It has become increasingly disturbing to me how many deaths have occurred lately at the hands of law enforcement officers.

I can understand the one about the man who set fire to a Kakaako business (“Suspect who tries to burn down business is shot by police in Waikele,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 21). That seems justified.

What seems very unusual to me is killing a shoplifter after boxing him in when perhaps Tasers would have worked (“HPD chief defends officers in fatal Mililani shooting,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 21).

The most absurd in my mind is killing a 5-foot, 3-inch, 102-pound disabled man drinking at the Capitol (“Man shot by deputy sheriff at Capitol was disabled, brother says,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 23). The deputy was reportedly involved in an “extreme struggle” and the suspect had him in a headlock when he shot him.

Really? A headlock? Is that any reason to shoot and kill a man? Is that officer so inept that he couldn’t defuse the situation?

Please don’t get me wrong. For the most part we have very capable and outstanding law enforcement officers. It’s just that in my mind a few of them appear to be a little too trigger-happy.

Linda Carlson

Palolo

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