Three Swedish cops are charged after officers shot dead a man with Down’s syndrome who was carrying a toy gun

Three Swedish police officers have been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a man who had Down's syndrome and autism.

Eric Torell, 20, was carrying what his mother, Katarina Söderberg, described as a toy submachine gun when he was shot to death by police officers in Stockholm last year.

One officer has been charged with Mr Torell's death and the other two have been charged with official misconduct.

Mr Torell had been reported missing from his home before police received reports of a man in possession of a gun.

The three charged officers found Mr Torell in a courtyard in the Vasastan district and ordered him to drop what they believed was a dangerous weapon


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6916621/Three-Swedish-cops-charged-officers-shot-dead-Downs-syndrome-man-carrying-toy-gun.html

I am not for one minute defending the Police officers here, but and its a big but. This is the reality of the Police facing a threat. That they perceive it to be a real threat and this is the sad consequences of this reality. When we have guns in society

None of us know, except those who have served. What it is like to face a potential confrontational situation

Cops do not see the person when that person is holding a gun or in this case a toy gun. What goes through their mind. Is that its a real gun.
Adrenaline takes over and as seen mistakes happen.

Its very sad hat this disabled lad died, but nobody takes into account how and what the officers felt at the time of the incident

That is not excusing the crime, but trying to understand how it can happen