McEachern said Hancock’s use of deadly force was justified.

“Under state law, police officers can use deadly force against an unarmed suspect if the officer believes the suspect could cause serious bodily harm to the officer or another person,” he stated. “There is no requirement that one has to be armed for an officer to use deadly force. If an officer has a reasonable belief that his life, or someone else’s life is in danger, that decision cannot be questioned later by Monday morning quarterbacking.”

McEachern also said it was a “split-second decision.”

“The great majority of officer-involved shootings throughout the country ultimately result from what is commonly called the 'split-second decision' to shoot. The split-second decision is generally made to stop a real or perceived threat of aggressive behavior of the citizen. It is the split-second timeframe which typically defines the focus of the criminal review. It is a decision that does not provide the luxury of bright line determination. Police officers are not mind readers. They react quickly to evolving circumstances that confront them.