So, if these had been actual gang banging drug dealers would you also be happy if THEY admitted their mistake?

Read the article – they WERE drug dealers – invited onto the property by the inept cops. It was a set up that went really really bad thanks once again to the complete incompetance and ignorance of LEO’s.

Since he hadn’t fired on them and only told them to leave they had half a dozen options that would have been non-fatal. Explanations could have been made later, or they could have identified themselves, or they could have moved on and had their supervisor explain to the man later, while not breaking their cover.

They did none of those things, they shot him because they could. The sheriff can call it a mistake if he wants, but it looks like murder to me.

If they try to use a defense of “he pointed a gun”, does that free up all citizens to shoot cops that show up with guns drawn? If not, why not?

I don’t think the law enforcement community can afford to let this be business as usual. If they do, the next trespasser supposedly dealing dope, who may be an undercover cop, may well be shot without warning from concealment. That appears to be the option being left to the citizen since we don’t have a scorecard and the players would rather kill you than identify themselves.