Rocks and guns

Some nutcase outside a truck stop picks up a rock and gets shot by a Border Patrol Agent. Why?

Border Patrol spokesman Jesus Rodriguez said agents have the right to defend themselves.

“He had already picked up a rock and was preparing to throw it,” Rodriguez said. “As you know, a rock can be just as deadly as any other kind of weapon.

These renegade nuts with the Border Patrol will get away with this, but this explanation is wrong on so many levels it's just obvious as it can be that the public safety is not served by these clowns running around with a gun and badge.

First of all, we don't know and he doesn't know whether anybody intended to throw a rock. A rock had not been thrown. He does know that. He may have believed a rock was going to be thrown. But, then say that.

Secondly, and this is the part that makes it clear you can't interpret anything these guys say at face value. A rock can be just as deadly as any other kind of weapon?

No. I don't think so.

It's certainly possible to kill someone with a rock. But it's very, very unlikely. There is no rational expectation that someone will be killed by a thrown rock. None at all. There is a remote possibility, but that's not rationally considered deadly.

Throwing a rock at someone is not a deadly act in the same sense as shooting a gun at them. Not even close. People who behave this way and think this was simply should not be allowed to run around with guns, much less with both gun and badge.

Here's a funny part of the story.

The agents had called for a deputy for help, and he was at the truck stop when the shooting happened. But Estrada said he was going back to his car to retrieve a flashlight when the shots were fired and did not witness the incident.

The deputy wasn't going for a shotgun. He thought he needed a little light on the situation.

I think we all need more light on how some of these cops behave when faced with just minor stress.

Update:
I corrected some misspellings.