09 Jan 2024, 00:00
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In October 2020, a heartbreaking incident took place in Thornton, New Hampshire, when a police officer shot and killed Ethan Freeman. This incident stirred up a lot of questions and concerns, mainly because Ethan Freeman was not armed, and he had reported mental health problems. But now, the New Hampshire Attorney General has given us more details about what happened that day.
The Shooting Incident
Officer Matthew Yao from the Thornton Police Department was responding to a 911 call about a man, Ethan Freeman, who had hurt himself in an apartment. When Officer Yao got there, he found Freeman acting strangely. Freeman didn’t have any clothes on, and he was holding a broken piece of furniture, with blood on him.
During their encounter, Freeman threatened to harm Officer Yao. Even though Officer Yao tried to calm him down, Freeman suddenly jumped out of a window and came charging toward the officer. In that moment, Officer Yao had to make a tough decision, and he ended up shooting Freeman twice, which tragically led to Freeman’s death.
The Decision by the New Hampshire Attorney General
After this tragic incident, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office started an investigation. They looked at the video recorded on Officer Yao’s body camera and talked to witnesses to understand exactly what happened.
Recently, the Attorney General made a decision, and it said that Officer Yao did not break the law when he shot Freeman. According to the report, Freeman had threatened to hurt Officer Yao, and he had both the chance and the ability to carry out that threat.
Officer Yao had only a few seconds to decide what to do, and Freeman was coming right at him, making the situation very dangerous. The investigation found enough evidence to support Officer Yao’s claims that he thought his life was in danger, and he didn’t have time to put away his gun and use a less deadly way to defend himself.
Important Details About the Shooting
It’s crucial to know that Freeman didn’t have any weapons, and he was believed to be dealing with mental health issues. However, the Attorney General’s decision tells us that these facts didn’t change the situation. When Freeman charged at Officer Yao while threatening him, it created a dangerous and life-threatening moment, leaving Officer Yao with very few choices.
One significant piece of evidence in this case was the video from Officer Yao’s body camera. It supported what Officer Yao told investigators, and everything else they found backed up Officer Yao’s actions.
Final Thoughts
The tragic event of Ethan Freeman being shot by the police in October 2020 has made us think hard about when and how the police use force.
But the decision by the New Hampshire Attorney General has shown that Officer Yao did what he had to do when he faced a serious threat. The investigation found enough evidence to support Officer Yao’s actions, and that’s why the shooting was seen as justified.
We should always remember that situations that lead to police shootings can be very tense and dangerous, and officers often have to make split-second decisions. This decision by the Attorney General reminds us of the importance of understanding these situations from the perspective of the officers’ safety and well-being as well.
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