Under what condition may an officer attempt to stop a suspect by firing from a moving vehicle?

• A. The risk to the officer and the public is greatly outweighed by the benefit of stopping the immediate deadly threat.
• B. It is allowed only if the suspect is unarmed.
• C. It is never allowed under any circumstances.
• D. The action is allowed during any pursuit.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that deadly force, including firing from a moving vehicle, is only justified when there is an imminent deadly threat and no safer, reasonable alternative. In this situation, that means the risk to the officer and the public must be greatly outweighed by the benefit of stopping the immediate threat. It's not about whether the suspect is armed or unarmed; even an unarmed suspect can create an immediate deadly threat in a vehicle scenario, so the decision hinges on the immediacy and severity of the danger and whether there are feasible alternatives. It isn’t an absolute rule that applies in all pursuits, and it isn’t never allowed; it’s a narrowly defined, situational exception guided by necessity and proportionality.