Zion

When police confront a suspect who poses an immediate threat, they may use deadly force against him. But they must stop using deadly force when the suspect no longer poses a threat. We. explore the murky boundary between these two circumstances.

BACKGROUND

Connor Zion suffered several seizures. He then had a seemingly related episode where he bit his mother and cut her and his roommate with a. kitchen knife. Police were called. Deputy Juan Lopez arrived at Zion’s apartment complex. As Lopez exited his police car, Zion ran at him and stabbed him in the arms. Deputy Michael Higgins drove up separately and witnessed the attack on Lopez.

What happened next is captured in two videos taken by cameras mounted on the dashboards of the two police cruisers. 1 Zion is seen running toward the apartment complex. Lopez Video 2:58. Higgins shoots at him from about fifteen feet away. Higgins Video 3:25. Nine shots are heard and Zion falls to the ground. Lopez Video 2:54. Higgins then runs to where Zion has fallen and fires nine more rounds at Zion’s body from a distance of about four feet,-emptying his weapon. Id. at 3:00-03. Zion curls up on his side. Id. Higgins pauses and walks in-…