“The shooting on Saturday was the first time bystanders had been hit in 2013, the police said. During the same period in 2012, 13 bystanders were wounded, including 9 in the shooting near the Empire State Building. The same rules governing officers’ use of weapons apply to all settings, including densely crowded streets or inside buildings, policing experts said. ‘Just because you’re in Times Square doesn’t mean you can’t use deadly physical force if you believe that it’s necessary,’ said John C. Cerar, a retired deputy inspector who was the commander of the Police Department’s firearms training. ‘But you have to believe that it’s really necessary.’”
