Originally Posted by EvieJ:
“In real life people are killed needlessly by both criminals and police. If thats the problem, not shooting to kill is the solution. I don't see why people (not just directed at you) think its so strange to suggest it.”
I'll repeat what I think I posted earlier.
They shoot for centre mass.
It's impossible to shoot to wound or disarm or any other such nonsense without at least the same risk of death of the suspect, and a much higher risk to bystanders.
Unfortunately shooting at the centre mass means you risk hitting the heart, spine and other vital body parts, but then if you are John Wayne/Deadshot and shoot at the arm or leg there is also a good chance you'll kill the suspect (nick the femoral artery for example and the suspect can bleed out very fast).
There is no such thing as a guarantied non lethal shot that will disarm or incapacitate a suspect and do it fast enough to be of use in the the real world*
So the police are trained to go for the shot that incapacitates quickest, and is least likely to miss, which means centre mass and the risk of death, as the line between incapacitate and kill is pretty much razer thin (consider that the same drugs they give you in hospital to knock you out under pretty much ideal conditions can and do also kill a few patients a year).
It should tell you something that pretty much the first thing the police will do after a shooting, as soon as it's reasonably safe to do so is to render first aid to the suspect if needed (IIRC all the armed police have a reasonable level of first aid training, including how to help with stabbing/gunshots).. They'll also usually have an ambulance called to provide support if they know there is a chance of shots being fired,, usually waiting somewhere safe but close by.
Many people shot by UK police do survive due to the combination of a limited number of shots fired, stopping fire once the suspect is down, and the policy of providing first aid, but you only tend to hear of the cases where someone dies, not the cases where the suspect survives, or the officers don't have to open fire (but do draw their weapons).
*In much the same way there is no instant knock out gas that you can use safely on people that won't either run a high risk of death from it, or the person noticing and taking action.