In the last week of 2015 six Baltimore County police officers [precinct withheld on request of the officer leaking the information] responded to a home, within which a distraught man was “ranting and raving and screaming.”
The man was being talked to in the kitchen when he reached for the butcher block or drawer [it is not clear] and drew a knife, immediately moving on an officer, whereupon he was shot by two or more of the officers and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The offices and neighbors were of the opinion that this was “suicide by cop,” and, so far as I know, this sad case did not make the news.
My thoughts on this immediately went to the fact that the only place worse than the kitchen to interview a distraught man would be his tool shed. Certainly, when trying to keep a man calm, if he is already in the kitchen, any attempt to remove him might trigger this.
However, for private citizens, never engage in an argument with a person who might become violent in a kitchen. Also, by all means, if someone breaks into your house and you are unarmed, retreat to the kitchen. If the intruder is a hoodrat, might I recommend a palm oil and curry baste...
