He asked "Can I see your license please?" and the guy turns and reaches into the cab less than a second later, so when exactly is he supposed to say that? I'm not saying the officer isn't at fault (and he definitely made the bigger mistake) I'm just saying that turning around and reaching into the vehicle without saying a word to a police officer first is a very bad idea.

Proper procedure for an officer to fire his weapon is probably, see and acknowledge that suspect does indeed have a weapon in hand.

When an officer feel his life is in danger.

If feel threatened by suspected firearm (not confirmed), probably should hide behind his vehicle (doors).

When officers ask me for my license, I reach into my back pocket and get it. Should I be shot then? Even if I did a sudden movement and quickly reach into my back pocket, the officer would probably just step back and draw his gun.

In the original incident, the police officer should not have approach him while asking for his license. Instead, when he stepped out of the car, he should ordered him to get back into his vehicle.

How about "slowly reach for your license please" ? Some people don't get pulled over by the cops all the time, and when someone with authority tells you to do something you just do it right away.

When I was like 18 I was walking home from a friends place at night. It was winter and my hands were already in my pockets when the cop pulled up and asked me to come over to him. I did without even thinking of taking my hands out of my pocket. He told me after it's not a good idea to do that, but at the same time he should have told me before he asked me to come towards him if he felt I was a threat. It's not common sense when you've never been in the situation before. I'm sure glad I wasn't gunned down because the cop thought I was packing heat though.

^ yeah but we have less guns to citizens ratio and overall safer communities.

That doesn't justify popping off at unarmed people because you think there's a chance they might have a gun. If being a cop scares you that much perhaps consider another job where you don't get to hold a weapon.

I'm not saying it's justified.

I'm saying that If you put yourself in a police officers position, knowing that the suspect has a high chance of being armed, wouldn't you be more on edge too?

With what facts? That he is black? The driver was pulled over for no seat belt. The officer has no criminal check on him, no reported offense or behavior, he was not called to the stop because a black man in a white vehicle is suspected to be armed.

If the officer "knows that the suspect has a high chance of being armed", he would not walk towards him, calmly asking to show his license and registration. To be already determined that he might be armed, the officer would draw his gun, and yell, "GET THE FUCK ON THE GROUND".

The officer's decision to fire was based on the driver's spontaneous spin to get his license.\

Stop thinking that the officer's action is understandable. The officer is guilty 100%, whether common sense, logic, bullshit, what ifs, might or might not, reasoning, plays a role.

Most men have their wallet and license in their pockets, which is probably what the cop assumed and was expecting.
When the driver turned around and reached into the car, the cop should drawn the gun and told him to Freeze and back out the vehicle with is arms up.

Once the shots were fired, the cop crossed the line.

Does anyone know if they've looked into the officers assessment following the previously mentioned incident where he stopped a shooter? IMO anyone who approved him for duty after that should be getting some heat right now.

How does that change the fact that doing something an officer isn't going to be expecting, with no warning, is a bad idea? In your case the officer already knew your hands were in your pockets, but if the first thing you did when he asked you to come over was reach for your pockets you're going to cause more concern.

You can understand someones actions without agreeing with them. I can understand why the officer pulled his gun, I can understand why he may have fired his gun, however that doesn't mean I agree with his decision to fire.

Fair enough.

Yeah pulling your gun out is warranted, but running and shooting multiple times without even seeing a weapon is something i'll never "understand". Beyond being an absolutely horrible shot, he reacted the same way i'd expect my girlfriend to react if she saw a big spider.

"Ahhhh no get away!! *pew pew pew*"

I think you missed my point, you really can't understand that someone who has previously been involved with a shooter might have a panicked reaction when faced with someone potentially pulling a gun on him?

Yes *potentially* pulling a gun. If a previous encounter is interfering with your judgement on how to do your job properly he should be put on desk duty until he has his shit worked out. I'd hate to die because a cop is jumpy about a past experience.