The Associated Press
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Officer Down: Corporal Bruce McKay
Related: Just released: Dashcam video shows last moments before N.H. officer’s death
CONCORD, N.H. — Video showing the shooting of Franconia Police Corporal Bruce McKay is certain to become training material for police officers, though it may not be shown to New Hampshire recruits any time soon.
Assistant Safety Commissioner Earl Sweeney says the video released Monday contains many lessons. First among them: wear a bulletproof vest and never turn your back. McKay was not wearing a vest and he was shot after pepper spraying Liko Kenney and walking away from him.
Sweeney told The Concord Monitor the state has videos of hundreds of police shootings, but he says the McKay video won’t be used officially in New Hampshire for a long time because it would open old wounds.
While not condoning McKay’s killing, people posting messages on police Web sites across the country question why McKay chased Kenney, over an expired registration and speeding, and escalated the situation by ramming Kenney’s car and using pepper spray. One said compassion for McKay shouldn’t stop officers from analyzing his actions in the hopes that mistakes won’t be repeated by other officers in similar situations.