucks that this happened. Trust me, in most other "cop" threads, you and I are in agreement.
But for once, I can see myself taking the cops' side in that they couldn't possibly know all this and they are now in a situation where they've got a "crazy" guy shooting his gun for unknown reasons and that puts innocent lives in danger.