Opinion

Cop’s worst nightmare: An unspeakable accident

The Issue: The death of Andrea Rebello, who was accidentally shot by an officer trying to protect her.

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The only person to blame in this senseless tragedy is low-life Dalton Smith (“‘Hofstra’ Cop Blames Self,” May 20).

Smith went to that house looking to rob the occupants. He had a gun, and he wasn’t looking to go back to prison. Bad mix.

Police officers never want to be put in a situation where a loss of life might occur. It’s easy for everyone to pass judgment on this terrible nightmare, but put yourself in the shoes of the officer, who has almost 20 years of police experience and had to make a quick decision to try and save the occupants’ lives, as well as his own.

Smith never should have been breathing the same air as the rest of decent society.

Joseph Cavaliere

Valley Stream

It seems as if getting shot by a cop has become more common than drive-by shootings.

This indiscriminate overuse of firepower by police has to stop. We are not Iraq or Afghanistan.

Even though this cop is a veteran, it is time to restrict police nationwide with under five years experience to revolvers only.

Training in all the tools of their trade must also be increased.

Learning to defuse an incident by talking is preferable to resolving one with deadly force.

Peter Peirano

Ridgewood, NJ

I don’t suppose the violent parolee who invaded the home of the Hofstra students would have been deterred if New York had a concealed-carry law, and if he had a reasonable expectation that the occupants of the house were armed.

I’m sure Smith, a felon already in violation of his parole, was in full compliance with Gov. Cuomo’s draconian gun-control measures.

The folly of liberals cost lives both in and out of the womb.

Howard Hacker

Otego, NY

The monster who broke into the home and terrorized these young people with a gun is the only one responsible for the death of Andrea Rebello.

The police officer made a split-second decision to respond to this animal who used Rebello to protect himself.

The only other people who have some culpability are those who decided to let him out of jail to prey on others — something he clearly had experience in doing.

When a vicious felon violates probation, why aren’t authorities keeping better track of the guy? Diane McVey

Scotch Plains, NJ

Perhaps Mayor Bloomberg will tell us whether he thinks it might have made a difference if Rebello owned a gun and was trained in how to use it.Edward Hochman

Manhattan