Officers’ Deadly Force Justified Despite Late Suspect’s BB Gun

Five California officers faced by a man pointing at them what proved to be a BB gun are immune from suit when they responded with deadly force, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday, upholding a lower court’s dismissal.

“The officers’ use of lethal force was objectively reasonable under the totality of the circumstances,” Judge Patrick J. Bumatay wrote for the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

The Nevada County officers and sheriff’s deputies knew Gabriel Strickland to be homeless, according to the appellate court ruling. He had been diagnosed by a prison contractor with bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress ...