Washington Times: Capitol police not 'heroic' for killing Miriam Carey

From the conservative Washington Times editorial board, regarding Miriam Carey who was shot dead by Capitol police Thursday following a high-speed chase:

When [Carey] approached raised barriers at Maryland Avenue [near the Capitol], she was trapped, and another round of gunfire from unidentified officers ended her life. D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier described the efforts of law enforcement as “heroic.”

Not quite. Deadly force is legitimately used to stop a threat so near the Capitol, but shooting at an unarmed woman and her child is hardly going above and beyond the call of duty, the usual standard to measure a “hero.” Preserving life above all else, even that of a suspect, is the aim of good policing.

On the other side of the coin, the Washington Post editorialized last week that "it is important to be careful before second-guessing" Capitol police during such panicked events.

@eScarry