I disagree. The man was running away, back turned, when the officer shot him in the back. In that circumstance there is no imminent harm to the cop and the shooting therefore unjustified. I agree with Moose that today too often officers will rally around any cop charged or accused of wrongdoing in a circle the wagons mentality rather than calling out the cops that indeed screw up. That's unfortunate because lives and health of the public are at stake, but not wholly unexpected. All institutions tend to react defensively when attacked from outside, even when the attacks are justified. That doesn't make it right.