When is deadly force permissible?

• A. When a suspect is unarmed
• B. Only with a prior court order
• C. When a suspected violent crime has resulted in bodily harm or life is in immediate danger
• D. In all chasing scenarios

Answer: (C)

Deadly force may be used only when there is an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm to the officer or to others. In the scenario described, a suspected violent crime that has already caused harm or that creates an immediate danger to life meets that threshold because the danger is immediate and serious, and there may be little time to stop it with less lethal means. The crucial factors are immediacy and severity of the threat, plus a reasonable belief that lethal action is necessary to prevent grave harm. Being unarmed does not automatically rule out the possibility of deadly force, but it changes the assessment of how imminent and serious the danger is. Requiring a prior court order would delay intervention and is not how such force is authorized. Not every chase justifies lethal force; deadly force is a last resort when there is clear, present danger and safer alternatives are not feasible.