'Bomb Robot' Takes Down Dallas Gunman, But Raises Enforcement Questions

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/09/science/dallas-bomb-robot.html?_r=0

I've been giving this some thought,  and I'm trying to understand how it's so different to blow up a suspect than it is to fill him full of bullet holes?

And especially in a situation like this where the suspect has already murdered several people and says he's going to kill more while he's in a position that protects him from gunfire.

I understand why there has to be discussion on this but I lean toward Bob's position. The man was remorseless and promised more death and destruction, so any police trying to storm his location would be subject to injury or death.

What I do wonder (and forgive me if this is mentioned in the article, which I haven't had a chance to read) is why the robot couldn't have fired a strong tranquilizer and put the perp down that way. On the other hand, if he was wearing bullet armor, the target areas would likely be just too small.

Dunno. Easy to second guess. My husband, though, echoes my own thought at times: When are we going to capture some of these lone wolves and try to learn more about what makes them tick, perhaps help prevent another incident somewhere with the knowledge gained? Not likely, I realize, but still.....

The robot was normally used to defuse bombs. The "bomb" was actually C4, which was probably obtained from the National Guard. I have seen quite a few people who say the police acted as "judge, jury and executioner". I don't believe that at all. I think the police had no choice but to go ahead and take him down. He had issues...and had become radicalized after his discharge from the army at Bagram, following an incident of sexual harassment...so he must have resented being sent home early (I wonder how that affected his benefits).

This is apparently the first time a robot has been used in the US for this purpose. I do have reservations about the future of robotics in policing, including drones.

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