Seventeen Bullet Holes

(Flagstaff, Arizona) Last month, Mark E. Steiger was killed after being shot 17 times by five law enforcement officers. Officers from the Flagstaff Police, Coconino County Sheriff's Office and Arizona Department of Public Safety fired a total of 42 times.

The number of shots isn't unusual when multiple officers open fire with modern weapons in response to an immediate threat, Flagstaff Deputy Chief Josh Copley said.

"The community should understand that once the decision is made to use deadly force the response is swift and lethal," Copley said, noting that the entire incident lasted between 2 and 3 seconds.

The shooting was ruled justified by the Coconino County Attorney, and the sheriff's office ruled that all five officers acted within their agencies' policies regarding use of deadly force.

The officers opened fire after Steiger shot and wounded Flagstaff Detective Todd Bishop.

By the way, Steiger was a mental patient who quit taking his medication.