Metro Police Officer Chris Wilburn had to think quickly on his feet. A man driving a pickup truck pulled up to police headquarters and suddenly jumped from behind the wheel in a panic - and carrying a handgun.That had every ingredient needed to wind up with the driver of the truck getting shot, and I would not have faulted the cops for doing so. I think if someone rolled up on me in a bullet-riddled pickup truck, yelling at me and waving a gun out the window... well, I don't know exactly what I'd do, but "shooting him before he shot me" would very likely be somewhere near the top of the option list.
"He happened to have it in his hand. Obviously he was very excited when the officer initially encountered him," said Lt. Richard Little.
Witness Kadafie Love says the driver held the gun out of the truck's window as officers approached.
"He's like, 'I'm showing you my gun'," Love said.
Fortunately for the pickup truck driver, Officer Wilburn thinks fast on his feet, and the driver remains in an un-shot condition. I know I give our city's police department a ration of crap every time one of their guys goes playing an ethanol-fueled game of bumper cars, but I gotta give credit where it's due, too. Well played, IMPD.
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