That's a question police officers are trained to answer each time they face down an armed suspect. The Seattle Police Department's policy on use of force, similar to others nationwide, calls for officers to follow a continuum of enforcement pegged to how a suspect acts. Next comes verbal interaction, when an officer either commands a suspect to comply or attempts to persuade the person to surrender peacefully. If those attempts fail, control or restraint measures usually kick in, inflicting some degree of pain.
Tactics range from hair holds to pepper spraying.
Officers are authorized to use their guns to stop a suspect only if that person is believed to be armed and on the attack.