An ax is generally considered a contact weapon, but an officer does not need to be within arm’s reach for it to present a deadly threat.
In this incident, Stockton police officers investigating an attempted break-in locate the suspect inside a residential garage. As they speak with him, the man retrieves an ax and ignores repeated commands to drop it.
The garage door closes, briefly separating the suspect from the officers. When it reopens, the officers are again facing an armed man at close range — with limited time and space to respond.
As you watch the video, consider the decision points throughout the encounter: How much distance is enough when a suspect is armed with an ax?
Decision Point is part of Police1’s Bodycam Briefing series, which uses real-world incidents to examine officer decision-making, preparedness and survival under pressure.
