SAN FRANCISCO, July 5 (UPI) -- A San Francisco transit police officer's decision to use deadly force on a man armed with a knife was "completely justified," the officer's lawyer said.
BART Police Chief Kenton Raimey said Monday he was "comfortable" with the shooting from the information available so far, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The San Francisco Police Department is leading an investigation into the shooting.
The man was shot and killed late Sunday night at the Civic Center Station of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system. One of the officers involved had a stun gun but did not use it.
The incident began with a call about a man with an open container of alcohol, Harry Stern, a lawyer for the two officers involved, said. He said the man threw a bottle at the officers and then moved toward them, holding a knife.
"This is a completely justified use of force in response to an attack," Stern said. "It would have been foolhardy, risky and not in keeping with police training practices to use a Taser against a knife. That's not what they're for."
Raimey said he did not know why the officer decided against using a stun gun, which he described as a "tool an officer can choose to use."
