The Operation Was A Success But The Patient Died

This one is the catch twenty‑two of human events.

On 17 April, 2008, A Sheboygan, Wisconsin, woman called 911 to report that her father was suicidal and armed. The father left his daughter’s home with a weapon and drove away, parking his car in an alley.

When police responded, the man entered his garage and armed himself with a loaded 22 caliber rifle. He pointed the rifle at an officer and refused to lower it. The officer then shot Alan Gee in the head, mortally wounding him.

So the intent was to prevent a suicide. The result was the completion of a suicide.

Is there a protocol that could avoid this kind of outcome? The safety of the police officer is important, and it would be foolhardy to try to disarm anyone with a loaded weapon. Gee was about twenty‑five feet away when the shooting occurred.

Tasers have a range of about twenty feet. There are long‑range wireless stun projectiles under development that may go up to one‑hundred feet, but that is in the future and will require more equipment and training expense.

Is a tranquilizer dart a choice? I don’t know how safe or effective these are. If the dose has to estimated per body weight this becomes complicated. But, it does have the advantage that the shooter may be able to shoot a second time where the Taser does not.

This incident shows the need for development of effective longer range incapacitating weapons for use by law enforcement.

Another issue is the lack of interest in suicide in the American culture. It is important for law enforcement to appreciate the factors involved. Not only is the issue to avoid killing the suicidal person, but to examine the murder‑suicides that occur and sometimes appear to be contagious with the goal of prevention.

In the end, a suicidal person was successful in his quest.