Brickbat: Shocking Mistake – Reason.com

A police officer in Waterbury, Connecticut, was arrested and charged with manslaughter and other offenses after body camera footage showed him mistakenly shooting a suspect with his gun instead of a Taser during a domestic violence call in October 2024, an incident the Waterbury Police Department called a tragic mistake. The officer, identified only as a 10-year veteran, fired a single shot that killed the suspect, who was allegedly holding a knife and advancing toward officers. The state’s attorney confirmed the officer’s intent was to deploy a Taser, but the mistaken use of a firearm led to the suspect’s death, prompting a criminal investigation.